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Ahn MJ, Kim EH, Choi Y, Chae CH, Kim P, Kim SH. Novel hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 inhibitor KHK-6 enhances T-cell activation. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305261. [PMID: 38923962 PMCID: PMC11207149 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305261] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibiting the functional role of negative regulators in immune cells is an effective approach for developing immunotherapies. The serine/threonine kinase hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) involved in the T-cell receptor signaling pathway attenuates T-cell activation by inducing the degradation of SLP-76 through its phosphorylation at Ser-376, reducing the immune response. Interestingly, several studies have shown that the genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of HPK1 kinase activity improves the immune response to cancers by enhancing T-cell activation and cytokine production; therefore, HPK1 could be a promising druggable target for T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy. To increase the immune response against cancer cells, we designed and synthesized KHK-6 and evaluated its cellular activity to inhibit HPK1 and enhance T-cell activation. KHK-6 inhibited HPK1 kinase activity with an IC50 value of 20 nM and CD3/CD28-induced phosphorylation of SLP-76 at Ser-376 Moreover, KHK-6 significantly enhanced CD3/CD28-induced production of cytokines; proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that expressed CD69, CD25, and HLA-DR markers; and T-cell-mediated killing activity of SKOV3 and A549 cells. In conclusion, KHK-6 is a novel ATP-competitive HPK1 inhibitor that blocks the phosphorylation of HPK1 downstream of SLP-76, enhancing the functional activation of T cells. In summary, our study showed the usefulness of KHK-6 in the drug discovery for the HPK1-inhibiting immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jeong Ahn
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Hye Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunha Choi
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chong Hak Chae
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Pilho Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Hwan Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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2
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Chitre AS, Wu P, Walters BT, Wang X, Bouyssou A, Du X, Lehoux I, Fong R, Arata A, Chan J, Wang D, Franke Y, Grogan JL, Mellman I, Comps-Agrar L, Wang W. HPK1 citron homology domain regulates phosphorylation of SLP76 and modulates kinase domain interaction dynamics. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3725. [PMID: 38697971 PMCID: PMC11066036 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48014-9] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor signaling and as such is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. Although the role of the HPK1 kinase domain (KD) has been extensively characterized, the function of its citron homology domain (CHD) remains elusive. Through a combination of structural, biochemical, and mechanistic studies, we characterize the structure-function of CHD in relationship to KD. Crystallography and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry reveal that CHD adopts a seven-bladed β-propellor fold that binds to KD. Mutagenesis associated with binding and functional studies show a direct correlation between domain-domain interaction and negative regulation of kinase activity. We further demonstrate that the CHD provides stability to HPK1 protein in cells as well as contributes to the docking of its substrate SLP76. Altogether, this study highlights the importance of the CHD in the direct and indirect regulation of HPK1 function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ping Wu
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | | | - Xiangdan Wang
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | | | - Xiangnan Du
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Isabelle Lehoux
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA, 94404, USA
| | - Rina Fong
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Alisa Arata
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Joyce Chan
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Die Wang
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yvonne Franke
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Jane L Grogan
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
- GraphiteBio, Incl., 1400 Sierra Point Parkway, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA
| | - Ira Mellman
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
| | | | - Weiru Wang
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
- Frontier Medicines, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
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3
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Chen H, Guan X, He C, Lu T, Lin X, Liao X. Current strategies for targeting HPK1 in cancer and the barriers to preclinical progress. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:237-250. [PMID: 38650383 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2344697] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a 97-kDa serine/threonine Ste20-related protein kinase, functions as an intracellular negative regulator, primarily in hematopoietic lineage cells, where it regulates T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and other immune cells. Loss of HPK1 kinase activity results in exacerbated cytokine secretion, enhanced T cell signaling, improved viral clearance, and thus increased restraint of tumor growth. These findings highlight HPK1 as a promising target for immuno-oncology treatments, culminating in the advancement of candidate compounds targeting HPK1 to clinical trials by several biotech enterprises. AREAS COVERED Through searching PubMed, Espacenet-patent search, and clinicaltrials.gov, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of HPK1, encompassing its structure and roles in various downstream signaling pathways, the consequences of constitutive activation of HPK1, and potential therapeutic strategies to treat HPK1-driven malignancies. Moreover, the review outlines the patents issued for small molecule inhibitors and clinical investigations of HPK1. EXPERT OPINION To enhance the success of tumor immunotherapy in clinical trials, it is important to develop protein degraders, allosteric inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates based on the crystal structure of HPK1, and to explore combination therapy approaches. Although several challenges remain, the development of HPK1 inhibitors display promising in preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangna Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chi He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Lu
- Zhuhai Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xingyu Lin
- Zhuhai Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xuebin Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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4
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Feng D, Liu B, Chen Z, Xu J, Geng M, Duan W, Ai J, Zhang H. Discovery of hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 inhibitors using machine learning-based screening and free energy perturbation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38198294 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2301754] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a key negative regulator of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling and a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. The development of novel HPK1 inhibitors is challenging yet promising. In this study, we used a combination of machine learning (ML)-based virtual screening and free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations to identify novel HPK1 inhibitors. ML-based screening yielded 10 potent HPK1 inhibitors (IC50 < 1 μM). The FEP-guided modification of the in-house false-positive hit, DW21302, revealed that a single key atom change could trigger activity cliffs. The resulting DW21302-A was a potent HPK1 inhibitor (IC50 = 2.1 nM) and potently inhibited cellular HPK1 signaling and enhanced T-cell function. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and ADME predictions confirmed DW21302-A as candidate compound. This study provides new strategies and chemical scaffolds for HPK1 inhibitor development.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhi Feng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiwei Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meiyu Geng
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhu Duan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Ai
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hefeng Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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5
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Xie J, Meng D, Li Y, Li R, Deng P. Virtual screening for potential discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) inhibitors based on structural assessment. Mol Divers 2023; 27:2297-2314. [PMID: 36322341 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10557-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) (EC Number 2.7.10.1) has recently been considered as a promising therapeutic target for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, none of the currently discovered DDR1 inhibitors have been included in clinical studies due to low target specificity or druggability limitations, necessitating various approaches to develop novel DDR1 inhibitors. In this study, to assure target specificity, a docking assessment of the DDR1 crystal structures was undertaken to find the well-differentiated crystal structure, and 4CKR was identified among many crystal structures. Then, using the best pharmacophore model and molecular docking, virtual screening of the ChEMBL database was done, and five potential molecules were identified as promising inhibitors of DDR1. Subsequently, all hit compound complex systems were validated using molecular dynamics simulations and MM/PBSA methods to assess the stability of the system after ligand binding to DDR1. Based on molecular dynamics simulations and hydrogen-bonding occupancy analysis, the DDR1-Cpd2, DDR1-Cpd17, and DDR1-Cpd18 complex systems exhibited superior stability compared to the DDR1-Cpd1 and DDR-Cpd33 complex systems. Meanwhile, when targeting DDR1, the descending order of the five hit molecules' binding free energies was Cpd17 (- 145.820 kJ/mol) > Cpd2 (- 131.818 kJ/mol) > Cpd18 (- 130.692 kJ/mol) > Cpd33 (- 129.175 kJ/mol) > Cpd1 (- 126.103 kJ/mol). Among them, Cpd2, Cpd17, and Cpd18 showed improved binding characteristics, indicating that they may be potential DDR1 inhibitors. In this research, we developed a high-hit rate, effective screening method that serves as a theoretical guide for finding DDR1 inhibitors for the development of IPF therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Xie
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Chongqing Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Research Laboratory for Quality Evaluation and Safety Research of APIs, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Dan Meng
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Chongqing Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Research Laboratory for Quality Evaluation and Safety Research of APIs, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yihao Li
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Chongqing Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Ruoyu Li
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Ping Deng
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Chongqing Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Chongqing Key Research Laboratory for Quality Evaluation and Safety Research of APIs, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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6
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Toure M, Johnson T, Li B, Schmidt R, Ma H, Neagu C, Lopez AU, Wang Y, Guler S, Xiao Y, Henkes R, Ho K, Zhang S, Chu CL, Gundra UM, Porichis F, Li L, Maurer CK, Fang Z, Musil D, DiPoto M, Friis E, Jones R, Jones C, Cummings J, Chekler E, Tanzer EM, Huck B, Sherer B. Discovery of quinazoline HPK1 inhibitors with high cellular potency. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 92:117423. [PMID: 37531921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117423] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is regarded as a highly validated target in pre-clinical immune oncology. HPK1 has been described as regulating multiple critical signaling pathway in both adaptive and innate cells. In support of this role, HPK1 KO T cells show enhanced sensitivity to TCR activation and HPK1 KO mice display enhanced anti-tumor activity. Taken together, inhibition of HPK1 has the potential to induce enhanced anti-tumor immune response. Herein, we described the discovery of highly potent HPK1 inhibitors starting form a weak HTS hit. Using a structure-based drug design, HPK1 inhibitors exhibiting excellent cellular single-digit nanomolar potency in both proximal (pSLP76) and distal (IL-2) biomarkers along with sustained elevation of IL-2 cytokine secretion were discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momar Toure
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States.
| | - Theresa Johnson
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Bin Li
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Ralf Schmidt
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Hong Ma
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Constantin Neagu
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Andrea Unzue Lopez
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Yanping Wang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Satenig Guler
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - YuFang Xiao
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Renate Henkes
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Kevin Ho
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Susan Zhang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Chia Lin Chu
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Uma Mahesh Gundra
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Filippos Porichis
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Long Li
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Christine Katharina Maurer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Zhizhou Fang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Djordje Musil
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Maria DiPoto
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Emily Friis
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Reinaldo Jones
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Christopher Jones
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - James Cummings
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Eugene Chekler
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Eva Maria Tanzer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Bayard Huck
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Brian Sherer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
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7
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Wang F, Ye W, He Y, Zhong H, Zhu Y, Han J, Gong X, Tian Y, Wang Y, Wang S, Ji S, Liu H, Yao X. Identification of CBPA as a New Inhibitor of PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043971. [PMID: 36835382 PMCID: PMC9964281 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043971] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting of the PD-1/PD-L1 immunologic checkpoint is believed to have provided a real breakthrough in the field of cancer therapy in recent years. Due to the intrinsic limitations of antibodies, the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors blocking PD-1/PD-L1 interaction has gradually opened valuable new avenues in the past decades. In an effort to discover new PD-L1 small molecular inhibitors, we carried out a structure-based virtual screening strategy to rapidly identify the candidate compounds. Ultimately, CBPA was identified as a PD-L1 inhibitor with a KD value at the micromolar level. It exhibited effective PD-1/PD-L1 blocking activity and T-cell-reinvigoration potency in cell-based assays. CBPA could dose-dependently elevate secretion levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α in primary CD4+ T cells in vitro. Notably, CBPA exhibited significant in vivo antitumor efficacy in two different mouse tumor models (a MC38 colon adenocarcinoma model and a melanoma B16F10 tumor model) without the induction of observable liver or renal toxicity. Moreover, analyses of the CBPA-treated mice further showed remarkably increased levels of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and cytokine secretion in the tumor microenvironment. A molecular docking study suggested that CBPA embedded relatively well into the hydrophobic cleft formed by dimeric PD-L1, occluding the PD-1 interaction surface of PD-L1. This study suggests that CBPA could work as a hit compound for the further design of potent inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengling Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, Cell Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Wenling Ye
- Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, Cell Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Yongxing He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Haiyang Zhong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yongchang Zhu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jianting Han
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Gong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yanan Tian
- Faculty of Applied Science, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shaoping Ji
- Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, Cell Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- Faculty of Applied Science, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
- Correspondence: (H.L.); (X.Y.); Tel.: +853-8599-6874 (H.L.); +86-0931-891-2578 (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
- Correspondence: (H.L.); (X.Y.); Tel.: +853-8599-6874 (H.L.); +86-0931-891-2578 (X.Y.)
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8
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Zhu Q, Chen N, Tian X, Zhou Y, You Q, Xu X. Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 in Tumor Immunology: A Medicinal Chemistry Perspective. J Med Chem 2022; 65:8065-8090. [PMID: 35696642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a hematopoietic cell-restricted member of the serine/threonine Ste20-related protein kinases, is a negative regulator of the T cell receptor, B cell receptor, and dendritic cells. Loss of HPK1 kinase function increases cytokine secretion and enhances T cell signaling, virus clearance, and tumor growth inhibition. Therefore, HPK1 is considered a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. Several HPK1 inhibitors have been reported to regulate T cell function. In addition, HPK1-targeting PROTACs, which can induce the degradation of HPK1, have also been developed. Here, we provide an overview of research concerning HPK1 protein structure, function, and inhibitors and propose perspectives and insights for the future development of agents targeting HPK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangsheng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Nannan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xinjian Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yeling Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - QiDong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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