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Pippione A, Vigato C, Tucciarello C, Hussain S, Salladini E, Truong HH, Henriksen NM, Vanzetti G, Giordano G, Zonari D, Mirza OA, Frydenvang K, Pignochino Y, Oliaro-Bosso S, Boschi D, Lolli ML. AI Based Discovery of a New AKR1C3 Inhibitor for Anticancer Applications. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:1269-1278. [PMID: 39140045 PMCID: PMC11318022 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
AKR1C3 is an upregulated enzyme in prostate and other cancers; in addition to regulating hormone synthesis, this enzyme is thought to play a role in the aggressiveness of tumors and in the defense against drugs. We here used an unbiased method to discover new potent AKR1C3 inhibitors: through an AI-based virtual drug screen, compound 4 was identified as a potent and selective enzymatic inhibitor able to translate this activity into a pronounced antiproliferative effect in the 22RV1 prostate cancer cell model. As other known AKR1C3 inhibitors, compound 4 determined a significantly increased activity of abiraterone, a drug approved for advanced prostate cancer. Compound 4 also showed a synergic effect with doxorubicin in osteosarcoma cell lines; specifically, the effect is correlated with AKR1C3 expression. In this research work, therefore, the use of AI allowed the identification of a new structure as an AKR1C3 inhibitor and its potential to enhance the effect of chemotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese
C. Pippione
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Vigato
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Tucciarello
- Candiolo
Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, str. Prov 142 km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin, Italy
- Department
of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University
of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10143 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Samrina Hussain
- Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University
of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162 DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Edoardo Salladini
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Ha H. Truong
- Atomwise,
Inc, 250 Sutter St, Suite 650, San Francisco, California 94103, United States
| | - Niel M. Henriksen
- Atomwise,
Inc, 250 Sutter St, Suite 650, San Francisco, California 94103, United States
| | - Gaia Vanzetti
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Giorgia Giordano
- Candiolo
Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, str. Prov 142 km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin, Italy
- Department
of Oncology, University of Turin, str. Prov 142 km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniele Zonari
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Osman Asghar Mirza
- Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University
of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162 DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karla Frydenvang
- Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University
of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162 DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ymera Pignochino
- Candiolo
Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, str. Prov 142 km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin, Italy
- Department
of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University
of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10143 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Simonetta Oliaro-Bosso
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Donatella Boschi
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco L. Lolli
- Department
of Science and Drug Technology, University
of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
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Jastrzębski MK, Wójcik P, Stępnicki P, Kaczor AA. Effects of small molecules on neurogenesis: Neuronal proliferation and differentiation. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:20-37. [PMID: 38239239 PMCID: PMC10793103 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurons are believed to be non-proliferating cells. However, neuronal stem cells are still present in certain areas of the adult brain, although their proliferation diminishes with age. Just as with other cells, their proliferation and differentiation are modulated by various mechanisms. These mechanisms are foundational to the strategies developed to induce neuronal proliferation and differentiation, with potential therapeutic applications for neurodegenerative diseases. The most common among these diseases are Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, associated with the formation of β -amyloid (Aβ ) aggregates which cause a reduction in the number of neurons. Compounds such as LiCl, 4-aminothiazoles, Pregnenolone, ACEA, harmine, D2AAK1, methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, and shikonin may induce neuronal proliferation/differentiation through the activation of pathways: MAPK ERK, PI3K/AKT, NFκ B, Wnt, BDNF, and NPAS3. Moreover, combinations of these compounds can potentially transform somatic cells into neurons. This transformation process involves the activation of neuron-specific transcription factors such as NEUROD1, NGN2, ASCL1, and SOX2, which subsequently leads to the transcription of downstream genes, culminating in the transformation of somatic cells into neurons. Neurodegenerative diseases are not the only conditions where inducing neuronal proliferation could be beneficial. Consequently, the impact of pro-proliferative compounds on neurons has also been researched in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał K. Jastrzębski
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Medical University of Lublin, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin PL-20093, Poland
| | - Piotr Wójcik
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Medical University of Lublin, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin PL-20093, Poland
| | - Piotr Stępnicki
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Medical University of Lublin, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin PL-20093, Poland
| | - Agnieszka A. Kaczor
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Medical University of Lublin, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin PL-20093, Poland
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio FI-70211, Finland
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