Quinoline 3-sulfonamides inhibit lactate dehydrogenase A and reverse aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Most normal cells in the presence of oxygen utilize glucose for mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, many cancer cells rapidly convert glucose to lactate in the cytosol, a process termed aerobic glycolysis. This glycolytic phenotype is enabled by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which catalyzes the inter-conversion of pyruvate and lactate. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize potent and selective inhibitors of LDHA. METHODS: High throughput screening and lead optimization were used to generate inhibitors of LDHA enzymatic activity. Effects of these inhibitors on metabolism were evaluated using cell-based lactate production, oxygen consumption, and 13C NMR spectroscopy assays. Changes in comprehensive metabolic profile, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed upon compound treatment. RESULTS: 3-((3-carbamoyl-7-(3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)-6-methoxyquinolin-4-yl) amino) benzoic acid was identified as an NADH-competitive LDHA inhibitor. Lead optimization yielded molecules with LDHA inhibitory potencies as low as 2 nM and 10 to 80-fold selectivity over LDHB. Molecules in this family rapidly and profoundly inhibited lactate production rates in multiple cancer cell lines including hepatocellular and breast carcinomas. Consistent with selective inhibition of LDHA, the most sensitive breast cancer cell lines to lactate inhibition in hypoxic conditions were cells with low expression of LDHB. Our inhibitors increased rates of oxygen consumption in hepatocellular carcinoma cells at doses up to 3 microM, while higher concentrations directly inhibited mitochondrial function. Analysis of more than 500 metabolites upon LDHA inhibition in Snu398 cells revealed that intracellular concentrations of glycolysis and citric acid cycle intermediates were increased, consistent with enhanced Krebs cycle activity and blockage of cytosolic glycolysis. Treatment with these compounds also potentiated PKM2 activity and promoted apoptosis in Snu398 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid chemical inhibition of LDHA by these quinoline 3-sulfonamids led to profound metabolic alterations and impaired cell survival in carcinoma cells making it a compelling strategy for treating solid tumors that rely on aerobic glycolysis for survival.

Rev-erbalpha, a heme sensor that coordinates metabolic and circadian pathways.

The circadian clock temporally coordinates metabolic homeostasis in mammals. Central to this is heme, an iron-containing porphyrin that serves as prosthetic group for enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism as well as transcription factors that regulate circadian rhythmicity. The circadian factor that integrates this dual function of heme is not known. We show that heme binds reversibly to the orphan nuclear receptor Rev-erbalpha, a critical negative component of the circadian core clock, and regulates its interaction with a nuclear receptor corepressor complex. Furthermore, heme suppresses hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression and glucose output through Rev-erbalpha-mediated gene repression. Thus, Rev-erbalpha serves as a heme sensor that coordinates the cellular clock, glucose homeostasis, and energy metabolism.

Structural analyses reveal phosphatidyl inositols as ligands for the NR5 orphan receptors SF-1 and LRH-1.

Vertebrate members of the nuclear receptor NR5A subfamily, which includes steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) and liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1), regulate crucial aspects of development, endocrine homeostasis, and metabolism. Mouse LRH-1 is believed to be a ligand-independent transcription factor with a large and empty hydrophobic pocket. Here we present structural and biochemical data for three other NR5A members-mouse and human SF-1 and human LRH-1-which reveal that these receptors bind phosphatidyl inositol second messengers and that ligand binding is required for maximal activity. Evolutionary analysis of structure-function relationships across the SF-1/LRH-1 subfamily indicates that ligand binding is the ancestral state of NR5A receptors and was uniquely diminished or altered in the rodent LRH-1 lineage. We propose that phospholipids regulate gene expression by directly binding to NR5A nuclear receptors.

A structural basis for constitutive activity in the human CAR/RXRalpha heterodimer.

The X-ray crystal structure of the human constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3)/retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha, NR2B1) heterodimer sheds light on the mechanism of ligand-independent activation of transcription by nuclear receptors. CAR contains a single-turn Helix X that restricts the conformational freedom of the C-terminal AF2 helix, favoring the active state of the receptor. Helix X and AF2 sit atop four amino acids that shield the CAR ligand binding pocket. A fatty acid ligand was identified in the RXRalpha binding pocket. The endogenous RXRalpha ligand, combined with stabilizing interactions from the heterodimer interface, served to hold RXRalpha in an active conformation. The structure suggests that upon translocation, CAR/RXRalpha heterodimers are preorganized in an active conformation in cells such that they can regulate transcription of target genes. Insights into the molecular basis of CAR constitutive activity can be exploited in the design of inverse agonists as drugs for treatment of obesity.

The tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE): a unique metalloproteinase with highly defined substrate selectivity.

TNF alpha converting enzyme (TACE) processes precursor TNF alpha between Ala76 and Val77, yielding a correctly processed bioactive 17 kDa protein. Genetic evidence indicates that TACE may also be involved in the shedding of other ectodomains. Here we show that native and recombinant forms of TACE efficiently processed a synthetic substrate corresponding to the TNF alpha cleavage site only. For all other substrates, conversion occurred only at high enzyme concentrations and prolonged reaction times. Often, cleavage under those conditions was accompanied by nonspecific reactions. We also compared TNF alpha cleavage by TACE to cleavage by those members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family previously implied in TNF alpha release. The specificity constants for TNF alpha cleavage by the MMPs were approximately 100-1000-fold slower relative to TACE. MMP 7 also processed precursor TNF alpha at the correct cleavage site but did so with a 30-fold lower specificity constant relative to TACE. In contrast, MMP 1 processed precursor TNF alpha between Ala74 and Gln75, in addition to between Ala76 and Val77, while MMP 9 cleaved this natural substrate solely between Ala74 and Gln75. Additionally, the MMP substrate Dnp-PChaGC(Me)HK(NMA)-NH(2) was not cleaved at all by TACE, while collagenase (MMP 1), gelatinase (MMP 9), stromelysin 1 (MMP 3), and matrilysin (MMP 7) all processed this substrate efficiently. All of these results indicate that TACE is unique in terms of its specificity requirements for substrate cleavage.