scholarly journals Patterns of substrate affinity, competition, and degradation kinetics underlie biological activity of thalidomide analogs

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam S. Sperling ◽  
Michael Burgess ◽  
Hasmik Keshishian ◽  
Jessica A. Gasser ◽  
Shruti Bhatt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Degradation Kinetics ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Clinical Activity ◽  
Substrate Affinity ◽  
Cell Type Specificity ◽  
Drug Dependent

Abstract Pharmacologic agents that modulate ubiquitin ligase activity to induce protein degradation are a major new class of therapeutic agents, active in a number of hematologic malignancies. However, we currently have a limited understanding of the determinants of activity of these agents and how resistance develops. We developed and used a novel quantitative, targeted mass spectrometry (MS) assay to determine the relative activities, kinetics, and cell-type specificity of thalidomide and 4 analogs, all but 1 of which are in clinical use or clinical trials for hematologic malignancies. Thalidomide analogs bind the CRL4CRBN ubiquitin ligase and induce degradation of particular proteins, but each of the molecules studied has distinct patterns of substrate specificity that likely underlie the clinical activity and toxicities of each drug. Our results demonstrate that the activity of molecules that induce protein degradation depends on the strength of ligase-substrate interaction in the presence of drug, the levels of the ubiquitin ligase, and the expression level of competing substrates. These findings highlight a novel mechanism of resistance to this class of drugs mediated by competition between substrates for access to a limiting pool of the ubiquitin ligase. We demonstrate that increased expression of a nonessential substrate can lead to decreased degradation of other substrates that are critical for antineoplastic activity of the drug, resulting in drug resistance. These studies provide general rules that govern drug-dependent substrate degradation and key differences between thalidomide analog activity in vitro and in vivo.

scholarly journals E3 Ubiquitin Ligase SPL2 Is a Lanthanide-Binding Protein

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5712
Author(s):  
Michał Tracz ◽  
Ireneusz Górniak ◽  
Andrzej Szczepaniak ◽  
Wojciech Białek
Keyword(s):  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Lanthanide Ions ◽  
E3 Ligases ◽  
Fluorescence Measurements ◽  
Partial Unfolding

The SPL2 protein is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of unknown function. It is one of only three types of E3 ligases found in the outer membrane of plant chloroplasts. In this study, we show that the cytosolic fragment of SPL2 binds lanthanide ions, as evidenced by fluorescence measurements and circular dichroism spectroscopy. We also report that SPL2 undergoes conformational changes upon binding of both Ca2+ and La3+, as evidenced by its partial unfolding. However, these structural rearrangements do not interfere with SPL2 enzymatic activity, as the protein retains its ability to auto-ubiquitinate in vitro. The possible applications of lanthanide-based probes to identify protein interactions in vivo are also discussed. Taken together, the results of this study reveal that the SPL2 protein contains a lanthanide-binding site, showing for the first time that at least some E3 ubiquitin ligases are also capable of binding lanthanide ions.

scholarly journals Autophagy induction in atrophic muscle cells requires ULK1 activation by TRIM32 through unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin chains

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. eaau8857 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Di Rienzo ◽  
M. Antonioli ◽  
C. Fusco ◽  
Y. Liu ◽  
M. Mari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Models ◽  
Muscle Atrophy ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Muscle Dystrophy ◽  
Polyubiquitin Chains ◽  
Autophagy Induction ◽  
Atrophic Muscle ◽  
Autophagic Activity

Optimal autophagic activity is crucial to maintain muscle integrity, with either reduced or excessive levels leading to specific myopathies. LGMD2H is a muscle dystrophy caused by mutations in the ubiquitin ligase TRIM32, whose function in muscles remains not fully understood. Here, we show that TRIM32 is required for the induction of muscle autophagy in atrophic conditions using both in vitro and in vivo mouse models. Trim32 inhibition results in a defective autophagy response to muscle atrophy, associated with increased ROS and MuRF1 levels. The proautophagic function of TRIM32 relies on its ability to bind the autophagy proteins AMBRA1 and ULK1 and stimulate ULK1 activity via unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin. LGMD2H-causative mutations impair TRIM32’s ability to bind ULK1 and induce autophagy. Collectively, our study revealed a role for TRIM32 in the regulation of muscle autophagy in response to atrophic stimuli, uncovering a previously unidentified mechanism by which ubiquitin ligases activate autophagy regulators.

Turnover of total proteins and ornithine aminotransferase during liver regeneration in rats

1980 ◽  
Vol 238 (1) ◽  
pp. E46-E52
Author(s):  
S. L. Augustine ◽  
R. W. Swick
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Liver Regeneration ◽  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Partial Hepatectomy ◽  
Free Amino ◽  
Liver Protein ◽  
Ornithine Aminotransferase ◽  
Fractional Rate

The recovery of approximately 40% of the total liver protein during the first day after partial hepatectomy was shown to be due to the near cessation of protein breakdown rather than to an increase in protein synthesis. The decrease in degradation of total protein was less if rats were adrenalectomized or protein-depleted prior to partial hepatectomy. The effect of these treatments originally suggested that changes in free amino acid levels in liver might be related to the rate of protein degradation. However, no correlation was found between levels of total free amino acids and rates of breakdown. Measurements of individual amino acids during liver regeneration suggested that levels of free methionine and phenylalanine, amino acids that have been found to lower rates of protein degradation in vitro, are not correlated with rates of breakdown in vivo. The difference between the fractional rate of ornithine aminotransferase degradation (0.68/day and 0.28/day in sham-hepatectomized and partially hepatectomized rats, respectively) was sufficient to account for the higher level of this protein 3 days after surgery in the latter group.

scholarly journals Photocontrollable PROTAC molecules: Structure and mechanism of action

2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-176
Author(s):  
Mladen Koravović ◽  
Gordana Tasić ◽  
Milena Rmandić ◽  
Bojan Marković
Keyword(s):  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Drug Binding ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Protein Activity ◽  
Target Drug ◽  
Traditional Drug

Traditional drug discovery strategies are usually focused on occupancy of binding sites that directly affect functions of proteins. Hence, proteins that lack such binding sites are generally considered pharmacologically intractable. Modulators of protein activity, especially inhibitors, must be applied in appropriate dosage regimens that often lead to high systemic drug exposures in order to maintain sufficient protein inhibition in vivo. Consequently, there is a risk of undesirable off-target drug binding and side effects. Recently, PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology has emerged as a new pharmacological modality that exploits PROTAC molecules for induced protein degradation. PROTAC molecule is a heterobifunctional structure consisting of a ligand that binds a protein of interest (POI), a ligand for recruiting an E3 ubiquitin ligase (an enzyme involved in the POI ubiquitination) and a linker that connects these two. After POI-PROTAC-E3 ubiquitin ligase ternary complex formation, the POI undergoes ubiquitination (an enzymatic post-translational modification in which ubiquitin is attached to the POI) and degradation. By merging the principles of photopharmacology and PROTAC technology, photocontrollable PROTACs for spatiotemporal control of induced protein degradation have recently emerged. The main advantage of photocontrollable over conventional PROTACs is the possible prevention of off-target toxicity thanks to local photoactivation.

scholarly journals CSNK2 in cancer: pathophysiology and translational applications

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott W. Strum ◽  
Laszlo Gyenis ◽  
David W. Litchfield
Keyword(s):  
Human Cancer ◽  
Cell Cycle Control ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Extensive Body

AbstractProtein kinase CSNK2 (CK2) is a pleiotropic serine/threonine kinase frequently dysregulated in solid and hematologic malignancies. To consolidate a wide range of biological and clinically oriented data from this unique kinase in cancer, this systematic review summarises existing knowledge from in vitro, in vivo and pre-clinical studies on CSNK2 across 24 different human cancer types. CSNK2 mRNA transcripts, protein levels and activity were found to be routinely upregulated in cancer, and commonly identified phosphotargets included AKT, STAT3, RELA, PTEN and TP53. Phenotypically, it frequently influenced evasion of apoptosis, enhancement of proliferation, cell invasion/metastasis and cell cycle control. Clinically, it held prognostic significance across 14 different cancers, and its inhibition in xenograft experiments resulted in a positive treatment response in 12. In conjunction with commentary on preliminary studies of CSNK2 inhibitors in humans, this review harmonises an extensive body of CSNK2 data in cancer and reinforces its emergence as an attractive target for cancer therapy. Continuing to investigate CSNK2 will be crucial to advancing our understanding of CSNK2 biology, and offers the promise of important new discoveries scientifically and clinically.

scholarly journals Vγ9Vδ2 T cells as a promising innovative tool for immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 211
Author(s):  
Serena Meraviglia ◽  
Carmela La Mendola ◽  
Valentina Orlando ◽  
Francesco Scarpa ◽  
Giuseppe Cicero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Lymphocytes ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Γδ T Cells ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Cytolytic Activity ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Stressed Cells

The potent anti-tumor activities of γδ T cells, their ability to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, and their strong cytolytic activity have prompted the development of protocols in which γδ agonists or ex vivo-expanded γδ cells are administered to tumor patients. γδ T cells can be selectively activated by either synthetic phosphoantigens or by drugs that enhance their accumulation into stressed cells as aminobisphosphonates, thus offering new avenues for the development of γδ T cell-based immunotherapies. The recent development of small drugs selectively activating Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes, which upregulate the endogenous phosphoantigens, has enabled the investigators to design the experimental approaches of cancer immunotherapies; several ongoing phase I and II clinical trials are focused on the role of the direct bioactivity of drugs and of adoptive cell therapies involving phosphoantigen- or aminobisphosphonate-activated Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes in humans. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in the activation/expansion of γδ T cells in vitro and in vivo that may represent a promising target for the design of novel and highly innovative immunotherapy in patients with hematologic malignancies.<br />

CBL mutations drive PI3K/AKT signaling via increased interaction with LYN and PIK3R1

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Belizaire ◽  
Sebastian Hassan John Koochaki ◽  
Namrata D. Udeshi ◽  
Alexis Vedder ◽  
Lei Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Mutant Cell ◽  
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Akt Signaling ◽  
Allelic Series ◽  
Genetic Ablation

CBL encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase and signaling adaptor that regulates receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases. Recurrent CBL mutations occur in myeloid neoplasms, including 10-20% of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) cases, and selectively disrupt the protein's E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. CBL mutations have been associated with poor prognosis, but the oncogenic mechanisms and therapeutic implications of CBL mutations remain incompletely understood. We combined functional assays and global mass spectrometry to define the phosphoproteome, CBL interactome, and mechanism of signaling activation in a panel of cell lines expressing an allelic series of CBL mutations. Our analyses revealed that increased LYN activation and interaction with mutant CBL are key drivers of enhanced CBL phosphorylation, PIK3R1 recruitment, and downstream PI3K/AKT signaling in CBL-mutant cells. Signaling adaptor domains of CBL, including the tyrosine-kinase binding domain, proline-rich region, and C-terminal phosphotyrosine sites, were all required for the oncogenic function of CBL mutants. Genetic ablation or dasatinib-mediated inhibition of LYN reduced CBL phosphorylation, CBL-PIK3R1 interaction, and PI3K/AKT signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrated in vitro and in vivo antiproliferative efficacy of dasatinib in CBL-mutant cell lines and primary CMML. Overall, these mechanistic insights into the molecular function of CBL mutations provide rationale to explore the therapeutic potential of LYN inhibition in CBL-mutant myeloid malignancies.

scholarly journals Assay Systems for Profiling Deubiquitinating Activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5638
Author(s):  
Jinhong Cho ◽  
Jinyoung Park ◽  
Eunice EunKyeong Kim ◽  
Eun Joo Song
Keyword(s):  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Live Cells ◽  
Deubiquitinating Enzyme ◽  
Protein Protein Interactions ◽  
Deubiquitinating Enzymes ◽  
Cell Lysates ◽  
Cellular Processes

Deubiquitinating enzymes regulate various cellular processes, particularly protein degradation, localization, and protein–protein interactions. The dysregulation of deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) activity has been linked to several diseases; however, the function of many DUBs has not been identified. Therefore, the development of methods to assess DUB activity is important to identify novel DUBs, characterize DUB selectivity, and profile dynamic DUB substrates. Here, we review various methods of evaluating DUB activity using cell lysates or purified DUBs, as well as the types of probes used in these methods. In addition, we introduce some techniques that can deliver DUB probes into the cells and cell-permeable activity-based probes to directly visualize and quantify DUB activity in live cells. This review could contribute to the development of DUB inhibitors by providing important information on the characteristics and applications of various probes used to evaluate and detect DUB activity in vitro and in vivo.

scholarly journals Pre-clinical activity of combined LSD1 and mTORC1 inhibition in MLL-translocated acute myeloid leukaemia

Leukemia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1266-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gauri Deb ◽  
Bettina Wingelhofer ◽  
Fabio M. R. Amaral ◽  
Alba Maiques-Diaz ◽  
John A. Chadwick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia ◽  
Myeloid Leukaemia ◽  
Residual Disease ◽  
Molecular Subtype ◽  
Clinical Activity ◽  
Lineage Differentiation ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Acute Myeloid

AbstractThe histone demethylase lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1 or KDM1A) has emerged as a candidate therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML); tranylcypromine-derivative inhibitors induce loss of clonogenic activity and promote differentiation, in particular in the MLL-translocated molecular subtype of AML. In AML, the use of drugs in combination often delivers superior clinical activity. To identify genes and cellular pathways that collaborate with LSD1 to maintain the leukaemic phenotype, and which could be targeted by combination therapies, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 dropout screen. We identified multiple components of the amino acid sensing arm of mTORC1 signalling—RRAGA, MLST8, WDR24 and LAMTOR2—as cellular sensitizers to LSD1 inhibition. Knockdown of mTORC1 components, or mTORC1 pharmacologic inhibition, in combination with LSD1 inhibition enhanced differentiation in both cell line and primary cell settings, in vitro and in vivo, and substantially reduced the frequency of clonogenic primary human AML cells in a modelled minimal residual disease setting. Synergistic upregulation of a set of transcription factor genes associated with terminal monocytic lineage differentiation was observed. Thus, dual mTORC1 and LSD1 inhibition represents a candidate combination approach for enhanced differentiation in MLL-translocated AML which could be evaluated in early phase clinical trials.

scholarly journals Dual targeting of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway as an antitumor strategy in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo M. Roccaro ◽  
Antonio Sacco ◽  
Emanuel N. Husu ◽  
Costas Pitsillides ◽  
Steven Vesole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Significant Inhibition ◽  
Mtor Pathway ◽  
Clinical Activity ◽  
Independent Manner ◽  
Waldenström Macroglobulinemia ◽  
Constitutive Activation ◽  
Dual Targeting ◽  
Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

Abstract We have previously shown clinical activity of a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 inhibitor in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM). However, 50% of patients did not respond to therapy. We therefore examined mechanisms of activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR in WM, and mechanisms of overcoming resistance to therapy. We first demonstrated that primary WM cells show constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, supported by decreased expression of phosphate and tensin homolog tumor suppressor gene (PTEN) at the gene and protein levels, together with constitutive activation of Akt and mTOR. We illustrated that dual targeting of the PI3K/mTOR pathway by the novel inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 showed higher cytotoxicity on WM cells compared with inhibition of the PI3K or mTOR pathways alone. In addition, NVP-BEZ235 inhibited both rictor and raptor, thus abrogating the rictor-induced Akt phosphorylation. NVP-BEZ235 also induced significant cytotoxicity in WM cells in a caspase-dependent and -independent manner, through targeting the Forkhead box transcription factors. In addition, NVP-BEZ235 targeted WM cells in the context of bone marrow microenvironment, leading to significant inhibition of migration, adhesion in vitro, and homing in vivo. These studies therefore show that dual targeting of the PI3K/mTOR pathway is a better modality of targeted therapy for tumors that harbor activation of the PI3K/mTOR signaling cascade, such as WM.

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