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Yang J, Tian E, Chen L, Liu Z, Ren Y, Mao W, Zhang Y, Zhang J. Development and therapeutic perspectives of CXCR4 antagonists for disease therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 275:116594. [PMID: 38879970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116594] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a subtype receptor protein of the GPCR family with a seven-transmembrane structure widely distributed in human tissues. CXCR4 is involved in diseases (e.g., HIV-1 infection), cancer proliferation and metastasis, inflammation signaling pathways, and leukemia, making it a promising drug target. Clinical trials on CXCR4 antagonists mainly focused on peptides and antibodies, with a few small molecule compounds, such as AMD11070 (2) and MSX-122 (3), showing promise in cancer treatment. This perspective discusses the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of CXCR4 and its role in diseases, mainly focusing on the SAR of CXCR4 antagonists. It also explores the standard structural features and target interactions of CXCR4 binding in different disease categories. Furthermore, it investigates various modification strategies to propose potential improvements in the effectiveness of CXCR4 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Erkang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Zihang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yijiu Ren
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Wuyu Mao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Institute of Respiratory Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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2
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Tripathi R, Kumar P. Preliminary study to identify CXCR4 inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Integr Biol (Camb) 2023; 15:zyad012. [PMID: 37635325 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyad012] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) are known to exhibit genetic overlap and shared pathophysiology. This study aims to find the shared genetic architecture of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), two major age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorders. The gene expression profiles of GSE67333 (containing samples from AD patients) and GSE114517 (containing samples from PD patients) were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) functional genomics database managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The web application GREIN (GEO RNA-seq Experiments Interactive Navigator) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A total of 617 DEGs (239 upregulated and 379 downregulated) were identified from the GSE67333 dataset. Likewise, 723 DEGs (378 upregulated and 344 downregulated) were identified from the GSE114517 dataset. The protein-protein interaction networks of the DEGs were constructed, and the top 50 hub genes were identified from the network of the respective dataset. Of the four common hub genes between two datasets, C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) was selected due to its gene expression signature profile and the same direction of differential expression between the two datasets. Mavorixafor was chosen as the reference drug due to its known inhibitory activity against CXCR4 and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation of 51 molecules having structural similarity with Mavorixafor was performed to find two novel molecules, ZINC49067615 and ZINC103242147. This preliminary study might help predict molecular targets and diagnostic markers for treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Insight Box Our research substantiates the therapeutic relevance of CXCR4 inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. We would like to disclose the following insights about this study. We found common signatures between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases at transcriptional levels by analyzing mRNA sequencing data. These signatures were used to identify putative therapeutic agents for these diseases through computational analysis. Thus, we proposed two novel compounds, ZINC49067615 and ZINC103242147, that were stable, showed a strong affinity with CXCR4, and exhibited good pharmacokinetic properties. The interaction of these compounds with major residues of CXCR4 has also been described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Tripathi
- Department of Biotechnology, Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, India
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Grande F, Giancotti G, Ioele G, Occhiuzzi MA, Garofalo A. An update on small molecules targeting CXCR4 as starting points for the development of anti-cancer therapeutics. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 139:519-530. [PMID: 28826086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
CXCR4 (C-X-C Chemokine Receptor type 4) and its natural ligand SDF-1α (Stromal-Derived-Factor-1α) are involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes including cancer spread and progression. Over the past few years, numerous CXCR4 antagonists have been identified and currently are in different development stages as potential agents for the treatment of several diseases involving the CXCR4/SDF-1α axis. Herein, we focus on small molecules reported in literature between 2013 and 2017, claimed as CXCR4 antagonists and potentially useful in the treatment of cancer and other diseases where this receptor is involved. Most of the compounds resulted from a chemical optimization of previously identified molecules and some of them could represent suitable candidates for the development of advanced anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedora Grande
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy.
| | - Gilda Giancotti
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Giuseppina Ioele
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Maria A Occhiuzzi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Antonio Garofalo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy
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Maples RD, Cain AN, Burke BP, Silversides JD, Mewis RE, D'huys T, Schols D, Linder DP, Archibald SJ, Hubin TJ. Aspartate-Based CXCR4 Chemokine Receptor Binding of Cross-Bridged Tetraazamacrocyclic Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes. Chemistry 2016; 22:12916-30. [PMID: 27458983 PMCID: PMC5224883 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201601468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The CXCR4 chemokine receptor is implicated in a number of diseases including HIV infection and cancer development and metastasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that configurationally restricted bis-tetraazamacrocyclic metal complexes are high-affinity CXCR4 antagonists. Here, we present the synthesis of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) acetate complexes of six cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycles to mimic their coordination interaction with the aspartate side chains known to bind them to CXCR4. X-ray crystal structures for three new Cu(2+) acetate complexes and two new Zn(2+) acetate complexes demonstrate metal-ion-dependent differences in the mode of binding the acetate ligand concomitantly with the requisite cis-V-configured cross-bridged tetraazamacrocyle. Concurrent density functional theory molecular modelling studies produced an energetic rationale for the unexpected [Zn(OAc)(H2 O)](+) coordination motif present in all of the Zn(2+) cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycle crystal structures, which differs from the chelating acetate [Zn(OAc)](+) structures of known unbridged and side-bridged tetraazamacrocyclic Zn(2+) -containing CXCR4 antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall D Maples
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, 73096, USA
| | - Amy N Cain
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, 73096, USA
| | - Benjamin P Burke
- Department of Chemistry and Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Jon D Silversides
- Department of Chemistry and Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Ryan E Mewis
- Department of Chemistry and Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Thomas D'huys
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Schols
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Douglas P Linder
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, 73096, USA
| | - Stephen J Archibald
- Department of Chemistry and Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
| | - Timothy J Hubin
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK, 73096, USA.
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Arnatt CK, Zhang Y. Bivalent ligands targeting chemokine receptor dimerization: molecular design and functional studies. Curr Top Med Chem 2016; 14:1606-18. [PMID: 25159160 DOI: 10.2174/1568026614666140827144752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Revised: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence has shown that chemokine receptors may form functional dimers with unique pharmacological profiles. A common practice to characterize such G protein-coupled receptor dimerization processes is to apply bivalent ligands as chemical probes which can interact with both receptors simultaneously. Currently, two chemokine receptor dimers have been studied by applying bivalent compounds: the CXCR4-CXCR4 homodimer and the CCR5-MOR heterodimer. These bivalent compounds have revealed how dimerization influences receptor function and may lead to novel therapeutics. Future design of bivalent ligands for chemokine receptor dimers may be aided with the recently available CXCR4 homodimer, and CCR5 monomer crystal structures by more accurately simulating chemokine receptors and their dimers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
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Role of 3D Structures in Understanding, Predicting, and Designing Molecular Interactions in the Chemokine Receptor Family. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/7355_2014_77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Szatmary AC, Stuelten CH, Nossal R. Improving the design of the agarose spot assay for eukaryotic cell chemotaxis. RSC Adv 2014; 4:57343-57349. [PMID: 25530845 DOI: 10.1039/c4ra08572h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration of cells along gradients of effector molecules, i.e., chemotaxis, is necessary in immune response and is involved in development and cancer metastasis. The experimental assessment of chemotaxis thus is of high interest. The agarose spot assay is a simple tissue culture system used to analyze chemotaxis. Although direction sensing requires gradients to be sufficiently steep, how the chemical gradients developed in this assay change over time, and thus, under what conditions chemotaxis is plausible, has not yet been determined. Here, we use numerical solution of the diffusion equation to determine the chemoattractant gradient produced in the assay. Our analysis shows that, for the usual spot size, the lifetime of the assay is optimized if the chemoattractant concentration in the spot is initially 30 times the dissociation constant of the chemoattractant-receptor bond. This result holds regardless of the properties of the chemoattractant. With this initial concentration, the chemoattractant gradient falls to the minimum threshold for directional sensing at the same time that the concentration drops to the optimal level for detecting gradient direction. If a higher initial chemoattractant concentration is used, the useful lifetime of the assay is likely to be shortened because receptor saturation may decrease the cells' sensitivity to the gradient; lower initial concentrations would result in too little chemoattractant for the cells to detect. Moreover, chemoattractants with higher diffusion coefficients would sustain gradients for less time. Based on previous measurements of the diffusion coefficients of the chemoattractants EGF and CXCL12, we estimate that the assay will produce gradients that cells can sense for a duration of 10 h for EGF and 5 h for CXCL12. These gradient durations are comparable to what can be achieved with the Boyden chamber assay. The analysis presented in this work facilitates determination of suitable parameters for the assay, and can be used to assess whether observed cell motility is likely due to chemotaxis or chemokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex C Szatmary
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Christina H Stuelten
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Ralph Nossal
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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