1
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Tate EW, Soday L, de la Lastra AL, Wang M, Lin H. Protein lipidation in cancer: mechanisms, dysregulation and emerging drug targets. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:240-260. [PMID: 38424304 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Protein lipidation describes a diverse class of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that is regulated by over 40 enzymes, targeting more than 1,000 substrates at over 3,000 sites. Lipidated proteins include more than 150 oncoproteins, including mediators of cancer initiation, progression and immunity, receptor kinases, transcription factors, G protein-coupled receptors and extracellular signalling proteins. Lipidation regulates the physical interactions of its protein substrates with cell membranes, regulating protein signalling and trafficking, and has a key role in metabolism and immunity. Targeting protein lipidation, therefore, offers a unique approach to modulate otherwise undruggable oncoproteins; however, the full spectrum of opportunities to target the dysregulation of these PTMs in cancer remains to be explored. This is attributable in part to the technological challenges of identifying the targets and the roles of protein lipidation. The early stage of drug discovery for many enzymes in the pathway contrasts with efforts for drugging similarly common PTMs such as phosphorylation and acetylation, which are routinely studied and targeted in relevant cancer contexts. Here, we review recent advances in identifying targetable protein lipidation pathways in cancer, the current state-of-the-art in drug discovery, and the status of ongoing clinical trials, which have the potential to deliver novel oncology therapeutics targeting protein lipidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Lior Soday
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mei Wang
- Program in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hening Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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2
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Liu Y, Chen H, Xiao L, Dong P, Ma Y, Zhou Y, Yang J, Bian B, Xie G, Chen L, Shen L. Notum enhances gastric cancer stem-like cell properties through upregulation of Sox2 by PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:463-480. [PMID: 37749430 PMCID: PMC11090966 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00875-w] [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] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Considerable evidence suggests that tumor cells with stemness features contribute to initiation, progression, recurrence of gastric cancer (GC) and resistance to therapy, but involvement of underlying regulators and mechanisms remain largely unclear. However, the clinical significance and biological function of Notum in GC tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis remain unclear. METHODS Bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, western blot and imunohistochemistry staining were applied to characterize Notum expression in GC specimens. The early diagnostic value of Notum was analyzed by logistic regression analysis method. Cancer stemness assays were used in Notum knockdown and overexpressing cells in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq was employed to reveal the downstream effectors of Notum. RESULTS Notum is highly expressed in early stage of GC patients and stem-like GC cells. For discriminating the early-stage and advanced GC patients, the joint analysis had a better diagnostic value. Overexpression of Notum markedly increased stemness features of GC cells to promote tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis. Conversely, Notum knockdown attenuated the stem-like cell properties in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, Notum upregulates Sox2 through activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Notum inhibitor Caffeine exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on stemness features by impairing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activity and targeting Sox2. CONCLUSION Our findings confer a comprehensive and mechanistic function of Notum in GC tumor sphere formation and tumorigenesis that may provide a novel and promising target for early diagnosis and clinical therapy of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Lanshu Xiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ping Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yanhui Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yunlan Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Junyao Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Bingxian Bian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Guohua Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Lisong Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, 200240, China.
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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3
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Li Q, Qi S, Liang J, Tian Y, He S, Liao Q, Xing S, Han L, Chen X. Review of triazole scaffolds for treatment and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 382:110623. [PMID: 37451665 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110623] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Triazole scaffolds, a series of 5-membered heterocycles, are well known for their high efficacy, low toxicity, and superior pharmacokinetics. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the first neurodegenerative disorder with complex pathological mechanisms. Triazole, as an aromatic group with three nitrogen atoms, forms polar and non-polar interactions with diverse key residues in the receptor-ligand binding procedure, and has been widely used in the molecular design in the development of anti-AD agents. Moreover, considering the simple synthesis approaches, triazole scaffolds are commonly used to link two pharmacodynamic groups in one chemical molecule, forming multi-target directed ligands (MTDLs). Furthermore, the click reaction between azide- and cyano-modified enzyme and ligand provides feasibility for the new modulator discovery, compound tissue distribution evaluation, enzyme localization, and pharmacological mechanism study, promoting the diagnosis of AD course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Li
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Shulei Qi
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jinxin Liang
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yuqing Tian
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Siyu He
- Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, PR China
| | - Qinghong Liao
- Shandong Junrong Technology Transfer Co., Ltd, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Shuaishuai Xing
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Lingfei Han
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Xuehong Chen
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, PR China.
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4
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Atkinson BN, Willis NJ, Zhao Y, Patel C, Frew S, Costelloe K, Magno L, Svensson F, Jones EY, Fish PV. Designed switch from covalent to non-covalent inhibitors of carboxylesterase Notum activity. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 251:115132. [PMID: 36934521 PMCID: PMC10626578 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115132] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
N-Acyl indolines 4 are potent, non-covalent Notum inhibitors developed from a covalent virtual screening hit 2a. The lead compounds were simple to synthesise, achieved excellent potency in a biochemical Notum-OPTS assay and restored Wnt signalling in a cell-based TCF/LEF reporter assay. Multiple high resolution X-ray structures established a common binding mode of these inhibitors with the indoline bound centred in the palmiteolate pocket with key interactions being aromatic stacking and a water mediated hydrogen bond to the oxyanion hole. These N-acyl indolines 4 will be useful tools for use in vitro studies to investigate the role of Notum in disease models, especially when paired with a structurally related covalent inhibitor (e.g. 4w and 2a). Overall, this study highlights the designed switch from covalent to non-covalent Notum inhibitors and so illustrates a complementary approach for hit generation and target inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N Atkinson
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nicky J Willis
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Chandni Patel
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sarah Frew
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kathryn Costelloe
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lorenza Magno
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Fredrik Svensson
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - E Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Paul V Fish
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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5
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Functional regulation of Wnt protein through post-translational modifications. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1797-1808. [DOI: 10.1042/bst20220735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Wnts are lipid-modified signaling glycoproteins present in all metazoans that play key roles in development and homeostasis. Post-translational modifications of Wnts regulate their function. Wnts have a unique post-translational modification, O-linked palmitoleation, that is absolutely required for their function. This Wnt-specific modification occurs during Wnt biosynthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), catalyzed by the O-acyltransferase Porcupine (PORCN). Palmitoleation is required for Wnt to bind to its transporter Wntless (WLS/Evi) as well as to its receptor Frizzled (FZD). Recent structural studies have illustrated how PORCN recognizes its substrates, and how drugs inhibit this. The abundance of WLS is tightly regulated by intracellular recycling and ubiquitylation-mediated degradation in the ER. The function of Wnt glycosylation is less well understood, and the sites and types of glycosylation are not largely conserved among different Wnts. In polarized tissues, the type of glycans can determine whether the route of trafficking is apical or basolateral. In addition, pairing of the 24 highly conserved cysteines in Wnts to form disulfide bonds is critical in maintaining proper structure and activities. Extracellularly, the amino terminus of a subset of Wnts can be cleaved by a dedicated glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored metalloprotease TIKI, resulting in the inactivation of these Wnt proteins. Additionally, NOTUM is a secreted extracellular carboxylesterase that removes the palmitoleate moiety from Wnt, antagonizing its activity. In summary, Wnt signaling activity is controlled at multiple layers by post-translational modifications.
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6
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Sileo P, Simonin C, Melnyk P, Chartier-Harlin MC, Cotelle P. Crosstalk between the Hippo Pathway and the Wnt Pathway in Huntington's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223631. [PMID: 36429058 PMCID: PMC9688160 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway consists of a cascade of kinases that controls the phosphorylation of the co-activators YAP/TAZ. When unphosphorylated, YAP and TAZ translocate into the nucleus, where they mainly bind to the TEAD transcription factor family and activate genes related to cell proliferation and survival. In this way, the inhibition of the Hippo pathway promotes cell survival, proliferation, and stemness fate. Another pathway can modulate these processes, namely the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that is indeed involved in cellular functions such as proliferation and cell survival, as well as apoptosis, growth, and cell renewal. Wnt signaling can act in a canonical or noncanonical way, depending on whether β-catenin is involved in the process. In this review, we will focus only on the canonical Wnt pathway. It has emerged that YAP/TAZ are components of the β-catenin destruction complex and that there is a close relationship between the Hippo pathway and the canonical Wnt pathway. Furthermore, recent data have shown that both of these pathways may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Thus, this review analyzes the Hippo pathway and the Wnt pathway, their crosstalk, and their involvement in Huntington's disease, as well as in other neurodegenerative disorders. Altogether, these data suggest possible therapeutic approaches targeting key players of these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Sileo
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Clémence Simonin
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- Centre de Référence Maladie de Huntington, CHU Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Patricia Melnyk
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Marie-Christine Chartier-Harlin
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- Correspondence: (M.-C.C.-H.); (P.C.)
| | - Philippe Cotelle
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- ENSCL-Centrale Lille, CS 90108, F-59652 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
- Correspondence: (M.-C.C.-H.); (P.C.)
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7
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Mannarino L, Mirimao F, Panini N, Paracchini L, Marchini S, Beltrame L, Amodeo R, Grosso F, Libener R, De Simone I, Ceresoli GL, Zucali PA, Lupi M, D’Incalci M. Tumor treating fields affect mesothelioma cell proliferation by exerting histotype-dependent cell cycle checkpoint activations and transcriptional modulations. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:612. [PMID: 35840560 PMCID: PMC9287343 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05073-4] [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: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Although clinical antitumor activity of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) has been reported in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients, the mechanisms behind the different selectivity displayed by the various MPM histotypes to this physical therapy has not been elucidated yet. Taking advantage of the development of well characterized human MPM cell lines derived from pleural effusion and/or lavages of patients' thoracic cavity, we investigated the biological effects of TTFields against these cells, representative of epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid histotypes. Growth inhibition and cell cycle perturbations caused by TTFields were investigated side by side with RNA-Seq analyses at different exposure times to identify pathways involved in cell response to treatment. We observed significant differences of response to TTFields among the cell lines. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the most sensitive cells (epithelioid CD473) were blocked in G2M phase followed by formation of polyploid cells. The least sensitive cells (sarcomatoid CD60) were only slightly affected by TTFields with a general delay in all cell cycle phases. Apoptosis was present in all samples, but while epithelioid cell death was already observed during the first 24 h of treatment, sarcomatoid cells needed longer times before they engaged apoptotic pathways. RNA-Seq experiments demonstrated that TTFields induced a transcriptional response already detectable at early time points (8 h). The number of differentially expressed genes was higher in CD473 than in CD60 cells, involving several pathways, such as those pertinent to cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair, and histone modifications. Our data provide further support to the notion that the antitumor effects of TTFields are not simply related to a non-specific reaction to a physical stimulus, but are dependent on the biological background of the cells and the particular sensitivity to TTFields observed in epithelioid MPM cells is associated with a higher transcriptional activity than that observed in sarcomatoid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mannarino
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy ,grid.452490.eDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy
| | - Federica Mirimao
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Nicolò Panini
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Lara Paracchini
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy ,grid.452490.eDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy
| | - Sergio Marchini
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Beltrame
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - Rosy Amodeo
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy ,grid.452490.eDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy
| | - Federica Grosso
- Oncology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Roberta Libener
- Department of Integrated Activities Research and Innovation, Azienda Ospedaliera SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Irene De Simone
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni L. Ceresoli
- Medical Oncology Unit, Saronno Hospital, ASST Valle Olona, Saronno, Varese, Italy
| | - Paolo A. Zucali
- grid.452490.eDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy ,grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Department of Oncology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - Monica Lupi
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy
| | - Maurizio D’Incalci
- grid.417728.f0000 0004 1756 8807Laboratory of Cancer Pharmacology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy ,grid.452490.eDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy
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8
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Zhao Y, Mahy W, Willis NJ, Woodward HL, Steadman D, Bayle ED, Atkinson BN, Sipthorp J, Vecchia L, Ruza RR, Harlos K, Jeganathan F, Constantinou S, Costa A, Kjær S, Bictash M, Salinas PC, Whiting P, Vincent JP, Fish PV, Jones EY. Structural Analysis and Development of Notum Fragment Screening Hits. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2060-2077. [PMID: 35731924 PMCID: PMC9264368 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling suppressor Notum is a promising target for osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, and colorectal cancers. To develop novel Notum inhibitors, we used an X-ray crystallographic fragment screen with the Diamond-SGC Poised Library (DSPL) and identified 59 fragment hits from the analysis of 768 data sets. Fifty-eight of the hits were found bound at the enzyme catalytic pocket with potencies ranging from 0.5 to >1000 μM. Analysis of the fragments' diverse binding modes, enzymatic inhibitory activities, and chemical properties led to the selection of six hits for optimization, and five of these resulted in improved Notum inhibitory potencies. One hit, 1-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole 7, and its related cluster members, have shown promising lead-like properties. These became the focus of our fragment development activities, resulting in compound 7d with IC50 0.0067 μM. The large number of Notum fragment structures and their initial optimization provided an important basis for further Notum inhibitor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Zhao
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - William Mahy
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Nicky J. Willis
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Hannah L. Woodward
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - David Steadman
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Elliott D. Bayle
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Benjamin N. Atkinson
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - James Sipthorp
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Luca Vecchia
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Reinis R. Ruza
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Karl Harlos
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Fiona Jeganathan
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Stefan Constantinou
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Artur Costa
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Svend Kjær
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Magda Bictash
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Patricia C. Salinas
- Department
of Cell and Developmental Biology, Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular
Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Paul Whiting
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Jean-Paul Vincent
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Paul V. Fish
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
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9
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Willis N, Mahy W, Sipthorp J, Zhao Y, Woodward HL, Atkinson BN, Bayle ED, Svensson F, Frew S, Jeganathan F, Monaghan A, Benvegnù S, Jolly S, Vecchia L, Ruza RR, Kjær S, Howell S, Snijders AP, Bictash M, Salinas PC, Vincent JP, Jones EY, Whiting P, Fish PV. Design of a Potent, Selective, and Brain-Penetrant Inhibitor of Wnt-Deactivating Enzyme Notum by Optimization of a Crystallographic Fragment Hit. J Med Chem 2022; 65:7212-7230. [PMID: 35536179 PMCID: PMC9150124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Notum is a carboxylesterase that suppresses Wnt signaling through deacylation of an essential palmitoleate group on Wnt proteins. There is a growing understanding of the role Notum plays in human diseases such as colorectal cancer and Alzheimer's disease, supporting the need to discover improved inhibitors, especially for use in models of neurodegeneration. Here, we have described the discovery and profile of 8l (ARUK3001185) as a potent, selective, and brain-penetrant inhibitor of Notum activity suitable for oral dosing in rodent models of disease. Crystallographic fragment screening of the Diamond-SGC Poised Library for binding to Notum, supported by a biochemical enzyme assay to rank inhibition activity, identified 6a and 6b as a pair of outstanding hits. Fragment development of 6 delivered 8l that restored Wnt signaling in the presence of Notum in a cell-based reporter assay. Assessment in pharmacology screens showed 8l to be selective against serine hydrolases, kinases, and drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky
J. Willis
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - William Mahy
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - James Sipthorp
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Hannah L. Woodward
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Benjamin N. Atkinson
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Elliott D. Bayle
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Fredrik Svensson
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Sarah Frew
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Fiona Jeganathan
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Amy Monaghan
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Stefano Benvegnù
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Sarah Jolly
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Luca Vecchia
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Reinis R. Ruza
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Svend Kjær
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Steven Howell
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | | | - Magda Bictash
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Patricia C. Salinas
- Department
of Cell and Developmental Biology, Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular
Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Jean-Paul Vincent
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Paul Whiting
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Paul V. Fish
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
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10
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Steadman D, Atkinson BN, Zhao Y, Willis NJ, Frew S, Monaghan A, Patel C, Armstrong E, Costelloe K, Magno L, Bictash M, Jones EY, Fish PV, Svensson F. Virtual Screening Directly Identifies New Fragment-Sized Inhibitors of Carboxylesterase Notum with Nanomolar Activity. J Med Chem 2022; 65:562-578. [PMID: 34939789 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Notum is a negative regulator of Wnt signaling acting through the hydrolysis of a palmitoleoylate ester, which is required for Wnt activity. Inhibitors of Notum could be of use in diseases where dysfunctional Notum activity is an underlying cause. A docking-based virtual screen (VS) of a large commercial library was used to shortlist 952 compounds for experimental validation as inhibitors of Notum. The VS was successful with 31 compounds having an IC50 < 500 nM. A critical selection process was then applied with two clusters and two singletons (1-4d) selected for hit validation. Optimization of 4d guided by structural biology identified potent inhibitors of Notum activity that restored Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cell-based models. The [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyradizin-3(2H)-one series 4 represent a new chemical class of Notum inhibitors and the first to be discovered by a VS campaign. These results demonstrate the value of VS with well-designed docking models based on X-ray structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Steadman
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Benjamin N Atkinson
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Yuguang Zhao
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, OxfordOX3 7BN, U.K
| | - Nicky J Willis
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Sarah Frew
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Amy Monaghan
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Chandni Patel
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Emma Armstrong
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Kathryn Costelloe
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Lorenza Magno
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Magda Bictash
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - E Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, OxfordOX3 7BN, U.K
| | - Paul V Fish
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Fredrik Svensson
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, LondonWC1E 6BT, U.K
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11
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Atkinson BN, Willis NJ, Smith J, Gill R, Ali J, Xu Z, Lai PS, Fish PV. Large-scale synthesis of Notum inhibitor 1-(2,4-dichloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl)-1 H-1,2,3-triazole (ARUK3001185) employing a modified Sakai reaction as the key step. RSC Adv 2022; 12:26497-26503. [PMID: 36275171 PMCID: PMC9478995 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra05132j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
1-Phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole 1 (ARUK3001185) was prepared on large scale from aniline 4 by application of both (1) a copper catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) with (trimethylsilyl)acetylene, and (2) a Clark modification of the Sakai reaction. The one-pot Sakai–Clark method with (MeO)2CHCH
Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
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NNHTos (2b) proved to be superior as it was operationally simple, metal-free, and avoided the use of aryl azide 7. The Sakai–Clark method has been reliably performed on large scale to produce >100 g of 1 in good efficiency and high purity. 1-Phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole 1 was prepared on large scale from aniline 4 by application of a one-pot Sakai–Clark reaction in good efficiency and high purity.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N. Atkinson
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nicky J. Willis
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jennifer Smith
- Key Organics Ltd, Highfield Road Industrial Estate, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9RA, UK
| | - Rebecca Gill
- Key Organics Ltd, Highfield Road Industrial Estate, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9RA, UK
| | - Jody Ali
- Key Organics Ltd, Highfield Road Industrial Estate, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9RA, UK
| | - Zhou Xu
- WuXi AppTec (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., 168 Nanhai Road, 10th Avenue, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - Ping-Shan Lai
- WuXi AppTec (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., 168 Nanhai Road, 10th Avenue, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - Paul V. Fish
- Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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12
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Welcome to Volume 14 of Future Medicinal Chemistry. Future Med Chem 2021; 14:1-3. [PMID: 34927463 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2021-0300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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13
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Zhao Y, Svensson F, Steadman D, Frew S, Monaghan A, Bictash M, Moreira T, Chalk R, Lu W, Fish PV, Jones EY. Structural Insights into Notum Covalent Inhibition. J Med Chem 2021; 64:11354-11363. [PMID: 34292747 PMCID: PMC8365597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The carboxylesterase Notum hydrolyzes a palmitoleate moiety from Wingless/Integrated(Wnt) ligands and deactivates Wnt signaling. Notum inhibitors can restore Wnt signaling which may be of therapeutic benefit for pathologies such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease. We report the identification of a novel class of covalent Notum inhibitors, 4-(indolin-1-yl)-4-oxobutanoate esters. High-resolution crystal structures of the Notum inhibitor complexes reveal a common covalent adduct formed between the nucleophile serine-232 and hydrolyzed butyric esters. The covalent interaction in solution was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis. Inhibitory potencies vary depending on the warheads used. Mechanistically, the resulting acyl-enzyme intermediate carbonyl atom is positioned at an unfavorable angle for the approach of the active site water, which, combined with strong hydrophobic interactions with the enzyme pocket residues, hinders the intermediate from being further processed and results in covalent inhibition. These insights into Notum catalytic inhibition may guide development of more potent Notum inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Zhao
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Fredrik Svensson
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - David Steadman
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Sarah Frew
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Amy Monaghan
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Magda Bictash
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Tiago Moreira
- Centre
for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.
| | - Rod Chalk
- Centre
for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.
| | - Weixian Lu
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Paul V. Fish
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
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