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Carboranes in drug discovery, chemical biology and molecular imaging. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:486-504. [PMID: 37117309 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00400-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
There exists a paucity of structural innovation and limited molecular diversity associated with molecular frameworks in drug discovery and biomolecular imaging/chemical probe design. The discovery and exploitation of new molecular entities for medical and biological applications will necessarily involve voyaging into previously unexplored regions of chemical space. Boron clusters, notably the carboranes, offer an alternative to conventional (poly)cyclic organic frameworks that may address some of the limitations associated with the use of novel molecular frameworks in chemical biology or medicine. The high thermal stability, unique 3D structure and aromaticity, kinetic inertness to metabolism and ability to engage in unusual types of intermolecular interactions, such as dihydrogen bonds, with biological receptors make carboranes exquisite frameworks in the design of probes for chemical biology, novel drug candidates and biomolecular imaging agents. This Review highlights the key developments of carborane derivatives made over the last decade as new design tools in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology, showcasing the versatility of this unique family of boron compounds.
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Banerjee A, Cai S, Xie G, Li N, Bai X, Lavudi K, Wang K, Zhang X, Zhang J, Patnaik S, Backes FJ, Bennett C, Wang QE. A Novel Estrogen Receptor β Agonist Diminishes Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells via Suppressing the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2311. [PMID: 35565440 PMCID: PMC9105687 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the female reproductive tract. A healthy ovary expresses both Estrogen Receptor α (ERα) and β (ERβ). Given that ERα is generally considered to promote cell survival and proliferation, thereby, enhancing tumor growth, while ERβ shows a protective effect against the development and progression of tumors, the activation of ERβ by its agonists could be therapeutically beneficial for ovarian cancer. Here, we demonstrate that the activation of ERβ using a newly developed ERβ agonist, OSU-ERb-12, can impede ovarian cancer cell expansion and tumor growth in an ERα-independent manner. More interestingly, we found that OSU-ERb-12 also reduces the cancer stem cell (CSC) population in ovarian cancer by compromising non-CSC-to-CSC conversion. Mechanistically, we revealed that OSU-ERb-12 decreased the expression of Snail, a master regulator of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is associated with de novo CSC generation. Given that ERα can mediate EMT and facilitate maintenance of the CSC subpopulation and that OSU-ERb-12 can block the transactivity of ERα, we conclude that OSU-ERb-12 reduces the CSC subpopulation by inhibiting EMT in an ERα-dependent manner. Taken together, our data indicate that the ERβ agonist OSU-ERb-12 could be used to hinder tumor progression and limit the CSC subpopulation with the potential to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Banerjee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Shurui Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Guozhen Xie
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Na Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Xuetao Bai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Kousalya Lavudi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Kevin Wang
- Columbus Academy, Gahanna, OH 43230, USA;
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Junran Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Srinivas Patnaik
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar 751024, India;
| | - Floor J. Backes
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Chad Bennett
- Drug Development Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Qi-En Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.B.); (S.C.); (N.L.); (X.B.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
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Sedlák D, Wilson TA, Tjarks W, Radomska HS, Wang H, Kolla JN, Leśnikowski ZJ, Špičáková A, Ali T, Ishita K, Rakotondraibe LH, Vibhute S, Wang D, Anzenbacher P, Bennett C, Bartunek P, Coss CC. Structure-Activity Relationship of para-Carborane Selective Estrogen Receptor β Agonists. J Med Chem 2021; 64:9330-9353. [PMID: 34181409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Selective agonism of the estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ, has historically been difficult to achieve due to the high degree of ligand-binding domain structural similarity. Multiple efforts have focused on the use of classical organic scaffolds to model 17β-estradiol geometry in the design of ERβ selective agonists, with several proceeding to various stages of clinical development. Carborane scaffolds offer many unique advantages including the potential for novel ligand/receptor interactions but remain relatively unexplored. We synthesized a series of para-carborane estrogen receptor agonists revealing an ERβ selective structure-activity relationship. We report ERβ agonists with low nanomolar potency, greater than 200-fold selectivity for ERβ over ERα, limited off-target activity against other nuclear receptors, and only sparse CYP450 inhibition at very high micromolar concentrations. The pharmacological properties of our para-carborane ERβ selective agonists measure favorably against clinically developed ERβ agonists and support further evaluation of carborane-based selective estrogen receptor modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sedlák
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tyler A Wilson
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Werner Tjarks
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Hanna S Radomska
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Jayaprakash Narayana Kolla
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zbigniew J Leśnikowski
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Biology PAS, 106 Lodowa Street, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Alena Špičáková
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University, Hněvotínská 3, 77515 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Tehane Ali
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Keisuke Ishita
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Liva Harinantenaina Rakotondraibe
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Sandip Vibhute
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Dasheng Wang
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Pavel Anzenbacher
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University, Hněvotínská 3, 77515 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Chad Bennett
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States.,Drug Development Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Petr Bartunek
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher C Coss
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States.,Drug Development Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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Carr M, Knox AJS, Nevin DK, O'Boyle N, Wang S, Egan B, McCabe T, Twamley B, Zisterer DM, Lloyd DG, Meegan MJ. Optimisation of estrogen receptor subtype-selectivity of a 4-Aryl-4H-chromene scaffold previously identified by virtual screening. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115261. [PMID: 31987694 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.115261] [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] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
4-Aryl-4H-Chromene derivatives have been previously shown to exhibit anti-proliferative, apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activity in a variety of tumor models in vitro and in vivo generally via activation of caspases through inhibition of tubulin polymerisation. We have previously identified by Virtual Screening (VS) a 4-aryl-4H-chromene scaffold, of which two examples were shown to bind Estrogen Receptor α and β with low nanomolar affinity and <20-fold selectivity for α over β and low micromolar anti-proliferative activity in the MCF-7 cell line. Thus, using the 4-aryl-4H-chromene scaffold as a starting point, a series of compounds with a range of basic arylethers at C-4 and modifications at the C3-ester substituent of the benzopyran ring were synthesised, producing some potent ER antagonists in the MCF-7 cell line which were highly selective for ERα (compound 35; 350-fold selectivity) or ERβ (compound 42; 170-fold selectivity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Carr
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Andrew J S Knox
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; School of Biological and Health Sciences, Technology University Dublin, Dublin City Campus, Kevin St., Dublin 8 D08 NF82, Ireland.
| | - Daniel K Nevin
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Niamh O'Boyle
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Shu Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Billy Egan
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Thomas McCabe
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Brendan Twamley
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Daniela M Zisterer
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - David G Lloyd
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Mary J Meegan
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, 152 - 160 Pearse Street Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Jaundoo R, Bohmann J, Gutierrez GE, Klimas N, Broderick G, Craddock TJA. Towards a Treatment for Gulf War Illness: A Consensus Docking Approach. Mil Med 2020; 185:554-561. [PMID: 32074351 PMCID: PMC7029833 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usz299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Gulf War Illness (GWI) currently has no known cure and affects soldiers deployed during the Persian Gulf War. It is thought to originate from exposure to neurotoxicants combined with battlefield stress, and previous research indicates that treatment first involves inhibition of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, followed by the glucocorticoid receptor. However, the off-target effects of pharmaceuticals hinder development of a drug treatment therapy. Materials and Methods AutoDock 4.2, AutoDock Vina, and Schrodinger’s Glide were used to perform consensus docking, a computational technique where pharmaceuticals are screened against targets using multiple scoring algorithms to obtain consistent binding affinities. FDA approved pharmaceuticals were docked against the above-mentioned immune and stress targets to determine a drug therapy for GWI. Additionally, the androgen and estrogen targets were screened to avoid pharmaceuticals with off-target interactions. Results While suramin bound to both immune targets with high affinity, top binders of the hormonal and glucocorticoid targets were non-specific towards their respective proteins, possibly due to high structure similarity between these proteins. Conclusions Development of a drug treatment therapy for GWI is threatened by the tight interplay between the immune and hormonal systems, often leading to drug interactions. Increasing knowledge of these interactions can lead to break-through therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Jaundoo
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796
| | - Jonathan Bohmann
- Pharmaceuticals and Bioengineering Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166
| | - Gloria E Gutierrez
- Pharmaceuticals and Bioengineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166
| | - Nancy Klimas
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 N.W. 16th Street, Miami, FL 33125
| | - Gordon Broderick
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Rochester Institute of Technology, One Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-5603.,Centre for Clinical Systems Biology, Rochester General Hospital Research Institute, 100 Kings Highway South, Rochester, NY 14617
| | - Travis J A Craddock
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796.,Department of Computer Science, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796
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6
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Synthesis and characterization of hydrogen peroxide activated estrogen receptor beta ligands. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:2075-2082. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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7
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Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1-benzylindane derivatives as selective agonists for estrogen receptor beta. Bioorg Med Chem 2016; 24:5895-5910. [PMID: 27692995 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) selective agonist is considered a promising candidate for the treatment of estrogen deficiency symptoms in ERβ-expressing tissues, without the risk of breast cancer, and multiple classes of compounds have been reported as ERβ selective agonists. Among them, 6-6 bicyclic ring-containing structures (e.g., isoflavone phytoestrogens) are regarded as one of the cyclized analogues of isobutestrol 5b, and suggest that other cyclized scaffolds comprising 5-6 bicyclic rings could also act as selective ERβ ligands. In this study, we evaluated the selective ERβ agonistic activity of 1-(4-hydroxybenzyl)indan-5-ol 7a and studied structure-activity relationship (SAR) of its derivatives. Some functional groups improved the properties of 7a; introduction of a nitrile group on the indane-1-position resulted in higher selectivity for ERβ (12a), and further substitution with a fluoro or a methyl group to the pendant phenyl ring was also preferable (12b, d, and e). Subsequent chiral resolution of 12a identified that R-12a has a superior profile over S-12a. This is comparable to diarylpropionitrile (DPN) 5c, one of the promising selective ERβ agonists and indicates that this indane-based scaffold has the potential to provide better ERβ agonistic probes.
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8
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Khalaj AJ, Hasselmann J, Augello C, Moore S, Tiwari-Woodruff SK. Nudging oligodendrocyte intrinsic signaling to remyelinate and repair: Estrogen receptor ligand effects. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 160:43-52. [PMID: 26776441 PMCID: PMC5233753 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to significant, progressive axonal and neuronal degeneration. Currently existing immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies alleviate MS symptoms and slow, but fail to prevent or reverse, disease progression. Restoration of damaged myelin sheath by replenishment of mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) should not only restore saltatory axon conduction, but also provide a major boost to axon survival. Our previous work has shown that therapeutic treatment with the modestly selective generic estrogen receptor (ER) β agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN) confers functional neuroprotection in a chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS by stimulating endogenous remyelination. Recently, we found that the more potent, selective ERβ agonist indazole-chloride (Ind-Cl) improves clinical disease and motor performance. Importantly, electrophysiological measures revealed improved corpus callosal conduction and reduced axon refractoriness. This Ind-Cl treatment-induced functional remyelination was attributable to increased OL progenitor cell (OPC) and mature OL numbers. At the intracellular signaling level, transition of early to late OPCs requires ERK1/2 signaling, and transition of immature to mature OLs requires mTOR signaling; thus, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway plays a major role in the late stages of OL differentiation and myelination. Indeed, therapeutic treatment of EAE mice with various ERβ agonists results in increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated (p) Akt and p-mTOR levels. It is notable that while DPN's neuroprotective effects occur in the presence of peripheral and central inflammation, Ind-Cl is directly neuroprotective, as demonstrated by remyelination effects in the cuprizone-induced demyelination model, as well as immunomodulatory. Elucidating the mechanisms by which ER agonists and other directly remyelinating agents modulate endogenous OPC and OL regulatory signaling is critical to the development of effective remyelinating drugs. The discovery of signaling targets to induce functional remyelination will valuably contribute to the treatment of demyelinating neurological diseases, including MS, stroke, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Khalaj
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Jonathan Hasselmann
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Catherine Augello
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Spencer Moore
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, United States
| | - Seema K Tiwari-Woodruff
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, United States.
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Prossnitz ER, Arterburn JB. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCVII. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor and Its Pharmacologic Modulators. Pharmacol Rev 2015; 67:505-40. [PMID: 26023144 PMCID: PMC4485017 DOI: 10.1124/pr.114.009712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogens are critical mediators of multiple and diverse physiologic effects throughout the body in both sexes, including the reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. As such, alterations in estrogen function play important roles in many diseases and pathophysiological conditions (including cancer), exemplified by the lower prevalence of many diseases in premenopausal women. Estrogens mediate their effects through multiple cellular receptors, including the nuclear receptor family (ERα and ERβ) and the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family (GPR30/G protein-coupled estrogen receptor [GPER]). Although both receptor families can initiate rapid cell signaling and transcriptional regulation, the nuclear receptors are traditionally associated with regulating gene expression, whereas GPCRs are recognized as mediating rapid cellular signaling. Estrogen-activated pathways are not only the target of multiple therapeutic agents (e.g., tamoxifen, fulvestrant, raloxifene, and aromatase inhibitors) but are also affected by a plethora of phyto- and xeno-estrogens (e.g., genistein, coumestrol, bisphenol A, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). Because of the existence of multiple estrogen receptors with overlapping ligand specificities, expression patterns, and signaling pathways, the roles of the individual receptors with respect to the diverse array of endogenous and exogenous ligands have been challenging to ascertain. The identification of GPER-selective ligands however has led to a much greater understanding of the roles of this receptor in normal physiology and disease as well as its interactions with the classic estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ and their signaling pathways. In this review, we describe the history and characterization of GPER over the past 15 years focusing on the pharmacology of steroidal and nonsteroidal compounds that have been employed to unravel the biology of this most recently recognized estrogen receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Prossnitz
- Department of Internal Medicine (E.R.P.) and University of New Mexico Cancer Center (E.R.P., J.B.A.), The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico (J.B.A.)
| | - Jeffrey B Arterburn
- Department of Internal Medicine (E.R.P.) and University of New Mexico Cancer Center (E.R.P., J.B.A.), The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico (J.B.A.)
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Shtivelman E, Beer TM, Evans CP. Molecular pathways and targets in prostate cancer. Oncotarget 2014; 5:7217-59. [PMID: 25277175 PMCID: PMC4202120 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer co-opts a unique set of cellular pathways in its initiation and progression. The heterogeneity of prostate cancers is evident at earlier stages, and has led to rigorous efforts to stratify the localized prostate cancers, so that progression to advanced stages could be predicted based upon salient features of the early disease. The deregulated androgen receptor signaling is undeniably most important in the progression of the majority of prostate tumors. It is perhaps because of the primacy of the androgen receptor governed transcriptional program in prostate epithelium cells that once this program is corrupted, the consequences of the ensuing changes in activity are pleotropic and could contribute to malignancy in multiple ways. Following localized surgical and radiation therapies, 20-40% of patients will relapse and progress, and will be treated with androgen deprivation therapies. The successful development of the new agents that inhibit androgen signaling has changed the progression free survival in hormone resistant disease, but this has not changed the almost ubiquitous development of truly resistant phenotypes in advanced prostate cancer. This review summarizes the current understanding of the molecular pathways involved in localized and metastatic prostate cancer, with an emphasis on the clinical implications of the new knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tomasz M. Beer
- Oregon Health & Science University, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR
| | - Christopher P. Evans
- Department of Urology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA
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11
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Chan KKL, Leung THY, Chan DW, Wei N, Lau GTY, Liu SS, Siu MKY, Ngan HYS. Targeting estrogen receptor subtypes (ERα and ERβ) with selective ER modulators in ovarian cancer. J Endocrinol 2014; 221:325-36. [PMID: 24819599 DOI: 10.1530/joe-13-0500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer cells express both estrogen receptor α (ERα) and ERβ, and hormonal therapy is an attractive treatment option because of its relatively few side effects. However, estrogen was previously shown to have opposite effects in tumors expressing ERα compared with ERβ, indicating that the two receptor subtypes may have opposing effects. This may explain the modest response to nonselective estrogen inhibition in clinical practice. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of selectively targeting each ER subtype on ovarian cancer growth. Ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and OV2008, expressing both ER subtypes, were treated with highly selective ER modulators. Sodium 3'-(1-(phenylaminocarbonyl)-3,4-tetrazolium)-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzene sulfonic acid hydrate (XTT) assay revealed that treatment with 1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methyl-5-[4-(2-piperidinylethoxy)phenol]-1H-pyrazole dihydrochloride (MPP) (ERα antagonist) or 2,3-bis(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propionitrile (DPN) (ERβ agonist) significantly suppressed cell growth in both cell lines. In contrast, 4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol (PPT) (ERα agonist) or 4-[2-phenyl-5,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-3-yl]phenol (PHTPP) (ERβ antagonist) significantly enhanced cell growth. These results were confirmed on a xenograft model where SKOV3 cells were injected s.c. into ovariectomized mice. We observed that the average size of xenografts in both the DPN-treated group and the MPP-treated group was significantly smaller than that for the vehicle-treated group. In addition, we found that phospho-AKT expressions in SKOV3 cells were reduced by 80% after treatment with MPP and DPN, indicating that the AKT pathway was involved. The combined treatment with MPP and DPN had a synergistic effect in suppressing ovarian cancer cell growth. Our findings indicate that targeting ER subtypes may enhance the response to hormonal treatment in women with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Kar-Loen Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 6/F Professorial Block, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
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Yakimchuk K, Jondal M, Okret S. Estrogen receptor α and β in the normal immune system and in lymphoid malignancies. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2013; 375:121-9. [PMID: 23707618 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens regulate various normal and pathophysiological processes including cancers. Cellular signaling by estrogens is mediated by estrogen receptor α (ERα) and β (ERβ), respectively. Binding of agonists to the ERs affects gene transcription. The main endogenous estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), binds to both ERα and ERβ with similar affinity. However, the ligand-binding pocket of ERα and ERβ are slightly different which has allowed the development of selective ER ligands. Importantly, while estrogens via ERα stimulate proliferation, signaling via ERβ inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis. In both normal and cancer cells the ERs are co-expressed with ER splice variants which may modify the transcriptional activity of the wild-type receptors. Estrogens have prominent effects on immune functions and both ERα and ERβ are expressed in immune cells and lymphoid malignancies. With regard to lymphoid malignancies, most show estrogen influence as several epidemiological studies of lymphoid cancers demonstrate gender differences in incidence and prognosis with males being more affected. In line with these findings, recent results generated by us have shown that ERβ selective agonists inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in human and murine lymphomas in vivo in xenograft experiments. This suggests that ERβ selective agonists in the future may be useful in the treatment of lymphomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Yakimchuk
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
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Paterni I, Bertini S, Granchi C, Macchia M, Minutolo F. Estrogen receptor ligands: a patent review update. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2013; 23:1247-71. [PMID: 23713677 DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2013.805206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The role of estrogens is mostly mediated by two nuclear receptors (ERα and ERβ) and a membrane-associated G-protein (GPR30 or GPER), and it is not limited to reproduction, but it extends to the skeletal, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Various pathologies such as cancer, inflammatory, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases are often associated with dysfunctions of the estrogenic system. Therapeutic interventions by agents that affect the estrogenic signaling pathway might be useful in the treatment of many dissimilar diseases. AREAS COVERED The massive chemodiversity of ER ligands, limited to patented small molecules, is herein reviewed. The reported compounds are classified on the basis of their chemical structures. Non-steroidal derivatives, which mostly consist of diphenolic compounds, are further segregated into chemical classes based on their central scaffold. EXPERT OPINION Estrogens have been used for almost a century and their earlier applications have concerned interventions in the female reproductive functions, as well as the treatment of some estrogen-dependent cancers and osteoporosis. Since the discovery of ERβ in 1996, the patent literature has started to pay a progressively increasing attention to this newer receptor subtype, which holds promise as a target for new indications, most of which still need to be clinically validated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Paterni
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa , Italy +39 050 2219557 ; +39 050 2219605 ;
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Clark J, Alves S, Gundlah C, Rocha B, Birzin E, Cai SJ, Flick R, Hayes E, Ho K, Warrier S, Pai L, Yudkovitz J, Fleischer R, Colwell L, Li S, Wilkinson H, Schaeffer J, Wilkening R, Mattingly E, Hammond M, Rohrer S. Selective estrogen receptor-beta (SERM-beta) compounds modulate raphe nuclei tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH-1) mRNA expression and cause antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test. Neuropharmacology 2012; 63:1051-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2012] [Revised: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 07/01/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Cleve A, Fritzemeier KH, Haendler B, Heinrich N, Möller C, Schwede W, Wintermantel T. Pharmacology and clinical use of sex steroid hormone receptor modulators. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2012:543-587. [PMID: 23027466 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-30726-3_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Sex steroid receptors are ligand-triggered transcription factors. Oestrogen, progesterone and androgen receptors form, together with the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors, a subgroup of the superfamily of nuclear receptors. They share a common mode of action, namely translating a hormone-i.e. a small-molecule signal-from outside to changes in gene expression and cell fate, and thereby represent "natural" pharmacological targets.For pharmacological therapy, these receptors have originally been addressed by hormones and synthetic hormone analogues in order to overcome pathologies related to deficiencies in the natural ligands. Another major use for female sex hormone receptor modulators is oral contraception, i.e. birth control.On the other side, blocking the activity of sex steroid receptors has become an established way to treat hormone-dependent malignancies, such as breast and prostate cancer.In this review, we will discuss how the experience gained from the classical pharmacology of these receptors and their molecular similarities led to new options for the treatment of gender-specific diseases and highlight recent progress in medicinal chemistry of sex hormone-modulating drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cleve
- Bayer Pharma AG, Muellerstr. 178, Berlin, Germany
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Nilsson S, Koehler KF, Gustafsson JÅ. Development of subtype-selective oestrogen receptor-based therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2011; 10:778-92. [DOI: 10.1038/nrd3551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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17
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Shanle EK, Hawse JR, Xu W. Generation of stable reporter breast cancer cell lines for the identification of ER subtype selective ligands. Biochem Pharmacol 2011; 82:1940-9. [PMID: 21924251 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2011.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2011] [Revised: 08/23/2011] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen signaling is mediated by two estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ, which have unique roles in the regulation of breast cancer cell proliferation. ERα induces proliferation in response to estrogen and ERβ inhibits proliferation in breast cancer cells, suggesting that ERβ selective ligands may be beneficial for promoting the anti-proliferative action of ERβ. Subtype selective ligands can be identified using transcriptional assays, but cell lines in which ERα or ERβ are independently expressed are required. Of the available reporter cell lines, none have been generated in breast cancer cells to identify subtype selective ligands. Here we describe the generation of two isogenic breast cancer cell lines, Hs578T-ERαLuc and Hs578T-ERβLuc, with stable integration of an estrogen responsive luciferase reporter gene. Hs578T-ERαLuc and Hs578T-ERβLuc cell lines are highly sensitive to estrogenic chemicals and ER subtype selective ligands, providing a tool to characterize the transcriptional potency and subtype selectivity of estrogenic ligands in the context of breast cancer cells. In addition to measuring reporter activity, ERβ target gene expression and growth inhibitory effects of ERβ selective ligands can be determined as biological endpoints. The finding that activation of ERβ by estrogen or ERβ selective natural phytoestrogens inhibits the growth of Hs578T-ERβ cells implies therapeutic potential for ERβ selective ligands in breast cancer cells that express ERβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Shanle
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Roberts LR, Armor D, Barker C, Bent A, Bess K, Brown A, Favor DA, Ellis D, Irving SL, MacKenny M, Phillips C, Pullen N, Stennett A, Strand L, Styles M. Sulfonamides as selective oestrogen receptor β agonists. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2011; 21:5680-3. [PMID: 21885279 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2011.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2011] [Revised: 08/06/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
A series of p-hydroxybenzenesulphonamides ERβ receptor agonists were discovered and several compounds identified had excellent selectivity over the related ERα receptor. One of these, compound 11, had an interesting binding conformation determined by X-ray and represents an excellent starting point in the quest for further selective ERβ agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee R Roberts
- Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9NJ, UK.
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Horimoto Y, Hartman J, Millour J, Pollock S, Olmos Y, Ho KK, Coombes RC, Poutanen M, Mäkelä SI, El-Bahrawy M, Speirs V, Lam EWF. ERβ1 represses FOXM1 expression through targeting ERα to control cell proliferation in breast cancer. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2011; 179:1148-56. [PMID: 21763263 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.05.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2011] [Revised: 05/12/2011] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effects of ectopic estrogen receptor (ER)β1 expression in breast cancer cell lines and nude mice xenografts and observed that ERβ1 expression suppresses tumor growth and represses FOXM1 mRNA and protein expression in ERα-positive but not ERα-negative breast cancer cells. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation exists between ERβ1 and FOXM1 expression at both protein and mRNA transcript levels in ERα-positive breast cancer patient samples. Ectopic ERβ1 expression resulted in decreased FOXM1 protein and mRNA expression only in ERα-positive but not ERα-negative breast carcinoma cell lines, suggesting that ERβ1 represses ERα-dependent FOXM1 transcription. Reporter gene assays showed that ERβ1 represses FOXM1 transcription through an estrogen-response element located within the proximal promoter region that is also targeted by ERα. The direct binding of ERβ1 to the FOXM1 promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, which also showed that ectopic expression of ERβ1 displaces ERα from the endogenous FOXM1 promoter. Forced expression of ERβ1 promoted growth suppression in MCF-7 cells, but the anti-proliferative effects of ERβ1 could be overridden by overexpression of FOXM1, indicating that FOXM1 is an important downstream target of ERβ1 signaling. Together, these findings define a key anti-proliferative role for ERβ1 in breast cancer development through negatively regulating FOXM1 expression.
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Bertini S, De Cupertinis A, Granchi C, Bargagli B, Tuccinardi T, Martinelli A, Macchia M, Gunther JR, Carlson KE, Katzenellenbogen JA, Minutolo F. Selective and potent agonists for estrogen receptor beta derived from molecular refinements of salicylaldoximes. Eur J Med Chem 2011; 46:2453-62. [PMID: 21481497 PMCID: PMC3088081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2011.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Revised: 03/10/2011] [Accepted: 03/15/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In a continuing effort to improve the subtype selectivity and agonist potency of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) ligands, we have designed and developed a thus far unexplored structural series obtained by molecular refinements of monoaryl-substituted salicylaldoximes (Salaldox B). The most interesting compounds in this series (2c, d) show remarkably high ERβ-binding affinities, with Ki values reaching the sub-nanomolar range (Ki=0.38 nM for 2c and 0.57 nM for 2d), and have very high levels of ERβ-subtype selectivity. Both compounds show a potent full agonist character on ERβ (EC50=0.23 nM for 2c and 1.3 nM for 2d). Furthermore, 2d shows a remarkable functional subtype selectivity, with a β/α transcription potency ratio 50-fold higher than that of estradiol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Bertini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea De Cupertinis
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlotta Granchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Bargagli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Adriano Martinelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Macchia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jillian R. Gunther
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Filippo Minutolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Yakimchuk K, Iravani M, Hasni MS, Rhönnstad P, Nilsson S, Jondal M, Okret S. Effect of ligand-activated estrogen receptor β on lymphoma growth in vitro and in vivo. Leukemia 2011; 25:1103-10. [PMID: 21502954 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2011.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor β (ERβ) is expressed in immune cells and studies have suggested an antiproliferative function of ERβ. We detected ERβ expression in murine T- and human B-cell lymphoma cell lines and analyzed the effects of estradiol and selective ERβ agonists on lymphoma growth in culture and in vivo. Treating the cells with estradiol had minor effects on cell growth, whereas the selective ERβ agonists diarylpropionitrile (DPN) and KB9520 showed a strong antiproliferative effect. When grafting mice with murine T-cell lymphoma cells, male mice developed larger tumors compared with female mice, a difference that was abolished following ovariectomy, showing estrogen-dependent growth in vivo. To investigate whether lymphoma growth may be inhibited in vivo by ERβ agonist treatment, mice grafted with murine lymphoma cells were treated with DPN or KB9520. Both ERβ-selective agonists strongly inhibited lymphoma growth. The reduced tumor size seen following either DPN or KB9520 treatment was due to reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis. Our results show an ERβ ligand-dependent antiproliferative effect of lymphoma cells expressing endogenous ERβ and that lymphoma cell growth in vivo can efficiently be inhibited by ERβ agonists. This suggests that ERβ agonists may be useful in the treatment of lymphomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Yakimchuk
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, Huddinge, Sweden
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Abstract
CONTEXT A new class of estrogen receptors was discovered in 1996 and named estrogen receptor β (ER-B); the traditional estrogen receptor, which until a little more than 10 years ago was thought of as the only estrogen receptor in existence, is now called estrogen receptor α. Estrogen receptor β has at least 5 isoforms, which may have different functions and have different tissue distribution. The significance of ER-B expression in tumors was first demonstrated in breast cancer, with several studies demonstrating that women with ER-B-positive breast cancers treated with adjuvant tamoxifen have better survival, independent of estrogen receptor α expression. Pathologists need to be more aware of this increasingly important protein, as it will soon find its way into routine clinical practice. OBJECTIVE To provide pathologists with a concise review of ER-B, with special emphasis on current and potential clinical relevance. DATA SOURCES A search of the English literature in PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland) for articles with titles including "estrogen receptor beta," with emphasis on "immunohistochemistry." Abstracts were reviewed, and selected articles were used as the basis for writing this review, mostly based on their relevance to pathology. CONCLUSIONS Estrogen receptor β and its isoforms have wider tissue distribution, including the gastrointestinal tract, lung, and brain, than the traditional estrogen receptor, now called estrogen receptor α. Estrogen receptor β expression in breast cancer is associated with favorable outcome in women treated with adjuvant tamoxifen, even in tumors negative for estrogen receptor α. The clinical significance of ER-B expression in tumors other than breast is currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoun Younes
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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