Retinoid X Receptor agonists as selective modulators of the immune system for the treatment of cancer

Upon heterodimerizing with other nuclear receptors, retinoid X receptors (RXR) act as ligand-dependent transcription factors, regulating transcription of critical signaling pathways that impact numerous hallmarks of cancer. By controlling both inflammation and immune responses, ligands that activate RXR can modulate the tumor microenvironment. Several small molecule agonists of these essential receptors have been synthesized. Historically, RXR agonists were tested for inhibition of growth in cancer cells, but more recent drug discovery programs screen new molecules for inhibition of inflammation or activation of immune cells. Bexarotene is the first successful example of an effective therapeutic that molecularly targets RXR; this drug was approved to treat cutaneous T cell lymphoma and is still used as a standard of care treatment for this disease. No additional RXR agonists have yet achieved FDA approval, but several promising novel compounds are being developed. In this review, we provide an overview of the multiple mechanisms by which RXR signaling regulates inflammation and tumor immunity. We also discuss the potential of RXR-dependent immune cell modulation for the treatment or prevention of cancer and concomitant challenges and opportunities.

Abstract 3648: MSU-42011, alone and in combination with selumetinib, reduces pERK levels in NF1 cancer cells and decreases CCL2 expression in THP-1 macrophages

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common genetic disease that predisposes approximately 50% of affected individuals to develop plexiform neurofibromas (PNFs), which can progress to highly aggressive malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) in approximately 10% of patients. NF1 is caused by mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF1, which encodes for neurofibromin, a negative regulator of RAS activity. Selumetinib, a specific inhibitor of MEK1/2, is the only FDA-approved drug for NF1-associated PNFs. However, the anti-tumor effects of selumetinib are limited in MPNSTs and have dose-limiting side effects. Deficiency of the NF1 gene not only promotes tumorigenesis but also has broad effects on the immune cells and cytokine signaling driven by hyperactive RAS signaling. Because macrophages account for almost half of cells in NF1 lesions and their infiltration highly correlates with disease progression, we hypothesized that targeting tumor-promoting immune cells could be an alternative approach for NF1 treatment. The novel retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist MSU-42011 reduces tumor growth in experimental Kras-driven cancers by decreasing pERK expression, reducing tumor-promoting immune cells like CD206+ macrophages and regulatory T cells, and increasing activated cytotoxic T cells. Here, we tested MSU-42011 and selumetinib, either alone or in combination, to evaluate their efficacy against NF1 cancer cells and macrophages using monoculture and conditioned media (CM) treatments. Treatment with 200 nM MSU-40211, 50 nM selumetinib, and the combination for 3 hours reduced pERK protein levels by approximately 40%, 70% and 90%, respectively vs. untreated controls. Treatment for 72 hours with selumetinib and the combination reduced the viability of PNF cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CM from human PNF cells increased monocyte chemoattractant CCL2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) mRNA expression in human THP1 monocytes and THP1 macrophages differentiated by PMA. Notably, MSU-42011 and selumetinib alone similarly inhibited CCL2 mRNA expression by 25% in THP1 macrophages stimulated with CM from PNF cells, and the inhibition of CCL2 mRNA expression was enhanced to 50% with combination treatment. Taken together, our data suggest that MSU-42011 should be tested in relevant preclinical models of NF1.

Citation Format: Pei-Yu Hung, Lizbeth Lockwood, Karen T. Liby. MSU-42011, alone and in combination with selumetinib, reduces pERK levels in NF1 cancer cells and decreases CCL2 expression in THP-1 macrophages. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3648.

Non-C2-Symmetric Bis-Benzimidazolium Salt Applied in the Synthesis of Sterically Hindered Biaryls

A novel non-C2-symmetric bis-benzimidazolium salt derived from (±)-valinol has been prepared by a simple and straightforward process in good yield. The structure of bis-benzimidazolium salt provided a bulky steric group on the ethylene bridge; which facilitates the catalytic efficacy in the C(sp2)-C(sp2) formation. Its catalytic activity in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of unactivated aryl chlorides has been found to have high efficacy in 1 mol% Pd loading. This protocol demonstrated the potential on the synthesis of sterically hindered biaryls.

Design of Polyproline-Based Catalysts for Ester Hydrolysis

A number of simple oligopeptides have been recently developed as minimalistic catalysts for mimicking the activity and selectivity of natural proteases. Although the arrangement of amino acid residues in natural enzymes provides a strategy for designing artificial enzymes, creating catalysts with efficient binding and catalytic activity is still challenging. In this study, we used the polyproline scaffold and designed a series of 13-residue peptides with a catalytic dyad or triad incorporated to serve as artificial enzymes. Their catalytic efficiency on ester hydrolysis was evaluated by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy using the p-nitrophenyl acetate assay, and their secondary structures were also characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The results indicate that a well-formed polyproline II structure may result in a much higher catalytic efficiency. This is the first report to show that a functional dyad or triad engineered into a polyproline helix framework can enhance the catalytic activity on ester hydrolysis. Our study has also revealed the necessity of maintaining an ordered structure and a well-organized catalytic site for effective biocatalysts.

Proximal GATA-binding sites are essential for human HSD3B1 gene transcription in the placenta

The enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase (3β-HSD) is involved in the synthesis of active steroid hormones. Two human 3β-HSD isoforms are expressed in a tissue-specific pattern. HSD3B1 (type I) expression is essential to produce progesterone for pregnancy maintenance. To understand the mechanisms of human HSD3B1 activation in the placenta, 2.2 kb of 5'-flanking sequence and 5'-deletions were fused to the luciferase reporter gene and transfected into human JEG-3 cells. The proximal -238/+337 sequence had the highest promoter activity. Two GATA elements were identified at -106/-99 and -52/-45. Mutations of either sites greatly reduced promoter activity in JEG-3 cells, demonstrating the importance of GATA sites. EMSA revealed the specific binding of GATA2 and GATA3 to the GATA sequences at -106/-99 and -52/-45. ChIP assays demonstrated the association of GATA2 but not GATA3 with the GATA-binding regions of the HSD3B1 promoter in JEG-3 cells. GATA2 knockdown significantly reduced HSD3B1 expression in JEG-3 cells; however, GATA3 knockdown increased HSD3B1 expression. Western blot analysis revealed high levels of GATA2 but not GATA3 in human placental tissues. This study identified GATA motifs as essential control elements for HSD3B1 transcription and GATA2 as a novel transcriptional regulator of HSD3B1 expression in the human placenta.

Determination of free electron density in sequentially doped InxGa1-xAs by Raman spectroscopy

The advent and exponential growth of mobile computing has spurred greater emphasis on the adoption of III-V compound semiconductors in device architectures. The introduction of high charge carrier densities within InxGa1-xAs and the development of metrologies to quantitate the extent of doping have thus emerged as an urgent imperative. As an amphoteric dopant, Si begins to occupy anionic sites at high concentrations, thereby limiting the maximum carrier density that can be obtained upon Si doping of III-V semiconductors. Here, we present Raman results on sequentially doped In0.53Ga0.47As wherein sulfur monolayer doping is used to introduce additional carrier density to Si-doped samples. The sequential doping of Si and S allows for high carrier concentrations of up to 1.3 × 10(19) cm(-3) to be achieved without damaging the III-V lattice. The coupling of the plasmon in the doped samples to the longitudinal optic phonons allows Raman spectroscopy to serve as an excellent probe of the extent of dopant activation, charge carrier density, and the surface depletion region. In particular, the energy position of a high-frequency coupled mode (HFCM) that is detected above 400 cm(-1) is used to extract the free electron density in these samples. The extracted free electron densities are well correlated with measured sheet resistance values and the carrier densities deduced from Hall measurements.

Chloride molecular doping technique on 2D materials: WS2 and MoS2

Low-resistivity metal-semiconductor (M-S) contact is one of the urgent challenges in the research of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Here, we report a chloride molecular doping technique which greatly reduces the contact resistance (Rc) in the few-layer WS2 and MoS2. After doping, the Rc of WS2 and MoS2 have been decreased to 0.7 kΩ·μm and 0.5 kΩ·μm, respectively. The significant reduction of the Rc is attributed to the achieved high electron-doping density, thus a significant reduction of Schottky barrier width. As a proof-of-concept, high-performance few-layer WS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) are demonstrated, exhibiting a high drain current of 380 μA/μm, an on/off ratio of 4 × 10(6), and a peak field-effect mobility of 60 cm(2)/(V·s). This doping technique provides a highly viable route to diminish the Rc in TMDs, paving the way for high-performance 2D nanoelectronic devices.

Acute hemiplegia associated with herpes zoster infection in children: report of one case

Herpes zoster infection has been rarely reported to cause angiitis of the central nervous system in children. We describe a 4-year, 8-month-old female with acute hemiplegia and central facial palsy 6 weeks after she had had zoster ophthalmicus. The findings of magnetic resonance angiography, the clinical picture, and a preceding history of herpes zoster ophthalmicus suggested zoster vasculitis. Herpes zoster vasculitis is thus another consideration when examining a child with acute hemiplegia and a recent herpes zoster infection.

The nu(1) + nu(5) Band of HCCN: Determination of the nu(5) Vibrational Energy

The high-resolution infrared spectrum of HCCN in the region 3323-3383 cm(-1) was observed by infrared kinetic spectroscopy. The band observed is assigned as nu(1) + nu(5) of the quasilinear molecule HCCN with its origin at 3355.500(2) cm(-1). Combining this number with the band origin of the previously investigated nu(1) + nu(5) - nu(5) spectrum, the energy of the lowest excited state with angular momentum about the a axis, nu(5), is determined to be 128.907(2) cm(-1). This value is lower than the results obtained by means of relative intensity measurements on the millimeter-wave spectra (145 +/- 15 cm(-1)) or from similar relative intensity measurements on the IR spectra (187 +/- 20 cm(-1)). The present value of the energy of nu(5) predicts a barrier to linearity of 300 cm(-1) similar to 280 cm(-1) obtained from the corresponding band of DCCN and comparable to 277 cm(-1) from the quantum chemistry calculation by Seidl and Schaefer [J. Chem. Phys. 96, 4449-4452 (1992)]. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.