1
|
Bouricha EM, Hakmi M. Investigating Lasofoxifene Efficacy Against the Y537S + F404V Double-Mutant Estrogen Receptor Alpha Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Bioinform Biol Insights 2024; 18:11779322241288703. [PMID: 39386976 PMCID: PMC11462567 DOI: 10.1177/11779322241288703] [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: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) plays a critical role in breast cancer (BC) progression, with endocrine therapy being a key treatment for ERα + BC. However, resistance often arises due to somatic mutations in the ERα ligand-binding domain (LBD). Lasofoxifene, a third-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator, has shown promise against Y537S and D538G mutations. However, the emergence of a novel F404 mutation in patients with pre-existing LBD mutations raises concerns about its impact on lasofoxifene efficacy. This study investigates the impact of the dual Y537S and F404V mutations on lasofoxifene's efficacy. Using molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) free energy calculations, we found that the dual mutation reduces lasofoxifene binding affinity and binding free energy, disrupts crucial protein-ligand interactions, and induces significant conformational changes in the ligand-binding pocket. These alterations are likely due to the loss of the pi-pi stacking interaction in the F404V mutation. These findings suggest a potential reduction in lasofoxifene efficacy due to the dual mutation. Further experimental validation is required to confirm these results and fully understand the impact of dual mutations on lasofoxifene's effectiveness in ERα + metastatic BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- El Mehdi Bouricha
- Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Morocco
| | - Mohammed Hakmi
- Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Alamri AM, Alkhilaiwi FA, Khan NU, Mashat RM, Tasleem M. Exploring pathogenic SNPs and estrogen receptor alpha interactions in breast cancer: An in silico approach. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37297. [PMID: 39286133 PMCID: PMC11403482 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37297] [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: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The estrogen receptor 1 gene (ESR1) plays a crucial role in breast and mammary development in humans. Alterations such as gene amplification, genomic rearrangements, and missense mutations in the ESR1 gene are reported to increase the risk of breast cancer in humans. The purpose of this study is to analyze the missense mutations and molecular modeling of ESR1, focusing on the pathogenic SNP H516N, for a better understanding of disease risk and future benefits for therapeutic benefits. This SNP was selected based on its location in the binding pocket of ESR1 and its predicted impact on drug binding. The in silico analysis was performed by applying various computational approaches to identify highly pathogenic SNPs in the binding pocket of ESR1. The effect of the SNP was explored through docking and intra-molecular interaction studies. All SNPs in ESR1 were identified followed by the identification of the highly pathogenic variant located in the binding pocket of ESR1. The mutant model of the pathogenic SNP H516N was generated, and hydroxytamoxifen was docked with the wild-type and the mutant model. The mutant model lost the formation of stable hydrogen bonds with the active site residues and hydroxytamoxifen, which may result in reduced binding affinity and therefore, will predict the patient's response to estrogenic inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad M Alamri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
- Cancer Research Unit, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faris A Alkhilaiwi
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Regenerative Medicine Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Najeeb Ullah Khan
- Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (Health Division), The University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25130, Pakistan
| | - Reham Mahmoud Mashat
- College of Science, Department of Biology, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Munazzah Tasleem
- Center for Global Health and Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, 602105, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhuang T, Zhang S, Liu D, Li Z, Li X, Li J, Yang P, Zhang C, Cui J, Fu M, Shen F, Yuan L, Zhang Z, Su P, Zhu J, Yang H. USP36 promotes tumorigenesis and tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer by deubiquitinating and stabilizing ERα. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:249. [PMID: 39215346 PMCID: PMC11365244 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03160-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women globally. Over-activated estrogen receptor (ER) α signaling is considered the main factor in luminal breast cancers, which can be effectively managed with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like tamoxifen. However, approximately 30-40% of ER + breast cancer cases are recurrent after tamoxifen therapy. This implies that the treatment of breast cancer is still hindered by resistance to tamoxifen. Recent studies have suggested that post-translational modifications of ERα play a significant role in endocrine resistance. The stability of both ERα protein and its transcriptome is regulated by a balance between E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. According to the current knowledge, approximately 100 deubiquitinases are encoded in the human genome, but it remains unclear which deubiquitinases play a critical role in estrogen signaling and endocrine resistance. Thus, decoding the key deubiquitinases that significantly impact estrogen signaling, including the control of ERα expression and stability, is critical for the improvement of breast cancer therapeutics. METHODS We used several ER positive breast cancer cell lines, DUB siRNA library screening, xenograft models, endocrine-resistant (ERα-Y537S) model and performed immunoblotting, real time PCR, RNA sequencing, immunofluorescence, and luciferase activity assay to investigate the function of USP36 in breast cancer progression and tamoxifen resistance. RESULTS In this study, we identify Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 36 (USP36) as a key deubiquitinase involved in ERα signaling and the advancement of breast cancer by deubiquitinases siRNA library screening. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that USP36, but not its catalytically inactive mutant (C131A), could promote breast cancer progression through ERα signaling. Conversely, silencing USP36 inhibited tumorigenesis. In models resistant to endocrine therapy, silencing USP36 destabilized the resistant form of ERα (Y537S) and restored sensitivity to tamoxifen. Molecular studies indicated that USP36 inhibited K48-linked polyubiquitination of ERα and enhanced the ERα transcriptome. It is interesting to note that our results suggest USP36 as a novel biomarker for treatment of breast cancer. CONCLUSION Our study revealed the possibility that inhibiting USP36 combined with tamoxifen could provide a potential therapy for breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhuang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Shuqing Zhang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Dongyi Liu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, Shandong Province, P.R. China
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Zhongbo Li
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Jiaoyan Li
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Penghe Yang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Chenmiao Zhang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Jiayao Cui
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Mingxi Fu
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Fangyu Shen
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Lei Yuan
- School of International Education, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- The Fifth Clinical Medical College of Henan University of Chinese Medicine (Zhengzhou People's Hospital), Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan Province, P.R. China
| | - Peng Su
- Department of Pathology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, China.
| | - Jian Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, Shandong Province, P.R. China.
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110000, P.R. China.
| | - Huijie Yang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Tumor Migration and Invasion Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P.R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Psaltis JB, Wang Q, Yan G, Gahtani R, Huang N, Haddad BR, Martin MB. Cadmium activation of wild-type and constitutively active estrogen receptor alpha. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1380047. [PMID: 39184142 PMCID: PMC11341946 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1380047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) plays a central role in the etiology, progression, and treatment of breast cancers. Constitutively activating somatic mutations Y537S and D538G, in the ligand binding domain (LBD) of ESR1, are associated with acquired resistance to endocrine therapies. We have previously shown that the metalloestrogen calcium activates ERα through an interaction with the LBD of the receptor. This study shows that cadmium activates ERα through a mechanism similar to calcium and contributes to, and further increases, the constitutive activity of the ERα mutants Y537S and D538G. Mutational analysis identified C381, N532A, H516A/N519A/E523A, and E542/D545A on the solvent accessible surface of the LBD as possible calcium/metal interaction sites. In contrast to estradiol, which did not increase the activity of the Y537S and D538G mutants, cadmium increased the activity of the constitutive mutants. Mutation of the calcium/metal interaction sites in Y537S and D538G mutants resulted in a significant decrease in constitutive activity and cadmium induced activity. Mutation of calcium/metal interaction sites in wtERα diminished binding of the receptor to the enhancer of estrogen responsive genes and the binding of nuclear receptor coactivator 1 and RNA polymerase II. In contrast to wtERα, mutation of the calcium/metal interaction sites in the Y537S and D538G mutants did not diminish binding to DNA but prevented a stable interaction with the coactivator and polymerase. Growth assays further revealed that calcium channel blockers and chelators significantly decreased the growth of MCF7 cells expressing these constitutively active mutants. Taken together, the results suggest that exposure to cadmium plays a role in the etiology, progression, and response to treatment of breast cancer due, in part, to its ability to activate ERα.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John B. Psaltis
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Qiaochu Wang
- Depatment of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Gai Yan
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Reem Gahtani
- Depatment of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Nanxi Huang
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Bassem R. Haddad
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Mary Beth Martin
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
- Depatment of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lee TK, Kassees K, Chen CY, Viswanadhapalli S, Parra K, Vadlamudi RK, Ahn JM. Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Tris-Benzamides as Estrogen Receptor Coregulator Binding Modulators. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:2023-2043. [PMID: 39022350 PMCID: PMC11249634 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00125] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor coregulator binding modulators (ERXs) are a novel class of molecules targeting the interaction between estrogen receptor α (ERα) and its coregulator proteins, which has proven to be an attractive strategy for overcoming endocrine resistance in breast cancer. We previously reported ERX-11, an orally bioavailable tris-benzamide, that demonstrated promising antitumor activity against ERα-positive breast cancer cells. To comprehend the significance of the substituents in ERX-11, we carried out structure-activity relationship studies. In addition, we introduced additional alkyl substituents at either the N- or C-terminus to improve binding affinity and biological activity. Further optimization guided by conformational restriction led to the identification of a trans-4-phenylcyclcohexyl group at the C-terminus (18h), resulting in a greater than 10-fold increase in binding affinity and cell growth inhibition potency compared to ERX-11. Tris-benzamide 18h disrupted the ERα-coregulator interaction and inhibited the ERα-mediated transcriptional activity. It demonstrated strong antiproliferative activity on ERα-positive breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, offering a promising potential as a therapeutic candidate for treating ERα-positive breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Kyung Lee
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Kara Kassees
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Chia-Yuan Chen
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli
- Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University
of Texas Health, San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
| | - Karla Parra
- Departments
of Urology and Pharmacology, University
of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Ratna K. Vadlamudi
- Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University
of Texas Health, San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
| | - Jung-Mo Ahn
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Valentín López JC, Lange CA, Dehm SM. Androgen receptor and estrogen receptor variants in prostate and breast cancers. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 241:106522. [PMID: 38641298 PMCID: PMC11139604 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) are steroid receptor transcription factors with critical roles in the development and progression of prostate and breast cancers. Advances in the understanding of mechanisms underlying the ligand-dependent activation of these transcription factors have contributed to the development of small molecule inhibitors that block AR and ERα actions. These inhibitors include competitive antagonists and degraders that directly bind the ligand binding domains of these receptors, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs that suppress gonadal synthesis of testosterone or estrogen, and drugs that block specific enzymes required for biosynthesis of testosterone or estrogen. However, resistance to these therapies is frequent, and is often driven by selection for tumor cells with alterations in the AR or ESR1 genes and/or alternatively spliced AR or ESR1 mRNAs that encode variant forms AR or ERα. While most investigations involving AR have been within the context of prostate cancer, and the majority of investigations involving ERα have been within the context of breast cancer, important roles for AR have been elucidated in breast cancer, and important roles for ERα have been elucidated in prostate cancer. Here, we will discuss the roles of AR and ERα in breast and prostate cancers, outline the effects of gene- and mRNA-level alterations in AR and ESR1 on progression of these diseases, and identify strategies that are being developed to target these alterations therapeutically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carol A Lange
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Medicine-Hematology, Oncology & Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Scott M Dehm
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Urology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Young K, Hancock G, Fink E, Zigrossi A, Flowers B, Cooper D, Nguyen V, Martinez M, Mon K, Bosland M, Zak D, Runde A, Sharifi M, Kastrati I, Minh D, Kregel S, Fanning S. Targeting Unique Ligand Binding Domain Structural Features Downregulates DKK1 in Y537S ESR1 Mutant Breast Cancer Cells. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4542467. [PMID: 38978585 PMCID: PMC11230492 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4542467/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Resistance to endocrine therapies remains a major clinical hurdle in breast cancer. Mutations to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) arise after continued therapeutic pressure. Next generation selective estrogen receptor modulators and degraders/downregulators (SERMs and SERDs) show clinical efficacy, but responses are often non-durable. A tyrosine to serine point mutation at position 537 in the ERα ligand binding domain (LBD) is among the most common and most pathogenic alteration in this setting. It enables endocrine therapy resistance by superceding intrinsic structural-energetic gatekeepers of ER hormone-dependence, it enhances metastatic burden by enabling neomorphic ER-dependent transcriptional programs, and it resists SERM and SERD inhibiton by reducing their binding affinities and abilities to antagonize transcriptional coregulator binding. However, a subset of SERMs and SERDs can achieve efficacy by adopting poses that force the mutation to engage in a new interaction that favors the therapeutic receptor antagonist conformation. We previously described a chemically unconventional SERM, T6I-29, that demonstrates significant anti-proliferative activities in Y537S ERα breast cancer cells. Here, we use a comprehensive suite of structural-biochemical, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to better T6I-29's activities in breast cancer cells harboring Y537S ERα. RNA sequencing in cells treated with T6I-29 reveals a neomorphic downregulation of DKK1, a secreted glycoprotein known to play oncogenic roles in other cancers. Importantly, we find that DKK1 is significantly enriched in ER+ breast cancer plasma compared to healthy controls. This study shows how new SERMs and SERDs can identify new therapeutic pathways in endocrine-resistant ER+ breast cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K.S. Young
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - G.R. Hancock
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - E. Fink
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - A. Zigrossi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - B. Flowers
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - D.A. Cooper
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - V.T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - M. Martinez
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - K.S. Mon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - M. Bosland
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - D. Zak
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - A. Runde
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - M.N. Sharifi
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705
| | - I. Kastrati
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - D.D.L. Minh
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - S. Kregel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - S.W. Fanning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xin L, Wang C, Cheng Y, Wang H, Guo X, Deng X, Deng X, Xie B, Hu H, Min C, Dong C, Zhou HB. Discovery of Novel ERα and Aromatase Dual-Targeting PROTAC Degraders to Overcome Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8913-8931. [PMID: 38809993 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α (ERα) plays a pivotal role in the proliferation, differentiation, and migration of breast cancer (BC) cells, and aromatase (ARO) is a crucial enzyme in estrogen synthesis. Hence, it is necessary to inhibit estrogen production or the activity of ERα for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC. Herein, we present a new category of dual-targeting PROTAC degraders designed to specifically target ERα and ARO. Among them, compound 18c bifunctionally degrades and inhibits ERα/ARO, thus effectively suppressing the proliferation of MCF-7 cells while showing negligible cytotoxicity to normal cells. In vivo, 18c promotes the degradation of ERα and ARO and inhibits the growth of MCF-7 xenograft tumors. Finally, compound 18c demonstrates promising antiproliferative and ERα degradation activity against the ERαMUT cells. These findings suggest that 18c, being the inaugural dual-targeting degrader for ERα and ARO, warrants further advancement for the management of BC and the surmounting of endocrine resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilan Xin
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xinyi Guo
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hankun Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chang Min
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Young K, Hancock G, Fink E, Zigrossi A, Flowers B, Cooper D, Nguyen V, Martinez M, Mon K, Bosland M, Zak D, Runde A, Sharifi M, Kastrati I, Minh D, Kregel S, Fanning S. Targeting Unique Ligand Binding Domain Structural Features Downregulates DKK1 in Y537S ESR1 Mutant Breast Cancer Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.596307. [PMID: 38854123 PMCID: PMC11160638 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.596307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Resistance to endocrine therapies remains a major clinical hurdle in breast cancer. Mutations to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) arise after continued therapeutic pressure. Next generation selective estrogen receptor modulators and degraders/downregulators (SERMs and SERDs) show clinical efficacy, but responses are often non-durable. A tyrosine to serine point mutation at position 537 in the ERα ligand binding domain (LBD) is among the most common and most pathogenic alteration in this setting. It enables endocrine therapy resistance by superceding intrinsic structural-energetic gatekeepers of ER hormone-dependence, it enhances metastatic burden by enabling neomorphic ER-dependent transcriptional programs, and it resists SERM and SERD inhibiton by reducing their binding affinities and abilities to antagonize transcriptional coregulator binding. However, a subset of SERMs and SERDs can achieve efficacy by adopting poses that force the mutation to engage in a new interaction that favors the therapeutic receptor antagonist conformation. We previously described a chemically unconventional SERM, T6I-29, that demonstrates significant anti-proliferative activities in Y537S ERα breast cancer cells. Here, we use a comprehensive suite of structural-biochemical, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to better T6I-29's activities in breast cancer cells harboring Y537S ERα. RNA sequencing in cells treated with T6I-29 reveals a neomorphic downregulation of DKK1, a secreted glycoprotein known to play oncogenic roles in other cancers. Importantly, we find that DKK1 is significantly enriched in ER+ breast cancer plasma compared to healthy controls. This study shows how new SERMs and SERDs can identify new therapeutic pathways in endocrine-resistant ER+ breast cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K.S. Young
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - G.R. Hancock
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - E. Fink
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - A. Zigrossi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - B. Flowers
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - D.A. Cooper
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - V.T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - M. Martinez
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - K.S. Mon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - M. Bosland
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - D. Zak
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - A. Runde
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - M.N. Sharifi
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705
| | - I. Kastrati
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - D.D.L. Minh
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616
| | - S. Kregel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| | - S.W. Fanning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 50153
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Schneeweiss A, Brucker SY, Huebner H, Volmer LL, Hack CC, Seitz K, Ruebner M, Heublein S, Thewes V, Lüftner D, Lux MP, Jurhasz-Böss I, Taran FA, Wimberger P, Anetsberger D, Beierlein M, Schmidt M, Radosa J, Müller V, Janni W, Rack B, Belleville E, Untch M, Thill M, Ditsch N, Aktas B, Nel I, Kolberg HC, Engerle T, Tesch H, Roos C, Budden C, Neubauer H, Hartkopf AD, Fehm TN, Fasching PA. CDK4/6 Inhibition - Therapy Sequences and the Quest to Find the Best Biomarkers - an Overview of Current Programs. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2024; 84:443-458. [PMID: 38817598 PMCID: PMC11136530 DOI: 10.1055/a-2286-6066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, new targeted therapies have been developed to treat patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer. Some of these therapies have not just become the new therapy standard but also led to significantly longer overall survival rates. The cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have become the therapeutic standard for first-line therapy. Around 70 - 80% of patients are treated with a CDK4/6i. In recent years, a number of biomarkers associated with progression, clonal selection or evolution have been reported for CDK4/6i and their endocrine combination partners. Understanding the mechanisms behind treatment efficacy and resistance is important. A better understanding could contribute to planning the most effective therapeutic sequences and utilizing basic molecular information to overcome endocrine resistance. One study with large numbers of patients which aims to elucidate these mechanisms is the Comprehensive Analysis of sPatial, TempORal and molecular patterns of ribociclib efficacy and resistance in advanced Breast Cancer patients (CAPTOR BC) trial. This overview summarizes the latest clinical research on resistance to endocrine therapies, focusing on CDK4/6 inhibitors and discussing current study concepts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schneeweiss
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sara Y. Brucker
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hanna Huebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lea L. Volmer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Carolin C. Hack
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Katharina Seitz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sabine Heublein
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Verena Thewes
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diana Lüftner
- Immanuel Hospital Märkische Schweiz & Immanuel Campus Rüdersdorf, Medical University of Brandenburg Theodor-Fontane, Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael P. Lux
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Frauenklinik St. Louise, Paderborn, St. Josefs-Krankenhaus, Salzkotten, Germany; St. Vincenz Kliniken Salzkotten + Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Ingolf Jurhasz-Böss
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Florin-Andrei Taran
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pauline Wimberger
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Anetsberger
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Milena Beierlein
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marcus Schmidt
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Julia Radosa
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Saarland, Homburg, Germany
| | - Volkmar Müller
- Department of Gynecology, Hamburg-Eppendorf University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Janni
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - Brigitte Rack
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Michael Untch
- Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Breast Cancer Center, Gynecologic Oncology Center, Helios Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marc Thill
- Agaplesion Markus Krankenhaus, Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina Ditsch
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bahriye Aktas
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ivonne Nel
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Tobias Engerle
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans Tesch
- Oncology Practice at Bethanien Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | - Hans Neubauer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreas D. Hartkopf
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tanja N. Fehm
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie, Aachen Bonn Köln Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Peter A. Fasching
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN) Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hancock GR, Gertz J, Jeselsohn R, Fanning SW. Estrogen Receptor Alpha Mutations, Truncations, Heterodimers, and Therapies. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae051. [PMID: 38643482 PMCID: PMC11075793 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Annual breast cancer (BCa) deaths have declined since its apex in 1989 concomitant with widespread adoption of hormone therapies that target estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), the prominent nuclear receptor expressed in ∼80% of BCa. However, up to ∼50% of patients who are ER+ with high-risk disease experience post endocrine therapy relapse and metastasis to distant organs. The vast majority of BCa mortality occurs in this setting, highlighting the inadequacy of current therapies. Genomic abnormalities to ESR1, the gene encoding ERα, emerge under prolonged selective pressure to enable endocrine therapy resistance. These genetic lesions include focal gene amplifications, hotspot missense mutations in the ligand binding domain, truncations, fusions, and complex interactions with other nuclear receptors. Tumor cells utilize aberrant ERα activity to proliferate, spread, and evade therapy in BCa as well as other cancers. Cutting edge studies on ERα structural and transcriptional relationships are being harnessed to produce new therapies that have shown benefits in patients with ESR1 hotspot mutations. In this review we discuss the history of ERα, current research unlocking unknown aspects of ERα signaling including the structural basis for receptor antagonism, and future directions of ESR1 investigation. In addition, we discuss the development of endocrine therapies from their inception to present day and survey new avenues of drug development to improve pharmaceutical profiles, targeting, and efficacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Govinda R Hancock
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60513, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Rinath Jeselsohn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sean W Fanning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60513, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
de Sena Murteira Pinheiro P, Franco LS, Montagnoli TL, Fraga CAM. Molecular hybridization: a powerful tool for multitarget drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:451-470. [PMID: 38456452 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2322990] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The current drug discovery paradigm of 'one drug, multiple targets' has gained attention from both the academic medicinal chemistry community and the pharmaceutical industry. This is in response to the urgent need for effective agents to treat multifactorial chronic diseases. The molecular hybridization strategy is a useful tool that has been widely explored, particularly in the last two decades, for the design of multi-target drugs. AREAS COVERED This review examines the current state of molecular hybridization in guiding the discovery of multitarget small molecules. The article discusses the design strategies and target selection for a multitarget polypharmacology approach to treat various diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, cardiac arrhythmia, endometriosis, and inflammatory diseases. EXPERT OPINION Although the examples discussed highlight the importance of molecular hybridization for the discovery of multitarget bioactive compounds, it is notorious that the literature has focused on specific classes of targets. This may be due to a deep understanding of the pharmacophore features required for target binding, making targets such as histone deacetylases and cholinesterases frequent starting points. However, it is important to encourage the scientific community to explore diverse combinations of targets using the molecular hybridization strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro de Sena Murteira Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva Franco
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tadeu Lima Montagnoli
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alberto Manssour Fraga
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Eerlings R, Gupta P, Lee XY, Nguyen T, El Kharraz S, Handle F, Smeets E, Moris L, Devlies W, Vandewinkel B, Thiry I, Ta DT, Gorkovskiy A, Voordeckers K, Henckaerts E, Pinheiro VB, Claessens F, Verstrepen KJ, Voet A, Helsen C. Rational evolution for altering the ligand preference of estrogen receptor alpha. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4940. [PMID: 38511482 PMCID: PMC10955623 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4940] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α is commonly used in synthetic biology to control the activity of genome editing tools. The activating ligands, estrogens, however, interfere with various cellular processes, thereby limiting the applicability of this receptor. Altering its ligand preference to chemicals of choice solves this hurdle but requires adaptation of unspecified ligand-interacting residues. Here, we provide a solution by combining rational protein design with multi-site-directed mutagenesis and directed evolution of stably integrated variants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This method yielded an estrogen receptor variant, named TERRA, that lost its estrogen responsiveness and became activated by tamoxifen, an anti-estrogenic drug used for breast cancer treatment. This tamoxifen preference of TERRA was maintained in mammalian cells and mice, even when fused to Cre recombinase, expanding the mammalian synthetic biology toolbox. Not only is our platform transferable to engineer ligand preference of any steroid receptor, it can also profile drug-resistance landscapes for steroid receptor-targeted therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roy Eerlings
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of Systems BiologyVIB‐KU Leuven Center for MicrobiologyLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department M2SKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Purvi Gupta
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Modelling and Design, Department of ChemistryKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Xiao Yin Lee
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Tien Nguyen
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Modelling and Design, Department of ChemistryKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Sarah El Kharraz
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Florian Handle
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Elien Smeets
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Lisa Moris
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of UrologyUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Wout Devlies
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of UrologyUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Bram Vandewinkel
- Laboratory of Viral Cell Biology and Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Irina Thiry
- Laboratory of Viral Cell Biology and Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Duy Tien Ta
- Laboratory of Viral Cell Biology and Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Anton Gorkovskiy
- Laboratory of Systems BiologyVIB‐KU Leuven Center for MicrobiologyLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department M2SKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Karin Voordeckers
- Laboratory of Systems BiologyVIB‐KU Leuven Center for MicrobiologyLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department M2SKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Els Henckaerts
- Laboratory of Viral Cell Biology and Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Vitor B. Pinheiro
- KU Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological SciencesRega Institute for Medical ResearchLeuvenBelgium
| | - Frank Claessens
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Kevin J. Verstrepen
- Laboratory of Systems BiologyVIB‐KU Leuven Center for MicrobiologyLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department M2SKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Arnout Voet
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Modelling and Design, Department of ChemistryKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - Christine Helsen
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
De Marchi T, Lai CF, Simmons GM, Goldsbrough I, Harrod A, Lam T, Buluwela L, Kjellström S, Brueffer C, Saal LH, Malmström J, Ali S, Niméus E. Proteomic profiling reveals that ESR1 mutations enhance cyclin-dependent kinase signaling. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6873. [PMID: 38519482 PMCID: PMC10959978 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56412-8] [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: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Three quarters of all breast cancers express the estrogen receptor (ER, ESR1 gene), which promotes tumor growth and constitutes a direct target for endocrine therapies. ESR1 mutations have been implicated in therapy resistance in metastatic breast cancer, in particular to aromatase inhibitors. ESR1 mutations promote constitutive ER activity and affect other signaling pathways, allowing cancer cells to proliferate by employing mechanisms within and without direct regulation by the ER. Although subjected to extensive genetic and transcriptomic analyses, understanding of protein alterations remains poorly investigated. Towards this, we employed an integrated mass spectrometry based proteomic approach to profile the protein and phosphoprotein differences in breast cancer cell lines expressing the frequent Y537N and Y537S ER mutations. Global proteome analysis revealed enrichment of mitotic and immune signaling pathways in ER mutant cells, while phosphoprotein analysis evidenced enriched activity of proliferation associated kinases, in particular CDKs and mTOR. Integration of protein expression and phosphorylation data revealed pathway-dependent discrepancies (motility vs proliferation) that were observed at varying degrees across mutant and wt ER cells. Additionally, protein expression and phosphorylation patterns, while under different regulation, still recapitulated the estrogen-independent phenotype of ER mutant cells. Our study is the first proteome-centric characterization of ESR1 mutant models, out of which we confirm estrogen independence of ER mutants and reveal the enrichment of immune signaling pathways at the proteomic level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso De Marchi
- Division of Surgery, Oncology, and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 22362, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Chun-Fui Lai
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Georgia M Simmons
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Isabella Goldsbrough
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alison Harrod
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Thai Lam
- Division of Surgery, Oncology, and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 22362, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lakjaya Buluwela
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Sven Kjellström
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 22362, Lund, Sweden
- Swedish National Infrastructure for Biological Mass Spectrometry - BioMS, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christian Brueffer
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Medicon Village, 22381, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lao H Saal
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Medicon Village, 22381, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Malmström
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Klinikgatan 32, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Simak Ali
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Emma Niméus
- Division of Surgery, Oncology, and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 22362, Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Parisian AD, Barratt SA, Hodges-Gallagher L, Ortega FE, Peña G, Sapugay J, Robello B, Sun R, Kulp D, Palanisamy GS, Myles DC, Kushner PJ, Harmon CL. Palazestrant (OP-1250), A Complete Estrogen Receptor Antagonist, Inhibits Wild-type and Mutant ER-positive Breast Cancer Models as Monotherapy and in Combination. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:285-300. [PMID: 38102750 PMCID: PMC10911704 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0351] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The estrogen receptor (ER) is a well-established target for the treatment of breast cancer, with the majority of patients presenting as ER-positive (ER+). Endocrine therapy is a mainstay of breast cancer treatment but the development of resistance mutations in response to aromatase inhibitors, poor pharmacokinetic properties of fulvestrant, agonist activity of tamoxifen, and limited benefit for elacestrant leave unmet needs for patients with or without resistance mutations in ESR1, the gene that encodes the ER protein. Here we describe palazestrant (OP-1250), a novel, orally bioavailable complete ER antagonist and selective ER degrader. OP-1250, like fulvestrant, has no agonist activity on the ER and completely blocks estrogen-induced transcriptional activity. In addition, OP-1250 demonstrates favorable biochemical binding affinity, ER degradation, and antiproliferative activity in ER+ breast cancer models that is comparable or superior to other agents of interest. OP-1250 has superior pharmacokinetic properties relative to fulvestrant, including oral bioavailability and brain penetrance, as well as superior performance in wild-type and ESR1-mutant breast cancer xenograft studies. OP-1250 combines well with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors in xenograft studies of ER+ breast cancer models and effectively shrinks intracranially implanted tumors, resulting in prolonged animal survival. With demonstrated preclinical efficacy exceeding fulvestrant in wild-type models, elacestrant in ESR1-mutant models, and tamoxifen in intracranial xenografts, OP-1250 has the potential to benefit patients with ER+ breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Richard Sun
- Olema Pharmaceuticals, San Francisco, California
| | - David Kulp
- Olema Pharmaceuticals, San Francisco, California
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Goldberg J, Qiao N, Guerriero JL, Gross B, Meneksedag Y, Lu YF, Philips AV, Rahman T, Meric-Bernstam F, Roszik J, Chen K, Jeselsohn R, Tolaney SM, Peoples GE, Alatrash G, Mittendorf EA. Estrogen Receptor Mutations as Novel Targets for Immunotherapy in Metastatic Estrogen Receptor-positive Breast Cancer. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:496-504. [PMID: 38335301 PMCID: PMC10883292 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is not considered immunogenic and, to date, has been proven resistant to immunotherapy. Endocrine therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for ER+ breast cancers. However, constitutively activating mutations in the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene can emerge during treatment, rendering tumors resistant to endocrine therapy. Although these mutations represent a pathway of resistance, they also represent a potential source of neoepitopes that can be targeted by immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated ESR1 mutations as novel targets for breast cancer immunotherapy. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified ESR1-derived peptides predicted to form stable complexes with HLA-A*0201. We then validated the binding affinity and stability of the top predicted peptides through in vitro binding and dissociation assays and showed that these peptides bind HLA-A*0201 with high affinity and stability. Using tetramer assays, we confirmed the presence and expansion potential of antigen-specific CTLs from healthy female donors. Finally, using in vitro cytotoxicity assays, we showed the lysis of peptide-pulsed targets and breast cancer cells expressing common ESR1 mutations by expanded antigen-specific CTLs. Ultimately, we identified five peptides derived from the three most common ESR1 mutations (D538G, Y537S, and E380Q) and their associated wild-type peptides, which were the most immunogenic. Overall, these data confirm the immunogenicity of epitopes derived from ESR1 and highlight the potential of these peptides to be targeted by novel immunotherapy strategies. SIGNIFICANCE Estrogen receptor (ESR1) mutations have emerged as a key factor in endocrine therapy resistance. We identified and validated five novel, immunogenic ESR1-derived peptides that could be targeted through vaccine-based immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Goldberg
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Na Qiao
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jennifer L Guerriero
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brett Gross
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Yoshimi F Lu
- McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Anne V Philips
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Tasnim Rahman
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Funda Meric-Bernstam
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jason Roszik
- Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Rinath Jeselsohn
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sara M Tolaney
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Gheath Alatrash
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Department of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Elizabeth A Mittendorf
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ke CH, Lin CN, Lin CS. Hormone, Targeted, and Combinational Therapies for Breast Cancers: From Humans to Dogs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:732. [PMID: 38255807 PMCID: PMC10815110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer in women. In female dogs, canine mammary gland tumor (CMT) is also the leading neoplasm. Comparative oncology indicates similar tumor behaviors between human BCs (HBCs) and CMTs. Therefore, this review summarizes the current research in hormone and targeted therapies and describes the future prospects for HBCs and CMTs. For hormone receptor-expressing BCs, the first medical intervention is hormone therapy. Monoclonal antibodies against Her2 are proposed for the treatment of Her2+ BCs. However, the major obstacle in hormone therapy or monoclonal antibodies is drug resistance. Therefore, increasing alternatives have been developed to overcome these difficulties. We systemically reviewed publications that reported inhibitors targeting certain molecules in BC cells. The various treatment choices for humans decrease mortality in females with BC. However, the development of hormone or targeted therapies in veterinary medicine is still limited. Even though some clinical trials have been proposed, severe side effects and insufficient case numbers might restrict further explorations. This difficulty highlights the urgent need to develop updated hormone/targeted therapy or novel immunotherapies. Therefore, exploring new therapies to provide more precise use in dogs with CMTs will be the focus of future research. Furthermore, due to the similarities shared by humans and dogs, well-planned prospective clinical trials on the use of combinational or novel immunotherapies in dogs with CMTs to obtain solid results for both humans and dogs can be reasonably anticipated in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Hsu Ke
- Sustainable Swine Research Center, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan; (C.-H.K.); (C.-N.L.)
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Nan Lin
- Sustainable Swine Research Center, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan; (C.-H.K.); (C.-N.L.)
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Si Lin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Irani S, Tan W, Li Q, Toy W, Jones C, Gadiya M, Marra A, Katzenellenbogen JA, Carlson KE, Katzenellenbogen BS, Karimi M, Segu Rajappachetty R, Del Priore IS, Reis-Filho JS, Shen Y, Chandarlapaty S. Somatic estrogen receptor α mutations that induce dimerization promote receptor activity and breast cancer proliferation. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e163242. [PMID: 37883178 PMCID: PMC10760953 DOI: 10.1172/jci163242] [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: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiologic activation of estrogen receptor α (ERα) is mediated by estradiol (E2) binding in the ligand-binding pocket of the receptor, repositioning helix 12 (H12) to facilitate binding of coactivator proteins in the unoccupied coactivator binding groove. In breast cancer, activation of ERα is often observed through point mutations that lead to the same H12 repositioning in the absence of E2. Through expanded genetic sequencing of breast cancer patients, we identified a collection of mutations located far from H12 but nonetheless capable of promoting E2-independent transcription and breast cancer cell growth. Using machine learning and computational structure analyses, this set of mutants was inferred to act distinctly from the H12-repositioning mutants and instead was associated with conformational changes across the ERα dimer interface. Through both in vitro and in-cell assays of full-length ERα protein and isolated ligand-binding domain, we found that these mutants promoted ERα dimerization, stability, and nuclear localization. Point mutations that selectively disrupted dimerization abrogated E2-independent transcriptional activity of these dimer-promoting mutants. The results reveal a distinct mechanism for activation of ERα function through enforced receptor dimerization and suggest dimer disruption as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat ER-dependent cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seema Irani
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Wuwei Tan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Qing Li
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Weiyi Toy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Catherine Jones
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mayur Gadiya
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Antonio Marra
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - John A. Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and the Cancer Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Carlson
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and the Cancer Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Benita S. Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and the Cancer Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mostafa Karimi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Ramya Segu Rajappachetty
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Isabella S. Del Priore
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jorge S. Reis-Filho
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yang Shen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering and
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sarat Chandarlapaty
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wang Y, Min J, Deng X, Feng T, Hu H, Guo X, Cheng Y, Xie B, Yang Y, Chen CC, Guo RT, Dong C, Zhou HB. Discovery of novel covalent selective estrogen receptor degraders against endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4963-4982. [PMID: 38045063 PMCID: PMC10692362 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine-resistance remains a major challenge in estrogen receptor α positive (ERα+) breast cancer (BC) treatment and constitutively active somatic mutations in ERα are a common mechanism. There is an urgent need to develop novel drugs with new mode of mechanism to fight endocrine-resistance. Given aberrant ERα activity, we herein report the identification of novel covalent selective estrogen receptor degraders (cSERDs) possessing the advantages of both covalent and degradation strategies. A highly potent cSERD 29c was identified with superior anti-proliferative activity than fulvestrant against a panel of ERα+ breast cancer cell lines including mutant ERα. Crystal structure of ERα‒29c complex alongside intact mass spectrometry revealed that 29c disrupted ERα protein homeostasis through covalent targeting C530 and strong hydrophobic interaction collied on H11, thus enforcing a unique antagonist conformation and driving the ERα degradation. These significant effects of the cSERD on ERα homeostasis, unlike typical ERα degraders that occur directly via long side chains perturbing the morphology of H12, demonstrating a distinct mechanism of action (MoA). In vivo, 29c showed potent antitumor activity in MCF-7 tumor xenograft models and low toxicity. This proof-of-principle study verifies that novel cSERDs offering new opportunities for the development of innovative therapies for endocrine-resistant BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yubo Wang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Tian Feng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hebing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xinyi Guo
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chun-Chi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Wuhan Research Center for Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bai C, Lv Y, Xiong S, Wu S, Qi L, Ren S, Zhu M, Dong H, Shen H, Li Z, Zhu Y, Ye H, Hao H, Xiao Y, Xiang H, Luo G. X-ray crystallography study and optimization of novel benzothiophene analogs as potent selective estrogen receptor covalent antagonists (SERCAs) with improved potency and safety profiles. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106919. [PMID: 37871388 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106919] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine therapy (ET) is a well-validated strategy for estrogen receptor α positive (ERα + ) breast cancer therapy. Despite the clinical success of current standard of care (SoC), endocrine-resistance inevitably emerges and remains a significant medical challenge. Herein, we describe the structural optimization and evaluation of a new series of selective estrogen receptor covalent antagonists (SERCAs) based on benzothiophene scaffold. Among them, compounds 15b and 39d were identified as two highly potent covalent antagonists, which exhibits superior antiproliferation activity than positive controls against MCF-7 cells and shows high selectivity over ERα negative (ERα-) cells. More importantly, their mode of covalent engagement at Cys530 residue was accurately illustrated by a cocrystal structure of 15b-bound ERαY537S (PDB ID: 7WNV) and intact mass spectrometry, respectively. Further in vivo studies demonstrated potent antitumor activity in MCF-7 xenograft mouse model and an improved safety profile. Collectively, these compounds could be promising candidates for future development of the next generation SERCAs for endocrine-resistant ERα + breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengfeng Bai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yang Lv
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Shuangshuang Xiong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Shuangjie Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lin Qi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Shengnan Ren
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Meiqi Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haijuan Dong
- The Public Laboratory Platform, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hongtao Shen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhaoxing Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yinxue Zhu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hui Ye
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haiping Hao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Hua Xiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Guoshun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Venetis K, Pepe F, Pescia C, Cursano G, Criscitiello C, Frascarelli C, Mane E, Russo G, Taurelli Salimbeni B, Troncone G, Guerini Rocco E, Curigliano G, Fusco N, Malapelle U. ESR1 mutations in HR+/HER2-metastatic breast cancer: Enhancing the accuracy of ctDNA testing. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 121:102642. [PMID: 37864956 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102642] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Activating mutations of the estrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1) are common mechanisms of endocrine therapy (ET) resistance in hormone receptor-positive (HR + )/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Recent clinical findings emphasize that both old and new generations of selective ER degraders (SERDs) demonstrate enhanced clinical effectiveness in patients with MBC who have detectable ESR1 mutations via liquid biopsy. This stands in contrast to individuals with MBC carrying these mutations and undergoing conventional endocrine monotherapies like aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Liquid biopsy, particularly the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), has emerged as a promising, minimally invasive alternative to conventional tissue-based testing for identifying ESR1 mutations. Within the context of the PADA-1 and EMERALD trials, distinct molecular methodologies and assays, specifically digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), have been employed to evaluate the mutational status of ESR1 within ctDNA. This manuscript critically examines the advantages and indications of various ctDNA testing methods on liquid biopsy for HR+/HER2-negative MBC. Specifically, we delve into the capabilities of ddPCR and NGS in identifying ESR1 mutations. Each methodology boasts unique strengths and limitations: ddPCR excels in its analytical sensitivity for pinpointing hotspot mutations, while NGS offers comprehensive coverage of the spectrum of ESR1 mutations. The significance of meticulous sample handling and timely analysis is emphasized, acknowledging the transient nature of cfDNA. Furthermore, we underscore the importance of detecting sub-clonal ESR1 mutations, as these variants can exert a pivotal influence on predicting both endocrine therapy resistance and responsiveness to SERDs. In essence, this work discusses the role of ctDNA analysis for detecting ESR1 mutations and their implications in tailoring effective therapeutic strategies for HR+/HER2- MBC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Pepe
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Pescia
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy; School of Pathology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Cursano
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmen Criscitiello
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Frascarelli
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Eltjona Mane
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Russo
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Giancarlo Troncone
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Guerini Rocco
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Huggins RJ, Greene GL. ERα/PR crosstalk is altered in the context of the ERα Y537S mutation and contributes to endocrine therapy-resistant tumor proliferation. NPJ Breast Cancer 2023; 9:96. [PMID: 38036546 PMCID: PMC10689488 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00601-7] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The constitutively active ESR1 Y537S mutation is associated with endocrine therapy (ET) resistance and progression of metastatic breast cancer through its effects on estrogen receptor (ERα) gene regulatory functions. However, the complex relationship between ERα and the progesterone receptor (PR), known as ERα/PR crosstalk, has yet to be characterized in the context of the ERα Y537S mutation. Using proximity ligation assays, we identify an increased physical interaction of ERα and PR in the context of the ERα Y537S mutation, including in the nucleus where this interaction may translate to altered gene expression. As such, more than 30 genes were differentially expressed in both patient tumor and cell line data (MCF7 and/or T47D cells) in the context of the ERα Y537S mutation compared to ERα WT. Of these, IRS1 stood out as a gene of interest, and ERα and PR occupancy at chromatin binding sites along IRS1 were uniquely altered in the context of ERα Y537S. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of IRS1 or treatment with the IRS1 inhibitor NT-157 had a significant anti-proliferative effect in ERα Y537S cell lines, implicating IRS1 as a potential therapeutic target for restoring treatment sensitivity to patients with breast cancers harboring ERα Y537S mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Huggins
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Geoffrey L Greene
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Batra H, Mouabbi JA, Ding Q, Sahin AA, Raso MG. Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast: A Comprehensive Review with Translational Insights. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5491. [PMID: 38001750 PMCID: PMC10670219 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225491] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The second most common breast carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, accounts for approximately 15% of tumors of breast origin. Its incidence has increased in recent times due in part to hormone replacement therapy and improvement in diagnostic modalities. Although believed to arise from the same cell type as their ductal counterpart, invasive lobular carcinomas (ILCs) are a distinct entity with different regulating genetic pathways, characteristic histologies, and different biology. The features most unique to lobular carcinomas include loss of E-Cadherin leading to discohesion and formation of a characteristic single file pattern on histology. Because most of these tumors exhibit estrogen receptor positivity and Her2 neu negativity, endocrine therapy has predominated to treat these tumors. However novel treatments like CDK4/6 inhibitors have shown importance and antibody drug conjugates may be instrumental considering newer categories of Her 2 Low breast tumors. In this narrative review, we explore multiple pathological aspects and translational features of this unique entity. In addition, due to advancement in technologies like spatial transcriptomics and other hi-plex technologies, we have tried to enlist upon the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment and the latest associated findings to better understand the new prospective therapeutic options in the current era of personalized treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harsh Batra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jason Aboudi Mouabbi
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Qingqing Ding
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Q.D.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Aysegul A. Sahin
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Q.D.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Maria Gabriela Raso
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Varisli L, Dancik GM, Tolan V, Vlahopoulos S. Critical Roles of SRC-3 in the Development and Progression of Breast Cancer, Rendering It a Prospective Clinical Target. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5242. [PMID: 37958417 PMCID: PMC10648290 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215242] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BCa) is the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumor in women and is also one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Most breast tumors are hormone-dependent and estrogen signaling plays a critical role in promoting the survival and malignant behaviors of these cells. Estrogen signaling involves ligand-activated cytoplasmic estrogen receptors that translocate to the nucleus with various co-regulators, such as steroid receptor co-activator (SRC) family members, and bind to the promoters of target genes and regulate their expression. SRC-3 is a member of this family that interacts with, and enhances, the transcriptional activity of the ligand activated estrogen receptor. Although SRC-3 has important roles in normal homeostasis and developmental processes, it has been shown to be amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer and to promote malignancy. The malignancy-promoting potential of SRC-3 is diverse and involves both promoting malignant behavior of tumor cells and creating a tumor microenvironment that has an immunosuppressive phenotype. SRC-3 also inhibits the recruitment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with effector function and promotes stemness. Furthermore, SRC-3 is also involved in the development of resistance to hormone therapy and immunotherapy during breast cancer treatment. The versatility of SRC-3 in promoting breast cancer malignancy in this way makes it a good target, and methodical targeting of SRC-3 probably will be important for the success of breast cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lokman Varisli
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science Faculty, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21280, Turkey;
| | - Garrett M. Dancik
- Department of Computer Science, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT 06226, USA;
| | - Veysel Tolan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science Faculty, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21280, Turkey;
| | - Spiros Vlahopoulos
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon & Levadeias 8, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Betz M, Massard V, Gilson P, Witz A, Dardare J, Harlé A, Merlin JL. ESR1 Gene Mutations and Liquid Biopsy in ER-Positive Breast Cancers: A Small Step Forward, a Giant Leap for Personalization of Endocrine Therapy? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5169. [PMID: 37958343 PMCID: PMC10649433 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215169] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The predominant forms of breast cancer (BC) are hormone receptor-positive (HR+) tumors characterized by the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) and/or progesterone receptors (PRs). Patients with HR+ tumors can benefit from endocrine therapy (ET). Three types of ET are approved for the treatment of HR+ BCs and include selective ER modulators, aromatase inhibitors, and selective ER downregulators. ET is the mainstay of adjuvant treatment in the early setting and the backbone of the first-line treatment in an advanced setting; however, the emergence of acquired resistance can lead to cancer recurrence or progression. The mechanisms of ET resistance are often related to the occurrence of mutations in the ESR1 gene, which encodes the ER-alpha protein. As ESR1 mutations are hardly detectable at diagnosis but are present in 30% to 40% of advanced BC (ABC) after treatment, the timeline of testing is crucial. To manage this resistance, ESR1 testing has recently been recommended; in ER+ HER2- ABC and circulating cell-free DNA, so-called liquid biopsy appears to be the most convenient way to detect the emergence of ESR1 mutations. Technically, several options exist, including Next Generation Sequencing and ultra-sensitive PCR-based techniques. In this context, personalization of ET through the surveillance of ESR1 mutations in the plasma of HR+ BC patients throughout the disease course represents an innovative way to improve the standard of care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Betz
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Vincent Massard
- Département d’Oncologie Médicale, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France;
| | - Pauline Gilson
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Andréa Witz
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Julie Dardare
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Alexandre Harlé
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Jean-Louis Merlin
- Département de Biopathologie, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7039 CRAN, Université de Lorraine, 54519 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Blanchard Z, Rush CM, Arnesen S, Vahrenkamp JM, Rodriguez AC, Jarboe EA, Brown C, Chang MEK, Flory MR, Mohammed H, Modzelewska K, Lum DH, Gertz J. Allele-Specific Gene Regulation, Phenotypes, and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Estrogen Receptor Alpha-Mutant Endometrial Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:1023-1036. [PMID: 37363949 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0848] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Activating estrogen receptor alpha (ER; also known as ESR1) mutations are present in primary endometrial and metastatic breast cancers, promoting estrogen-independent activation of the receptor. Functional characterizations in breast cancer have established unique molecular and phenotypic consequences of the receptor, yet the impact of ER mutations in endometrial cancer has not been fully explored. In this study, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to model the clinically prevalent ER-Y537S mutation and compared results with ER-D538G to discover allele-specific differences between ER mutations in endometrial cancer. We found that constitutive activity of mutant ER resulted in changes in the expression of thousands of genes, stemming from combined alterations to ER binding and chromatin accessibility. The unique gene expression programs resulted in ER-mutant cells developing increased cancer-associated phenotypes, including migration, invasion, anchorage-independent growth, and growth in vivo. To uncover potential treatment strategies, we identified ER-associated proteins via Rapid Immunoprecipitation and Mass Spectrometry of Endogenous Proteins and interrogated two candidates, CDK9 and NCOA3. Inhibition of these regulatory proteins resulted in decreased growth and migration, representing potential novel treatment strategies for ER-mutant endometrial cancer. IMPLICATIONS This study provides insight into mutant ER activity in endometrial cancer and identifies potential therapies for women with ER-mutant endometrial cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zannel Blanchard
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Craig M Rush
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Spencer Arnesen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jeffery M Vahrenkamp
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Adriana C Rodriguez
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Elke A Jarboe
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Callie Brown
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Matthew E K Chang
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Mark R Flory
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hisham Mohammed
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Katarzyna Modzelewska
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - David H Lum
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Miziak P, Baran M, Błaszczak E, Przybyszewska-Podstawka A, Kałafut J, Smok-Kalwat J, Dmoszyńska-Graniczka M, Kiełbus M, Stepulak A. Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4689. [PMID: 37835383 PMCID: PMC10572081 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor (ER) signaling is a critical regulator of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in breast cancer (BC) and other hormone-sensitive cancers. In this review, we explore the mechanism of ER-dependent downstream signaling in BC and the role of estrogens as growth factors necessary for cancer invasion and dissemination. The significance of the clinical implications of ER signaling in BC, including the potential of endocrine therapies that target estrogens' synthesis and ER-dependent signal transmission, such as aromatase inhibitors or selective estrogen receptor modulators, is discussed. As a consequence, the challenges associated with the resistance to these therapies resulting from acquired ER mutations and potential strategies to overcome them are the critical point for the new treatment strategies' development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Miziak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Marzena Baran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Ewa Błaszczak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Alicja Przybyszewska-Podstawka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Joanna Kałafut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Jolanta Smok-Kalwat
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Holy Cross Cancer Centre, 3 Artwinskiego Street, 25-734 Kielce, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Dmoszyńska-Graniczka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Michał Kiełbus
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| | - Andrzej Stepulak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.B.); (E.B.); (A.P.-P.); (J.K.); (M.D.-G.)
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Khan S, Lokman NA, Oehler MK, Ricciardelli C, Yool AJ. Reducing the Invasiveness of Low- and High-Grade Endometrial Cancers in Both Primary Human Cancer Biopsies and Cell Lines by the Inhibition of Aquaporin-1 Channels. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4507. [PMID: 37760476 PMCID: PMC10526386 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184507] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin (AQP) channels in endometrial cancer (EC) cells are of interest as pharmacological targets to reduce tumor progression. A panel of compounds, including AQP1 ion channel inhibitors (AqB011 and 5-(phenoxymethyl) furan-2-carbaldehyde, PMFC), were used to test the hypothesis that inhibition of key AQPs can limit the invasiveness of low- and high-grade EC cells. We evaluated the effects on transwell migration in EC cell lines (Ishikawa, MFE-280) and primary EC cells established from surgical tissues (n = 8). Quantitative PCR uncovered classes of AQPs not previously reported in EC that are differentially regulated by hormonal signaling. With estradiol, Ishikawa showed increased AQPs 5, 11, 12, and decreased AQPs 0 and 4; MFE-280 showed increased AQPs 0, 1, 3, 4, 8, and decreased AQP11. Protein expression was confirmed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. AQPs 1, 4, and 11 were colocalized with plasma membrane marker; AQP8 was intracellular in Ishikawa and not detectable in MFE-280. AQP1 ion channel inhibitors (AqB011; PMFC) reduced invasiveness of EC cell lines in transwell chamber and spheroid dispersal assays. In Ishikawa cells, transwell invasiveness was reduced ~41% by 80 µM AqB011 and ~55% by 0.5 mM 5-PMFC. In MFE-280, 5-PMFC inhibited invasion by ~77%. In contrast, proposed inhibitors of AQP water pores (acetazolamide, ginsenoside, KeenMind, TGN-020, IMD-0354) were not effective. Treatments of cultured primary EC cells with AqB011 or PMFC significantly reduced the invasiveness of both low- and high-grade primary EC cells in transwell chambers. We confirmed the tumors expressed moderate to high levels of AQP1 detected by immunohistochemistry, whereas expression levels of AQP4, AQP8, and AQP11 were substantially lower. The anti-invasive potency of AqB011 treatment for EC tumor tissues showed a positive linear correlation with AQP1 expression levels. In summary, AQP1 ion channels are important for motility in both low- and high-grade EC subtypes. Inhibition of AQP1 is a promising strategy to inhibit EC invasiveness and improve patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sidra Khan
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia;
| | - Noor A. Lokman
- Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
| | - Martin K. Oehler
- Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
- Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Carmela Ricciardelli
- Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
| | - Andrea J. Yool
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia;
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Phoenix JT, Budreika A, Kostlan RJ, Hwang JH, Fanning SW, Kregel S. Editorial: Hormone resistance in cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1272932. [PMID: 37693345 PMCID: PMC10484586 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1272932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John T. Phoenix
- Department of Cancer Biology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Audris Budreika
- Department of Cancer Biology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Raymond J. Kostlan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Justin H. Hwang
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sean W. Fanning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Steven Kregel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Huggins RJ, Hosfield D, Ishag-Osman A, Lee K, Ton-That E, Greene GL. Evaluating steroid hormone receptor interactions using the live-cell NanoBRET proximity assay. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.25.550078. [PMID: 37546915 PMCID: PMC10402027 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.25.550078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormone receptors play a crucial role in the development and characterization of the majority of breast cancers. These receptors canonically function through homodimerization, but physical interactions between different hormone receptors play a key role in cell functions as well. The estrogen receptor (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR), for example, are involved in a complex set of interactions known as ERα/PR crosstalk. Here, we developed a valuable panel of nuclear receptor expression plasmids specifically for use in NanoBRET assays to assess nuclear receptor homo- and heterodimerization. We demonstrate the utility of this assay system by assessing ERα/PR physical interaction in the context of the endocrine therapy resistance-associated ERα Y537S mutation. We identify a role of the ERα Y537S mutation beyond that of constitutive activity of the receptor; it also increases ERα/PR crosstalk. In total, the NanoBRET assay provides a novel avenue for investigating hormone receptor crosstalk. Future research may use this system to assess the effects of other clinically significant hormone receptor mutations on hormone receptor crosstalk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Huggins
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David Hosfield
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Amira Ishag-Osman
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Keemin Lee
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Elia Ton-That
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Geoffrey L. Greene
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ferro A, Generali D, Caffo O, Caldara A, De Lisi D, Dipasquale M, Lorenzi M, Monteverdi S, Fedele P, Ciribilli Y. Oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs): The new emperors in breast cancer clinical practice? Semin Oncol 2023; 50:90-101. [PMID: 37673696 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine therapy (ET) targeting estrogen receptor (ER) signaling is still the mainstay treatment option for early or advanced ER-positive breast cancer (BC) and may involve suppressing estrogen production by means of aromatase inhibitors or directly blocking the ER pathway through selective estrogen receptor modulators such as tamoxifen or selective estrogen receptor degraders such as fulvestrant. However, despite the availability of this armamentarium in clinical practice, de novo or acquired resistance to ET is the main cause of endocrine-based treatment failure leading to the progression of the BC. Recent advances in targeting, modulating, and degrading ERs have led to the development of new drugs capable of overcoming intrinsic or acquired ET resistance related to alterations in the ESR1 gene. The new oral selective estrogen receptor degraders, which are capable of reducing ER protein expression and blocking estrogen-dependent and -independent ER signaling, have a broader spectrum of activity against ESR1 mutations and seem to be a promising means of overcoming the failure of standard ET. The aim of this review is to summarize the development of oral selective estrogen receptor degraders, their current status, and their future perspectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Ferro
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy.
| | - Daniele Generali
- UO Patologia Mammaria, Cremona Hospital, ASST Cremona, Italy; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
| | - Orazio Caffo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Italy
| | - Alessia Caldara
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy
| | - Delia De Lisi
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Dipasquale
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy
| | - Martina Lorenzi
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy
| | - Sara Monteverdi
- Medical Oncology, Breast Unit Santa Chiara Hospital, APSS Trento, Largo Medaglie D'Oro, Trento, Italy
| | - Palma Fedele
- Oncology Unit, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, ASL Brindisi, Francavilla Fontana, Italy
| | - Yari Ciribilli
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Povo, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Wu Y, Li Z, Wedn AM, Casey AN, Brown D, Rao SV, Omarjee S, Hooda J, Carroll JS, Gertz J, Atkinson JM, Lee AV, Oesterreich S. FOXA1 Reprogramming Dictates Retinoid X Receptor Response in ESR1-Mutant Breast Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:591-604. [PMID: 36930833 PMCID: PMC10239325 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0516] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor alpha (ER/ESR1) mutations occur in 30% to 40% of endocrine resistant ER-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) is a key pioneer factor mediating ER-chromatin interactions and endocrine response in ER+ breast cancer, but its role in ESR1-mutant breast cancer remains unclear. Our previous FOXA1 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) identified a large portion of redistributed binding sites in T47D genome-edited Y537S and D538G ESR1-mutant cells. Here, we further integrated FOXA1 genomic binding profile with the isogenic ER cistrome, accessible genome, and transcriptome data of T47D cell model. FOXA1 redistribution was significantly associated with transcriptomic alterations caused by ESR1 mutations. Furthermore, in ESR1-mutant cells, FOXA1-binding sites less frequently overlapped with ER, and differential gene expression was less associated with the canonical FOXA1-ER axis. Motif analysis revealed a unique enrichment of retinoid X receptor (RXR) motifs in FOXA1-binding sites of ESR1-mutant cells. Consistently, ESR1-mutant cells were more sensitive to growth stimulation with the RXR agonist LG268. The mutant-specific response was dependent on two RXR isoforms, RXR-α and RXR-β, with a stronger dependency on the latter. In addition, T3, the agonist of thyroid receptor (TR) also showed a similar growth-promoting effect in ESR1-mutant cells. Importantly, RXR antagonist HX531 blocked growth of ESR1-mutant cells and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-derived organoid with an ESR1 D538G mutation. Collectively, our data support the evidence for a stronger RXR response associated with FOXA1 reprograming in ESR1-mutant cells, suggesting development of therapeutic strategies targeting RXR pathways in breast tumors with ESR1 mutation. IMPLICATIONS It provides comprehensive characterization of the role of FOXA1 in ESR1-mutant breast cancer and potential therapeutic strategy through blocking RXR activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Zheqi Li
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Abdalla M. Wedn
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Allison N. Casey
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Daniel Brown
- Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Shalini V. Rao
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Soleilmane Omarjee
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jagmohan Hooda
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Jason S. Carroll
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Atkinson
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Adrian V. Lee
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Steffi Oesterreich
- Women’s Cancer Research Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Arnesen S, Polaski J, Blanchard Z, Osborne K, Welm A, O’Connell R, Gertz J. Estrogen receptor alpha mutations regulate gene expression and cell growth in breast cancer through microRNAs. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad027. [PMID: 37275275 PMCID: PMC10233889 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α (ER) mutations occur in up to 30% of metastatic ER-positive breast cancers. Recent data has shown that ER mutations impact the expression of thousands of genes not typically regulated by wildtype ER. While the majority of these altered genes can be explained by constant activity of mutant ER or genomic changes such as altered ER binding and chromatin accessibility, as much as 33% remain unexplained, indicating the potential for post-transcriptional effects. Here, we explored the role of microRNAs in mutant ER-driven gene regulation and identified several microRNAs that are dysregulated in ER mutant cells. These differentially regulated microRNAs target a significant portion of mutant-specific genes involved in key cellular processes. When the activity of microRNAs is altered using mimics or inhibitors, significant changes are observed in gene expression and cellular proliferation related to mutant ER. An in-depth evaluation of miR-301b led us to discover an important role for PRKD3 in the proliferation of ER mutant cells. Our findings show that microRNAs contribute to mutant ER gene regulation and cellular effects in breast cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Spencer Arnesen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jacob T Polaski
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Zannel Blanchard
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kyle S Osborne
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alana L Welm
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Ryan M O’Connell
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Somsen BA, Sijbesma E, Leysen S, Honzejkova K, Visser EJ, Cossar PJ, Obšil T, Brunsveld L, Ottmann C. Molecular basis and dual ligand regulation of tetrameric Estrogen Receptor α/14-3-3ζ protein complex. J Biol Chem 2023:104855. [PMID: 37224961 PMCID: PMC10302166 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104855] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic strategies targeting Nuclear Receptors (NRs) beyond their endogenous ligand binding pocket have gained significant scientific interest, driven by a need to circumvent problems associated with drug resistance and pharmacological profile. The hub protein 14-3-3 is an endogenous regulator of various NRs, providing a novel entry point for small molecule modulation of NR activity. Exemplified, 14-3-3 binding to the C-terminal F-domain of the Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERα), and small molecule stabilization of the ERα/14-3-3ζ protein complex by the natural product Fusicoccin A (FC-A), was demonstrated to downregulate ERα-mediated breast cancer proliferation. This presents a novel drug discovery approach to target ERα, however, structural and mechanistic insights into ERα/14-3-3 complex formation are lacking. Here, we provide an in-depth molecular understanding of the ERα/14-3-3ζ complex by isolating 14-3-3ζ in complex with an ERα protein construct comprising its Ligand Binding Domain (LBD) and phosphorylated F-domain. Bacterial co-expression and co-purification of the ERα/14-3-3ζ complex, followed by extensive biophysical and structural characterization, revealed a tetrameric complex between the ERα homodimer and the 14-3-3ζ homodimer. 14-3-3ζ binding to ERα, and ERα/14-3-3ζ complex stabilization by FC-A, appeared to be orthogonal to ERα endogenous agonist (E2) binding, E2-induced conformational changes, and cofactor recruitment. Similarly, the ERα antagonist 4-hydroxytamoxifen inhibited cofactor recruitment to the ERα LBD while ERα was bound to 14-3-3ζ. Furthermore, stabilization of the ERα/14-3-3ζ protein complex by FC-A was not influenced by the disease-associated and 4-hydroxytamoxifen resistant ERα-Y537S mutant. Together, these molecular and mechanistic insights provide direction for targeting ERα via the ERα/14-3-3 complex as an alternative drug discovery approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bente A Somsen
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Eline Sijbesma
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Seppe Leysen
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Karolina Honzejkova
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Emira J Visser
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J Cossar
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Tomáš Obšil
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Luc Brunsveld
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Christian Ottmann
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Lu Y, Sheng X, Liu C, Liang Z, Wang X, Liu L, Wen Z, Yang Z, Du Q, Liu W. SERD-NHC-Au(I) complexes for dual targeting ER and TrxR to induce ICD in breast cancer. Pharmacol Res 2023; 190:106731. [PMID: 36933755 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
The development of selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) has brought new ideas for the clinical treatment of ER-positive advanced breast cancer. The successful application of combinational therapy inspired the exploration of other targets to prevent breast cancer progression. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) is an important enzyme that can regulate redox balance in cells and it was considered as a potential target for anticancer treatment. In this study, we firstly combine a clinical SERD candidate--G1T48 (NCT03455270), with a TrxR inhibitor--N-heterocyclic carbene gold(I) [NHC-Au(I)] to form dual targeting complexes that can regulate both signaling pathways. The most efficacious complex 23 exhibited significant antiproliferative profile through degrading ER and inhibiting TrxR activity. Interestingly, it can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) caused by ROS. This is the first evidence to elucidate the role of ER/TrxR-ROS-ICD axis in ER positive breast cancer and this research may inspire new drug development with novel mechanisms. The in vivo xenograft study demonstrated that complex 23 had excellent antiproliferative activity toward MCF-7 cells in mice model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Lu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xinyu Sheng
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, PR China; School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Zhenlin Liang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xin Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Zhenfan Wen
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Zhibin Yang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China; Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R&D, Dali University, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Qianming Du
- General Clinical Research Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, PR China; School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| | - Wukun Liu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China; State key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
PSnpBind-ML: predicting the effect of binding site mutations on protein-ligand binding affinity. J Cheminform 2023; 15:31. [PMID: 36864534 PMCID: PMC9983232 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-023-00701-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein mutations, especially those which occur in the binding site, play an important role in inter-individual drug response and may alter binding affinity and thus impact the drug's efficacy and side effects. Unfortunately, large-scale experimental screening of ligand-binding against protein variants is still time-consuming and expensive. Alternatively, in silico approaches can play a role in guiding those experiments. Methods ranging from computationally cheaper machine learning (ML) to the more expensive molecular dynamics have been applied to accurately predict the mutation effects. However, these effects have been mostly studied on limited and small datasets, while ideally a large dataset of binding affinity changes due to binding site mutations is needed. In this work, we used the PSnpBind database with six hundred thousand docking experiments to train a machine learning model predicting protein-ligand binding affinity for both wild-type proteins and their variants with a single-point mutation in the binding site. A numerical representation of the protein, binding site, mutation, and ligand information was encoded using 256 features, half of them were manually selected based on domain knowledge. A machine learning approach composed of two regression models is proposed, the first predicting wild-type protein-ligand binding affinity while the second predicting the mutated protein-ligand binding affinity. The best performing models reported an RMSE value within 0.5 [Formula: see text] 0.6 kcal/mol-1 on an independent test set with an R2 value of 0.87 [Formula: see text] 0.90. We report an improvement in the prediction performance compared to several reported models developed for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction. The obtained models can be used as a complementary method in early-stage drug discovery. They can be applied to rapidly obtain a better overview of the ligand binding affinity changes across protein variants carried by people in the population and narrow down the search space where more time-demanding methods can be used to identify potential leads that achieve a better affinity for all protein variants.
Collapse
|
37
|
Crucitta S, Ruglioni M, Lorenzini G, Bargagna I, Luculli GI, Albanese I, Bilancio D, Patanè F, Fontana A, Danesi R, Del Re M. CDK4/6 Inhibitors Overcome Endocrine ESR1 Mutation-Related Resistance in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041306. [PMID: 36831647 PMCID: PMC9954458 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
ESR1 mutations contribute to endocrine resistance and occur in a high percentage of hormone-receptor-positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) cases. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) changed the treatment landscape of HR+ mBC, as they are able to overcome estrogen resistance. The present retrospective study investigates the clinical benefit of CDK4/6i in ESR1 mutant HR+ mBC patients treated with a CDK4/6i as first- or second-line therapy. Plasma was collected at baseline prior to CDK4/6i plus hormone therapy as a first- or second-line treatment. Circulating free DNA (cfDNA) was extracted from plasma, and ESR1 mutation analysis was performed on a ddPCR. Statistical analyses were performed to investigate the predictive power of ESR1 mutations and any association with clinical factors. A total of 42 patients with mBC treated with CDK4/6i plus endocrine therapy as first- (n = 35) or second-line (n = 7) were enrolled. Twenty-eight patients received hormonal therapy (AI or tamoxifen) in the adjuvant setting. ESR1 mutation status in blood was associated with shorter median disease-free survival (DFS) (30 vs. 110 months; p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis confirmed ESR1 mutations as independent factors of resistance in adjuvant hormone therapy. On the contrary, no difference in progression-free survival (PFS) was observed in the presence or absence of an ESR1 mutation in patients treated with CDK4/6i as first-line treatment (p = 0.29). No statistically significant correlation between the best response to CDK4/6i and ESR1 mutation was found (p = 0.46). This study indicates that the ESR1 mutation detected in cfDNA is an independent predictive factor of clinical recurrence in the adjuvant setting and that CDK4/6i can overcome ESR1-dependent resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Crucitta
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Martina Ruglioni
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Lorenzini
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Irene Bargagna
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Irene Luculli
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Irene Albanese
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Diana Bilancio
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Patanè
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Fontana
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Romano Danesi
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Marzia Del Re
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Marra A, Trapani D, Ferraro E, Curigliano G. Mechanisms of Endocrine Resistance in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancer Treat Res 2023; 188:219-235. [PMID: 38175348 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-33602-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) accounts for approximately 70% of all breast invasive tumors. Endocrine therapy (ET) represents the standard treatment for HR + BC. Most patients, however, eventually develop resistance to ET, which limits their effectiveness and poses a major challenge for the management of HR + BC. Several mechanisms that contribute to ET resistance have been described. One of the most common mechanisms is the upregulation of alternative signaling pathways that can bypass estrogen dependency, such as activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR as well as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) pathways. Another common mechanism of endocrine resistance is the acquisition of activating mutations of ESR1, which encodes for the estrogen receptor, that lead to structural changes of the receptor, prevent the binding to anti-estrogen drugs and result in constitutive activation of the receptor, even in the absence of estrogens. Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, can also contribute to ET resistance by altering the expression of genes that are involved in estrogen signaling. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance to ET is crucial for the development of new therapies that can overcome resistance and improve outcomes for patients with HR + BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Marra
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
| | - Dario Trapani
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Ferraro
- Breast Cancer Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Grinshpun A, Chen V, Sandusky ZM, Fanning SW, Jeselsohn R. ESR1 activating mutations: From structure to clinical application. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188830. [PMID: 36336145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common type of both early and advanced breast cancer. Estrogen receptor alpha (ER) is a nuclear hormone receptor and a key driver of tumorigenesis and tumor progression in these breast cancers. As such, it is a key treatment target and a biomarker predictive of response to endocrine therapy. Activating ESR1 ligand binding domain mutations engender constitutive/ligand independent transcriptional activities and emerge following prolonged first-line hormone therapy regimens, mainly from aromatase inhibitors. The full scale of the biological and clinical significance of these mutations continue to evolve and additional studies are required to further discern the multimodal effects of these mutations on ER transcription, metastatic propensity, and the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, recent and ongoing studies highlight the potential clinical utility of these mutations as therapeutic targets and dynamic biomarkers. Herein, we review the structure, functional consequences, and clinical implications of the activating ESR1 mutations in advanced estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Grinshpun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America; Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Vincent Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America; Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Zachary M Sandusky
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America; Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana Farber-Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Sean W Fanning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Rinath Jeselsohn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America; Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States of America; Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana Farber-Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Gilad Y, Lonard DM, O’Malley BW. Steroid receptor coactivators - their role in immunity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1079011. [PMID: 36582250 PMCID: PMC9793089 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1079011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid Receptor Coactivators (SRCs) are essential regulators of transcription with a wide range of impact on human physiology and pathology. In immunology, SRCs play multiple roles; they are involved in the regulation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), macrophage (MΦ) activity, lymphoid cells proliferation, development and function, to name just a few. The three SRC family members, SRC-1, SRC-2 and SRC-3, can exert their immunological function either in an independent manner or act in synergy with each other. In certain biological contexts, one SRC family member can compensate for lack of activity of another member, while in other cases one SRC can exert a biological function that competes against the function of another family counterpart. In this review we illustrate the diverse biological functionality of the SRCs with regard to their role in immunity. In the light of recent development of SRC small molecule inhibitors and stimulators, we discuss their potential relevance as modulators of the immunological activity of the SRCs for therapeutic purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yosi Gilad
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
| | - David M. Lonard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
| | - Bert W. O’Malley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,CoRegen, Inc., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Yosi Gilad, ; David M. Lonard, ; Bert W. O’Malley,
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Tsuji J, Li T, Grinshpun A, Coorens T, Russo D, Anderson L, Rees R, Nardone A, Patterson C, Lennon NJ, Cibulskis C, Leshchiner I, Tayob N, Tolaney SM, Tung N, McDonnell DP, Krop IE, Winer EP, Stewart C, Getz G, Jeselsohn R. Clinical Efficacy and Whole-Exome Sequencing of Liquid Biopsies in a Phase IB/II Study of Bazedoxifene and Palbociclib in Advanced Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:5066-5078. [PMID: 36215125 PMCID: PMC9722539 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sensitivity to endocrine therapy (ET) is critical for the clinical benefit from the combination of palbociclib plus ET in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer. Bazedoxifene is a third-generation selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator and selective ER degrader with activity in preclinical models of endocrine-resistant breast cancer, including models harboring ESR1 mutations. Clinical trials in healthy women showed that bazedoxifene is well tolerated. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a phase Ib/II study of bazedoxifene plus palbociclib in patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer who progressed on prior ET (N = 36; NCT02448771). RESULTS The study met its primary endpoint, with a clinical benefit rate of 33.3%, and the safety profile was consistent with what has previously been seen with palbociclib monotherapy. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.6 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.0-7.2]. An activating PIK3CA mutation at baseline was associated with a shorter PFS (HR = 4.4; 95% CI, 1.5-13; P = 0.0026), but activating ESR1 mutations did not impact the PFS. Longitudinal plasma circulating tumor DNA whole-exome sequencing (WES; N = 68 plasma samples) provided an overview of the tumor heterogeneity and the subclonal genetic evolution, and identified actionable mutations acquired during treatment. CONCLUSIONS The combination of palbociclib and bazedoxifene has clinical efficacy and an acceptable safety profile in a heavily pretreated patient population with advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer. These results merit continued investigation of bazedoxifene in breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junko Tsuji
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Albert Grinshpun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tim Coorens
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Douglas Russo
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Leilani Anderson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Rees
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Agostina Nardone
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Niall J. Lennon
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carrie Cibulskis
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Nabihah Tayob
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara M. Tolaney
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nadine Tung
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donald P. McDonnell
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ian E. Krop
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric P. Winer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chip Stewart
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gad Getz
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rinath Jeselsohn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Elacestrant demonstrates strong anti-estrogenic activity in PDX models of estrogen-receptor positive endocrine-resistant and fulvestrant-resistant breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:125. [PMID: 36446866 PMCID: PMC9709100 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00483-1] [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] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The selective oestrogen receptor (ER) degrader (SERD), fulvestrant, is limited in its use for the treatment of breast cancer (BC) by its poor oral bioavailability. Comparison of the orally bioavailable investigational SERD elacestrant, versus fulvestrant, demonstrates both drugs impact tumour growth of ER+ patient-derived xenograft models harbouring several ESR1 mutations but that elacestrant is active after acquired resistance to fulvestrant. In cell line models of endocrine sensitive and resistant breast cancer both drugs impact the ER-cistrome, ER-interactome and transcription of oestrogen-regulated genes similarly, confirming the anti-oestrogenic activity of elacestrant. The addition of elacestrant to CDK4/6 inhibitors enhances the antiproliferative effect compared to monotherapy. Furthermore, elacestrant inhibits the growth of palbociclib-resistant cells. Lastly, resistance to elacestrant involves Type-I and Type-II receptor tyrosine kinases which are amenable to therapeutic targeting. Our data support the wider clinical testing of elacestrant.
Collapse
|
43
|
Çetiner E, Sayın K, Ünal Y. Optimization, spectral characterization, QSAR, and molecular docking analyses of newly designed boron compounds. Struct Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11224-022-02086-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
44
|
Ozyurt R, Ozpolat B. Molecular Mechanisms of Anti-Estrogen Therapy Resistance and Novel Targeted Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5206. [PMID: 36358625 PMCID: PMC9655708 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, constituting one-third of all cancers in women, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Anti-estrogen therapies, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators, significantly improve survival in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC patients, which represents about 70% of cases. However, about 60% of patients inevitably experience intrinsic or acquired resistance to anti-estrogen therapies, representing a major clinical problem that leads to relapse, metastasis, and patient deaths. The resistance mechanisms involve mutations of the direct targets of anti-estrogen therapies, compensatory survival pathways, as well as alterations in the expression of non-coding RNAs (e.g., microRNA) that regulate the activity of survival and signaling pathways. Although cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have significantly improved survival, the efficacy of these therapies alone and in combination with anti-estrogen therapy for advanced ER+ BC, are not curative in advanced and metastatic disease. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms causing treatment resistance is critical for developing highly effective therapies and improving patient survival. This review focuses on the key mechanisms that contribute to anti-estrogen therapy resistance and potential new treatment strategies alone and in combination with anti-estrogen drugs to improve the survival of BC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rumeysa Ozyurt
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Department of Nanomedicine, 6670 Bertner Ave, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Department of Nanomedicine, 6670 Bertner Ave, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Ren P, Tiede C, Fanning SW, Adams T, Speirs V, Nelson ER, Cheng C, Moore TW, Greene GL, Tomlinson D, Selvin PR. Labeling of a mutant estrogen receptor with an Affimer in a breast cancer cell line. Biophys J 2022; 121:3651-3662. [PMID: 35778844 PMCID: PMC9617163 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.06.028] [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: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of the intracellular estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is implicated in 70% of breast cancers. Therefore, it is of considerable interest to image various mutants (L536S, Y537S, D538G) in living cancer cell lines, particularly as a function of various anticancer drugs. We therefore developed a small (13 kDa) Affimer, which, after fluorescent labeling, is able to efficiently label ERα by traveling through temporary pores in the cell membrane, created by the toxin streptolysin O. The Affimer, selected by a phage display, predominantly labels the Y537S mutant and can tell the difference between L536S and D538G mutants. The vast majority of Affimer-ERαY537S is in the nucleus and is capable of an efficient, unrestricted navigation to its target DNA sequence, as visualized by single-molecule fluorescence. The Affimer can also differentiate the effect of selective estrogen receptor modulators. More generally, this is an example of a small binding reagent-an Affimer protein-that can be inserted into living cells with minimal perturbation and high efficiency, to image an endogenous protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pin Ren
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Christian Tiede
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Sean W Fanning
- Department of Cancer Research, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Thomas Adams
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Valerie Speirs
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Erik R Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Anticancer Discovery from Pets to People Theme, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Changfeng Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois
| | - Terry W Moore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois; UI Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois
| | - Geoffrey L Greene
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Darren Tomlinson
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Paul R Selvin
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Luo G, Li X, Lin X, Lu X, Li Z, Xiang H. Novel 11β-substituted estradiol conjugates: Transition from ERα agonizts to effective PROTAC degraders. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 223:106154. [PMID: 35870675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Endocrine therapy is widely used in clinic for breast cancer treatment, but long-term treatment inevitably causes drug resistance. Most of endocrine therapy-resistant breast cancers continue to depend on ERα signaling for growth and survival. In this regard, small molecule-induced ERα degradation, i.e. proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), represents an effective strategy to overcome endocrine resistance. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel ERα-targeting PROTACs, wherein a E3 ligase ligand was attached to the 11β-position of estradiol via various linkers. Our efforts have identified a potent ERα PROTAC 15b that achieved excellent ERα degradation activity (DC50 = 67 nM) and induced comparable inhibition of cell growth to that of fulvestrant in MCF-7 cells. Besides, 15b displayed antagonistic effects in uterine cells and favorable physicochemical properties, making it as a good lead compound for further development as anti-breast agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guoshun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Xinyu Li
- School of Life and Health Sciences and Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Xin Lin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiang Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhenbang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hua Xiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Bean ML, Alkohaif RA, Anbari A, Fedraw CP, Ghantasala V, Gojcaj F, Hanein P, Harris MR, Kim D, Proffett DLD, Husseini MH, James EA, O'Rourke BM, Sareini LH, Livezey MR. Computational approaches to identify a novel binding site of BHPI on estrogen receptor alpha. Steroids 2022; 186:109075. [PMID: 35792153 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2022.109075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
3,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-methyl-1,3,dihydro-2H-indol-2-one (BHPI) is a biomodulator of Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERα) that targets ERα positive cancer cells by activating the unfolded protein response (UPR). BHPI induces strong and sustained activation of this pathway, eventually resulting in necrotic cell death. While much is known about how BHPI triggers the UPR leading to necrotic cell death, it is not known how BHPI binds to its putative molecular target, ERα. In an effort to identify the binding site of BHPI on ERα, molecular docking studies in AutoDock Vina were utilized. Unexpectedly, BHPI was found to dock more frequently and with significantly better binding affinity to a newly described surface pocket on the ERα ligand-binding domain, compared to the ligand-binding pocket. This work uncovers a novel binding site for small molecules on ERα that is not targeted by classical ligands, such as estrogen and tamoxifen, and may allow for the design of additional anti-cancer drugs that work in distinct ways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Bean
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US; Meharry Medical College. 1005 Dr DB Todd Jr Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, US
| | - Reham A Alkohaif
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Ahed Anbari
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Caela P Fedraw
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Vishnu Ghantasala
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Florina Gojcaj
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Philopateer Hanein
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Myles R Harris
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Dennis Kim
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | | | - Mahdi H Husseini
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Elizabeth A James
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US; Xavier University of Louisiana. 1 Drexel Dr, New Orleans, LA 70125, US
| | - Brendan M O'Rourke
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Laila H Sareini
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US
| | - Mara R Livezey
- University of Detroit Mercy. 4001 W. McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, US.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Mathur R, Jha NK, Saini G, Jha SK, Shukla SP, Filipejová Z, Kesari KK, Iqbal D, Nand P, Upadhye VJ, Jha AK, Roychoudhury S, Slama P. Epigenetic factors in breast cancer therapy. Front Genet 2022; 13:886487. [PMID: 36212140 PMCID: PMC9539821 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.886487] [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: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are inherited differences in cellular phenotypes, such as cell gene expression alterations, that occur during somatic cell divisions (also, in rare circumstances, in germ line transmission), but no alterations to the DNA sequence are involved. Histone alterations, polycomb/trithorax associated proteins, short non-coding or short RNAs, long non—coding RNAs (lncRNAs), & DNA methylation are just a few biological processes involved in epigenetic events. These various modifications are intricately linked. The transcriptional potential of genes is closely conditioned by epigenetic control, which is crucial in normal growth and development. Epigenetic mechanisms transmit genomic adaptation to an environment, resulting in a specific phenotype. The purpose of this systematic review is to glance at the roles of Estrogen signalling, polycomb/trithorax associated proteins, DNA methylation in breast cancer progression, as well as epigenetic mechanisms in breast cancer therapy, with an emphasis on functionality, regulatory factors, therapeutic value, and future challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Runjhun Mathur
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
- Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied and Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Gaurav Saini
- Department of Civil Engineering, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Delhi, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Sheo Prasad Shukla
- Department of Civil Engineering, Rajkiya Engineering College, Banda, India
| | - Zita Filipejová
- Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | | | - Danish Iqbal
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia
- Health and Basic Sciences Research Center, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Parma Nand
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Vijay Jagdish Upadhye
- Center of Research for Development (CR4D), Parul Institute of Applied Sciences (PIAS), Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat
| | - Abhimanyu Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
- *Correspondence: Abhimanyu Kumar Jha, ; Shubhadeep Roychoudhury,
| | - Shubhadeep Roychoudhury
- Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, India
- *Correspondence: Abhimanyu Kumar Jha, ; Shubhadeep Roychoudhury,
| | - Petr Slama
- Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology, and Genetics, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czechia
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Caciolla J, Martini S, Spinello A, Belluti F, Bisi A, Zaffaroni N, Magistrato A, Gobbi S. Single-digit nanomolar inhibitors lock the aromatase active site via a dualsteric targeting strategy. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 244:114802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
|
50
|
Downton T, Zhou F, Segara D, Jeselsohn R, Lim E. Oral Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs) in Breast Cancer: Advances, Challenges, and Current Status. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:2933-2948. [PMID: 36081610 PMCID: PMC9447452 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s380925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several endocrine therapies are currently available for the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer, but the clinical benefit of these agents is limited by endocrine therapy drug resistance. A common mechanism of endocrine therapy resistance is ESR1 mutations. The first-generation selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) fulvestrant has activity against ESR1 mutant tumors but requires intramuscular injection and has poor bioavailability that precludes optimal drug dosing. This led to the development of second-generation SERDs which are potent and have improved oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics. Several of these oral SERDs are now in phase III trials in both the early and advanced ER positive breast cancer settings. This review summarizes the background of oral SERD development, the current status and future perspectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teesha Downton
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fiona Zhou
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Davendra Segara
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Elgene Lim
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Correspondence: Elgene Lim, Tel +61 2 9355 5600, Fax +61 2 9355 5602, Email
| |
Collapse
|