1
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Ye YX, Cao YY, Xu LS, Wang HC, Liu XH, Zhu HL. FAK inhibitors in cancer, a patent review - an update on progress. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024. [PMID: 38946486 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2368742] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic non-receptor tyrosine kinase over-expressed in various malignancies which is related to various cellular functions such as adhesion, metastasis and proliferation. There is growing evidence that FAK is a promising therapeutic target for designing inhibitors by regulating the downstream pathways of FAK. Here, we updated an overview of design, synthesis and structure - activity relationship of chemotherapeutic FAK inhibitors (FAKIs) from 2017 until now based on our previous work. We hope our efforts can broaden the understanding of FAKIs and provide new ideas and insights for future cancer treatment from medicinal chemistry point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Xi Ye
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Biology and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou, PR China
| | - Yu-Yao Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Li-Sheng Xu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Biology and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou, PR China
| | - Hai-Chao Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Biology and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou, PR China
| | - Xin-Hua Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Biology and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou, PR China
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, PR China
| | - Hai-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China
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2
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Yu L, Chen Z, Wu Y, Xu M, Zhong D, Xu H, Zhu W. Unraveling role of ubiquitination in drug resistance of gynecological cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:2523-2537. [PMID: 38859858 PMCID: PMC11162667 DOI: 10.62347/wykz9784] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is the principal treatment for advanced cancer patients. However, chemotherapeutic resistance, an important hallmark of cancer, is considered as a key impediment to effective therapy in cancer patients. Multiple signaling pathways and factors have been underscored to participate in governing drug resistance. Posttranslational modifications, including ubiquitination, glycosylation, acetylation and phosphorylation, have emerged as key players in modulating drug resistance in gynecological tumors, such as ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and endometrial cancer. In this review article, we summarize the role of ubiquitination in governing drug sensitivity in gynecological cancers. Moreover, we describe the numerous compounds that target ubiquitination in gynecological cancers to reverse chemotherapeutic resistance. In addition, we provide the future perspectives to fully elucidate the mechanisms by which ubiquitination controls drug resistance in gynecological tumors, contributing to restoring drug sensitivity. This review highlights the complex interplay between ubiquitination and drug resistance in gynecological tumors, providing novel insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies to overcome the bottleneck of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yu
- Cancer Center, Department of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zheling Chen
- Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Cancer Center, Department of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meiliang Xu
- Cancer Center, Department of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Difei Zhong
- Cancer Center, Department of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongen Xu
- Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Cancer Center, Department of Nursing, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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3
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Vorderbruggen M, Velázquez-Martínez CA, Natarajan A, Karpf AR. PROTACs in Ovarian Cancer: Current Advancements and Future Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5067. [PMID: 38791105 PMCID: PMC11121112 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. The majority of patients diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer will relapse, at which point additional therapies can be administered but, for the most part, these are not curative. As such, a need exists for the development of novel therapeutic options for ovarian cancer patients. Research in the field of targeted protein degradation (TPD) through the use of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has significantly increased in recent years. The ability of PROTACs to target proteins of interest (POI) for degradation, overcoming limitations such as the incomplete inhibition of POI function and the development of resistance seen with other inhibitors, is of particular interest in cancer research, including ovarian cancer research. This review provides a synopsis of PROTACs tested in ovarian cancer models and highlights PROTACs characterized in other types of cancers with potential high utility in ovarian cancer. Finally, we discuss methods that will help to enable the selective delivery of PROTACs to ovarian cancer and improve the pharmacodynamic properties of these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makenzie Vorderbruggen
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA; (M.V.); (A.N.)
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA
| | | | - Amarnath Natarajan
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA; (M.V.); (A.N.)
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA
| | - Adam R. Karpf
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA; (M.V.); (A.N.)
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6805, USA
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4
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Li R, Gong L, Sun J, Liang Z, He J, Huang J, Ning X, Song H, Li R, Zhang Q, Lin Z, Yin Y. Discovery of 2,4-diarylaminopyrimidine derivatives bearing sulfonamide moiety as novel FAK inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107134. [PMID: 38237389 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107134] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Two series of 2,4-diarylaminopyrimidine derivatives containing sulfonamide moiety were designed and synthesized for screening as inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Most compounds significantly inhibited the enzymatic activities of FAK, and the best compound was 7b (IC50 = 0.27 nM). A majority of aminoethyl sulfonamide derivatives could effectively inhibit the proliferation of human cancer cell lines (HCT116, A549, MDA-MB-231 and Hela) expressing high levels of FAK. Particularly, compounds 7b, 7c, and 7o exhibited more significant efficacy against all of four cancer cell lines within concentrations of 1.5 μM. Furthermore, these three compounds displayed higher selectivity of cancer cells over normal cells (SI value > 14), compared to the positive control TAE226 (SI value = 1.63). Interestingly, introduction of dithiocarbamate moiety to the aminoethyl sulfonamide derivatives can indeed improve the antiproliferative activities against A549 cells. Especially, compound 8d demonstrated most significant cytotoxicity activity against A549 cells with an IC50 value of 0.08 μM, which is 20-fold superior to parent compound 7k. Additionally, compound 7b, which display the best anti-FAK potency, can inhibit the clone formation and migration of HCT-116 cells, and cause cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, inducing apoptosis by promoting ROS production. Overall, these results suggest that 7b is a valuable FAK inhibitor that deserves further optimization to improve its druggability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ridong Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China.
| | - Lidong Gong
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Jiawei Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, PR China
| | - Zichao Liang
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Jianan He
- MindRank AI Ltd., Kejiyuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, PR China
| | - Junjie Huang
- MindRank AI Ltd., Kejiyuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, PR China
| | - Xianling Ning
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Huajie Song
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Runtao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Zhiqiang Lin
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China.
| | - Yuxin Yin
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China.
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5
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Hu HH, Wang SQ, Shang HL, Lv HF, Chen BB, Gao SG, Chen XB. Roles and inhibitors of FAK in cancer: current advances and future directions. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1274209. [PMID: 38410129 PMCID: PMC10895298 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1274209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that exhibits high expression in various tumors and is associated with a poor prognosis. FAK activation promotes tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis via both kinase-dependent and kinase-independent pathways. Moreover, FAK is crucial for sustaining the tumor microenvironment. The inhibition of FAK impedes tumorigenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance in cancer. Therefore, developing targeted inhibitors against FAK presents a promising therapeutic strategy. To date, numerous FAK inhibitors, including IN10018, defactinib, GSK2256098, conteltinib, and APG-2449, have been developed, which have demonstrated positive anti-tumor effects in preclinical studies and are undergoing clinical trials for several types of tumors. Moreover, many novel FAK inhibitors are currently in preclinical studies to advance targeted therapy for tumors with aberrantly activated FAK. The benefits of FAK degraders, especially in terms of their scaffold function, are increasingly evident, holding promising potential for future clinical exploration and breakthroughs. This review aims to clarify FAK's role in cancer, offering a comprehensive overview of the current status and future prospects of FAK-targeted therapy and combination approaches. The goal is to provide valuable insights for advancing anti-cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Hui Hu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sai-Qi Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hai-Li Shang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui-Fang Lv
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bei-Bei Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - She-Gan Gao
- Henan Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Henan Key Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Cancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer and Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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6
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Long Z, Zuo Y, Li R, Le Y, Dong Y, Yan L. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 4-arylamino-pyrimidine derivatives as focal adhesion kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106792. [PMID: 37633129 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106792] [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: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
A novel series of 4-arylamino-pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitors under the strategy of structure-based drug design. Most compounds performed excellent anti-proliferative activity against U87-MG cells. Especially, compounds 8d and 9b revealed the highest activity with IC50 values of 0.975 μM and 1.033 μM, which was much potent than the positive control TAE-226 (IC50 = 2.659 μM). On the other hand, the total 27 compounds exhibited low inhibition against human normal 2BS cells. Moreover, compounds 8d and 9b showed outstanding activity against FAK with IC50 values of 0.2438 nM and 0.2691 nM, which was very close to TAE-226 (IC50 = 0.1390 nM). Further studies proved that compounds 8d and 9b could induce U87-MG cell early apoptosis and arrest the cell at G2/M phase. The action mechanism indicated that they could significantly inhibit U87-MG cell clone formation, cell migration, and FAK phosphorylation. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation investigations suggested that compounds 8d and 9b could firmly occupy the ATP binding site of FAK. These findings supported the further researches of compounds 8d and 9b as FAK inhibitors for antitumor drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwu Long
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yaqing Zuo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Rongrong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yi Le
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Guizhou Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Drugs, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yawen Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Longjia Yan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Guizhou Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Drugs, Guiyang 550025, China.
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7
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Koide E, Mohardt ML, Doctor ZM, Yang A, Hao M, Donovan KA, Kuismi CC, Nelson AJ, Abell K, Aguiar M, Che J, Stokes MP, Zhang T, Aguirre AJ, Fischer ES, Gray NS, Jiang B, Nabet B. Development and Characterization of Selective FAK Inhibitors and PROTACs with In Vivo Activity. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300141. [PMID: 37088717 PMCID: PMC10590827 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an attractive drug target due to its overexpression in cancer. FAK functions as a non-receptor tyrosine kinase and scaffolding protein, coordinating several downstream signaling effectors and cellular processes. While drug discovery efforts have largely focused on targeting FAK kinase activity, FAK inhibitors have failed to show efficacy as single agents in clinical trials. Here, using structure-guided design, we report the development of a selective FAK inhibitor (BSJ-04-175) and degrader (BSJ-04-146) to evaluate the consequences and advantages of abolishing all FAK activity in cancer models. BSJ-04-146 achieves rapid and potent FAK degradation with high proteome-wide specificity in cancer cells and induces durable degradation in mice. Compared to kinase inhibition, targeted degradation of FAK exhibits pronounced improved activity on downstream signaling and cancer cell viability and migration. Together, BSJ-04-175 and BSJ-04-146 are valuable chemical tools to dissect the specific consequences of targeting FAK through small-molecule inhibition or degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Koide
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mikaela L. Mohardt
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zainab M. Doctor
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annan Yang
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mingfeng Hao
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine A. Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Jianwei Che
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J. Aguirre
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eric S. Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathanael S. Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Baishan Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Behnam Nabet
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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8
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Tan X, Yan Y, Song B, Zhu S, Mei Q, Wu K. Focal adhesion kinase: from biological functions to therapeutic strategies. Exp Hematol Oncol 2023; 12:83. [PMID: 37749625 PMCID: PMC10519103 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-023-00446-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, is a vital participant in primary cellular functions, such as proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. In addition, FAK regulates cancer stem cell activities and contributes to the formation of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Importantly, increased FAK expression and activity are strongly associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes and metastatic characteristics in numerous tumors. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that modulating FAK activity by application of FAK inhibitors alone or in combination treatment regimens could be effective for cancer therapy. Based on these findings, several agents targeting FAK have been exploited in diverse preclinical tumor models. This article briefly describes the structure and function of FAK, as well as research progress on FAK inhibitors in combination therapies. We also discuss the challenges and future directions regarding anti-FAK combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximin Tan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yuheng Yan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Bin Song
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Shuangli Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qi Mei
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
| | - Kongming Wu
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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9
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Steinberg T, Dieterle MP, Ramminger I, Klein C, Brossette J, Husari A, Tomakidi P. On the Value of In Vitro Cell Systems for Mechanobiology from the Perspective of Yes-Associated Protein/Transcriptional Co-Activator with a PDZ-Binding Motif and Focal Adhesion Kinase and Their Involvement in Wound Healing, Cancer, Aging, and Senescence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12677. [PMID: 37628858 PMCID: PMC10454169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612677] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanobiology comprises how cells perceive different mechanical stimuli and integrate them into a process called mechanotransduction; therefore, the related mechanosignaling cascades are generally important for biomedical research. The ongoing discovery of key molecules and the subsequent elucidation of their roles in mechanobiology are fundamental to understanding cell responses and tissue conditions, such as homeostasis, aging, senescence, wound healing, and cancer. Regarding the available literature on these topics, it becomes abundantly clear that in vitro cell systems from different species and tissues have been and are extremely valuable tools for enabling the discovery and functional elucidation of key mechanobiological players. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the significant contributions of in vitro cell systems to the identification and characterization of three such key players using the selected examples of yes-associated protein (YAP), its paralog transcriptional co-activator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and their involvement in wound healing, cancer, aging, and senescence. In addition, the reader is given suggestions as to which future prospects emerge from the in vitro studies discussed herein and which research questions still remain open.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Steinberg
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Philipp Dieterle
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Imke Ramminger
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Klein
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julie Brossette
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ayman Husari
- Center for Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pascal Tomakidi
- Center for Dental Medicine, Division of Oral Biotechnology, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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10
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Zheng H, Zhang M, Gao D, Zhang X, Cai H, Cui Z, Gao Y, Lv Z. PLA2R1 Inhibits Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Proliferation and Migration via the FN1-Mediated ITGB1/FAK Axis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2720. [PMID: 37345058 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
PLA2R1 is a novel gene that is aberrantly expressed in a variety of malignancies. However, the role and mechanism of PLA2R1 in thyroid cancer has not been elucidated. We aimed to uncover the underlying mechanism of PLA2R1 in thyroid cancer. We collected 115 clinical specimens, including 54 tumor tissues and 61 para-cancerous tissues, who underwent surgical treatment at Shanghai Tenth Hospital. Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate PLA2R1 expression in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) tissues. The thyroid cancer cell lines 8505c and FTC133 transfected with PLA2R1 overexpression or knockdown plasmids were used for CCK8 assays and a wound healing assay. Next, we conducted coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) experiments and western blotting to explore the underlying mechanism of PLA2R1 in regulating the growth of thyroid cancer. We discovered that the expression of PLA2R1 was lower in the tumor tissues than in para-cancerous tissues (χ2 = 37.0, p < 0.01). The overexpression of PLA2R1 significantly suppressed thyroid cancer cell proliferation and migration, and both of these effects were partially attenuated by the knockdown of PLA2R1. Furthermore, the in vivo growth of DTC could be alleviated by the knockdown of PLA2R1. The mechanistic study revealed that PLA2R1 competed with FN1 for binding to ITGB1, inhibiting the FAK axis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We speculate that PLA2R1 might be a promising marker and a novel therapeutic target for thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zheng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mengyu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Dingwei Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Haidong Cai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhijun Cui
- Department of Medicine Imaging, the Chongming Branch of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhongwei Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
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11
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Zhou QQ, Xiao HT, Yang F, Wang YD, Li P, Zheng ZG. Advancing targeted protein degradation for metabolic diseases therapy. Pharmacol Res 2023; 188:106627. [PMID: 36566001 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The development and application of traditional drugs represented by small molecule chemical drugs and biological agents, especially inhibitors, have become the mainstream drug development. In recent years, targeted protein degradation (TPD) technology has become one of the most promising methods to remove specific disease-related proteins using cell self-destruction mechanisms. Many different TPD strategies are emerging based on the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP), including but not limited to proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTAC), molecular glues (MG), lysosome targeting chimeras (LYTAC), chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)-targeting chimeras, autophagy-targeting chimera (AUTAC), autophagosome-tethering compound (ATTEC), and autophagy-targeting chimera (AUTOTAC). The advent of targeted degradation technology can change most protein targets in human cells from undruggable to druggable, greatly expanding the therapeutic prospect of refractory diseases such as metabolic syndrome. Here, we summarize the latest progress of major TPD technologies, especially in metabolic syndrome and look forward to providing new insights for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Qian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hai-Tao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong-Dan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zu-Guo Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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12
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Skorda A, Bay ML, Hautaniemi S, Lahtinen A, Kallunki T. Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: Current State and Future Promises. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246257. [PMID: 36551745 PMCID: PMC9777107 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer, the high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) being its most common and most aggressive form. Despite the latest therapeutical advancements following the introduction of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) targeting angiogenesis inhibitors and poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to supplement the standard platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy, the expected overall survival of HGSC patients has not improved significantly from the five-year rate of 42%. This calls for the development and testing of more efficient treatment options. Many oncogenic kinase-signaling pathways are dysregulated in HGSC. Since small-molecule kinase inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of many solid cancers due to the generality of the increased activation of protein kinases in carcinomas, it is reasonable to evaluate their potential against HGSC. Here, we present the latest concluded and on-going clinical trials on kinase inhibitors in HGSC, as well as the recent work concerning ovarian cancer patient organoids and xenograft models. We discuss the potential of kinase inhibitors as personalized treatments, which would require comprehensive assessment of the biological mechanisms underlying tumor spread and chemoresistance in individual patients, and their connection to tumor genome and transcriptome to establish identifiable subgroups of patients who are most likely to benefit from a given therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Skorda
- Cancer Invasion and Resistance Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie Lund Bay
- Cancer Invasion and Resistance Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sampsa Hautaniemi
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexandra Lahtinen
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (T.K.)
| | - Tuula Kallunki
- Cancer Invasion and Resistance Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (T.K.)
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13
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Guo H, Zhang W, Wang J, Zhao G, Wang Y, Zhu BM, Dong P, Watari H, Wang B, Li W, Tigyi G, Yue J. Cryptotanshinone inhibits ovarian tumor growth and metastasis by degrading c-Myc and attenuating the FAK signaling pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:959518. [PMID: 36247016 PMCID: PMC9554091 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.959518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptotanshinone (CT), a natural compound derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge that is also known as the traditional Chinese medicine Danshen, exhibits antitumor activity in various cancers. However, it remains unclear whether CT has a potential therapeutic benefit against ovarian cancers. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of CT in ovarian cancer cells in vitro and using a xenograft model in NSG mice orthotopically implanted with HEY A8 human ovarian cancer cells and to explore the molecular mechanism(s) underlying CT’s antitumor effects. We found that CT inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OVCAR3 and HEY A8 cells, while sensitizing the cell responses to the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and cisplatin. CT also suppressed ovarian tumor growth and metastasis in immunocompromised mice orthotopically inoculated with HEY A8 cells. Mechanistically, CT degraded the protein encoded by the oncogene c-Myc by promoting its ubiquitination and disrupting the interaction with its partner protein Max. CT also attenuated signaling via the nuclear focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway and degraded FAK protein in both cell lines. Knockdown of c-Myc using lentiviral CRISPR/Cas9 nickase resulted in reduction of FAK expression, which phenocopies the effects of CT and the c-Myc/Max inhibitor 10058-F4. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that CT inhibits primary ovarian tumor growth and metastasis by degrading c-Myc and FAK and attenuating the FAK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijun Guo
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Life Science, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Junming Yue, ; Wenjing Zhang, ; Bing-Mei Zhu,
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Guannan Zhao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Yaohong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Bing-Mei Zhu
- Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Junming Yue, ; Wenjing Zhang, ; Bing-Mei Zhu,
| | - Peixin Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hidemichi Watari
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Baojin Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Gabor Tigyi
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Junming Yue
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Junming Yue, ; Wenjing Zhang, ; Bing-Mei Zhu,
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