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Chang C, Zhou G, Lee Luo C, Eleraky S, Moradi M, Gao Y. Sugar ring alignment and dynamics underline cytarabine and gemcitabine inhibition on Pol η catalyzed DNA synthesis. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107361. [PMID: 38735473 PMCID: PMC11176770 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107361] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleoside analogue drugs are pervasively used as antiviral and chemotherapy agents. Cytarabine and gemcitabine are anti-cancer nucleoside analogue drugs that contain C2' modifications on the sugar ring. Despite carrying all the required functional groups for DNA synthesis, these two compounds inhibit DNA extension once incorporated into DNA. It remains unclear how the C2' modifications on cytarabine and gemcitabine affect the polymerase active site during substrate binding and DNA extension. Using steady-state kinetics, static and time-resolved X-ray crystallography with DNA polymerase η (Pol η) as a model system, we showed that the sugar ring C2' chemical groups on cytarabine and gemcitabine snugly fit within the Pol η active site without occluding the steric gate. During DNA extension, Pol η can extend past gemcitabine but with much lower efficiency past cytarabine. The Pol η crystal structures show that the -OH modification in the β direction on cytarabine locks the sugar ring in an unfavorable C2'-endo geometry for product formation. On the other hand, the addition of fluorine atoms on gemcitabine alters the proper conformational transition of the sugar ring for DNA synthesis. Our study illustrates mechanistic insights into chemotherapeutic drug inhibition and resistance and guides future optimization of nucleoside analogue drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Chang
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Grace Zhou
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Sarah Eleraky
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Madeline Moradi
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.
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Zhou J, Chen Q, Ren R, Yang J, Liu B, Horton JR, Chang C, Li C, Maksoud L, Yang Y, Rotili D, Zhang X, Blumenthal RM, Chen T, Gao Y, Valente S, Mai A, Cheng X. Quinoline-based compounds can inhibit diverse enzymes that act on DNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.03.587980. [PMID: 38617249 PMCID: PMC11014617 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.03.587980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation, as exemplified by cytosine-C5 methylation in mammals and adenine-N6 methylation in bacteria, is a crucial epigenetic mechanism driving numerous vital biological processes. Developing non-nucleoside inhibitors to cause DNA hypomethylation is a high priority, in order to treat a variety of significant medical conditions without the toxicities associated with existing cytidine-based hypomethylating agents. In this study, we have characterized fifteen quinoline-based analogs. Notably, compounds with additions like a methylamine ( 9 ) or methylpiperazine ( 11 ) demonstrate similar low micromolar inhibitory potency against both human DNMT1 (which generates C5-methylcytosine) and Clostridioides difficile CamA (which generates N6-methyladenine). Structurally, compounds 9 and 11 specifically intercalate into CamA-bound DNA via the minor groove, adjacent to the target adenine, leading to a substantial conformational shift that moves the catalytic domain away from the DNA. This study adds to the limited examples of DNA methyltransferases being inhibited by non-nucleotide compounds through DNA intercalation, following the discovery of dicyanopyridine-based inhibitors for DNMT1. Furthermore, our study shows that some of these quinoline-based analogs inhibit other enzymes that act on DNA, such as polymerases and base excision repair glycosylases. Finally, in cancer cells compound 11 elicits DNA damage response via p53 activation. Abstract Figure Highlights Six of fifteen quinoline-based derivatives demonstrated comparable low micromolar inhibitory effects on human cytosine methyltransferase DNMT1, and the bacterial adenine methyltransferases Clostridioides difficile CamA and Caulobacter crescentus CcrM. Compounds 9 and 11 were found to intercalate into a DNA substrate bound by CamA. These quinoline-based derivatives also showed inhibitory activity against various base excision repair DNA glycosylases, and DNA and RNA polymerases. Compound 11 provokes DNA damage response via p53 activation in cancer cells.
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Das D, Duncton MAJ, Georgiadis TM, Pellicena P, Clark J, Sobol RW, Georgiadis MM, King-Underwood J, Jobes DV, Chang C, Gao Y, Deacon AM, Wilson DM. A New Drug Discovery Platform: Application to DNA Polymerase Eta and Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease 1. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16637. [PMID: 38068959 PMCID: PMC10706420 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to quickly discover reliable hits from screening and rapidly convert them into lead compounds, which can be verified in functional assays, is central to drug discovery. The expedited validation of novel targets and the identification of modulators to advance to preclinical studies can significantly increase drug development success. Our SaXPyTM ("SAR by X-ray Poses Quickly") platform, which is applicable to any X-ray crystallography-enabled drug target, couples the established methods of protein X-ray crystallography and fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) with advanced computational and medicinal chemistry to deliver small molecule modulators or targeted protein degradation ligands in a short timeframe. Our approach, especially for elusive or "undruggable" targets, allows for (i) hit generation; (ii) the mapping of protein-ligand interactions; (iii) the assessment of target ligandability; (iv) the discovery of novel and potential allosteric binding sites; and (v) hit-to-lead execution. These advances inform chemical tractability and downstream biology and generate novel intellectual property. We describe here the application of SaXPy in the discovery and development of DNA damage response inhibitors against DNA polymerase eta (Pol η or POLH) and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1 or APEX1). Notably, our SaXPy platform allowed us to solve the first crystal structures of these proteins bound to small molecules and to discover novel binding sites for each target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debanu Das
- XPose Therapeutics, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Accelero Biostructures, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer Clark
- Mitchell Cancer Institute and Department of Pharmacology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36604, USA
| | - Robert W. Sobol
- Mitchell Cancer Institute and Department of Pharmacology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36604, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Warrant Alpert Medical School & Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Millie M. Georgiadis
- XPose Therapeutics, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | | | - David V. Jobes
- XPose Therapeutics, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Mid-Atlantic BioTherapeutics, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA
| | - Caleb Chang
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251, USA
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251, USA
| | - Ashley M. Deacon
- XPose Therapeutics, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Accelero Biostructures, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - David M. Wilson
- XPose Therapeutics, Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, 3500 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Belgium & Boost Scientific, 3550 Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
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Munafò F, Nigro M, Brindani N, Manigrasso J, Geronimo I, Ottonello G, Armirotti A, De Vivo M. Computer-aided identification, synthesis, and biological evaluation of DNA polymerase η inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115044. [PMID: 36621139 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In cancer cells, Pol η allows DNA replication and cell proliferation even in the presence of chemotherapeutic drug-induced damages, like in the case of platinum-containing drugs. Inhibition of Pol η thus represents a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance and preserve the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs. Here, we report the discovery of a novel class of Pol ƞ inhibitors, with 35 active close analogs. Compound 21 (ARN24964) stands out as the best inhibitor, with an IC50 value of 14.7 μM against Pol η and a good antiproliferative activity when used in combination with cisplatin - with a synergistic effect in three different cancer cell lines (A375, A549, OVCAR3). Moreover, it is characterized by a favorable drug-like profile in terms of its aqueous kinetic solubility, plasma and metabolic stability. Thus, ARN24964 is a promising compound for further structure-based drug design efforts toward developing drugs to solve or limit the issue of drug resistance to platinum-containing drugs in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Munafò
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Michela Nigro
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Brindani
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Jacopo Manigrasso
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Inacrist Geronimo
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ottonello
- Analytical Chemistry Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Armirotti
- Analytical Chemistry Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
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Nickoloff JA. Targeting Replication Stress Response Pathways to Enhance Genotoxic Chemo- and Radiotherapy. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27154736. [PMID: 35897913 PMCID: PMC9330692 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27154736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Proliferating cells regularly experience replication stress caused by spontaneous DNA damage that results from endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA sequences that can assume secondary and tertiary structures, and collisions between opposing transcription and replication machineries. Cancer cells face additional replication stress, including oncogenic stress that results from the dysregulation of fork progression and origin firing, and from DNA damage induced by radiotherapy and most cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Cells respond to such stress by activating a complex network of sensor, signaling and effector pathways that protect genome integrity. These responses include slowing or stopping active replication forks, protecting stalled replication forks from collapse, preventing late origin replication firing, stimulating DNA repair pathways that promote the repair and restart of stalled or collapsed replication forks, and activating dormant origins to rescue adjacent stressed forks. Currently, most cancer patients are treated with genotoxic chemotherapeutics and/or ionizing radiation, and cancer cells can gain resistance to the resulting replication stress by activating pro-survival replication stress pathways. Thus, there has been substantial effort to develop small molecule inhibitors of key replication stress proteins to enhance tumor cell killing by these agents. Replication stress targets include ATR, the master kinase that regulates both normal replication and replication stress responses; the downstream signaling kinase Chk1; nucleases that process stressed replication forks (MUS81, EEPD1, Metnase); the homologous recombination catalyst RAD51; and other factors including ATM, DNA-PKcs, and PARP1. This review provides an overview of replication stress response pathways and discusses recent pre-clinical studies and clinical trials aimed at improving cancer therapy by targeting replication stress response factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jac A Nickoloff
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Dong H, Li Z, Bian S, Song G, Song W, Zhang M, Xie H, Zheng S, Yang X, Li T, Song P. Culture of patient-derived multicellular clusters in suspended hydrogel capsules for pre-clinical personalized drug screening. Bioact Mater 2022; 18:164-177. [PMID: 35387168 PMCID: PMC8961426 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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