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Law ME, Dulloo ZM, Eggleston SR, Takacs GP, Alexandrow GM, Wang M, Su H, Forsyth B, Chiang CW, Sharma A, Kanumuri SRR, Guryanova OA, Harrison JK, Tirosh B, Castellano RK, Law BK. DR5 disulfide bonding as a sensor and effector of protein folding stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.04.583390. [PMID: 38496520 PMCID: PMC10942403 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.04.583390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
New agents are needed that selectively kill cancer cells without harming normal tissues. The TRAIL ligand and its receptors, DR5 and DR4, exhibit cancer-selective toxicity, but TRAIL analogs or agonistic antibodies targeting these receptors have not received FDA approval for cancer therapy. Small molecules for activating DR5 or DR4 independently of protein ligands may bypass some of the pharmacological limitations of these protein drugs. Previously described Disulfide bond Disrupting Agents (DDAs) activate DR5 by altering its disulfide bonding through inhibition of the Protein Disulfide Isomerases (PDIs) ERp44, AGR2, and PDIA1. Work presented here extends these findings by showing that disruption of single DR5 disulfide bonds causes high-level DR5 expression, disulfide-mediated clustering, and activation of Caspase 8-Caspase 3 mediated pro-apoptotic signaling. Recognition of the extracellular domain of DR5 by various antibodies is strongly influenced by the pattern of DR5 disulfide bonding, which has important implications for the use of agonistic DR5 antibodies for cancer therapy. Disulfide-defective DR5 mutants do not activate the ER stress response or stimulate autophagy, indicating that these DDA-mediated responses are separable from DR5 activation and pro-apoptotic signaling. Importantly, other ER stressors, including Thapsigargin and Tunicamycin also alter DR5 disulfide bonding in various cancer cell lines and in some instances, DR5 mis-disulfide bonding is potentiated by overriding the Integrated Stress Response (ISR) with inhibitors of the PERK kinase or the ISR inhibitor ISRIB. These observations indicate that the pattern of DR5 disulfide bonding functions as a sensor of ER stress and serves as an effector of proteotoxic stress by driving extrinsic apoptosis independently of extracellular ligands.
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Ghilardi AF, Yaaghubi E, Ferreira RB, Law ME, Yang Y, Davis BJ, Schilson CM, Ghiviriga I, Roitberg AE, Law BK, Castellano RK. Anticancer Agents Derived from Cyclic Thiosulfonates: Structure-Reactivity and Structure-Activity Relationships. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200165. [PMID: 35491396 PMCID: PMC9308679 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200165] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Reported are structure-property-function relationships associated with a class of cyclic thiosulfonate molecules-disulfide-bond disrupting agents (DDAs)-with the ability to downregulate the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER) family in parallel and selectively induce apoptosis of EGFR+ or HER2+ breast cancer cells. Recent findings have revealed that the DDA mechanism of action involves covalent binding to the thiol(ate) from the active site cysteine residue of members of the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) family. Reported is how structural modifications to the pharmacophore can alter the anticancer activity of cyclic thiosulfonates by tuning the dynamics of thiol-thiosulfonate exchange reactions, and the studies reveal a correlation between the biological potency and thiol-reactivity. Specificity of the cyclic thiosulfonate ring-opening reaction by a nucleophilic attack can be modulated by substituent addition to a parent scaffold. Lead compound optimization efforts are also reported, and have resulted in a considerable decrease of the IC50 /IC90 values toward HER-family overexpressing breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F Ghilardi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Elham Yaaghubi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Renan B Ferreira
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Mary E Law
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Yinuo Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Bradley J Davis
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Ion Ghiviriga
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Adrian E Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Brian K Law
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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Law ME, Yaaghubi E, Ghilardi AF, Davis BJ, Ferreira RB, Koh J, Chen S, DePeter SF, Schilson CM, Chiang CW, Heldermon CD, Nørgaard P, Castellano RK, Law BK. Inhibitors of ERp44, PDIA1, and AGR2 induce disulfide-mediated oligomerization of Death Receptors 4 and 5 and cancer cell death. Cancer Lett 2022; 534:215604. [PMID: 35247515 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer mortality remains unacceptably high, indicating a need for safer and more effective therapeutic agents. Disulfide bond Disrupting Agents (DDAs) were previously identified as a novel class of anticancer compounds that selectively kill cancers that overexpress the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) or its family member HER2. DDAs kill EGFR+ and HER2+ cancer cells via the parallel downregulation of EGFR, HER2, and HER3 and activation/oligomerization of Death Receptors 4 and 5 (DR4/5). However, the mechanisms by which DDAs mediate these effects are unknown. Affinity purification analyses employing biotinylated-DDAs reveal that the Protein Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) family members AGR2, PDIA1, and ERp44 are DDA target proteins. Further analyses demonstrate that shRNA-mediated knockdown of AGR2 and ERp44, or expression of ERp44 mutants, enhance basal DR5 oligomerization. DDA treatment of breast cancer cells disrupts PDIA1 and ERp44 mixed disulfide bonds with their client proteins. Together, the results herein reveal DDAs as the first small molecule, active site inhibitors of AGR2 and ERp44, and demonstrate roles for AGR2 and ERp44 in regulating the activity, stability, and localization of DR4 and DR5, and activation of Caspase 8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Law
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Elham Yaaghubi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Amanda F Ghilardi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Bradley J Davis
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Renan B Ferreira
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jin Koh
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Sixue Chen
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Biology, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Sadie F DePeter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | | | - Chi-Wu Chiang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine and Center for Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Coy D Heldermon
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Peter Nørgaard
- Department of Pathology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, DK, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Ronald K Castellano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Brian K Law
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Law ME, Davis BJ, Ghilardi AF, Yaaghubi E, Dulloo ZM, Wang M, Guryanova OA, Heldermon CD, Jahn SC, Castellano RK, Law BK. Repurposing Tranexamic Acid as an Anticancer Agent. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:792600. [PMID: 35095503 PMCID: PMC8793890 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.792600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tranexamic Acid (TA) is a clinically used antifibrinolytic agent that acts as a Lys mimetic to block binding of Plasminogen with Plasminogen activators, preventing conversion of Plasminogen to its proteolytically activated form, Plasmin. Previous studies suggested that TA may exhibit anticancer activity by blockade of extracellular Plasmin formation. Plasmin-mediated cleavage of the CDCP1 protein may increase its oncogenic functions through several downstream pathways. Results presented herein demonstrate that TA blocks Plasmin-mediated excision of the extracellular domain of the oncoprotein CDCP1. In vitro studies indicate that TA reduces the viability of a broad array of human and murine cancer cell lines, and breast tumor growth studies demonstrate that TA reduces cancer growth in vivo. Based on the ability of TA to mimic Lys and Arg, we hypothesized that TA may perturb multiple processes that involve Lys/Arg-rich protein sequences, and that TA may alter intracellular signaling pathways in addition to blocking extracellular Plasmin production. Indeed, TA-mediated suppression of tumor cell viability is associated with multiple biochemical actions, including inhibition of protein synthesis, reduced activating phosphorylation of STAT3 and S6K1, decreased expression of the MYC oncoprotein, and suppression of Lys acetylation. Further, TA inhibited uptake of Lys and Arg by cancer cells. These findings suggest that TA or TA analogs may serve as lead compounds and inspire the production of new classes of anticancer agents that function by mimicking Lys and Arg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Law
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Bradley J. Davis
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Amanda F. Ghilardi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Elham Yaaghubi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Zaafir M. Dulloo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Mengxiong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Olga A. Guryanova
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Coy D. Heldermon
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Stephan C. Jahn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ronald K. Castellano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Brian K. Law
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Disulfide bond-disrupting agents activate the tumor necrosis family-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/death receptor 5 pathway. Cell Death Discov 2019; 5:153. [PMID: 31839995 PMCID: PMC6904486 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-019-0228-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Disulfide bond-disrupting agents (DDAs) are a new chemical class of agents recently shown to have activity against breast tumors in animal models. Blockade of tumor growth is associated with downregulation of EGFR, HER2, and HER3 and reduced Akt phosphorylation, as well as the induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress. However, it is not known how DDAs trigger cancer cell death without affecting nontransformed cells. As demonstrated here, DDAs are the first compounds identified that upregulate the TRAIL receptor DR5 through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms to activate the extrinsic cell death pathway. At the protein level, DDAs alter DR5 disulfide bonding to increase steady-state DR5 levels and oligomerization, leading to downstream caspase 8 and 3 activation. DDAs and TRAIL synergize to kill cancer cells and are cytotoxic to HER2+ cancer cells with acquired resistance to the EGFR/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor Lapatinib. Investigation of the mechanisms responsible for DDA selectivity for cancer cells reveals that DDA-induced upregulation of DR5 is enhanced in the context of EGFR overexpression. DDA-induced cytotoxicity is strongly amplified by MYC overexpression. This is consistent with the known potentiation of TRAIL-mediated cell death by MYC. Together, the results demonstrate selective DDA lethality against oncogene-transformed cells, DDA-mediated DR5 upregulation, and protein stabilization, and that DDAs have activity against drug-resistant cancer cells. Our results indicate that DDAs are unique in causing DR5 accumulation and oligomerization and inducing downstream caspase activation and cancer cell death through mechanisms involving altered DR5 disulfide bonding. DDAs thus represent a new therapeutic approach to cancer therapy.
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Wang M, Ferreira RB, Law ME, Davis BJ, Yaaghubi E, Ghilardi AF, Sharma A, Avery BA, Rodriguez E, Chiang CW, Narayan S, Heldermon CD, Castellano RK, Law BK. A novel proteotoxic combination therapy for EGFR+ and HER2+ cancers. Oncogene 2019; 38:4264-4282. [PMID: 30718919 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0717-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
While HER2 and EGFR are overexpressed in breast cancers and multiple other types of tumors, the use of EGFR and/or HER2 inhibitors have failed to cure many cancer patients, largely because cancers acquire resistance to HER2/EGFR-specific drugs. Cancers that overexpress the HER-family proteins EGFR, HER2, and HER3 are uniquely sensitive to agents that disrupt HER2 and EGFR protein folding. We previously showed that disruption of disulfide bond formation by Disulfide Disrupting Agents (DDAs) kills HER2/EGFR overexpressing cells through multiple mechanisms. Herein, we show that interference with proline isomerization in HER2/EGFR overexpressing cells also induces cancer cell death. The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase inhibitor Cyclosporine A (CsA) selectively kills EGFR+ or HER2+ breast cancer cells in vitro by activating caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways. Further, CsA synergizes with the DDA tcyDTDO to kill HER2/EGFR overexpressing cells in vitro and the two agents cooperate to kill HER2+ tumors in vivo. There is a critical need for novel strategies to target HER2+ and EGFR+ cancers that are resistant to currently available mechanism-based agents. Drugs that target HER2/EGFR protein folding, including DDAs and CsA, have the potential to kill cancers that overexpress EGFR or HER2 through the induction of proteostatic synthetic lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxiong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Renan B Ferreira
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Mary E Law
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Bradley J Davis
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Elham Yaaghubi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Amanda F Ghilardi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Abhisheak Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Bonnie A Avery
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Edgardo Rodriguez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Chi-Wu Chiang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine and Center for Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Satya Narayan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.,UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Coy D Heldermon
- UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Ronald K Castellano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA. .,UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Brian K Law
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA. .,UF-Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Wang M, Law ME, Castellano RK, Law BK. The unfolded protein response as a target for anticancer therapeutics. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2018; 127:66-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Taylor JP, Cash MN, Santostefano KE, Nakanishi M, Terada N, Wallet MA. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of USP18 enhances type I IFN responsiveness and restricts HIV-1 infection in macrophages. J Leukoc Biol 2018; 103:1225-1240. [PMID: 29437254 PMCID: PMC6754309 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3mia0917-352r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The IFN-stimulated gene ubiquitin-specific proteinase 18 (USP18) encodes a protein that negatively regulates T1 IFN signaling via stearic inhibition of JAK1 recruitment to the IFN-α receptor 2 subunit (IFNAR2). Here, we demonstrate that USP18 expression is induced by HIV-1 in a T1 IFN-dependent manner. Experimental depletion of USP18 by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene editing results in a significant restriction of HIV-1 replication in an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophage model. In the absence of USP18, macrophages have increased responsiveness to stimulation with T1 IFNs with prolonged phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT2 and increased expression of IFN-stimulated genes that are key for antiviral responses. Interestingly, HIV-1 requires some signaling through the T1 IFN receptor to replicate efficiently because a neutralizing antibody that inhibits T1 IFN activity reduces HIV-1 replication rate in monocyte-derived macrophages. USP18 induction by HIV-1 tunes the IFN response to optimal levels allowing for efficient transcription from the HIV-1 LTR promoter while minimizing the T1 IFN-induced antiviral response that would otherwise restrict viral replication and spread. Finally, iPSC and CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting offer a powerful tool to study host factors that regulate innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared P. Taylor
- Department of PathologyImmunology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Melanie N. Cash
- Department of PathologyImmunology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Katherine E. Santostefano
- Department of PathologyImmunology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Center for Cellular ReprogrammingUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Mahito Nakanishi
- Research Center for Stem Cell EngineeringNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyTsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Naohiro Terada
- Department of PathologyImmunology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Center for Cellular ReprogrammingUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Mark A. Wallet
- Department of PathologyImmunology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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