SH3-domain mutations selectively disrupt Csk homodimerization or PTPN22 binding

The kinase Csk is the primary negative regulator of the Src-family kinases (SFKs, i.e., Lck, Fyn, Lyn, Hck, Fgr, Blk, Src, Yes), phosphorylating a tyrosine on the SFK C-terminal tail that nucleates an autoinhibitory complex. Csk also binds phosphatases, including PTPN12 (PTP-PEST) and immune-cell PTPN22 (Pep/LYP), which dephosphorylate the SFK activation loop to promote autoinhibition. High local concentrations of Csk are required to promote its negative-regulatory function, and Csk-binding proteins (e.g., CBP/PAG1) oligomerize within membrane microdomains. Purified Csk also homodimerizes in solution through an interface that overlaps the phosphatase binding site. Here we demonstrate that Csk can homodimerize in Jurkat T cells, in competition with PTPN22 binding. We designed SH3-domain mutations in Csk that selectively impair homodimerization (H21I) or PTPN22 binding (K43D) and verified their kinase activity in solution. Csk W47A, an SH3-domain mutant commonly used to block PTPN22 binding, also impairs homodimerization. Csk H21I and K43D will be useful tools for dissecting the protein-specific drivers of autoimmunity mediated by the human polymorphism PTPN22 R620W, which impairs interaction with both Csk and with the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF3. Future investigations of Csk homodimer activity and phosphatase interactions may reveal new facets of SFK regulation in hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells.

Kinase Function of Brassinosteroid Receptor Specified by Two Allosterically Regulated Subdomains

Plants acquire the ability to adapt to the environment using transmembrane receptor-like kinases (RLKs) to sense the challenges from their surroundings and respond appropriately. RLKs perceive a variety of ligands through their variable extracellular domains (ECDs) that activate the highly conserved intracellular kinase domains (KDs) to control distinct biological functions through a well-developed downstream signaling cascade. A new study has emerged that brassinosteroid-insensitive 1 (BRI1) family and excess microsporocytes 1 (EMS1) but not GASSHO1 (GSO1) and other RLKs control distinct biological functions through the same signaling pathway, raising a question how the signaling pathway represented by BRI1 is specified. Here, we confirm that BRI1-KD is not functionally replaceable by GSO1-KD since the chimeric BRI1-GSO1 cannot rescue bri1 mutants. We then identify two subdomains S1 and S2. BRI1 with its S1 and S2 substituted by that of GSO1 cannot rescue bri1 mutants. Conversely, chimeric BRI1-GSO1 with its S1 and S2 substituted by that of BRI1 can rescue bri1 mutants, suggesting that S1 and S2 are the sufficient requirements to specify the signaling function of BRI1. Consequently, all the other subdomains in the KD of BRI1 are functionally replaceable by that of GSO1 although the in vitro kinase activities vary after replacements, suggesting their functional robustness and mutational plasticity with diverse kinase activity. Interestingly, S1 contains αC-β4 loop as an allosteric hotspot and S2 includes kinase activation loop, proposedly regulating kinase activities. Further analysis reveals that this specific function requires β4 and β5 in addition to αC-β4 loop in S1. We, therefore, suggest that BRI1 specifies its kinase function through an allosteric regulation of these two subdomains to control its distinct biological functions, providing a new insight into the kinase evolution.

PHA-680626 Is an Effective Inhibitor of the Interaction between Aurora-A and N-Myc

Neuroblastoma is a severe childhood disease, accounting for ~10% of all infant cancers. The amplification of the MYCN gene, coding for the N-Myc transcription factor, is an essential marker correlated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. In neuroblastoma cells, the mitotic kinase Aurora-A (AURKA), also frequently overexpressed in cancer, prevents N-Myc degradation by directly binding to a highly conserved N-Myc region. As a result, elevated levels of N-Myc are observed. During recent years, it has been demonstrated that some ATP competitive inhibitors of AURKA also cause essential conformational changes in the structure of the activation loop of the kinase that prevents N-Myc binding, thus impairing the formation of the AURKA/N-Myc complex. In this study, starting from a screening of crystal structures of AURKA in complexes with known inhibitors, we identified additional compounds affecting the conformation of the kinase activation loop. We assessed the ability of such compounds to disrupt the interaction between AURKA and N-Myc in vitro, using Surface Plasmon Resonance competition assays, and in tumor cell lines overexpressing MYCN, by performing Proximity Ligation Assays. Finally, their effects on N-Myc cellular levels and cell viability were investigated. Our results identify PHA-680626 as an amphosteric inhibitor both in vitro and in MYCN overexpressing cell lines, thus expanding the repertoire of known conformational disrupting inhibitors of the AURKA/N-Myc complex and confirming that altering the conformation of the activation loop of AURKA with a small molecule is an effective strategy to destabilize the AURKA/N-Myc interaction in neuroblastoma cancer cells.

New Modified Recombinant Botulinum Neurotoxin Type F with Enhanced Potency

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are notorious toxins and powerful agents and can be lethal, causing botulism, but they are also widely used as therapeutics, particularly to treat neuromuscular disorders. As of today, the commercial BoNT treatments available are from native A or B serotypes. Serotype F has shown efficacy in a clinical trial but has scarcely been used, most likely due to its medium duration of effect. Previously, the uniqueness of the light chain of the F7 subtype was identified and reported, showing an extended interaction with its substrates, VAMPs 1, 2 and 3, and a superior catalytic activity compared to other BoNT/F subtypes. In order to more extensively study the properties of this neurotoxin, we engineered a modified F7 chimera, mrBoNT/F7-1, in which all the regions of the neurotoxin were identical to BoNT/F7 except the activation loop, which was the activation loop from BoNT/F1. Use of the activation loop from BoNT/F1 allowed easier post-translational proteolytic activation of the recombinant protein without otherwise affecting its properties. mrBoNT/F7-1 was expressed, purified and then tested in a suite of in vitro and in vivo assays. mrBoNT/F7-1 was active and showed enhanced potency in comparison to both native and recombinant BoNT/F1. Additionally, the safety profile remained comparable to BoNT/F1 despite the increased potency. This new modified recombinant toxin F7 could be further exploited to develop unique therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.

Momelotinib is a highly potent inhibitor of FLT3-mutant AML

Kinase activating mutation in FLT3 is the most frequent genetic lesion associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Therapeutic response to FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is dismal, and many patients relapse even after allogenic stem cell transplantation. Despite the introduction of more selective FLT3 inhibitors, remissions are short-lived, and patients show progressive disease after an initial response. Acquisition of resistance-conferring genetic mutations and growth factor signaling are two principal mechanisms that drive relapse. FLT3 inhibitors targeting both escape mechanisms could lead to a more profound and lasting clinical responses. Here we show that the JAK2 inhibitor, momelotinib, is an equipotent type-1 FLT3 inhibitor. Momelotinib showed potent inhibitory activity on both mouse and human cells expressing FLT3-ITD, including clinically relevant resistant mutations within the activation loop at residues, D835, D839, and Y842. Additionally, momelotinib efficiently suppressed the resistance mediated by FLT3 ligand (FL) and hematopoietic cytokine activated JAK2 signaling. Interestingly, unlike gilteritinib, momelotinib inhibits the expression of MYC in leukemic cells. Consequently, concomitant inhibition of FLT3 and downregulation of MYC by momelotinib treatment showed better efficacy in suppressing the leukemia in a preclinical murine model of AML. Altogether, these data provide evidence that momelotinib is an effective type-1 dual JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor and may offer an alternative to gilteritinib. Its ability to impede the resistance conferred by growth factor signaling and activation loop mutants suggests that momelotinib treatment could provide a deeper and durable response; thus, warrants its clinical evaluation.

Momelotinib Is a Highly Potent Inhibitor of FLT3-Mutant AML

Approximately one-third of AML patients harbor kinase activating mutations in FLT3. Several small-molecule first generation FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been evaluated in the last two decades, but none could induce a durable response possibly due to poor pharmacokinetics and target selectivity. Second generation FLT3 inhibitors such as, quizartinib, gilteritinib, and crenolanib, were designed for greater selectivity with a narrow kinome-profile and better pharmacokinetic properties, but they failed to induce a durable response. Possibly due to intrinsic resistance conferred by growth factor signaling in the bone marrow resident leukemic cells, which serve as a reservoir to develop resistance resulting to disease relapse. Activation of Jak2 signaling by chemokines and cytokines from the stroma have been reported to confer TKI refractoriness. Recent studies from Martin Carroll's group showed that both GMCSF and IL-3 confer resistance by activating JAK2 signaling, which can be suppressed by combined FLT3 and JAK2 inhibition. However, so far, it is not established whether upfront FLT3/Jak2 inhibition will provide durable response. For instance, AML patients who achieved complete remission lacking FLT3-ITD clones showed better overall survival than patients with measurable MRD, suggesting that eradicating the FLT3-ITD clones will have a deeper response with better overall survival. Thus, an ideal FLT3 inhibitor should be able to suppress FLT3-ITD resistant mutants, and growth factor activated JAK2 signaling while sparing c-KIT receptor and hERG to avoid myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity, respectively. Here we show that Jak2 inhibitor, momelotinib, is an equipotent type-I FLT3 inhibitor (Fig 1A-D). Biochemical and structural modeling revealed that it binds to an active conformation of FLT3 kinase. Therefore, like gilteritinib, it efficiently suppresses the resistance conferred by activation loop mutations (Fig1 E-H). Moreover, its lack of activity against c-KIT and inhibition of ACVR1 provides additional benefit in alleviating myelosuppression and anemia, which is commonly observed with currently used JAK2 and FLT3 inhibitors (ruxolitinib, fedratinib, and quizartinib). Perhaps more interestingly, momelotinib efficiently suppressed the disease in a preclinical model of AML using NSGS mice which recapitulates cytokine induce refractoriness as usually observed in clinical setting (Fig1 I-L). Our preclinical data provide evidence that momelotinib is an equipotent dual JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor and suppresses resistance conferred by both activation-loop mutations and growth-factor signaling. These data provide evidence that momelotinib treatment will have clinical activity in FLT3-mutated AML. Thus, warrants its clinical evaluation. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Starczynowski: kurome Inc: Consultancy.

CTNI-24. A PHASE 1/2 STUDY OF AVAPRITINIB IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH SOLID TUMORS DEPENDENT ON KIT OR PDGFRA SIGNALING

Prognosis for pediatric patients with advanced relapsed/refractory (R/R) solid (including central nervous system [CNS]) tumors is poor; response rates are only ~15% with targeted therapies. Germ cell tumors and high-grade glioma (HGG) are the most common with KIT alterations; sarcoma and HGG are the most common tumors with platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) alterations. H3K27M gliomas are dependent on PDGFRA signaling and patients have an overall survival of ~1 year. No KIT/PDGFRA targeted therapies are currently approved for pediatric patients with R/R solid or CNS tumors, or H3K27M gliomas. The selective KIT and PDGFRA inhibitor, avapritinib, demonstrated potent activity against KIT activation-loop (exon 17), juxtamembrane (exon 11), and extracellular-domain (exon 9) mutants (IC50 < 2 nM), and PDGFRA activation-loop (D842V) mutants (IC50 = 0.24 nM); cellular IC50 of PDGFRA wild-type was 95 nM. CNS penetration in preclinical models (brain-to-plasma ratios at steady-state ranging from 0.74–1.00) demonstrated potential for CNS antitumor activity. Avapritinib is approved for the treatment of adults with unresectable/metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) harboring PDGFRA exon 18 mutations (including D842V) in the USA, and in the EU for adults with unresectable/metastatic GIST harboring a PDGFRA D842V mutation. Objectives of this 2-part phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label study are to assess avapritinib safety, preliminary efficacy, and pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients aged 2 to < 18 years with solid R/R tumors dependent on KIT or PDGFRA signaling, including H3K27M gliomas and no alternative treatment options. Part 1 will enroll ≥ 6 patients; primary endpoint is confirmed age and body surface area physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling dose to provide equivalent exposure to the 300 mg adult avapritinib dose. Part 2 will enroll ≥ 25 patients at the recommended avapritinib dose from Part 1; primary endpoint is objective response rate. Avapritinib once-daily will be administered in continuous 28-day cycles.

Spatiotemporal coordination of the RSF1-PLK1-Aurora B cascade establishes mitotic signaling platforms

The chromatin remodeler RSF1 enriched at mitotic centromeres is essential for proper chromosome alignment and segregation and underlying mechanisms remain to be disclosed. We here show that PLK1 recruitment by RSF1 at centromeres creates an activating phosphorylation on Thr236 in the activation loop of Aurora B and this is indispensable for the Aurora B activation. In structural modeling the phosphorylated Thr236 enhances the base catalysis by Asp200 nearby, facilitating the Thr232 autophosphorylation. Accordingly, RSF1-PLK1 is central for Aurora B-mediated microtubule destabilization in error correction. However, under full microtubule-kinetochore attachment RSF1-PLK1 positions at kinetochores, halts activating Aurora B and phosphorylates BubR1, regardless of tension. Spatial movement of RSF1-PLK1 to kinetochores is triggered by Aurora B-mediated phosphorylation of centromeric histone H3 on Ser28. We propose a regulatory RSF1-PLK1 axis that spatiotemporally controls on/off switch on Aurora B. This feedback circuit among RSF1-PLK1-Aurora B may coordinate dynamic microtubule-kinetochore attachment in early mitosis when full tension yet to be generated.

Structure of autoinhibited Akt1 reveals mechanism of PIP3-mediated activation

The protein kinase Akt is one of the primary effectors of growth factor signaling in the cell. Akt responds specifically to the lipid second messengers phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P3] and phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate [PI(3,4)P2] via its PH domain, leading to phosphorylation of its activation loop and the hydrophobic motif of its kinase domain, which are critical for activity. We have now determined the crystal structure of Akt1, revealing an autoinhibitory interface between the PH and kinase domains that is often mutated in cancer and overgrowth disorders. This interface persists even after stoichiometric phosphorylation, thereby restricting maximum Akt activity to PI(3,4,5)P3- or PI(3,4)P2-containing membranes. Our work helps to resolve the roles of lipids and phosphorylation in the activation of Akt and has wide implications for the spatiotemporal control of Akt and potentially lipid-activated kinase signaling in general.

EPCT-05. A PHASE 1/2 STUDY OF AVAPRITINIB FOR KIT- OR PDGFRA-MUTANT PEDIATRIC RELAPSED/REFRACTORY SOLID TUMORS

Prognosis for pediatric patients with advanced relapsed/refractory (R/R) solid (including central nervous system [CNS]) tumors is poor; targeted therapies achieve response rates of only ~15%. Germ cell tumors and high-grade glioma (HGG) are the most common with KIT mutations; sarcoma and HGG are the most common tumors with platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mutations. Two-year overall survival is <10% for pediatric patients with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, often driven by PDGFRA mutations. No KIT/PDGFRA targeted therapies are currently approved for pediatric patients with R/R solid tumors. The selective KIT and PDGFRA inhibitor, avapritinib, demonstrated potent activity against KIT activation-loop (exon 17), juxtamembrane (exon 11), and extracellular-domain (exon 9) mutants (IC50 <2 nM), and PDGFRA activation-loop (D842V) mutants (IC50=0.24 nM). CNS penetration in preclinical models (brain-to-plasma ratios at steady-state ranging from 0.74–1.00) demonstrated potential for activity against CNS tumors. Avapritinib is approved for the treatment of adults with unresectable/metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) harboring PDGFRA exon 18 mutations (including D842V) in the USA based on an overall response rate ³84% with 59% response durations >6 months, and in the EU for adults with unresectable/metastatic GIST harboring a PDGFRA D842V mutation. The objectives of this 2-part phase 1/2 multicenter, open-label study, anticipated to enroll 31 patients from Q3 2021, are to assess avapritinib safety, preliminary efficacy, and pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients with KIT/PDGFRA-mutant solid R/R tumors. Eligible patients are aged 2 to <18 years with no alternative treatment options. Part 1 will enroll ≥6 patients; primary endpoint is confirmed age and body surface area physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling dose to provide equivalent exposure to the 300 mg adult avapritinib dose. Part 2 will enroll ≥25 patients at the recommended modeled avapritinib dose from Part 1; primary endpoint is overall response rate. Avapritinib once-daily will be administered in continuous 28-day cycles.