scholarly journals A Multipronged Screening Approach Targeting Inhibition of ETV6 PNT Domain Polymerization

2020 ◽  
pp. 247255522097959
Author(s):  
Chloe A. N. Gerak ◽  
Si Miao Zhang ◽  
Aruna D. Balgi ◽  
Ivan J. Sadowski ◽  
Richard B. Sessions ◽  
...  

ETV6 is an ETS family transcriptional repressor for which head-to-tail polymerization of its PNT domain facilitates cooperative binding to DNA by its ETS domain. Chromosomal translocations frequently fuse the ETV6 PNT domain to one of several protein tyrosine kinases. The resulting chimeric oncoproteins undergo ligand-independent self-association, autophosphorylation, and aberrant stimulation of downstream signaling pathways, leading to a variety of cancers. Currently, no small-molecule inhibitors of ETV6 PNT domain polymerization are known and no assays targeting PNT domain polymerization have been described. In this study, we developed complementary experimental and computational approaches for identifying such inhibitory compounds. One mammalian cellular approach utilized a mutant PNT domain heterodimer system covalently attached to split Gaussia luciferase fragments. In this protein–fragment complementation assay, inhibition of PNT domain heterodimerization reduces luminescence. A yeast assay took advantage of activation of the reporter HIS3 gene upon heterodimerization of mutant PNT domains fused to DNA-binding and transactivation domains. In this two-hybrid screen, inhibition of PNT domain heterodimerization prevents cell growth in medium lacking histidine. The Bristol University Docking Engine (BUDE) was used to identify virtual ligands from the ZINC8 library predicted to bind the PNT domain polymerization interfaces. More than 75 hits from these three assays were tested by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for binding to the purified ETV6 PNT domain. Although none were found to bind, the lessons learned from this study may facilitate future approaches for developing therapeutics that act against ETV6 oncoproteins by disrupting PNT domain polymerization.

Author(s):  
Chloe A. N. Gerak ◽  
Si Miao Zhang ◽  
Aruna D. Balgi ◽  
Ivan J. Sadowski ◽  
Richard B. Sessions ◽  
...  

AbstractETV6 is an ETS family transcriptional repressor for which head-to-tail polymerization of its PNT domain facilitates cooperative binding to DNA by its ETS domain. Chromosomal translocations frequently fuse the ETV6 PNT domain to one of several protein tyrosine kinases. The resulting chimeric oncoproteins undergo ligand-independent self-association, autophosphorylation, and aberrant stimulation of downstream signaling pathways leading to a variety of cancers. Currently, no small molecules inhibitors of ETV6 PNT domain polymerization are known and no assays targeting PNT domain polymerization have been described. In this study, we developed complementary experimental and computational approaches for identifying such inhibitory compounds. One mammalian cellular approach utilized a mutant PNT domain heterodimer system covalently attached to split Gaussia luciferase fragments. In this protein fragment complementation assay, inhibition of PNT domain heterodimerization reduces luminescence. A yeast assay took advantage of activation of the reporter HIS3 gene upon heterodimerization of mutant PNT domains fused to DNA-binding and transactivation domains. In this two-hybrid screen, inhibition of PNT domain heterodimerization prevents cell growth in medium lacking histidine. The Bristol University Docking Engine (BUDE) was used to identify virtual ligands from the ZINC8 library predicted to bind the PNT domain polymerization interfaces. Over 75 hits from these three assays were tested by NMR spectroscopy for binding to the purified ETV6 PNT domain. Although none were found to bind, lessons learned from this study may facilitate future approaches for developing therapeutics that act against ETV6 oncoproteins by disrupting PNT domain polymerization.


2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Rachel Vanderlaan ◽  
Rod Hardy ◽  
Golam Kabir ◽  
Peter Back ◽  
A J Pawson

Background: ShcA, a scaffolding protein, generates signalspecificity by docking to activated tyrosine kinases through distinct phosphotyrosine recognition motifs, while mediating signal complexity through formation of diverse downstream phosphotyrosine complexes. Mammalian ShcA encodes 3 isoforms having a modular architecture of a PTB domain and SH2 domain, separated by a CH1 region containing tyrosine phosphorylation sites important in Ras-MAPK activation. Objective and Methods: ShcA has a necessary role in cardiovascular development^1,2. However, the role of ShcA in the adult myocardium is largely unknown, also unclear, is how ShcA uses its signaling modules to mediate downstream signaling. To this end, cre/loxP technology was employed to generate a conditional ShcA allele series. The myocardial specific ShcA KO (ShcA CKO) and myocardial restricted domain mutant KI mice were generated using cre expressed from the mlc2v locus^3 coupled with the ShcA floxed allele and in combination with the individual ShcA domain mutant KI alleles^2. Results: ShcACKO mice develop a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype by 3 months of life, typified by depressed cardiac function and enlarged chamber dimensions. Isolated cardiomyocytes from ShcA CKO mice have preserved contractility indicating an uncoupling between global heart function and single myocyte contractile mechanics. Force-length experiments suggest that the loss of shcAmediates the uncoupling through deregulation of extracellular matrix interactions. Subsequent, analysis of the ShcA myocardial restricted domain mutant KImice suggests that ShcA requires PTB domain docking to upstream tyrosine kinases and subsequent phosphorylation of the CH1 tyrosines important for downstream signaling. Conclusion: ShcA is required for proper maintenance of cardiac function, possibly regulation of extracellular matrix interactions. References: 1. Lai KV, Pawson AJ. The ShcA phosphotyrosine docking protein sensitizescardiovascular signaling in the mouse embryo. Genes and Dev 2000;14:1132-45. 2. Hardy WR. et al. Combinatorial ShcA docking interactions supportdiversity in tissue morphogenesis. Science2007;317:251-6. 3.Minamisawa, s. et al. A post-transcriptional compensatory pathway inheterozygous ventricular myosin light chain 2-deficient mice results in lack ofgene dosage effect during normal cardiac growth or hypertrophy. J Biol Chem 1999;274:10066-70.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renfang Song ◽  
Samir S. El-Dahr ◽  
Ihor V. Yosypiv

The kidney plays a fundamental role in the regulation of arterial blood pressure and fluid/electrolyte homeostasis. As congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) constitute one of the most common human birth defects, improved understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to CAKUT is critical. Accumulating evidence indicates that aberrant signaling via receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is causally linked to CAKUT. Upon activation by their ligands, RTKs dimerize, undergo autophosphorylation on specific tyrosine residues, and interact with adaptor proteins to activate intracellular signal transduction pathways that regulate diverse cell behaviours such as cell proliferation, survival, and movement. Here, we review the current understanding of role of RTKs and their downstream signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of CAKUT.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 6364-6373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheri L. Moores ◽  
Laura M. Selfors ◽  
Jessica Fredericks ◽  
Timo Breit ◽  
Keiko Fujikawa ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Vav proteins are guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rho family GTPases which activate pathways leading to actin cytoskeletal rearrangements and transcriptional alterations. Vav proteins contain several protein binding domains which can link cell surface receptors to downstream signaling proteins. Vav1 is expressed exclusively in hematopoietic cells and tyrosine phosphorylated in response to activation of multiple cell surface receptors. However, it is not known whether the recently identified isoforms Vav2 and Vav3, which are broadly expressed, can couple with similar classes of receptors, nor is it known whether all Vav isoforms possess identical functional activities. We expressed Vav1, Vav2, and Vav3 at equivalent levels to directly compare the responses of the Vav proteins to receptor activation. Although each Vav isoform was tyrosine phosphorylated upon activation of representative receptor tyrosine kinases, integrin, and lymphocyte antigen receptors, we found unique aspects of Vav protein coupling in each receptor pathway. Each Vav protein coprecipitated with activated epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors, and multiple phosphorylated tyrosine residues on the PDGF receptor were able to mediate Vav2 tyrosine phosphorylation. Integrin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Vav proteins was not detected in nonhematopoietic cells unless the protein tyrosine kinase Syk was also expressed, suggesting that integrin activation of Vav proteins may be restricted to cell types that express particular tyrosine kinases. In addition, we found that Vav1, but not Vav2 or Vav3, can efficiently cooperate with T-cell receptor signaling to enhance NFAT-dependent transcription, while Vav1 and Vav3, but not Vav2, can enhance NFκB-dependent transcription. Thus, although each Vav isoform can respond to similar cell surface receptors, there are isoform-specific differences in their activation of downstream signaling pathways.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sareshma Sudhesh Dev ◽  
Syafiq Asnawi Zainal Abidin ◽  
Reyhaneh Farghadani ◽  
Iekhsan Othman ◽  
Rakesh Naidu

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are transmembrane cell-surface proteins that act as signal transducers. They regulate essential cellular processes like proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and metabolism. RTK alteration occurs in a broad spectrum of cancers, emphasising its crucial role in cancer progression and as a suitable therapeutic target. The use of small molecule RTK inhibitors however, has been crippled by the emergence of resistance, highlighting the need for a pleiotropic anti-cancer agent that can replace or be used in combination with existing pharmacological agents to enhance treatment efficacy. Curcumin is an attractive therapeutic agent mainly due to its potent anti-cancer effects, extensive range of targets and minimal toxicity. Out of the numerous documented targets of curcumin, RTKs appear to be one of the main nodes of curcumin-mediated inhibition. Many studies have found that curcumin influences RTK activation and their downstream signaling pathways resulting in increased apoptosis, decreased proliferation and decreased migration in cancer both in vitro and in vivo. This review focused on how curcumin exhibits anti-cancer effects through inhibition of RTKs and downstream signaling pathways like the MAPK, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT, and NF-κB pathways. Combination studies of curcumin and RTK inhibitors were also analysed with emphasis on their common molecular targets.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Cirotti ◽  
Claudia Contadini ◽  
Daniela Barilà

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most recalcitrant brain tumors characterized by a tumor microenvironment (TME) that strongly supports GBM growth, aggressiveness, invasiveness, and resistance to therapy. Importantly, a common feature of GBM is the aberrant activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and of their downstream signaling cascade, including the non-receptor tyrosine kinase SRC. SRC is a central downstream intermediate of many RTKs, which triggers the phosphorylation of many substrates, therefore, promoting the regulation of a wide range of different pathways involved in cell survival, adhesion, proliferation, motility, and angiogenesis. In addition to the aforementioned pathways, SRC constitutive activity promotes and sustains inflammation and metabolic reprogramming concurring with TME development, therefore, actively sustaining tumor growth. Here, we aim to provide an updated picture of the molecular pathways that link SRC to these events in GBM. In addition, SRC targeting strategies are discussed in order to highlight strengths and weaknesses of SRC inhibitors in GBM management, focusing our attention on their potentialities in combination with conventional therapeutic approaches (i.e., temozolomide) to ameliorate therapy effectiveness.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. E630-E638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey Fadeev ◽  
Patricia Mendoza-Garcia ◽  
Uwe Irion ◽  
Jikui Guan ◽  
Kathrin Pfeifer ◽  
...  

Mutations in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are implicated in somatic and familial neuroblastoma, a pediatric tumor of neural crest-derived tissues. Recently, biochemical analyses have identified secreted small ALKAL proteins (FAM150, AUG) as potential ligands for human ALK and the related leukocyte tyrosine kinase (LTK). In the zebrafish Danio rerio, DrLtk, which is similar to human ALK in sequence and domain structure, controls the development of iridophores, neural crest-derived pigment cells. Hence, the zebrafish system allows studying Alk/Ltk and Alkals involvement in neural crest regulation in vivo. Using zebrafish pigment pattern formation, Drosophila eye patterning, and cell culture-based assays, we show that zebrafish Alkals potently activate zebrafish Ltk and human ALK driving downstream signaling events. Overexpression of the three DrAlkals cause ectopic iridophore development, whereas loss-of-function alleles lead to spatially distinct patterns of iridophore loss in zebrafish larvae and adults. alkal loss-of-function triple mutants completely lack iridophores and are larval lethal as is the case for ltk null mutants. Our results provide in vivo evidence of (i) activation of ALK/LTK family receptors by ALKALs and (ii) an involvement of these ligand–receptor complexes in neural crest development.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 4109-4123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan McCabe Pryor ◽  
Mara P. Steinkamp ◽  
Adam M. Halasz ◽  
Ye Chen ◽  
Shujie Yang ◽  
...  

Members of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases are capable of both homointeractions and heterointeractions. Because each receptor has a unique set of binding sites for downstream signaling partners and differential catalytic activity, subtle shifts in their combinatorial interplay may have a large effect on signaling outcomes. The overexpression and mutation of ErbB family members are common in numerous human cancers and shift the balance of activation within the signaling network. Here we report the development of a spatial stochastic model that addresses the dynamics of ErbB3 homodimerization and heterodimerization with ErbB2. The model is based on experimental measures for diffusion, dimer off-rates, kinase activity, and dephosphorylation. We also report computational analysis of ErbB3 mutations, generating the prediction that activating mutations in the intracellular and extracellular domains may be subdivided into classes with distinct underlying mechanisms. We show experimental evidence for an ErbB3 gain-of-function point mutation located in the C-lobe asymmetric dimerization interface, which shows enhanced phosphorylation at low ligand dose associated with increased kinase activity.


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