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Choi SY, Song P, Hwang JS, Lee YK, Shin MS, Son HJ, Kim YJ, Kim W, Lee KM. Cereblon deficiency ameliorates carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells by suppressing MAPK-mediated apoptosis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1457636. [PMID: 39139558 PMCID: PMC11319158 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1457636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver is vulnerable to various hepatotoxins, including carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), which induces oxidative stress and apoptosis by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Cereblon (CRBN), a multifunctional protein implicated in various cellular processes, functions in the pathogenesis of various diseases; however, its function in liver injury remains unknown. We established a CRBN-knockout (KO) HepG2 cell line and examined its effect on CCl4-induced hepatocellular damage. CRBN-KO cells exhibited reduced sensitivity to CCl4-induced cytotoxicity, as evidenced by decreased levels of apoptosis markers, such as cleaved caspase-3, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities. CRBN deficiency enhanced antioxidant defense, with increased superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione ratios (GSH/GSSG), as well as reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Mechanistically, the protective effects of CRBN deficiency appeared to involve the attenuation of the MAPK-mediated pathways, particularly through decreased phosphorylation of JNK and ERK. Overall, these results suggest the crucial role of CRBN in mediating the hepatocellular response to oxidative stress and inflammation triggered by CCl4 exposure, offering potential clinical implications for liver injury in a wide range of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seo Young Choi
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Parkyong Song
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Sun Hwang
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu–Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - You Kyeong Lee
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Song Shin
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Joo Son
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Kim
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Wanil Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, and Institute of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Min Lee
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
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2
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Grigoreva TA, Novikova DS, Melino G, Barlev NA, Tribulovich VG. Ubiquitin recruiting chimera: more than just a PROTAC. Biol Direct 2024; 19:55. [PMID: 38978100 PMCID: PMC11232244 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-024-00497-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitinylation of protein substrates results in various but distinct biological consequences, among which ubiquitin-mediated degradation is most well studied for its therapeutic application. Accordingly, artificially targeted ubiquitin-dependent degradation of various proteins has evolved into the therapeutically relevant PROTAC technology. This tethered ubiquitinylation of various targets coupled with a broad assortment of modifying E3 ubiquitin ligases has been made possible by rational design of bi-specific chimeric molecules that bring these proteins in proximity. However, forced ubiquitinylation inflicted by the binary warheads of a chimeric PROTAC molecule should not necessarily result in protein degradation but can be used to modulate other cellular functions. In this respect it should be noted that the ubiquitinylation of a diverse set of proteins is known to control their transport, transcriptional activity, and protein-protein interactions. This review provides examples of potential PROTAC usage based on non-degradable ubiquitinylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana A Grigoreva
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University), St. Petersburg, 190013, Russia.
| | - Daria S Novikova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University), St. Petersburg, 190013, Russia
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Nick A Barlev
- Institute of Cytology RAS, Saint-Petersburg, 194064, Russia
- Department of Biomedical Studies, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Vyacheslav G Tribulovich
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University), St. Petersburg, 190013, Russia.
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Ichikawa S, Payne NC, Xu W, Chang CF, Vallavoju N, Frome S, Flaxman HA, Mazitschek R, Woo CM. The cyclimids: Degron-inspired cereblon binders for targeted protein degradation. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:1162-1175.e10. [PMID: 38320555 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is an E3 ligase substrate adapter widely exploited for targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies. However, achieving efficient and selective target degradation is a preeminent challenge with ligands that engage CRBN. Here, we report that the cyclimids, ligands derived from the C-terminal cyclic imide degrons of CRBN, exhibit distinct modes of interaction with CRBN and offer a facile approach for developing potent and selective bifunctional degraders. Quantitative TR-FRET-based characterization of 60 cyclimid degraders in binary and ternary complexes across different substrates revealed that ternary complex binding affinities correlated strongly with cellular degradation efficiency. Our studies establish the unique properties of the cyclimids as versatile warheads in TPD and a systematic biochemical approach for quantifying ternary complex formation to predict their cellular degradation activity, which together will accelerate the development of ligands that engage CRBN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Ichikawa
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - N Connor Payne
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Wenqing Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chia-Fu Chang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Nandini Vallavoju
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Spencer Frome
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hope A Flaxman
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Christina M Woo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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4
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Costas-Insua C, Hermoso-López A, Moreno E, Montero-Fernández C, Álvaro-Blázquez A, Maroto IB, Sánchez-Ruiz A, Diez-Alarcia R, Blázquez C, Morales P, Canela EI, Casadó V, Urigüen L, Perea G, Bellocchio L, Rodríguez-Crespo I, Guzmán M. The CB 1 receptor interacts with cereblon and drives cereblon deficiency-associated memory shortfalls. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:755-783. [PMID: 38514794 PMCID: PMC11018632 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00054-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cereblon/CRBN is a substrate-recognition component of the Cullin4A-DDB1-Roc1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Destabilizing mutations in the human CRBN gene cause a form of autosomal recessive non-syndromic intellectual disability (ARNSID) that is modelled by knocking-out the mouse Crbn gene. A reduction in excitatory neurotransmission has been proposed as an underlying mechanism of the disease. However, the precise factors eliciting this impairment remain mostly unknown. Here we report that CRBN molecules selectively located on glutamatergic neurons are necessary for proper memory function. Combining various in vivo approaches, we show that the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1R), a key suppressor of synaptic transmission, is overactivated in CRBN deficiency-linked ARNSID mouse models, and that the memory deficits observed in these animals can be rescued by acute CB1R-selective pharmacological antagonism. Molecular studies demonstrated that CRBN interacts physically with CB1R and impairs the CB1R-Gi/o-cAMP-PKA pathway in a ubiquitin ligase-independent manner. Taken together, these findings unveil that CB1R overactivation is a driving mechanism of CRBN deficiency-linked ARNSID and anticipate that the antagonism of CB1R could constitute a new therapy for this orphan disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Costas-Insua
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alba Hermoso-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Estefanía Moreno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology and Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Montero-Fernández
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Álvaro-Blázquez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene B Maroto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Rebeca Diez-Alarcia
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, 48940, Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- BioBizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Cristina Blázquez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Morales
- Instituto de Química Médica, CSIC, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Enric I Canela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology and Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vicent Casadó
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology and Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leyre Urigüen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, 48940, Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- BioBizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | | | - Luigi Bellocchio
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and University of Bordeaux, NeuroCentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, U1215, 33077, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ignacio Rodríguez-Crespo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Guzmán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain.
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Shim T, Kim JY, Kim W, Lee YI, Cho B, Moon C. Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase 4 regulates neurite morphogenesis during neurodevelopment. iScience 2024; 27:108933. [PMID: 38318354 PMCID: PMC10839267 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuritogenesis is crucial for establishing proper neuronal connections during brain development; its failure causes neurodevelopmental defects. Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes participate in various neurodevelopmental processes by regulating protein stability. We demonstrated the regulatory function of Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4) in neurite morphogenesis during early neurodevelopment. Cul4a and Cul4b, the core scaffold proteins of CRL4, exhibit high expression and activation within the cytosol of developing neurons, regulated by neuronal stimulation through N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor signaling. CRL4 also interacts with cytoskeleton-regulating proteins involved in neurite morphogenesis. Notably, genetic depletion and inhibition of cytosolic CRL4 enhance neurite extension and branching in developing neurons. Conversely, Cul4a overexpression suppresses basal and NMDA-enhanced neuritogenesis. Furthermore, CRL4 and its substrate adaptor regulate the polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of doublecortin protein. Collectively, our findings suggest that CRL4 ensures proper neurite morphogenesis in developing neurons by regulating cytoskeleton-regulating proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Shim
- Department of Brain Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
- Convergence Research Advanced Centre for Olfaction, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yeon Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - WonCheol Kim
- Department of Brain Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
- Convergence Research Advanced Centre for Olfaction, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Il Lee
- Division of Biotechnology, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Bongki Cho
- Division of Biotechnology, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheil Moon
- Department of Brain Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
- Convergence Research Advanced Centre for Olfaction, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
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Majeed J, Sabbagh MN, Kang MH, Lawrence JJ, Pruitt K, Bacus S, Reyna E, Brown M, Decourt B. Cancer drugs with high repositioning potential for Alzheimer's disease. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2023; 28:311-332. [PMID: 38100555 PMCID: PMC10877737 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2023.2296079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the recent full FDA approval of lecanemab, there is currently no disease modifying therapy (DMT) that can efficiently slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the general population. This statement emphasizes the need to identify novel DMTs in the shortest time possible to prevent a global epidemic of AD cases as the world population experiences an increase in lifespan. AREAS COVERED Here, we review several classes of anti-cancer drugs that have been or are being investigated in Phase II/III clinical trials for AD, including immunomodulatory drugs, RXR agonists, sex hormone therapies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies. EXPERT OPINION Given the overall course of brain pathologies during the progression of AD, we express a great enthusiasm for the repositioning of anti-cancer drugs as possible AD DMTs. We anticipate an increasing number of combinatorial therapy strategies to tackle AD symptoms and their underlying pathologies. However, we strongly encourage improvements in clinical trial study designs to better assess target engagement and possible efficacy over sufficient periods of drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jad Majeed
- University of Arizona Honors College, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Marwan N. Sabbagh
- Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Division, Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Min H. Kang
- Department of Pediatrics, Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - J. Josh Lawrence
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Kevin Pruitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Ellie Reyna
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Maddy Brown
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Boris Decourt
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
- Roseman University of Health Sciences, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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Long J, Mariossi A, Cao C, Mo Z, Thompson JW, Levine MS, Lemaire LA. Cereblon influences the timing of muscle differentiation in Ciona tadpoles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2309989120. [PMID: 37856545 PMCID: PMC10614628 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309989120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide has a dark history as a teratogen, but in recent years, its derivates have been shown to function as potent chemotherapeutic agents. These drugs bind cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, and modify its degradation targets. Despite these insights, remarkably little is known about the normal function of cereblon in development. Here, we employ Ciona, a simple invertebrate chordate, to identify endogenous Crbn targets. In Ciona, Crbn is specifically expressed in developing muscles during tail elongation before they acquire contractile activity. Crbn expression is activated by Mrf, the ortholog of MYOD1, a transcription factor important for muscle differentiation. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutations of Crbn lead to precocious onset of muscle contractions. By contrast, overexpression of Crbn delays contractions and is associated with decreased expression of contractile protein genes such as troponin. This reduction is possibly due to reduced Mrf protein levels without altering Mrf mRNA levels. Our findings suggest that Mrf and Crbn form a negative feedback loop to control the precision of muscle differentiation during tail elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjuan Long
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Andrea Mariossi
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Chen Cao
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | | | | | - Michael S. Levine
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Laurence A. Lemaire
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO63103
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Kodytková A, Dušátková P, Amaratunga SA, Plachý L, Průhová Š, Lebl J. Integrative Role of the SALL4 Gene: From Thalidomide Embryopathy to Genetic Defects of the Upper Limb, Internal Organs, Cerebral Midline, and Pituitary. Horm Res Paediatr 2023; 97:106-112. [PMID: 37285827 PMCID: PMC11008716 DOI: 10.1159/000531452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The thalidomide disaster resulted in tremendous congenital malformations in more than 10,000 children in the late 1950s and early 1960s. SUMMARY Although numerous putative mechanisms were proposed to explain thalidomide teratogenicity, it was confirmed only recently that thalidomide, rather its derivative 5-hydroxythalidomide (5HT) in a complex with the cereblon protein, interferes with early embryonic transcriptional regulation. 5HT induces selective degradation of SALL4, a principal transcriptional factor of early embryogenesis. Genetic syndromes caused by pathogenic variants of the SALL4 gene phenocopy thalidomide embryopathy with congenital malformations ranging from phocomelia, reduced radial ray, to defects of the heart, kidneys, ear, eye, and possibly cerebral midline and pituitary. SALL4 interacts with TBX5 and a handful of other transcriptional regulators and downregulates the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway. Cranial midline defects, microcephaly, and short stature due to growth hormone deficiency have been occasionally reported in children carrying SALL4 pathogenic variants associated with generalized stunting of growth rather than just the loss of height attributable to the shortening of leg bones in many children with thalidomide embryopathy. KEY MESSAGES Thus, SALL4 joins the candidate gene list for monogenic syndromic pituitary insufficiency. In this review, we summarize the journey from the thalidomide disaster through the functions of the SALL4 gene to its link to the hormonal regulation of growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Kodytková
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petra Dušátková
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia
| | - Shenali Anne Amaratunga
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia
| | - Lukáš Plachý
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia
| | - Štěpánka Průhová
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Lebl
- Department of Paediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czechia,
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Zhang SH, Zeng N, Sun JX, Liu CQ, Xu JZ, Xu MY, An Y, Zhong XY, Ma SY, He HD, Xia QD, Hu J, Wang SG. Pan-cancer analysis reveals the prognostic and immunologic roles of cereblon and its significance for PROTAC design. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16644. [PMID: 37303568 PMCID: PMC10248115 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cereblon (CRBN) has emerged as a vital E3 ubiquitin ligase for Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) design. However, few studies focus on the physiological mechanism of CRBN, and more studies are needed to explore the influence of CRBN on tumorigenesis. This pan-cancer analysis aims to explore the prognostic and immunologic roles of CRBN, and provide new insight for CRBN into cancer treatment and PROTAC design. Methods The TCGA database, TIMER 2.0 database, and TISIDB database were used to analyze the role of CRBN in pan-cancer. Multiple bioinformatic methods (ssGSEA, Kaplan-Meier, univariate cox regression, ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT) were applied to investigate the CRBN expression status, gene activity, prognostic values, and its correlation with immune scores, immune infiltration, immune-related functions, HALLMARKs functions, and response to immunotherapy in pan-cancer. Results In most cancer types, the expression and activity of CRBN in tumor groups were lower compared with normal groups. Upregulated CRBN expression may indicate a better prognosis for cancer patients. The Immune score, stromal score, and tumor purity varied greatly among different cancer types. GSEA analysis showed that high CRBN expression was correlated with the downregulation of tumor-promoting signaling pathways. The level of CRBN was associated with Tumor mutation burden (TMB), Microsatellite instability (MSI), objective response rate (ORR), and immune cell infiltration in a few cancer types. Conclusion Pan-cancer analysis reveals the potential role of CRBN as a prognostic biomarker and versatile immunologic roles in different cancer types. Upregulated expression of CRBN may be beneficial to CRBN-related immunotherapy and PROTAC design.
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Eatmann AI, Hamouda E, Hamouda H, Farouk HK, Jobran AWM, Omar AA, Madeeh AK, Al-Dardery NM, Elnoamany S, Abd-Elnasser EG, Koraiem AM, Ahmed AA, Abouzid M, Karaźniewicz-Łada M. Potential Use of Thalidomide in Glioblastoma Treatment: An Updated Brief Overview. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13040543. [PMID: 37110201 PMCID: PMC10146416 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13040543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Thalidomide is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor that demonstrates antiangiogenic activity, and may provide additive or synergistic anti-tumor effects when co-administered with other antiangiogenic medications. This study is a comprehensive review that highlights the potential benefits of using thalidomide, in combination with other medications, to treat glioblastoma and its associated inflammatory conditions. Additionally, the review examines the mechanism of action of thalidomide in different types of tumors, which may be beneficial in treating glioblastoma. To our knowledge, a similar study has not been conducted. We found that thalidomide, when used in combination with other medications, has been shown to produce better outcomes in several conditions or symptoms, such as myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, Crohn's disease, colorectal cancer, renal failure carcinoma, breast cancer, glioblastoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, challenges may persist for newly diagnosed or previously treated patients, with moderate side effects being reported, particularly with the various mechanisms of action observed for thalidomide. Therefore, thalidomide, used alone, may not receive significant attention for use in treating glioblastoma in the future. Conducting further research by replicating current studies that show improved outcomes when thalidomide is combined with other medications, using larger sample sizes, different demographic groups and ethnicities, and implementing enhanced therapeutic protocol management, may benefit these patients. A meta-analysis of the combinations of thalidomide with other medications in treating glioblastoma is also needed to investigate its potential benefits further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Ismail Eatmann
- Department of Cell Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
| | - Esraa Hamouda
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia P.O. Box 5744, Egypt
| | - Heba Hamouda
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia P.O. Box 5744, Egypt
| | | | - Afnan W M Jobran
- Faculty of Medicine, Al Quds University, Jerusalem P.O. Box 51000, Palestine
| | - Abdallah A Omar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Services and Sciences, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE-57357), Cairo 11617, Egypt
| | | | | | - Salma Elnoamany
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia P.O. Box 5744, Egypt
| | | | | | - Alhassan Ali Ahmed
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
- Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
| | - Mohamed Abouzid
- Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
- Department of Physical Pharmacy and Pharmacokinetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3 St., 60-806 Poznan, Poland
| | - Marta Karaźniewicz-Łada
- Department of Physical Pharmacy and Pharmacokinetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 3 St., 60-806 Poznan, Poland
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11
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Rasool IG, Zahoor MY, Ahmed I, Iqbal M, Shafqat S, Anjum AA, Shehzad W. Description of novel variants in consanguineous Pakistani families affected with intellectual disability. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:457-465. [PMID: 35150401 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-022-01219-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental condition, affecting 1-3% of the population. Genetic factors play a key role causing the limitation in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. The heterogeneity of ID makes it more difficult for genetic and clinical diagnosis. Mapping of variants through next generation DNA sequencing in consanguineous families would help to understand the molecular parthenogenesis of ID. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe the genetic variants of ID in consanguineous Pakistani families. METHODS We analyzed four unrelated consanguineous Pakistani families having an intellectual disability through whole exome sequencing (WES). Data was analyzed using different bioinformatics tools and software. RESULTS We mapped four novel variants in different ID genes. Each variant is found in different family, co-segregating with a recessive pattern of inheritance. The variants found are; c.1437delG:p.Asn480Thrfs*10, mapped in FKRP, c.2041 C>A:p.Leu681Met in HIRA, c.382 C>T:p.Arg128Cys in BDH1 and c.267+1G>A:p.? identified in TRAPPC6B. CONCLUSIONS These variants help in demonstration of status and molecular basis of intellectual disability in Pakistani population leading to provision of genetic counseling services and a contribution in disease variant database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iqra Ghulam Rasool
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Section, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yasir Zahoor
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Section, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Irfan Ahmed
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Section, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Iqbal
- Department of Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Shehla Shafqat
- Department of Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Aftab Ahmad Anjum
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Wasim Shehzad
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Section, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
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12
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Michaelides IN, Collie GW. E3 Ligases Meet Their Match: Fragment-Based Approaches to Discover New E3 Ligands and to Unravel E3 Biology. J Med Chem 2023; 66:3173-3194. [PMID: 36821822 PMCID: PMC10009759 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a key post-translational modification of proteins, affecting the regulation of multiple cellular processes. Cells are equipped with over 600 ubiquitin orchestrators, called E3 ubiquitin ligases, responsible for directing the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to substrate proteins. Due to their regulatory role in cells, significant efforts have been made to discover ligands for E3 ligases. The recent emergence of the proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) and molecular glue degrader (MGD) modalities has further increased interest in E3 ligases as drug targets. This perspective focuses on how fragment based lead discovery (FBLD) methods have been used to discover new ligands for this important target class. In some cases these efforts have led to clinical candidates; in others, they have provided tools for deepening our understanding of E3 ligase biology. Recently, FBLD-derived ligands have inspired the design of PROTACs that are able to artificially modulate protein levels in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iacovos N. Michaelides
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, United
Kingdom
| | - Gavin W. Collie
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, United
Kingdom
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13
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Muacevic A, Adler JR, Verma R, Shah SD, Vattikuti B, Khan AZ, Shahzadi A, Abdi P, Anthony M, Farkouh CS, Farkouh M, Santiago N, Zepeda D, Nunez A. Non-syndromic Intellectual Disability: An Experimental In-Depth Exploration of Inheritance Pattern, Phenotypic Presentation, and Genomic Composition. Cureus 2023; 15:e34085. [PMID: 36843831 PMCID: PMC9946902 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Intellectual disability (ID), also termed mental retardation (MR), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 70 or below and a deficit in at least two behaviors associated with adaptive functioning. The condition is further classified into syndromic intellectual disability (S-ID) and non-syndromic intellectual disability (NS-ID). This study highlights the genes associated with NS-ID. Objectives A genetic study was performed on two Pakistani families to know the inheritance patterns, clinical phenotypes, and molecular genetics of affected individuals with NS-ID. Methodology Samples were collected from two families: families A and B. All affected individuals in both families were diagnosed by a neurologist. Written informed consent was taken from the affected individuals and guardians before collecting the data and sample. Family A belongs to the Swabi District of Pakistan having four affected individuals, out of whom three were male and one was female. Family B also belongs to the Swabi District of Pakistan having two affected individuals, out of whom one was male and one was female. A total of 10 candidate genes were selected and were further screened by microarray analysis. Results In family A, this analysis identified a region of 9.6 Mb on chromosome 17q11.2-q12 between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs953527 and rs2680398. The region was genotyped using microsatellite markers to confirm the haplotypes in all family members. Based on the phenotype-genotype relationship, 10 possible candidate genes were selected out of more than 140 genes in this critical region of 9.6 Mb. In family B, homozygosity mapping through microarray identified four homozygous areas of affected individuals: two (27,324,822-59,122,062 and 96,423,252123,656,241) on chromosome 8, one (14,785,224-19,722,760) on chromosome 9, and one (126173647-126215644) on chromosome 11. Conclusion An autosomal recessive pattern was found in the pedigrees of both families A and B. Phenotypically affected individuals showed IQ levels below 70. Three genes, CDK5R1, OMG, and EV12A, were found on chromosome 17q11.2-q12 region of affected individuals in family A with high expression in the frontal cortex of the brain, hippocampus, and spinal cord, respectively. Other regions on chromosomes 8, 9, and 11 as evident from the affected individuals in family B can also contribute to the non-syndromic autosomal recessive intellectual disability (NS-ARID). Further research is needed to find the association of these genes with intelligence and other neuropsychiatric conditions.
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14
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Fuchs O. Targeting cereblon in hematologic malignancies. Blood Rev 2023; 57:100994. [PMID: 35933246 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The protein cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate receptor of the cullin 4-really interesting new gene (RING) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CRL4CRBN. Targeting CRBN mediates selective protein ubiquitination and subsequent degradation via the proteasome. This review describes novel thalidomide analogs, immunomodulatory drugs, also known as CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase modulators or molecular glues (avadomide, iberdomide, CC-885, CC-90009, BTX-1188, CC-92480, CC-99282, CFT7455, and CC-91633), and CRBN-based proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) with increased efficacy and potent activity for application in hematologic malignancies. Both types of CRBN-binding drugs, molecular glues, and PROTACs stimulate the interaction between CRBN and its neosubstrates, recruiting target disease-promoting proteins and the E3 ubiquitin ligase CRL4CRBN. Proteins that are traditionally difficult to target (transcription factors and oncoproteins) can be polyubiquitinated and degraded in this way. The competition of CRBN neosubstrates with endogenous CRBN-interacting proteins and the pharmacology and rational combination therapies of and mechanisms of resistance to CRL4CRBN modulators or CRBN-based PROTACs are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ota Fuchs
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, U Nemocnice 1, 12800 Praha 2, Czech Republic.
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15
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Nayek U, Basheer Ahamed SI, Mansoor Hussain UH, Unnikrishnan MK, Abdul Salam AA. Computational investigations of indanedione and indanone derivatives in drug discovery: Indanone derivatives inhibits cereblon, an E3 ubiquitin ligase component. Comput Biol Chem 2022; 101:107776. [PMID: 36252444 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cereblon, an extensively studied multifunctional protein, is a Cullin 4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex component. Cereblon is a well-known target of thalidomide and its derivatives. Cereblon is involved in multiple myeloma cell apoptosis. When ligands such as thalidomide and lenalidomide bind to cereblon, it recognizes various neosubstrates based on the ligand shape and properties. We have identified novel CRBN inhibitors, namely DHFO and its analogs, with structural features that are slightly different from thalidomide but stronger cereblon-binding affinity. We selected indanedione and indanone derivatives from the literature to understand and compare their cereblon-mediated substrate recognition potential. METHODS Computational investigations of possible CRBN inhibitors were investigated by molecular docking with Autodock Vina and DockThor programs. The properties of the compounds' ADME/T and drug-likeness were investigated. A molecular dynamics study was carried out for four selected molecules, and the molecular interactions were analyzed using PCA-based FEL methods. The binding affinity was calculated using the MM/PBSA method. RESULTS We conducted computational investigations on 68 indanedione and indanone derivatives binding with cereblon. Ten molecules showed better CRBN binding affinity than thalidomide. We studied the drug-likeness properties of the selected ten molecules, and four of the most promising molecules (DHFO, THOH, DIMS, and DTIN) were chosen for molecular dynamics studies. The MM/PBSA calculations showed that the DHFO, already shown to be a 5-LOX/COX2 inhibitor, has the highest binding affinity of - 163.16 kJ/mol with cereblon. CONCLUSION The selected CRBN inhibitor DHFO has demonstrated the highest binding affinity with cereblon protein compared to other molecules. Thalidomide and its derivatives have a new substitute in the form of DHFO, which produces an interaction hotspot on the surface of the cereblon. Ease of chemical synthesis, low toxicity, versatile therapeutic options, and pleiotropism of DHFO analogs provide an opportunity for exploring clinical alternatives with versatile therapeutic potential for a new category of indanedione molecules as novel modulators of E3 ubiquitin ligases.
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16
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Akber U, Bong S, Park ZY, Park CS. Effects of cereblon on stress-activated redox proteins and core behavior. Brain Res 2022; 1793:148054. [PMID: 35973609 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the vulnerability and resilience of an individual to stress are only partly understood. Response to stress is determined by behavioral and biochemical changes in the brain. Chronic ultra-mild stress (CUMS) induces an anhedonic-like state in mice that resembles symptoms of human depression. This study reports the role of cereblon (CRBN) in regulating the metabolic and antioxidant status of neuronal tissues in the mouse model of CUMS. Intriguingly, Crbn-/- (KO) mice showed resilient responsiveness, both at the behavioral and proteomic levels. Several core behaviors were also differentially altered by CUMS in KO mice. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteome analysis of whole brain lysate (WBL) showed an enriched chaperonic, metabolic, and antioxidant status in the brains of KO subjects, including several members of DNAJ chaperones, creatine kinase, quinone oxidoreductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD1), glutathione S-transferase Mu (GSTM), peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6), and thioredoxin. Pathological phosphorylation as characterized by aggregation of tau and α-synuclein (α-syn) was significantly reduced in the neuronal tissues of KO mouse model of CUMS as compared to wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, significantly increased SOD1 activity and reduced lipid peroxidation were observed in Crbn-KO systems. Integrated signaling pathways were also identified in CRBN-specific sub-networks constructed from protein-protein interaction analysis by STRING. The present study highlights the roles of CRBN in regulating the stress response (SR) and reshaping metabolic status in the brains of mice exposed to CUMS. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of depression and neurodegeneration can improve the development of novel treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uroos Akber
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhwa Bong
- Laboratory of Functional and Medicinal Proteomics, School of Life Sciences and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Zee-Yong Park
- Laboratory of Functional and Medicinal Proteomics, School of Life Sciences and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Ichikawa S, Flaxman HA, Xu W, Vallavoju N, Lloyd HC, Wang B, Shen D, Pratt MR, Woo CM. The E3 ligase adapter cereblon targets the C-terminal cyclic imide degron. Nature 2022; 610:775-782. [PMID: 36261529 PMCID: PMC10316063 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05333-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitin E3 ligase substrate adapter cereblon (CRBN) is a target of thalidomide and lenalidomide1, therapeutic agents used in the treatment of haematopoietic malignancies2-4 and as ligands for targeted protein degradation5-7. These agents are proposed to mimic a naturally occurring degron; however, the structural motif recognized by the thalidomide-binding domain of CRBN remains unknown. Here we report that C-terminal cyclic imides, post-translational modifications that arise from intramolecular cyclization of glutamine or asparagine residues, are physiological degrons on substrates for CRBN. Dipeptides bearing the C-terminal cyclic imide degron substitute for thalidomide when embedded within bifunctional chemical degraders. Addition of the degron to the C terminus of proteins induces CRBN-dependent ubiquitination and degradation in vitro and in cells. C-terminal cyclic imides form adventitiously on physiologically relevant timescales throughout the human proteome to afford a degron that is endogenously recognized and removed by CRBN. The discovery of the C-terminal cyclic imide degron defines a regulatory process that may affect the physiological function and therapeutic engagement of CRBN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Ichikawa
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hope A Flaxman
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wenqing Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nandini Vallavoju
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hannah C Lloyd
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Binyou Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dacheng Shen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew R Pratt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christina M Woo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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18
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Yamamoto J, Ito T, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H. Discovery of CRBN as a target of thalidomide: a breakthrough for progress in the development of protein degraders. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:6234-6250. [PMID: 35796627 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00116k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Progress in strategies aimed at breaking down therapeutic target proteins has led to a paradigm shift in drug discovery. Thalidomide and its derivatives are the only protein degraders currently used in clinical practice. Our understanding of the molecular mechanism of action of thalidomide and its derivatives has advanced dramatically since the identification of cereblon (CRBN) as their direct target. The binding of thalidomide derivatives to CRBN, a substrate recognition receptor for Cullin 4 RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL4), induces the recruitment of non-native substrates to CRL4CRBN and their subsequent degradation. This discovery was a breakthrough in the current rapid development of protein-degrading agents because clarification of the mechanism of action of thalidomide derivatives has demonstrated the clinical value of these compounds. This review provides an overview of the mechanism of action of thalidomide and its derivatives and describes perspectives for protein degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Yamamoto
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Takumi Ito
- Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamaguchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Handa
- Center for Future Medical Research, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan.
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19
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The ubiquitination-dependent and -independent functions of cereblon in cancer and neurological diseases. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167457. [PMID: 35045330 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) mediates the teratogenic effect of thalidomide in zebrafish, chicken, and humans. It additionally modulates the anti-myeloma effect of the immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide. IMiDs bind to CRBN and recruit neo-substrates for their ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation, which significantly expands the application of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for targeted drug discovery. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which CRBN mediates the teratogenicity and anti-myeloma effect of IMiDs are not fully elucidated. Furthermore, the normal physiological functions of endogenous CRBN have not been extensively studied, which precludes the thorough assessment of side effects of the CRBN ligand-based PROTACs in the treatment of cancer and neurological diseases. To advance our understanding of the diverse functions of CRBN, in this review, we will survey the ubiquitination-dependent and -independent functions of CRBN, summarize recent advances in the discovery of constitutive and neo-substrates of CRBN, and explore the molecular functions of CRBN in cancer treatment and in the development of neurological diseases. We will also discuss the potential future directions towards the identification of CRBN substrates and interacting proteins, and CRBN-ligand-based drug discovery in the treatment of cancer and neurological diseases.
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20
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Yamanaka S, Horiuchi Y, Matsuoka S, Kido K, Nishino K, Maeno M, Shibata N, Kosako H, Sawasaki T. A proximity biotinylation-based approach to identify protein-E3 ligase interactions induced by PROTACs and molecular glues. Nat Commun 2022; 13:183. [PMID: 35013300 PMCID: PMC8748630 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27818-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) as well as molecular glues such as immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and indisulam are drugs that induce interactions between substrate proteins and an E3 ubiquitin ligases for targeted protein degradation. Here, we develop a workflow based on proximity-dependent biotinylation by AirID to identify drug-induced neo-substrates of the E3 ligase cereblon (CRBN). Using AirID-CRBN, we detect IMiD-dependent biotinylation of CRBN neo-substrates in vitro and identify biotinylated peptides of well-known neo-substrates by mass spectrometry with high specificity and selectivity. Additional analyses reveal ZMYM2 and ZMYM2-FGFR1 fusion protein-responsible for the 8p11 syndrome involved in acute myeloid leukaemia-as CRBN neo-substrates. Furthermore, AirID-DCAF15 and AirID-CRBN biotinylate neo-substrates targeted by indisulam and PROTACs, respectively, suggesting that this approach has the potential to serve as a general strategy for characterizing drug-inducible protein-protein interactions in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Yamanaka
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Yuto Horiuchi
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Saya Matsuoka
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Kohki Kido
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Kohei Nishino
- Division of Cell Signaling, Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Mayaka Maeno
- Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Norio Shibata
- Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Kosako
- Division of Cell Signaling, Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Sawasaki
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan.
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21
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Kose H, Kilic SS. Can Ikaros mutation lead to intellectual disability? Scand J Immunol 2021; 95:e13138. [PMID: 34967463 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hulya Kose
- Department of Pediatric Immunology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Sara Sebnem Kilic
- Department of Pediatric Immunology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
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22
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Molecular Mechanisms of Cereblon-Interacting Small Molecules in Multiple Myeloma Therapy. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11111185. [PMID: 34834536 PMCID: PMC8623651 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11111185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide analogues (or immunomodulatory imide drugs, IMiDs) are cornerstones in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). These drugs bind Cereblon (CRBN), a receptor for the Cullin-ring 4 ubiquitin-ligase (CRL4) complex, to modify its substrate specificity. IMiDs mediate CRBN-dependent engagement and proteasomal degradation of ‘neosubstrates’, Ikaros (IKZF1) and Aiolos (IKZF3), conveying concurrent antimyeloma activity and T-cell costimulation. There is now a greater understanding of physiological CRBN functions, including endogenous substrates and chaperone activity. CRISPR Cas9-based genome-wide screening has further elucidated the complex cellular machinery implicated in IMiD sensitivity, including IKZF1/3-independent mechanisms. New-generation IMiD derivatives with more potent anti-cancer properties—the CELMoDs (Cereblon E3 ligase modulators)—are now being evaluated. Rational drug design also allows ‘hijacking’ of CRL4CRBN utilising proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to convey entirely distinct substrate repertoires. As all these chemotypes—thalidomide, IMiDs, CELMoDs and PROTACs—engage CRBN and modify its functions, we describe them here in aggregate as ‘CRBN-interacting small molecules’ (CISMs). In this review, we provide a contemporary summary of the biological consequences of CRBN modulation by CISMs. Detailed molecular insight into CRBN–CISM interactions now provides an opportunity to more effectively target previously elusive cancer dependencies, representing a new and powerful tool for the implementation of precision medicine.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of the CRL4CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase has been extensively studied due to its involvement in many biological processes. It has also been identified as the target for immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs). CRBN ligands are also important components of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), special bifunctional constructs capable of targeted degradation of aberrantly acting proteins using the cell's ubiquitin-proteasome machinery. AREAS COVERED Due to upsurge of the PROTAC technology, the patenting activity of new CRBN ligands has been on the rise in the last 5 years. The present review covers two broadly defined areas of CRBN ligand design. One covers 'thalidomide-like' molecules representing modifications of various parts of classical IMiDs. The other areas - non-thalidomide-like compounds - are compounds that are structurally distinct from the classical IMiDs. Efforts toward creating new CRBN ligands reflected in non-patent literature are briefly discussed with emphasis on the rational, crystallography-driven approaches. EXPERT OPINION The chemical space of CRBN ligands which is related to the classical IMiDs (thalidomide/lenalidomide/pomalidomide) is comprehensively covered by the current patent literature. The promising area of research is in the identification of non-thalidomide-like chemotypes capable of binding to CRBN. Rational, crystallography-driven approaches currently exploited in academia will significantly aid in this endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kazantsev
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail Krasavin
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Park I, Phan TM, Fang J. Novel Molecular Mechanism of Lenalidomide in Myeloid Malignancies Independent of Deletion of Chromosome 5q. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5084. [PMID: 34680233 PMCID: PMC8534127 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Lenalidomide as well as other immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) have achieved clinical efficacies in certain sub-types of hematologic malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with a single deletion of chromosome 5q (del(5q)) and others. Despite superior clinical response to lenalidomide in hematologic malignancies, relapse and resistance remains a problem in IMiD-based therapy. The last ten years have witnessed the discovery of novel molecular mechanism of IMiD-based anti-tumor therapy. IMiDs bind human cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of the CRL4 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Binding of CRBN with IMiDs leads to degradation of the Ikaros family zinc finger proteins 1 and 3 (IKZF1 and IKZF3) and casein kinase 1 alpha. We have found that lenalidomide-mediated degradation of IKZF1 leads to activation of the G protein-coupled receptor 68 (GPR68)/calcium/calpain pro-apoptotic pathway and inhibition of the regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1)/calcineurin pro-survival pathway in MDS and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Calcineurin inhibitor Cyclosporin-A potentiates the anti-leukemia activity of lenalidomide in MDS/AML with or without del(5q). These findings broaden the therapeutic potential of IMiDs. This review summarizes novel molecular mechanism of lenalidomide in myeloid malignancies, especially without del(5q), in the hope to highlight novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jing Fang
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; (I.P.); (T.M.P.)
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Ebstein F, Küry S, Papendorf JJ, Krüger E. Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD) Caused by Genomic Alterations of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS): the Possible Contribution of Immune Dysregulation to Disease Pathogenesis. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:733012. [PMID: 34566579 PMCID: PMC8455891 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.733012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Over thirty years have passed since the first description of ubiquitin-positive structures in the brain of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, the intracellular accumulation of ubiquitin-modified insoluble protein aggregates has become an indisputable hallmark of neurodegeneration. However, the role of ubiquitin and a fortiori the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) is much less described. In this article, we review all reported monogenic forms of NDD caused by lesions in genes coding for any component of the UPS including ubiquitin-activating (E1), -conjugating (E2) enzymes, ubiquitin ligases (E3), ubiquitin hydrolases, and ubiquitin-like modifiers as well as proteasome subunits. Strikingly, our analysis revealed that a vast majority of these proteins have a described function in the negative regulation of the innate immune response. In this work, we hypothesize a possible involvement of autoinflammation in NDD pathogenesis. Herein, we discuss the parallels between immune dysregulation and neurodevelopment with the aim at improving our understanding the biology of NDD and providing knowledge required for the design of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Ebstein
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sébastien Küry
- CHU Nantes, Service de Génétique Médicale, Nantes, France.,l'Institut du Thorax, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Jonas Johannes Papendorf
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elke Krüger
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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26
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Kim HK, Seol JE, Ahn SW, Jeon S, Park CS, Han J. Cereblon: promise and challenges for combating human diseases. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:1695-1711. [PMID: 34553266 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-021-02624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate recognition protein in the E3-ligase ubiquitin complex. The binding target of CRBN varies according to tissues and cells, and the protein regulates various biological functions by regulating tissue-specific targets. As new endogenous targets of CRBN have been identified over the past decade, the physiological and pathological functions of CRBN and its potential as a therapeutic target in various diseases have greatly expanded. For this purpose, in this review article, we introduce the basic principle of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the regulation of physiological/pathological functions related to the endogenous substrate of CRBN, and the discovery of immunomodulatory imide drug-mediated neo-substrates of CRBN. In addition, the development of CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras, which has been actively researched recently, and strategies for developing therapeutic agents using them are introduced. These recent updates on CRBN will be useful in the establishment of strategies for disease treatment and utilization of CRBNs in biomedical engineering and clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoung Kyu Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Jung Eun Seol
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Sang Woo Ahn
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Seungje Jeon
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jin Han
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea.
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Powell CE, Du G, Bushman JW, He Z, Zhang T, Fischer ES, Gray NS. Selective degradation-inducing probes for studying cereblon (CRBN) biology. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:1381-1390. [PMID: 34458741 PMCID: PMC8372211 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00382d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation represents a rapidly growing area in drug discovery and development. Moreover, small molecules that induce the targeted degradation of a given protein also represent an important addition to the chemical probes toolbox as these compounds can achieve selective protein knockdown, thus providing an approach that is orthogonal to genetic knockdowns. In order to develop degradation-inducing chemical probes for studying cereblon (CRBN) biology, we generated six CRBN-CRBN (homo-PROTAC) degraders and six CRBN-VHL (hetero-PROTAC) degraders. From these compounds we identified two potent and selective CRBN degraders (ZXH-4-130 and ZXH-4-137), both of which are CRBN-VHL compounds. We characterized these lead degraders by quantitative proteomics in five cell lines (MM1.S, Kelly, SK-N-DZ, HEK293T, and MOLT-4) and observed high selectivity for CRBN in all cell lines. Furthermore, we directly compared our compounds to current lead CRBN degraders and demonstrated how these probes can be used as chemical knockdown reagents for studying CRBN-dependent processes. Overall, our work provides a roadmap for thorough degrader characterization by combination western and proteomic analysis, as illustrated by the identification of ZXH-4-130 and ZXH-4-137 as CRBN-knockdown tool compounds suitable for cell-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea E Powell
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Guangyan Du
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Jonathan W Bushman
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Zhixiang He
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts 02115 USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston Massachusetts 02215 USA
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28
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Jan M, Sperling AS, Ebert BL. Cancer therapies based on targeted protein degradation - lessons learned with lenalidomide. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2021; 18:401-417. [PMID: 33654306 PMCID: PMC8903027 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-021-00479-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
For decades, anticancer targeted therapies have been designed to inhibit kinases or other enzyme classes and have profoundly benefited many patients. However, novel approaches are required to target transcription factors, scaffolding proteins and other proteins central to cancer biology that typically lack catalytic activity and have remained mostly recalcitrant to drug development. The selective degradation of target proteins is an attractive approach to expand the druggable proteome, and the selective oestrogen receptor degrader fulvestrant served as an early example of this concept. Following a long and tragic history in the clinic, the immunomodulatory imide drug (IMiD) thalidomide was discovered to exert its therapeutic activity via a novel and unexpected mechanism of action: targeting proteins to an E3 ubiquitin ligase for subsequent proteasomal degradation. This discovery has paralleled and directly catalysed myriad breakthroughs in drug development, leading to the rapid maturation of generalizable chemical platforms for the targeted degradation of previously undruggable proteins. Decades of clinical experience have established front-line roles for thalidomide analogues, including lenalidomide and pomalidomide, in the treatment of haematological malignancies. With a new generation of 'degrader' drugs currently in development, this experience provides crucial insights into class-wide features of degraders, including a unique pharmacology, mechanisms of resistance and emerging therapeutic opportunities. Herein, we review these past experiences and discuss their application in the clinical development of novel degrader therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Jan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam S Sperling
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin L Ebert
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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Kowalski TW, Caldas-Garcia GB, Gomes JDA, Fraga LR, Schuler-Faccini L, Recamonde-Mendoza M, Paixão-Côrtes VR, Vianna FSL. Comparative Genomics Identifies Putative Interspecies Mechanisms Underlying Crbn-Sall4-Linked Thalidomide Embryopathy. Front Genet 2021; 12:680217. [PMID: 34249098 PMCID: PMC8262662 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.680217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of thalidomide–Cereblon-induced SALL4 degradation has brought new understanding for thalidomide embryopathy (TE) differences across species. Some questions, however, regarding species variability, still remain. The aim of this study was to detect sequence divergences between species, affected or not by TE, and to evaluate the regulated gene co-expression in a murine model. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of proteins experimentally established as affected by thalidomide exposure, evaluating 14 species. The comparative analysis, regarding synteny, neighborhood, and protein conservation, was performed in 42 selected genes. Differential co-expression analysis was performed, using a publicly available assay, GSE61306, which evaluated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) exposed to thalidomide. The comparative analyses evidenced 20 genes in the upstream neighborhood of NOS3, which are different between the species who develop, or not, the classic TE phenotype. Considering protein sequence alignments, RECQL4, SALL4, CDH5, KDR, and NOS2 proteins had the biggest number of variants reported in unaffected species. In co-expression analysis, Crbn was a gene identified as a driver of the co-expression of other genes implicated in genetic, non-teratogenic, limb reduction defects (LRD), such as Tbx5, Esco2, Recql4, and Sall4; Crbn and Sall4 were shown to have a moderate co-expression correlation, which is affected after thalidomide exposure. Hence, even though the classic TE phenotype is not identified in mice, a deregulatory Crbn-induced mechanism is suggested in this animal. Functional studies are necessary, especially evaluating the genes responsible for LRD syndromes and their interaction with thalidomide–Cereblon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayne Woycinck Kowalski
- Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Medical Genetics and Evolution, Genetics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Medical Population Genetics, INAGEMP, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Bioinformatics Core, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Centro Universitário CESUCA, Cachoeirinha, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Barreto Caldas-Garcia
- Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Post-Graduation Program in Biodiversity and Evolution, PPGBioEvo Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal da Bahia, UFBA, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Julia do Amaral Gomes
- Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Medical Genetics and Evolution, Genetics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Medical Population Genetics, INAGEMP, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas Rosa Fraga
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Medical Population Genetics, INAGEMP, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Post-Graduation Program in Medical Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Teratogen Information System, SIAT, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lavínia Schuler-Faccini
- Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Medical Genetics and Evolution, Genetics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Medical Population Genetics, INAGEMP, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Teratogen Information System, SIAT, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Mariana Recamonde-Mendoza
- Bioinformatics Core, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Institute of Informatics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Rodrigues Paixão-Côrtes
- Post-Graduation Program in Biodiversity and Evolution, PPGBioEvo Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal da Bahia, UFBA, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna
- Post-Graduation Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Medical Genetics and Evolution, Genetics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Medical Population Genetics, INAGEMP, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Post-Graduation Program in Medical Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Teratogen Information System, SIAT, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Regulation of AMPK Activity by CRBN Is Independent of the Thalidomide-CRL4 CRBN Protein Degradation Axis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14060512. [PMID: 34073624 PMCID: PMC8228114 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN), a primary target of immune-modulatory imide drugs (IMiDs), functions as a substrate receptor in the CUL4-RBX1-DDB1-CRBN (known as CRL4CRBN) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Binding of IMiDs to CRBN redirects the CRL4CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase to recruit or displace its substrates. Interaction between CRBN and the AMPK α subunit leads to CRL4CRBN-dependent degradation of the γ subunit and inhibits AMPK activity. However, the effect of thalidomide on the function of CRBN as a negative regulator of AMPK through interaction with the α subunit remains unclear. Here, we show that thalidomide does not affect AMPK activation or the binding affinity between CRBN and the AMPK α subunit. Thalidomide had no effect on AMPK activity independent of CRBN expression. The N-terminal region and C-terminal tail of CRBN, which is distinct from the IMiD binding site, were critical for interaction with the AMPK α subunit. The present results suggest that CRL4CRBN negatively regulates AMPK through a pathway independent from the CRBN-IMiD binding region.
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Ito T, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H. Exploiting ubiquitin ligase cereblon as a target for small-molecule compounds in medicine and chemical biology. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:987-999. [PMID: 34033753 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN), originally identified as a gene associated with intellectual disability, was identified as primary target of thalidomide. Accumulating evidence has shown that CRBN is a substrate receptor of Cullin Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4) containing DDB1, CUL4, and RBX1, which recognizes specific neosubstrates in the presence of thalidomide or its analogs and induces their ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. A set of small-molecule, CRBN-binding drugs are known as molecular glue degraders because these compounds promote the interaction between CRBN and its neosubstrates. Moreover, CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras, heterobifunctional molecules hijacking CRBN and inducing degradation of proteins of interest, have emerged as a promising modality in drug development and are being actively investigated. Meanwhile, the original functions and regulations of CRBN are still largely elusive. In this review, we describe key findings surrounding CRBN since its discovery and then discuss a few unanswered issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Ito
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 160-8402, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamaguchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Handa
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 160-8402, Japan.
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Cereblon contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis via inactivation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α1. Exp Mol Med 2021; 53:885-893. [PMID: 34002012 PMCID: PMC8178361 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00619-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and lethal lung disease characterized by the proliferation and differentiation of lung fibroblasts and the accumulation of extracellular matrices. Since pulmonary fibrosis was reported to be associated with adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, which is negatively regulated by cereblon (CRBN), we aimed to determine whether CRBN is involved in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, we evaluated the role of CRBN in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice and in transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced differentiation of human lung fibroblasts. BLM-induced fibrosis and the mRNA expression of collagen and fibronectin were increased in the lung tissues of wild-type (WT) mice; however, they were significantly suppressed in Crbn knockout (KO) mice. While the concentrations of TGF-β1/2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were increased via BLM treatment, they were similar between BLM-treated WT and Crbn KO mice. Knockdown of CRBN suppressed TGF-β1-induced activation of small mothers against decapentaplegic 3 (SMAD3), and overexpression of CRBN increased it. TGF-β1-induced activation of SMAD3 increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen levels. CRBN was found to be colocalized with AMPKα1 in lung fibroblasts. CRBN overexpression inactivated AMPKα1. When cells were treated with metformin (an AMPK activator), the CRBN-induced activation of SMAD3 and upregulation of α-SMA and collagen expression were significantly suppressed, suggesting that increased TGF-β1-induced activation of SMAD3 via CRBN overexpression is associated with AMPKα1 inactivation. Taken together, these data suggest that CRBN is a profibrotic regulator and maybe a potential target for treating lung fibrosis. Interventions that target a regulatory protein called cereblon could help reduce the damage inflicted on the lungs by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This incurable and generally fatal condition is associated with the accumulation of scar tissue in the lungs, which leads to the gradual loss of respiratory function. Researchers led by Kyoung-Hee Lee at Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea have now identified cereblon as a potentially important contributor to this scarring process. They found that cereblon regulates a complex metabolic pathway that ultimately contributes to production of fibrosis-related proteins in a mouse model of IPF. Genetically modified animals that lacked the gene encoding cereblon showed reduced accumulation of these proteins in their lungs. These results suggest that cereblon-inhibiting agents could potentially control the progression of IPF and help preserve lung function.
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Jevtić P, Haakonsen DL, Rapé M. An E3 ligase guide to the galaxy of small-molecule-induced protein degradation. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:1000-1013. [PMID: 33891901 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Induced protein degradation accomplishes elimination, rather than inhibition, of pathological proteins. Key to the success of this novel therapeutic modality is the modification of proteins with ubiquitin chains, which is brought about by molecular glues or bivalent compounds that induce proximity between the target protein and an E3 ligase. The human genome encodes ∼600 E3 ligases that differ widely in their structures, catalytic mechanisms, modes of regulation, and physiological roles. While many of these enzymes hold great promise for drug discovery, few have been successfully engaged by small-molecule degraders. Here, we review E3 ligases that are being used for induced protein degradation. Based on these prior successes and our growing understanding of the biology and biochemistry of E3 ligases, we propose new ubiquitylation enzymes that can be harnessed for drug discovery to firmly establish induced protein degradation as a specific and efficient therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Predrag Jevtić
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Diane L Haakonsen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michael Rapé
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Shin HJ, Lee KJ, Gil M. Multiomic Analysis of Cereblon Expression and Its Prognostic Value in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma, Lung Adenocarcinoma, and Skin Cutaneous Melanoma. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11040263. [PMID: 33916291 PMCID: PMC8065640 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11040263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that plays crucial roles in various cellular processes. However, no systematic studies on the expression and functions of CRBN in solid tumors have been conducted to date. Here, we analyzed CRBN expression and its clinical value using several bioinformatic databases. CRBN mRNA expression was downregulated in various cancer types compared to normal cells. Survival analysis demonstrated that overall survival was significantly positively correlated with CRBN expression in some cancer types including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), and skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). CRBN expression was downregulated regardless of clinicopathological characteristics in LUAD and KIRC. Analysis of genes that are commonly correlated with CRBN expression among KIRC, LUAD, and SKCM samples elucidated the potential CRBN-associated mechanisms of cancer progression. Overall, this study revealed the prognostic value of CRBN and its potential associated mechanisms, which may facilitate the development of anti-cancer therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Jae Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Korea;
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Kyung Jin Lee
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Correspondence: (K.J.L.); (M.G.)
| | - Minchan Gil
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Korea
- Correspondence: (K.J.L.); (M.G.)
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35
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Cereblon harnesses Myc-dependent bioenergetics and activity of CD8+ T lymphocytes. Blood 2021; 136:857-870. [PMID: 32403132 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019003257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunomodulatory drugs, such as thalidomide and related compounds, potentiate T-cell effector functions. Cereblon (CRBN), a substrate receptor of the DDB1-cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, is the only molecular target for this drug class, where drug-induced, ubiquitin-dependent degradation of known "neosubstrates," such as IKAROS, AIOLOS, and CK1α, accounts for their biological activity. Far less clear is whether these CRBN E3 ligase-modulating compounds disrupt the endogenous functions of CRBN. We report that CRBN functions in a feedback loop that harnesses antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell effector responses. Specifically, Crbn deficiency in murine CD8+ T cells augments their central metabolism manifested as elevated bioenergetics, with supraphysiological levels of polyamines, secondary to enhanced glucose and amino acid transport, and with increased expression of metabolic enzymes, including the polyamine biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase. Treatment with CRBN-modulating compounds similarly augments central metabolism of human CD8+ T cells. Notably, the metabolic control of CD8+ T cells by modulating compounds or Crbn deficiency is linked to increased and sustained expression of the master metabolic regulator MYC. Finally, Crbn-deficient T cells have augmented antigen-specific cytolytic activity vs melanoma tumor cells, ex vivo and in vivo, and drive accelerated and highly aggressive graft-versus-host disease. Therefore, CRBN functions to harness the activation of CD8+ T cells, and this phenotype can be exploited by treatment with drugs.
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36
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Rasool IG, Zahoor MY, Iqbal M, Anjum AA, Ashraf F, Abbas HQ, Baig HMA, Mahmood T, Shehzad W. Whole exome sequencing revealed novel variants in consanguineous Pakistani families with intellectual disability. Genes Genomics 2021; 43:503-512. [PMID: 33710595 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-021-01070-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intellectual disability (ID) is a heterogeneous disorder affecting 1-3% of the population. Elucidation of monogenic variants for ID is a current challenge. These variants can be better demonstrated in consanguineous affected families. OBJECTIVE The study was designed to find the genetic variants of ID in consanguineous families. METHODS We analyzed five unrelated consanguineous Pakistani families affected with ID using whole exome sequencing (WES). Data was analyzed using different bioinformatics tools and software. RESULTS We mapped four variants including three novels in four different ID known genes. Each variant is found in a different family, co-segregating with a recessive pattern of inheritance. The novel variants found are; c. 2_4del (p.?) mapped in ROS1 and c. 718G>A (p.Gly240Arg) in GRM1. Another novel causative variant, c.2673del (p.Gly892Aspfs*17) identified in COL18A1 in a recessive form, a gene reported for Knobloch syndrome that manifests ID along with typical retinal abnormalities, and this phenotype was confirmed on reverse phenotyping. A mutation c.2134C>T (p.Arg712*) in TRAPPC9 has been found first time in the homozygous recessive form in our enrolled three affected siblings while it was previously reported in compound heterozygous form in a Caucasian descent. While fifth family remained unsolved. CONCLUSION These mutations in four different genes with a recessive inheritance would be a contribution to the disease variant database of this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iqra Ghulam Rasool
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yasir Zahoor
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Iqbal
- Department of Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Aftab Ahmad Anjum
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fatima Ashraf
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Qamar Abbas
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | | | - Tariq Mahmood
- Department of Statistics and Computer Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Wasim Shehzad
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
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Sato T, Ito T, Handa H. Cereblon-Based Small-Molecule Compounds to Control Neural Stem Cell Proliferation in Regenerative Medicine. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:629326. [PMID: 33777938 PMCID: PMC7990905 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.629326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide, a sedative drug that was once excluded from the market owing to its teratogenic properties, was later found to be effective in treating multiple myeloma. We had previously demonstrated that cereblon (CRBN) is the target of thalidomide embryopathy and acts as a substrate receptor for the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, Cullin-Ring ligase 4 (CRL4CRBN) in zebrafish and chicks. CRBN was originally identified as a gene responsible for mild intellectual disability in humans. Fetuses exposed to thalidomide in early pregnancy were at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, suggesting that CRBN is involved in prenatal brain development. Recently, we found that CRBN controls the proliferation of neural stem cells in the developing zebrafish brain, leading to changes in brain size. Our findings imply that CRBN is involved in neural stem cell growth in humans. Accumulating evidence shows that CRBN is essential not only for the teratogenic effects but also for the therapeutic effects of thalidomide. This review summarizes recent progress in thalidomide and CRBN research, focusing on the teratogenic and therapeutic effects. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of thalidomide and its derivatives, CRBN E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDs), reveals that these modulators provide CRBN the ability to recognize neosubstrates depending on their structure. Understanding the therapeutic effects leads to the development of a novel technology called CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for target protein knockdown. These studies raise the possibility that CRBN-based small-molecule compounds regulating the proliferation of neural stem cells may be developed for application in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Sato
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takumi Ito
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Handa
- Department of Chemical Biology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Jeon S, Yoon YS, Kim HK, Han J, Lee KM, Seol JE, Cho SK, Park CS. Ablation of CRBN induces loss of type I collagen and SCH in mouse skin by fibroblast senescence via the p38 MAPK pathway. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:6406-6419. [PMID: 33658395 PMCID: PMC7993720 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate receptor of the cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complex that mediates the ubiquitination of several substrates. In this study, CRBN knockout (KO) mice exhibited decreased levels of stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and collagen I expression with an elevated protein level of matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP1). The absence of cereblon in the skin of CRBN KO mice mimics the damage caused by narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB). The primary CRBN deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) undergo G2/M-arrested premature senescence via protein signaling of p38 MAPK and its dependent p53/p21pathway. The absence of CRBN induced the markers of cellular senescence, such as the senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF), SA-β-Gal staining, and p21 upregulation while the ectopic expression of CRBN reversed the phenotypes of SA-β-Gal staining and p21 upregulation. Reversion of the decreased protein level of collagen I was demonstrated after the reintroduction of the CRBN gene back into CRBN KO MEFs, validating the promising role of CRBN as a potential regulator for the function of the skin barrier and its cellular homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungje Jeon
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yi-Seul Yoon
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung Kyu Kim
- Department of Physiology, BK21 Plus Project Team, College of Medicine, Smart Marine Therapeutics Center, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Han
- Department of Physiology, BK21 Plus Project Team, College of Medicine, Smart Marine Therapeutics Center, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Min Lee
- Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry, and Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Eun Seol
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Smart Marine Therapeutics Center, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Steve K Cho
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea.,Integrated Institute of Bio-Medical Research, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea.,Integrated Institute of Bio-Medical Research, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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39
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Guo J, Mu D, Han Y. [Research Progress on the Mechanism and Clinical Data of Cereblon
in Reversing the Resistance of Lung Cancer to PD-1 Antibody by T cells]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2021; 24:49-55. [PMID: 33478191 PMCID: PMC7849032 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2020.102.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) is a membrance-spanning protein mostly expressed in the T cell, and combines with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the targeting cell. When binding to the ligand on tumor cells, PD-1 as an immunosuppressive molecule, can inhibit the immune function of T cells, thus tumor immune escape. For example, depletion of peripheral effector T cell and accelerate the transformation of effector T cells into regulator T cells. To solve this problem, PD-1 antibody is used to bind to PD-1 on T cells to inhibit the interaction between PD-1 on the T cells and PD-L1 on the tumor cells so that it can restore the function of T cells to kill tumor cell. PD-1 antibodies, such as Nivolumab and Pembrolizumb, are approved as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cell cancer. However, due to the interaction of tumor cells, T cells and cytokines, some patients developed drug resistance which reduces the efficacy of immunotherapy. Hence, how to overcome resistance has become a urgent problem. Cereblon (CRBN), a substrate receptor of the DDB1-cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex and the only known molecular receptor of immunoregulatory drugs, has been found to reverse PD-1 antibody resistance by binding to CRBN regulatory agents (CMS), exert T cell immune function by regulating proliferation, activation and metabolism of T cell. In this paper, the mechanism of down-regulation of T cells leading to resistance of PD-1 antibody in lung cancer, the mechanism of CRBN regulating T cells, and research progress of CRBN regulator in the treatment of lung cancer were reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Guo
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin Medicial University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Di Mu
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin Medicial University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Ying Han
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin Medicial University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China.,Department of Biotherapy, Tianjin Medicial University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
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40
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Nguyen KM, Busino L. Targeting the E3 ubiquitin ligases DCAF15 and cereblon for cancer therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 67:53-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Crbn modulates calcium influx by regulating Orai1 during efferocytosis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5489. [PMID: 33127885 PMCID: PMC7603501 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19272-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium flux regulating intracellular calcium levels is essential and modulated for efficient efferocytosis. However, the molecular mechanism by which calcium flux is modulated during efferocytosis remains elusive. Here, we report that Orai1, a Crbn substrate, is upregulated via its attenuated interaction with Crbn during efferocytosis, which increases calcium influx into phagocytes and thereby promotes efferocytosis. We found that Crbn deficiency promoted phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, which resulted from facilitated phagocytic cup closure and was nullified by a CRAC channel inhibitor. In addition, Orai1 associated with Crbn, resulting in ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of Orai1 and alteration of SOCE-mediated calcium influx. The association of Orai1 with Crbn was attenuated during efferocytosis, leading to reduced ubiquitination of Orai1 and consequently upregulation of Orai1 and calcium influx. Collectively, our study reveals a regulatory mechanism by which calcium influx is modulated by a Crbn-Orai1 axis to facilitate efferocytosis.
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Lescouzères L, Bomont P. E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Neurological Diseases: Focus on Gigaxonin and Autophagy. Front Physiol 2020; 11:1022. [PMID: 33192535 PMCID: PMC7642974 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.01022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a dynamic post-translational modification that regulates the fate of proteins and therefore modulates a myriad of cellular functions. At the last step of this sophisticated enzymatic cascade, E3 ubiquitin ligases selectively direct ubiquitin attachment to specific substrates. Altogether, the ∼800 distinct E3 ligases, combined to the exquisite variety of ubiquitin chains and types that can be formed at multiple sites on thousands of different substrates confer to ubiquitination versatility and infinite possibilities to control biological functions. E3 ubiquitin ligases have been shown to regulate behaviors of proteins, from their activation, trafficking, subcellular distribution, interaction with other proteins, to their final degradation. Largely known for tagging proteins for their degradation by the proteasome, E3 ligases also direct ubiquitinated proteins and more largely cellular content (organelles, ribosomes, etc.) to destruction by autophagy. This multi-step machinery involves the creation of double membrane autophagosomes in which engulfed material is degraded after fusion with lysosomes. Cooperating in sustaining homeostasis, actors of ubiquitination, proteasome and autophagy pathways are impaired or mutated in wide range of human diseases. From initial discovery of pathogenic mutations in the E3 ligase encoding for E6-AP in Angelman syndrome and Parkin in juvenile forms of Parkinson disease, the number of E3 ligases identified as causal gene for neurological diseases has considerably increased within the last years. In this review, we provide an overview of these diseases, by classifying the E3 ubiquitin ligase types and categorizing the neurological signs. We focus on the Gigaxonin-E3 ligase, mutated in giant axonal neuropathy and present a comprehensive analysis of the spectrum of mutations and the recent biological models that permitted to uncover novel mechanisms of action. Then, we discuss the common functions shared by Gigaxonin and the other E3 ligases in cytoskeleton architecture, cell signaling and autophagy. In particular, we emphasize their pivotal roles in controlling multiple steps of the autophagy pathway. In light of the various targets and extending functions sustained by a single E3 ligase, we finally discuss the challenge in understanding the complex pathological cascade underlying disease and in designing therapeutic approaches that can apprehend this complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lescouzères
- ATIP-Avenir Team, INM, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pascale Bomont
- ATIP-Avenir Team, INM, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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43
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Jeon SJ, Ham J, Park CS, Lee B. Susceptibility of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice with Cereblon gene knockout. BMB Rep 2020. [PMID: 32843131 PMCID: PMC7526979 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2020.53.9.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures,
which are bursts of electrical activity that tempo-rarily affect the brain.
Cereblon (CRBN), a DCAFs (DDB1 and
CUL4associated factors),
is a well-established protein associated with human mental retardation. Being a
substrate receptor of the cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) 4 complex, CRBN
mediates ubiquitination of several substrates and conducts multiple biological
processes. In the central nervous system, the large-conductance
Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channel, which is the
substrate of CRBN, is an important regulator of epilepsy. Despite the functional
role and importance of CRBN in the brain, di-rect injection of
pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) to induce seizures in CRBN knock-out mice has not been
challenged. In this study, we investigated the effect of PTZ in CRBN knock-out
mice. Here, we demonstrate that, compared with WT mice, CRBN knock-out mice do
not show the intensification of seizures by PTZ induction. Moreover,
electroencephalography recordings were also performed in the brains of both WT
and CRBN knockout mice to identify the absence of significant differences in the
pattern of seizure activities. Consistently, immunoblot analysis for validating
the protein level of the CRL4 complex containing CRBN (CRL4Crbn) in
the mouse brain was carried out. Taken together, we found that the deficiency of
CRBN does not affect PTZ-induced seizure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Je Jeon
- School of Life Sciences and Integrated Institute of Biomedical Research (IIBR), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Jinsil Ham
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering (BMSE), Institute of Integrated Technology (IIT), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- School of Life Sciences and Integrated Institute of Biomedical Research (IIBR), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Boreom Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering (BMSE), Institute of Integrated Technology (IIT), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Korea
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Hypnotic effect of thalidomide is independent of teratogenic ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:23106-23112. [PMID: 32848052 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917701117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide exerts its teratogenic and immunomodulatory effects by binding to cereblon (CRBN) and thereby inhibiting/modifying the CRBN-mediated ubiquitination pathway consisting of the Cullin4-DDB1-ROC1 E3 ligase complex. The mechanism of thalidomide's classical hypnotic effect remains largely unexplored, however. Here we examined whether CRBN is involved in the hypnotic effect of thalidomide by generating mice harboring a thalidomide-resistant mutant allele of Crbn (Crbn YW/AA knock-in mice). Thalidomide increased non-REM sleep time in Crbn YW/AA knock-in homozygotes and heterozygotes to a similar degree as seen in wild-type littermates. Thalidomide similarly depressed excitatory synaptic transmission in the cortical slices obtained from wild-type and Crbn YW/AA homozygous knock-in mice without affecting GABAergic inhibition. Thalidomide induced Fos expression in vasopressin-containing neurons of the supraoptic nucleus and reduced Fos expression in the tuberomammillary nuclei. Thus, thalidomide's hypnotic effect seems to share some downstream mechanisms with general anesthetics and GABAA-activating sedatives but does not involve the teratogenic CRBN-mediated ubiquitin/proteasome pathway.
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Furihata H, Yamanaka S, Honda T, Miyauchi Y, Asano A, Shibata N, Tanokura M, Sawasaki T, Miyakawa T. Structural bases of IMiD selectivity that emerges by 5-hydroxythalidomide. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4578. [PMID: 32929090 PMCID: PMC7490372 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalidomide and its derivatives exert not only therapeutic effects as immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) but also adverse effects such as teratogenicity, which are due in part to different C2H2 zinc-finger (ZF) transcription factors, IKZF1 (or IKZF3) and SALL4, respectively. Here, we report the structural bases for the SALL4-specific proteasomal degradation induced by 5-hydroxythalidomide, a primary thalidomide metabolite generated by the enzymatic activity of cytochrome P450 isozymes, through the interaction with cereblon (CRBN). The crystal structure of the metabolite-mediated human SALL4-CRBN complex and mutagenesis studies elucidate the complex formation enhanced by the interaction between CRBN and an additional hydroxy group of (S)-5-hydroxythalidomide and the variation in the second residue of β-hairpin structure that underlies the C2H2 ZF-type neo-morphic substrate (neosubstrate) selectivity of 5-hydroxythalidomide. These findings deepen our understanding of the pharmaceutical action of IMiDs and provide structural evidence that the glue-type E3 ligase modulators cause altered neosubstrate specificities through their metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotake Furihata
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamanaka
- Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Honda
- Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Aichi, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Yumiko Miyauchi
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Atsuko Asano
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Norio Shibata
- Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Aichi, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Masaru Tanokura
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Tatsuya Sawasaki
- Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Takuya Miyakawa
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
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46
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LeBlanc N, Mallette E, Zhang W. Targeted modulation of E3 ligases using engineered ubiquitin variants. FEBS J 2020; 288:2143-2165. [PMID: 32867007 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ubiquitination plays an essential role in signal transduction to regulate most if not all cellular processes. Among the enzymes that are involved in the ubiquitin (Ub) signaling cascade, tremendous efforts have been focused on elucidating the roles of E3 Ub ligases as they determine the complexity and specificity of ubiquitination. Not surprisingly, the malfunction of E3 ligases is directly implicated in many human diseases, including cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop potent and specific molecules to modulate E3 ligase activity as intracellular probes for target validation and as pharmacological agents in preclinical research. Unfortunately, the progress has been hampered by the dynamic regulation mechanisms for different types of E3 ligases. Here, we summarize the progress of using protein engineering to develop Ub variant (UbV) inhibitors for all major families of E3 ligases and UbV activators for homologous with E6-associated protein C terminus E3s and homodimeric RING E3s. We believe that this provides a general strategy and a valuable toolkit for the research community to inhibit or activate E3 ligases and these synthetic molecules have important implications in exploring protein degradation for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole LeBlanc
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Evan Mallette
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
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47
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[Expression of Cereblon/CRBN in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and its significance for prognosis]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2020; 41:254-256. [PMID: 32311898 PMCID: PMC7357926 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2020.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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48
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Chen Y, Jin J. The application of ubiquitin ligases in the PROTAC drug design. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:776-790. [PMID: 32506133 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitylation plays important roles in many biological activities. Protein ubiquitylation is a unique process that is mainly controlled by ubiquitin ligases. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the main process to degrade short-lived and unwanted proteins in eukaryotes. Many components in the UPS are attractive drug targets. Recent studies indicated that ubiquitin ligases can be employed as tools in proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for drug discovery. In this review article, we will discuss the recent progress of the application of ubiquitin ligases in the PROTAC drug design. We will also discuss advantages and existing problems of PROTACs. Moreover, we will propose a few principles for selecting ubiquitin ligases in PROTAC applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Chen
- Life Science Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianping Jin
- Life Science Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Evaluation and Clinical Research, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
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49
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Montenegro-Venegas C, Fienko S, Anni D, Pina-Fernández E, Frischknecht R, Fejtova A. Bassoon inhibits proteasome activity via interaction with PSMB4. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:1545-1563. [PMID: 32651614 PMCID: PMC7904567 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03590-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Proteasomes are protein complexes that mediate controlled degradation of damaged or unneeded cellular proteins. In neurons, proteasome regulates synaptic function and its dysfunction has been linked to neurodegeneration and neuronal cell death. However, endogenous mechanisms controlling proteasomal activity are insufficiently understood. Here, we describe a novel interaction between presynaptic scaffolding protein bassoon and PSMB4, a β subunit of the 20S core proteasome. Expression of bassoon fragments that interact with PSMB4 in cell lines or in primary neurons attenuates all endopeptidase activities of cellular proteasome and induces accumulation of several classes of ubiquitinated and non-ubiquitinated substrates of the proteasome. Importantly, these effects are distinct from the previously reported impact of bassoon on ubiquitination and autophagy and might rely on a steric interference with the assembly of the 20S proteasome core. In line with a negative regulatory role of bassoon on endogenous proteasome we found increased proteasomal activity in the synaptic fractions prepared from brains of bassoon knock-out mice. Finally, increased activity of proteasome and lower expression levels of synaptic substrates of proteasome could be largely normalized upon expression of PSMB4-interacting fragments of bassoon in neurons derived from bassoon deficient mice. Collectively, we propose that bassoon interacts directly with proteasome to control its activity at presynapse and thereby it contributes to a compartment-specific regulation of neuronal protein homeostasis. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the recently described link of bassoon to human diseases associated with pathological protein aggregation. Graphic Abstract Presynaptic cytomatrix protein bassoon (Bsn) interacts with PSMB4, the β7 subunit of 20S core proteasome, via three independent interaction interfaces. Bsn inhibits proteasomal proteolytic activity and degradation of different classes of proteasomal substrates presumably due to steric interference with the assembly of 20S core of proteasome. Upon Bsn deletion in neurons, presynaptic substrates of the proteasome are depleted, which can be reversed upon expression of PSMB4-interacting interfaces of Bsn. Taken together, bsn controls the degree of proteasome degradation within the presynaptic compartment and thus, contributes to the regulation of synaptic proteome![]() Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00018-020-03590-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Montenegro-Venegas
- Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University and Center for Behavior Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Fienko
- Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- RG Presynaptic Plasticity, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Daniela Anni
- Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Eneko Pina-Fernández
- RG Presynaptic Plasticity, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Renato Frischknecht
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen- Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna Fejtova
- Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
- Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
- RG Presynaptic Plasticity, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
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50
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Kim YK, Chae SC, Yang HJ, An DE, Lee S, Yeo MG, Lee KJ. Cereblon Deletion Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-induced Proinflammatory Cytokines through 5'-Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase/Heme Oxygenase-1 Activation in ARPE-19 Cells. Immune Netw 2020; 20:e26. [PMID: 32655974 PMCID: PMC7327155 DOI: 10.4110/in.2020.20.e26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN), a negative modulator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), is highly expressed in the retina. We confirmed the expression of CRBN in ARPE-19 human retinal cells by Western blotting. We also demonstrated that CRBN knock-down (KD) could effectively downregulate IL-6 and MCP-1 protein and gene expression in LPS-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, CRBN KD increased the phosphorylation of AMPK/acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, CRBN KD significantly reduced LPS-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and activation of NF-κB promoter activity. However, these processes could be inactivated by compound C (inhibitor of AMPK) and zinc protoporphyrin-1 (ZnPP-1; inhibitor of HO-1). In conclusion, compound C and ZnPP-1 can rescue LPS-induced levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and MCP-1) in CRBN KD ARPE-19 cells. Our data demonstrate that CRBN deficiency negatively regulates proinflammatory cytokines via the activation of AMPK/HO-1 in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Kyu Kim
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Soo Chul Chae
- Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Nambu University, Gwangju 62271, Korea.,Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Hun Ji Yang
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Da Eun An
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Sion Lee
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Myeong Gu Yeo
- Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Nambu University, Gwangju 62271, Korea
| | - Kyung Jin Lee
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.,Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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