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Friese-Hamim M, Ortiz Ruiz MJ, Bogatyrova O, Keil M, Rohdich F, Blume B, Leuthner B, Czauderna F, Hahn D, Jabs J, Jaehrling F, Heinrich T, Kellner R, Chan K, Tong AH, Wienke D, Moffat J, Blaukat A, Zenke FT. Novel Methionine Aminopeptidase 2 Inhibitor M8891 Synergizes with VEGF Receptor Inhibitors to Inhibit Tumor Growth of Renal Cell Carcinoma Models. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:159-173. [PMID: 37940144 PMCID: PMC10831447 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0102] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
N-terminal processing by methionine aminopeptidases (MetAP) is a crucial step in the maturation of proteins during protein biosynthesis. Small-molecule inhibitors of MetAP2 have antiangiogenic and antitumoral activity. Herein, we characterize the structurally novel MetAP2 inhibitor M8891. M8891 is a potent, selective, reversible small-molecule inhibitor blocking the growth of human endothelial cells and differentially inhibiting cancer cell growth. A CRISPR genome-wide screen identified the tumor suppressor p53 and MetAP1/MetAP2 as determinants of resistance and sensitivity to pharmacologic MetAP2 inhibition. A newly identified substrate of MetAP2, translation elongation factor 1-alpha-1 (EF1a-1), served as a pharmacodynamic biomarker to follow target inhibition in cell and mouse studies. Robust angiogenesis and tumor growth inhibition was observed with M8891 monotherapy. In combination with VEGF receptor inhibitors, tumor stasis and regression occurred in patient-derived xenograft renal cell carcinoma models, particularly those that were p53 wild-type, had Von Hippel-Landau gene (VHL) loss-of-function mutations, and a mid/high MetAP1/2 expression score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manja Friese-Hamim
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Maria J. Ortiz Ruiz
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Olga Bogatyrova
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marina Keil
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felix Rohdich
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Beatrix Blume
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Birgitta Leuthner
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank Czauderna
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts
| | - Diane Hahn
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julia Jabs
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank Jaehrling
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Timo Heinrich
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Roland Kellner
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katherine Chan
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amy H.Y. Tong
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dirk Wienke
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jason Moffat
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andree Blaukat
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank T. Zenke
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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Zhang J, Wang J, Li Y, Pan X, Qu J, Zhang J. A patent perspective of antiangiogenic agents. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2023; 33:821-840. [PMID: 38084667 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2023.2294808] [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: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the development of numerous vascular structures and is involved in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes, including psoriasis, diabetic retinopathy, and especially cancer. By obstructing the process of angiogenesis, these therapies effectively inhibit the progression of the disease. Consequently, anti-angiogenic agents were subsequently developed. AREAS COVERED This review provides a comprehensive summary of the anti-angiogenic inhibitors developed in the past five years in terms of chemical structure, biochemical/pharmacological activity and potential clinical applications. A literature search was conducted using utilizing the databases Web of Science, SciFinder and PubMed with the key word 'anti-angiogenic agents' and 'angiogenesis inhibitor.' EXPERT OPINION This is despite the fact that the concept of antiangiogenesis has been proposed for more than 50 years and angiogenesis inhibitors are extensively employed in clinical practice. However, significant challenges continue to confront them. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of patents focusing on angiogenesis inhibitors. These patents aim to enhance the selectivity of drugs against VEGF/VEGFR, explore new targets to overcome drug resistance, and explore potential drug combinations, thereby expanding the therapeutic possibilities in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanchen Li
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyan Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingkun Qu
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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Li P, Ma X, Gu X. LncRNA MAFG-AS1 is involved in human cancer progression. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:497. [PMID: 37941063 PMCID: PMC10631199 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01486-9] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) refer to a type of non-protein-coding transcript of more than 200 nucleotides. LncRNAs play fundamental roles in disease development and progression, and lncRNAs are dysregulated in many pathophysiological processes. Thus, lncRNAs may have potential value in clinical applications. The lncRNA, MAF BZIP Transcription Factor G (MAFG)-AS1, is dysregulated in several cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, esophagus cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, and glioma. Altered MAFG-AS1 levels are also associated with diverse clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. Mechanistically, MAFG-AS1 mediates a variety of cellular processes via the regulation of target gene expression. Therefore, the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic aspects of MAFG-AS1 have been widely explored. In this review, we discuss the expression, major roles, and molecular mechanisms of MAFG-AS1, the relationship between MAFG-AS1 and clinical features of diseases, and the clinical applications of MAFG-AS1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penghui Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, Henan, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinyu Gu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, Henan, China.
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Dong W, Wang N, Qi Z. Advances in the application of neuroinflammatory molecular imaging in brain malignancies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1211900. [PMID: 37533851 PMCID: PMC10390727 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1211900] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of brain cancer has been increasing in recent decades, posing significant healthcare challenges. The introduction of immunotherapies has brought forth notable diagnostic imaging challenges for brain tumors. The tumor microenvironment undergoes substantial changes in induced immunosuppression and immune responses following the development of primary brain tumor and brain metastasis, affecting the progression and metastasis of brain tumors. Consequently, effective and accurate neuroimaging techniques are necessary for clinical practice and monitoring. However, patients with brain tumors might experience radiation-induced necrosis or other neuroinflammation. Currently, positron emission tomography and various magnetic resonance imaging techniques play a crucial role in diagnosing and evaluating brain tumors. Nevertheless, differentiating between brain tumors and necrotic lesions or inflamed tissues remains a significant challenge in the clinical diagnosis of the advancements in immunotherapeutics and precision oncology have underscored the importance of clinically applicable imaging measures for diagnosing and monitoring neuroinflammation. This review summarizes recent advances in neuroimaging methods aimed at enhancing the specificity of brain tumor diagnosis and evaluating inflamed lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxia Dong
- Department of Radiology, The First People’s Hospital of Linping District, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jining Third People’s Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Zhe Qi
- Department of Radiology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, China
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Hunáková Ľ. Attacking Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097858. [PMID: 37175564 PMCID: PMC10178849 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This Special Issue, focused on a collection of papers on "attacking cancer progression and metastasis", is devoted to communicating current knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cancer progression and metastasis, as well as suggesting new targets for possible future therapeutic interventions [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľuba Hunáková
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 813 72 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Synthesis, characterization, antioxidant and anticancer activity of new hybrid structures based on diarylmethanol and 1,2,3-triazole. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Steinberg E, Esa R, Schwob O, Stern T, Orehov N, Zamir G, Hubert A, Panigrahy D, Benny O. Methionine aminopeptidase 2 as a potential target in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:6243-6255. [PMID: 36247237 PMCID: PMC9556484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an aggressive metastatic cancer with a very low survival rate. This tumor is hypovascularized and characterized by severe hypoxic regions, yet these regions are not impeded by the oxidative stress in their microenvironment. PDA's high resilience raises the need to find new effective therapeutic targets. This study investigated the suitability of methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAp2), a metallopeptidase known to play an important role in tumor progression, as a new target for treating PDA. In our examination of patient-derived PDA tissues, we found that MetAp2 is highly expressed in metastatic regions compared with primary sites. At the cellular level, we found that the basal expression levels of MetAp2 in pancreatic cancer cells were higher than its levels in endothelial cells. Pancreatic cancer cells showed a significant suppression of proliferation in a dose-dependent manner upon exposure to TNP-470, a selective MetAp2 inhibitor. In addition, a significant reduction in glutathione (GSH) levels - known for its importance in alleviating oxidative stress - was detected in all treated cells, suggesting a possible anti-cancer activity mechanism that would be feasible for treating highly hypoxic PDA tumors. Furthermore, in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer murine model, systemic oral treatment with a MetAp2 inhibitor significantly reduced tumors' growth. Taken together, our findings indicate that MetAp2 enhances tumor sensitivity to hypoxia and may provide an effective target for treating hypoxic tumors with high expression levels of MetAp2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Steinberg
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
| | - Rawnaq Esa
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
| | - Ouri Schwob
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
| | - Tal Stern
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
| | - Natalie Orehov
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
| | - Gideon Zamir
- Department of Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical SchoolEin Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Ayala Hubert
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical SchoolEin Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Dipak Panigrahy
- Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ofra Benny
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael
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Çot A, Çeşme M, Onur S, Aksakal E, Şahin İ, Tümer F. Rational design of 1,2,3-triazole hybrid structures as novel anticancer agents: synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35983627 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2112620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
New hybrid compounds belonging to the class of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized. The structural characterization of the synthesized compounds was performed using IR, 1H-NMR, 13C NMR and elemental analysis techniques. Diarylketones 1a and 1b were used as starting compounds for the synthesis of triazoles. The corresponding diarylmethanol derivatives (2a,b) were obtained from reduction of ketone units with NaBH4. Oxyalkynes (3a,b) were obtained by treating the hydroxyl group with NaH in anhydrous THF and then with propargylbromide. The target hybrid structures 6a-n were obtained from the metal-catalyzed "click reaction" of the arylazide and alkyne units. The newly synthesized compounds were structurally analysed using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, elemental analysis, LC-MS and FT-IR. The antioxidant and anticancer activities of all compounds were investigated. It has been determined that the new hybrid structures have very good antioxidant and anticancer activities according to the standards. In particular, compounds 6b, 6h, 6i and 6j (IC50: 1.87, 12.5, 7.22, 8.04 µM) showed excellent activity compared to standard 5-Fu (IC50: 40.89 µM). According to the results of molecular docking of compounds 6b and 6i with the highest cancer activity, MetAP-2 was found to have a high affinity through exposed polar and apolar contacts with fundemental residues in the binding pocket.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aynur Çot
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Çeşme
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Sultan Onur
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Elif Aksakal
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - İrfan Şahin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Ferhan Tümer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
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Esa R, Steinberg E, Dagan A, Yekhtin Z, Tischenko K, Benny O. Newly synthesized methionine aminopeptidase 2 inhibitor hinders tumor growth. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 13:1170-1182. [PMID: 35637333 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAp2) inhibition has been recognized as a promising approach for suppressing angiogenesis and cancer progression. Small molecule fumagillol derivatives with adamantane side groups were synthesized and evaluated for MetAp2 inhibition activity, and a lead molecule with superior abilities to inhibit the enzymatic activity of MetAp2 was identified. The compound, referred to as AD-3281, effectively suppressed proliferation of cancer and endothelial cells and impaired tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro. When administered systemically, AD-3281 was well tolerated and led to a significant suppression of human melanoma and mammary tumor xenografts grown in mice. The activity in vivo was associated with reduced angiogenesis and tumor proliferation as detected histologically. In order to develop a formulation that can solubilize AD-3281 with a minimal content of organic solvents, biodegradable nanoparticles comprised of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) were fabricated and characterized. Compared with the free compound, AD-3281-loaded nanoparticles showed an advantageous cellular availability and uptake, leading to higher activity in cells and better transport in three-dimensional (3D) cultures. Taken together, we introduce a novel MetAp2 inhibitor with high anti-cancer activity and a stable nano-formulation with a high potential for future clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawnaq Esa
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eliana Steinberg
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Arie Dagan
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Zhanna Yekhtin
- The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Katerina Tischenko
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ofra Benny
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel.
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EGR1 Enhances Lymphangiogenesis via SOX18-Mediated Activation of JAK2/STAT3 Pathway. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:6448724. [PMID: 35190753 PMCID: PMC8858051 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6448724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background. Lymphangiogenesis is a process involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Identifying key molecules and pathway targeting this process is critical for lymphatic regeneration-associated disorders. EGR1 is a transcription factor, but its function in lymphangiogenesis is not yet known. This study is aimed at exploring the functional activity and molecular mechanism of EGR1 implicated in lymphangiogenesis. Methods. The CCK-8 method, transwell migration assay, and tube formation assay were used to detect the cell viability, motility, and tube formation of HDLEC cells, respectively. The luciferase reporter assay was applied to detect the impact of EGR1 on SOX18 promoter activity. CHIP assay was used to analyze the direct binding of EGR1 to the SOX18 promoter. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to investigate molecules and pathway involved in lymphangiogenesis. Results. The EGR1 ectopic expression markedly increased the cell growth, mobility, tube formation, and the expression of lymphangiogenesis-associated markers (LYVE-1 and PROX1) in HDLEC cells. EGR1 interacted with the SXO18 gene promoter and transcriptionally regulated the SXO18 expression in HDLEC cells. Silencing of SOX18 abrogated the promotional activities of EGR1 on the cell viability, mobility, tube formation, and LYVE-1/PROX1 expression in HDLEC cells. SOX18 overexpression activated JAK/STAT signaling, which resulted in an increase in lymphangiogenesis in HDLEC cells. Conclusions. ERG1 can promote lymphangiogenesis, which is mediated by activating the SOX18/JAK/STAT3 cascade. ERG1 may serve as a promising target for the therapy of lymphatic vessel-related disorders.
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Albayati S, Uba AI, Yelekçi K. Potential inhibitors of methionine aminopeptidase type II identified via structure-based pharmacophore modeling. Mol Divers 2021; 26:1005-1016. [PMID: 33846894 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-021-10221-7] [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: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP2) is a metal-containing enzyme that removes initiator methionine from the N-terminus of a newly synthesized protein. Inhibition of the enzyme is crucial in diminishing cancer growth and metastasis. Fumagillin-a natural irreversible inhibitor of MetAP2-and its derivatives are used as potent MetAP2 inhibitors. However, because of their adverse effects, none of them has progressed to clinical studies. In search for potential reversible inhibitors, we built structure-based pharmacophore models using the crystal structure of MetAP2 complexed with fumagillin (PDB ID: 1BOA). The pharmacophore models were validated using Gunner-Henry scoring method. The best pharmacophore consisting of 1 H-bond donor, 1 H-bond acceptor, and 3 hydrophobic features was used to conduct pharmacophore-based virtual screening of ZINC15 database against MetAP2. The top 10 compounds with pharmacophore fit values > 3.00 were selected for further analysis. These compounds were subjected to absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, and toxicity (ADMET) prediction and found to have druglike properties. Furthermore, molecular docking calculations was performed on these hits using AutoDock4 to predict their binding mode and binding energy. Three diverse compounds: ZINC000014903160, ZINC000040174591, and ZINC000409110720 with respective binding energy/docking scores of - 9.22, - 9.21, and -817 kcal/mol, were submitted to 100 ns (MD) simulations using Nanoscale MD (NAMD) software. The compounds showed stable binding mode over time. Therefore, they may serve as a scaffold for further computational and experimental optimization toward the design of more potent and safer MetAP2 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safana Albayati
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Science, Kadir Has University, 34083 Cibali Campus Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Abdullahi Ibrahim Uba
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Science, Kadir Has University, 34083 Cibali Campus Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.,Complex Systems Division, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Kemal Yelekçi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Science, Kadir Has University, 34083 Cibali Campus Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
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