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Zhang Y, Dou W, Zhao Z, Li G, Li C, Chen X, Mou L. Stereo-selectivity of enantiomeric inhibitors to ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) dissected by molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy calculations. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10948-z. [PMID: 39298085 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10948-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
The ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7), as a member of deubiquitination enzymes, represents an attractive therapeutic target for various cancers, including prostate cancer and liver cancer. The change of the inhibitor stereocenter from the S to R stereochemistry (S-ALM → R-ALM34) markedly improved USP7 inhibitory activity. However, the molecular mechanism for the stereo-selectivity of enantiomeric inhibitors to USP7 is still unclear. In this work, molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, molecular mechanics/Generalized-Born surface area (MM/GBSA) calculations, and free energy landscapes were performed to address this mystery. MD simulations revealed that S-ALM34 showed a high degree of conformational flexibility compared to the R-ALM34 counterpart, and S-ALM34 binding led to the enhanced intradomain motions of USP7, especially the BL1 and BL2 loops and the two helices α4 and α5. MM/GBSA calculations showed that the binding strength of R-ALM34 to USP7 was stronger than that of S-ALM34 by - 4.99 kcal/mol, a similar trend observed by experimental data. MM/GBSA free energy decomposition was further performed to differentiate the ligand-residue spectrum. These analyses not only identified the hotspot residues interacting with R-ALM34, but also revealed that the hydrophobic interactions from F409, K420, H456, and Y514 play the major determinants in the binding of R-ALM34 to USP7. This result is anticipated to shed light on energetic basis and conformational dynamics information to aid in the design of more potent and selective inhibitors targeting USP7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China
| | - Wenwen Dou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China
| | - Ziqi Zhao
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China
| | - Guozhen Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China
| | - Chunlong Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China.
| | - Xiangyu Chen
- School of Medical Laboratory, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China.
| | - Linkai Mou
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China.
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Tian Y, Shao S, Feng H, Zeng R, Li S, Zhang Q. Targeting Senescent Cells in Atherosclerosis: Pathways to Novel Therapies. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 101:102502. [PMID: 39278272 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Targeting senescent cells has recently emerged as a promising strategy for treating age-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis, which significantly contributes to global cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This review elucidates the role of senescent cells in the development of atherosclerosis, including persistently damaging DNA, inducing oxidative stress and secreting pro-inflammatory factors known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Therapeutic approaches targeting senescent cells to mitigate atherosclerosis are summarized in this review, which include the development of senotherapeutics and immunotherapies. These therapies are designed to either remove these cells or suppress their deleterious effects. These emerging therapies hold potential to decelerate or even alleviate the progression of AS, paving the way for new avenues in cardiovascular research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Tian
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Sihang Shao
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Haibo Feng
- College of Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rui Zeng
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Ethnic Medicine Processing and Preparation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Qixiong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Chuandong Hospital & Dazhou First People's Hospital, Dazhou, 635000, China.
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3
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Lake CM, Gardner J, Briggs S, Yu Z, McKown G, Hawley RS. The deubiquitinase Usp7 in Drosophila melanogaster is required for synaptonemal complex maintenance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2409346121. [PMID: 39190345 PMCID: PMC11388383 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409346121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a form of cell division that is essential to sexually reproducing organisms and is therefore highly regulated. Each event of meiosis must occur at the correct developmental stage to ensure that chromosomes are segregated properly during both meiotic divisions. One unique meiosis-specific structure that is tightly regulated in terms of timing of assembly and disassembly is the synaptonemal complex (SC). While the mechanism(s) for assembly and disassembly of the SC are poorly understood in Drosophila melanogaster, posttranslational modifications, including ubiquitination and phosphorylation, are known to play a role. Here, we identify a role for the deubiquitinase Usp7 in the maintenance of the SC in early prophase and show that its function in SC maintenance is independent of the meiotic recombination process. Using two usp7 shRNA constructs that result in different knockdown levels, we have shown that the presence of SC through early/mid-pachytene is critical for normal levels and placement of crossovers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Salam Briggs
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - Zulin Yu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - Grace McKown
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
| | - R. Scott Hawley
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO64110
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of KansasMedical Center, Kansas City, KS66160
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4
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Liu JCY, Ackermann L, Hoffmann S, Gál Z, Hendriks IA, Jain C, Morlot L, Tatham MH, McLelland GL, Hay RT, Nielsen ML, Brummelkamp T, Haahr P, Mailand N. Concerted SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase activities of TOPORS and RNF4 are essential for stress management and cell proliferation. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1355-1367. [PMID: 38649616 PMCID: PMC11402782 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01294-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Protein SUMOylation provides a principal driving force for cellular stress responses, including DNA-protein crosslink (DPC) repair and arsenic-induced PML body degradation. In this study, using genome-scale screens, we identified the human E3 ligase TOPORS as a key effector of SUMO-dependent DPC resolution. We demonstrate that TOPORS promotes DPC repair by functioning as a SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL), combining ubiquitin ligase activity through its RING domain with poly-SUMO binding via SUMO-interacting motifs, analogous to the STUbL RNF4. Mechanistically, TOPORS is a SUMO1-selective STUbL that complements RNF4 in generating complex ubiquitin landscapes on SUMOylated targets, including DPCs and PML, stimulating efficient p97/VCP unfoldase recruitment and proteasomal degradation. Combined loss of TOPORS and RNF4 is synthetic lethal even in unstressed cells, involving defective clearance of SUMOylated proteins from chromatin accompanied by cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Our findings establish TOPORS as a STUbL whose parallel action with RNF4 defines a general mechanistic principle in crucial cellular processes governed by direct SUMO-ubiquitin crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio C Y Liu
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Leena Ackermann
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Saskia Hoffmann
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zita Gál
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ivo A Hendriks
- Proteomics Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Charu Jain
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise Morlot
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael H Tatham
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Gian-Luca McLelland
- Division of Biochemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald T Hay
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Michael Lund Nielsen
- Proteomics Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thijn Brummelkamp
- Division of Biochemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Haahr
- Division of Biochemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Gene Expression, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Niels Mailand
- Protein Signaling Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Chromosome Stability, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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5
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Klett T, Schwer M, Ernst LN, Engelhardt MU, Jaag SJ, Masberg B, Knappe C, Lämmerhofer M, Gehringer M, Boeckler FM. Evaluation of a Covalent Library of Diverse Warheads (CovLib) Binding to JNK3, USP7, or p53. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:2653-2679. [PMID: 38974119 PMCID: PMC11226190 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s466829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Over the last few years, covalent fragment-based drug discovery has gained significant importance. Thus, striving for more warhead diversity, we conceived a library consisting of 20 covalently reacting compounds. Our covalent fragment library (CovLib) contains four different warhead classes, including five α-cyanoacacrylamides/acrylates (CA), three epoxides (EO), four vinyl sulfones (VS), and eight electron-deficient heteroarenes with a leaving group (SNAr/SN). Methods After predicting the theoretical solubility of the fragments by LogP and LogS during the selection process, we determined their experimental solubility using a turbidimetric solubility assay. The reactivities of the different compounds were measured in a high-throughput 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) DTNB assay, followed by a (glutathione) GSH stability assay. We employed the CovLib in a (differential scanning fluorimetry) DSF-based screening against different targets: c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3), ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7), and the tumor suppressor p53. Finally, the covalent binding was confirmed by intact protein mass spectrometry (MS). Results In general, the purchased fragments turned out to be sufficiently soluble. Additionally, they covered a broad spectrum of reactivity. All investigated α-cyanoacrylamides/acrylates and all structurally confirmed epoxides turned out to be less reactive compounds, possibly due to steric hindrance and reversibility (for α-cyanoacrylamides/acrylates). The SNAr and vinyl sulfone fragments are either highly reactive or stable. DSF measurements with the different targets JNK3, USP7, and p53 identified reactive fragment hits causing a shift in the melting temperatures of the proteins. MS confirmed the covalent binding mode of all these fragments to USP7 and p53, while additionally identifying the SNAr-type electrophile SN002 as a mildly reactive covalent hit for p53. Conclusion The screening and target evaluation of the CovLib revealed first interesting hits. The highly cysteine-reactive fragments VS004, SN001, SN006, and SN007 covalently modify several target proteins and showed distinct shifts in the melting temperatures up to +5.1 °C and -9.1 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Klett
- Laboratory for Molecular Design & Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Martin Schwer
- Laboratory for Molecular Design & Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Larissa N Ernst
- Laboratory for Molecular Design & Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Marc U Engelhardt
- Laboratory for Molecular Design & Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Simon J Jaag
- Pharmaceutical (Bio-) Analysis, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Benedikt Masberg
- Pharmaceutical (Bio-) Analysis, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Cornelius Knappe
- Pharmaceutical (Bio-) Analysis, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Michael Lämmerhofer
- Pharmaceutical (Bio-) Analysis, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Matthias Gehringer
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Frank M Boeckler
- Laboratory for Molecular Design & Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBMI), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
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6
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Foster BM, Wang Z, Schmidt CK. DoUBLing up: ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteases in genome stability. Biochem J 2024; 481:515-545. [PMID: 38572758 PMCID: PMC11088880 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Maintaining stability of the genome requires dedicated DNA repair and signalling processes that are essential for the faithful duplication and propagation of chromosomes. These DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms counteract the potentially mutagenic impact of daily genotoxic stresses from both exogenous and endogenous sources. Inherent to these DNA repair pathways is the activity of protein factors that instigate repair processes in response to DNA lesions. The regulation, coordination, and orchestration of these DDR factors is carried out, in a large part, by post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, and modification with ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs). The importance of ubiquitylation and UBLylation with SUMO in DNA repair is well established, with the modified targets and downstream signalling consequences relatively well characterised. However, the role of dedicated erasers for ubiquitin and UBLs, known as deubiquitylases (DUBs) and ubiquitin-like proteases (ULPs) respectively, in genome stability is less well established, particularly for emerging UBLs such as ISG15 and UFM1. In this review, we provide an overview of the known regulatory roles and mechanisms of DUBs and ULPs involved in genome stability pathways. Expanding our understanding of the molecular agents and mechanisms underlying the removal of ubiquitin and UBL modifications will be fundamental for progressing our knowledge of the DDR and likely provide new therapeutic avenues for relevant human diseases, such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Foster
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
| | - Zijuan Wang
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
| | - Christine K. Schmidt
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
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7
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Cheng YJ, Zhuang Z, Miao YL, Song SS, Bao XB, Yang CH, He JX. Identification of YCH2823 as a novel USP7 inhibitor for cancer therapy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 222:116071. [PMID: 38387527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116071] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Inhibition of the human ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7), the key deubiquitylating enzyme in regulating p53 protein levels, has been considered an attractive anticancer strategy. In order to enhance the cellular activity of FT671, scaffold hopping strategy was employed. This endeavor resulted in the discovery of YCH2823, a novel and potent USP7 inhibitor.YCH2823 demonstrated remarkable efficacy in inhibiting the growth of a specific subset of TP53 wild-type, -mutant, and MYCN-amplified cell lines, surpassing the potency of FT671 by approximately 5-fold. The mechanism of action of YCH2823 involves direct interaction with the catalytic domain of USP7, thereby impeding the cleavage of ubiquitinated substrates. An increase in the expression of p53 and p21, accompanied by G1 phase arrest and apoptosis, was observed upon treatment with YCH2823. Subsequently, the knockdown of p53 or p21 in CHP-212 cells exhibited a substantial reduction in sensitivity to YCH2823, as evidenced by a considerable increase in IC50 values up to 690-fold. Furthermore, YCH2823 treatment specifically enhanced the transcriptional and protein levels of BCL6 in sensitive cells. Moreover, a synergistic effect between USP7 inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors was observed, suggesting the possibility of novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. In conclusion, YCH2823 exhibits potential as an anticancer agent for the treatment of both TP53 wild-type and -mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Jun Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xian Lin Avenue, Nanjing 210046 China
| | - Zhen Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Ling Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shan-Shan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu-Bin Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chun-Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jin-Xue He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xian Lin Avenue, Nanjing 210046 China.
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Vogt M, Classen S, Krause AK, Peter NJ, Petersen C, Rothkamm K, Borgmann K, Meyer F. USP7 Deregulation Impairs S Phase Specific DNA Repair after Irradiation in Breast Cancer Cells. Biomedicines 2024; 12:762. [PMID: 38672118 PMCID: PMC11047985 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin specific protease 7 (USP7) is a deubiquitinating enzyme with numerous substrates. Aberrant expression of USP7 is associated with tumor progression. This study aims to investigate how a deregulated USP7 expression affects chromosomal instability and prognosis of breast cancer patients in silico and radiosensitivity and DNA repair in breast cancer cells in vitro. The investigations in silico were performed using overall survival and USP7 mRNA expression data of breast cancer patients. The results showed that a high USP7 expression was associated with increased chromosomal instability and decreased overall survival. The in vitro experiments were performed in a luminal and a triple-negative breast cancer cell line. Proliferation, DNA repair, DNA replication stress, and survival after USP7 overexpression or inhibition and irradiation were analyzed. Both, USP7 inhibition and overexpression resulted in decreased cellular survival, distinct radiosensitization and an increased number of residual DNA double-strand breaks in the S phase following irradiation. RAD51 recruitment and base incorporation were decreased after USP7 inhibition plus irradiation and more single-stranded DNA was detected. The results show that deregulation of USP7 activity disrupts DNA repair in the S phase by increasing DNA replication stress and presents USP7 as a promising target to overcome the radioresistance of breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Felix Meyer
- Department of Radiotherapy & Radiation Oncology, Hubertus Wald Tumor Center—University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (M.V.); (S.C.); (A.K.K.); (N.-J.P.); (C.P.); (K.R.); (K.B.)
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9
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Lim CH, Fang XQ, Kang H, Oh T, Lee S, Kim YS, Lim JH. ER Stress-Activated HSF1 Governs Cancer Cell Resistance to USP7 Inhibitor-Based Chemotherapy through the PERK Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2768. [PMID: 38474017 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 inhibitors (USP7i) are considered a novel class of anticancer drugs. Cancer cells occasionally become insensitive to anticancer drugs, known as chemoresistance, by acquiring multidrug resistance, resulting in poor clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. However, the chemoresistance of cancer cells to USP7i (P22077 and P5091) and mechanisms to overcome it have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we generated human cancer cells with acquired resistance to USP7i-induced cell death. Gene expression profiling showed that heat stress response (HSR)- and unfolded protein response (UPR)-related genes were largely upregulated in USP7i-resistant cancer cells. Biochemical studies showed that USP7i induced the phosphorylation and activation of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) signaling pathway. Inhibition of HSF1 and PERK significantly sensitized cancer cells to USP7i-induced cytotoxicity. Our study demonstrated that the ER stress-PERK axis is responsible for chemoresistance to USP7i, and inhibiting PERK is a potential strategy for improving the anticancer efficacy of USP7i.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hoon Lim
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Program, Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Xue-Quan Fang
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Program, Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeji Kang
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Taerim Oh
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonghoon Lee
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Program, Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Seon Kim
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hong Lim
- Department of Medicinal Biosciences, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Program, Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Center for Metabolic Diseases, Konkuk University, 268, Chungwon-daero, Chungju 27478, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
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10
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Li H, Sun Y, Yin H, Zhang Y, Yu J, Hou N, Wang P, Liang H, Xie A, Wang X, Dong J, Xu X. Virtual screening of natural products targeting ubiquitin-specific protease 7. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38361286 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2316779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) is a promising prognostic and druggable target for cancer therapy. Inhibition of USP7 can activate the MDM2-P53 signaling pathway, thereby promoting cancer cell apoptosis. This study based on watvina molecular docking of virtual screening method and biological evaluation found the new USP7 inhibitors targeting catalytic active site. Three hits were screened from 3760 natural products and validated as USP7 inhibitors by enzymatic and kinetic assays. The IC50 values of scutellarein (Scu), semethylzeylastera (DML) and salvianolic acid C (SAC) were 3.017, 6.865 and 8.495 μM, respectively. Further, we reported that the hits could downregulate MDM2 and activate p53 signal pathway in HCT116 cells. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to investigate the binding mechanism of USP7 to Scu, the compound with the best performance, which formed stable contact with Val296, Gln297, Phe409, Tyr465 and Tyr514. These interactions are essential for maintaining the biological activity of Scu. Three natural products are suitable as lead compounds for the development of novel USP7 inhibitors, especially anti-colon cancer drugs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongju Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yujie Sun
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Hua Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Fermentation Engineering of Beer, Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuzhu Zhang
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Junhong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Fermentation Engineering of Beer, Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd, Qingdao, China
| | - Ning Hou
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Peng Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Huicong Liang
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Aowei Xie
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Shandong Foreign Trade Vocational College, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jianjun Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Fermentation Engineering of Beer, Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd, Qingdao, China
| | - Ximing Xu
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
- Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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11
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Chen R, Zhang H, Li L, Li J, Xie J, Weng J, Tan H, Liu Y, Guo T, Wang M. Roles of ubiquitin-specific proteases in inflammatory diseases. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1258740. [PMID: 38322269 PMCID: PMC10844489 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1258740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs), as one of the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) families, regulate the fate of proteins and signaling pathway transduction by removing ubiquitin chains from the target proteins. USPs are essential for the modulation of a variety of physiological processes, such as DNA repair, cell metabolism and differentiation, epigenetic modulations as well as protein stability. Recently, extensive research has demonstrated that USPs exert a significant impact on innate and adaptive immune reactions, metabolic syndromes, inflammatory disorders, and infection via post-translational modification processes. This review summarizes the important roles of the USPs in the onset and progression of inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis, pneumonia, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, sepsis, hepatitis, diabetes, and obesity. Moreover, we highlight a comprehensive overview of the pathogenesis of USPs in these inflammatory diseases as well as post-translational modifications in the inflammatory responses and pave the way for future prospect of targeted therapies in these inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Chen
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Stomatology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linke Li
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Stomatology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jinsheng Li
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiang Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, Chengdu Third People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Weng
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huan Tan
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanjun Liu
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tailin Guo
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mengyuan Wang
- Center of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Department of General Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Stomatology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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12
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Pereira TO, Abbasi M, Oliveira RI, Guedes RA, Salvador JAR, Arrais JP. Artificial intelligence for prediction of biological activities and generation of molecular hits using stereochemical information. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:791-806. [PMID: 37847342 PMCID: PMC10618333 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00539-9] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we develop a method for generating targeted hit compounds by applying deep reinforcement learning and attention mechanisms to predict binding affinity against a biological target while considering stereochemical information. The novelty of this work is a deep model Predictor that can establish the relationship between chemical structures and their corresponding [Formula: see text] values. We thoroughly study the effect of different molecular descriptors such as ECFP4, ECFP6, SMILES and RDKFingerprint. Also, we demonstrated the importance of attention mechanisms to capture long-range dependencies in molecular sequences. Due to the importance of stereochemical information for the binding mechanism, this information was employed both in the prediction and generation processes. To identify the most promising hits, we apply the self-adaptive multi-objective optimization strategy. Moreover, to ensure the existence of stereochemical information, we consider all the possible enumerated stereoisomers to provide the most appropriate 3D structures. We evaluated this approach against the Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 7 (USP7) by generating putative inhibitors for this target. The predictor with SMILES notations as descriptor plus bidirectional recurrent neural network using attention mechanism has the best performance. Additionally, our methodology identify the regions of the generated molecules that are important for the interaction with the receptor's active site. Also, the obtained results demonstrate that it is possible to discover synthesizable molecules with high biological affinity for the target, containing the indication of their optimal stereochemical conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago O Pereira
- Centre for Informatics and Systems, Department of Informatics Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Maryam Abbasi
- Centre for Informatics and Systems, Department of Informatics Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Applied Research Institute, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Research Centre for Natural Resources Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rita I Oliveira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Romina A Guedes
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge A R Salvador
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joel P Arrais
- Centre for Informatics and Systems, Department of Informatics Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Zhang K, Sun T, Li W, Guo Y, Li A, Hsieh M, Wang J, Wu J, Arvanitis L, Raz DJ. Inhibition of USP7 upregulates USP22 and activates its downstream cancer-related signaling pathways in human cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:319. [PMID: 37946202 PMCID: PMC10634000 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01320-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Deubiquitinases (DUBs) play important roles in various human cancers and targeting DUBs is considered as a novel anticancer therapeutic strategy. Overexpression of ubiquitin specific protease 7 and 22 (USP7 and USP22) are associated with malignancy, therapy resistance, and poor prognosis in many cancers. Although both DUBs are involved in the regulation of similar genes and signaling pathways, such as histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1), c-Myc, FOXP3, and p53, the interdependence of USP22 and USP7 expression has never been described. In the study, we found that targeting USP7 via either siRNA-mediated knockdown or pharmaceutical inhibitors dramatically upregulates USP22 in cancer cells. Mechanistically, the elevated USP22 occurs through a transcriptional pathway, possibly due to desuppression of the transcriptional activity of SP1 via promoting its degradation upon USP7 inhibition. Importantly, increased USP22 expression leads to significant activation of downstream signal pathways including H2Bub1 and c-Myc, which may potentially enhance cancer malignancy and counteract the anticancer efficacy of USP7 inhibition. Importantly, targeting USP7 further suppresses the in vitro proliferation of USP22-knockout (USP22-Ko) A549 and H1299 lung cancer cells and induces a stronger activation of p53 tumor suppressor signaling pathway. In addition, USP22-Ko cancer cells are more sensitive to a combination of cisplatin and USP7 inhibitor. USP7 inhibitor treatment further suppresses in vivo angiogenesis and tumor growth and induced more apoptosis in USP22-Ko cancer xenografts. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that USP7 inhibition can dramatically upregulate USP22 in cancer cells; and targeting USP7 and USP22 may represent a more effective approach for targeted cancer therapy, which warrants further study. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keqiang Zhang
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
| | - Ting Sun
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Wendong Li
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Yuming Guo
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Aimin Li
- Pathology Core of Shared Resources, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Marcus Hsieh
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jinghan Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Leonidas Arvanitis
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Dan J Raz
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
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14
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Park HB, Baek KH. Current and future directions of USP7 interactome in cancer study. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188992. [PMID: 37775071 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an essential protein quality controller for regulating protein homeostasis and autophagy. Ubiquitination is a protein modification process that involves the binding of one or more ubiquitins to substrates through a series of enzymatic processes. These include ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2), and ubiquitin ligases (E3). Conversely, deubiquitination is a reverse process that removes ubiquitin from substrates via deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). Dysregulation of ubiquitination-related enzymes can lead to various human diseases, including cancer, through the modulation of protein ubiquitination. The most structurally and functionally studied DUB is the ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7). Both the TRAF and UBL domains of USP7 are known to bind to the [P/A/E]-X-X-S or K-X-X-X-K motif of substrates. USP7 has been shown to be involved in cancer pathogenesis by binding with numerous substrates. Recently, a novel substrate of USP7 was discovered through a systemic analysis of its binding motif. This review summarizes the currently discovered substrates and cellular functions of USP7 in cancer and suggests putative substrates of USP7 through a comprehensive systemic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Beom Park
- Department of Convergence, CHA University, Gyeonggi-Do 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Hyun Baek
- Department of Convergence, CHA University, Gyeonggi-Do 13488, Republic of Korea; International Ubiquitin Center(,) CHA University, Gyeonggi-Do 13488, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Pozzi V, Campagna R, Sartini D, Emanuelli M. Enzymes Dysregulation in Cancer: From Diagnosis to Therapeutical Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13815. [PMID: 37762118 PMCID: PMC10530952 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The metabolic reprogramming that occurs in cancer cells is a hallmark of cancer [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pozzi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (D.S.); (M.E.)
| | - Roberto Campagna
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (D.S.); (M.E.)
| | - Davide Sartini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (D.S.); (M.E.)
| | - Monica Emanuelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (D.S.); (M.E.)
- New York-Marche Structural Biology Center (NY-MaSBiC), Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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16
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Carreira LD, Oliveira RI, Moreira VM, Salvador JAR. Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7): an emerging drug target for cancer treatment. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:1043-1058. [PMID: 37789645 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2266571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) also known as herpesvirus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP) is a well-characterized cysteine protease that belongs to the largest subfamily of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). It is involved in multiple signaling pathways, some of them dysregulated in malignant tumors. USP7 inhibition can lead to cell growth arrest and apoptosis through inhibition of tumor promoters and stabilization of tumor suppressors, making it a promising druggable target for cancer therapy. AREAS COVERED This review covers the structure of USP7, its function in multiple signaling pathways and relevance in cancer, as well as recent advances and future perspectives in the development of USP7 inhibitors for cancer therapy. EXPERT OPINION Literature reports display the multiple antitumor activities of USP7 inhibitors, both in vitro and in vivo. Nonetheless, none have entered clinical trials so far, highlighting the need to delve into a deeper understanding of USP7 binding sites and the development of more accurate compound screening methods. Despite these challenges, further development of USP7 inhibitors is promising as a valuable new approach for cancer treatment, including the ability to address chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D Carreira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rita I Oliveira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vânia M Moreira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge A R Salvador
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Kubaichuk K, Kietzmann T. USP10 Contributes to Colon Carcinogenesis via mTOR/S6K Mediated HIF-1α but Not HIF-2α Protein Synthesis. Cells 2023; 12:1585. [PMID: 37371055 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer ranks among the third most common human malignant diseases and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally. Colon cancer cells are hypoxic and display disturbed protein homeostasis. Ubiquitin-ligase-initiated proteasomal degradation as well as its prevention by deubiquitinases (DUBs) are supposed to contribute to the above-mentioned disturbances. However, not much is known about the involvement of ubiquitinating and deubiquitinating enzymes in colon cancer and their effect on the hypoxia response. Here, we identify the DUB ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10) as an important player in the control of colon cancer progression and a new modifier of the hypoxia response. Mechanistically, we show that knockout of USP10 in different colon cancer cells causes an elevation in HIF-1α but not HIF-2α protein levels under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. In addition, the lack of USP10 increased cellular migration, reduced cell adhesion, and switched the energy phenotype towards increased glycolysis and enhanced extracellular acidification. These changes were at least partially caused by HIF-1α, as the knockdown of HIF-1α rescued the cellular phenotype caused by USP10 deficiency. Interestingly, the USP10-dependent increase in HIF-1 α was neither caused by enhanced transcription nor prolonged half-life but via mTOR/S6K mediated HIF-1α protein synthesis. Together, the current findings indicate that USP10 is able to participate in colon carcinogenesis by modulating the hypoxia response and may therefore represent a new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Kubaichuk
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland
| | - Thomas Kietzmann
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland
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Wang X, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Cheng H, Wang X. The role of E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases in bladder cancer development and immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1202633. [PMID: 37215134 PMCID: PMC10196180 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1202633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the common malignant urothelial tumors. Post-translational modification (PTMs), including ubiquitination, acetylation, methylation, and phosphorylation, have been revealed to participate in bladder cancer initiation and progression. Ubiquitination is the common PTM, which is conducted by E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme, E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. E3 ubiquitin ligases play a key role in bladder oncogenesis and progression and drug resistance in bladder cancer. Therefore, in this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the functions of E3 ubiquitin ligases in bladder cancer development. Moreover, we provide the evidence of E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulation of immunotherapy in bladder cancer. Furthermore, we mention the multiple compounds that target E3 ubiquitin ligases to improve the therapy efficacy of bladder cancer. We hope our review can stimulate researchers and clinicians to investigate whether and how targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases acts a novel strategy for bladder cancer therapy.
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor promotes angiogenesis through Sp1/Sp3-mediated inhibition of notch signaling in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:731. [PMID: 36759621 PMCID: PMC9911748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36409-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a critical pathophysiological process involved in organ growth and various diseases. Transcription factors Sp1/Sp3 are necessary for fetal development and tumor growth. Sp1/Sp3 proteins were downregulated in the capillaries of the gastrocnemius in patients with critical limb ischemia samples. Endothelial-specific Sp1/Sp3 knockout reduces angiogenesis in retinal, pathological, and tumor models and induced activation of the Notch1 pathway. Further, the inactivation of VEGFR2 signaling by Notch1 contributes to the delayed angiogenesis phenotype. Mechanistically, endothelial Sp1 binds to the promoter of Notch1 and inhibits its transcription, which is enhanced by Sp3. The proangiogenic effect of ACEI is abolished in Sp1/Sp3-deletion male mice. We identify USP7 as an ACEI-activated deubiquitinating enzyme that translocated into the nucleus binding to Sp1/Sp3, which are deacetylated by HDAC1. Our findings demonstrate a central role for endothelial USP7-Sp1/Sp3-Notch1 signaling in pathophysiological angiogenesis in response to ACEI treatment.
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USP7 Inhibitors in Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Status and Perspective. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225539. [PMID: 36428632 PMCID: PMC9688046 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) regulates the stability of a plethora of intracellular proteins involved in the suppression of anti-tumor immune responses and its overexpression is associated with poor survival in many cancers. USP7 impairs the balance of the p53/MDM2 axis resulting in the proteasomal degradation of the p53 tumor suppressor, a process that can be reversed by small-molecule inhibitors of USP7. USP7 was shown to regulate the anti-tumor immune responses in several cases. Its inhibition impedes the function of regulatory T cells, promotes polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, and reduces programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in tumor cells. The efficacy of small-molecule USP7 inhibitors was demonstrated in vivo. The synergistic effect of combining USP7 inhibition with cancer immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic approach, though its clinical efficacy is yet to be proven. In this review, we focus on the recent developments in understanding the intrinsic role of USP7, its interplay with other molecular pathways, and the therapeutic potential of targeting USP7 functions.
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