RESUMO
Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) family proteins regulate target-protein functions by post-translational modification. However, a potent and selective inhibitor targeting the SUMO pathway has been lacking. Here we describe ML-792, a mechanism-based SUMO-activating enzyme (SAE) inhibitor with nanomolar potency in cellular assays. ML-792 selectively blocks SAE enzyme activity and total SUMOylation, thus decreasing cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, we found that induction of the MYC oncogene increased the ML-792-mediated viability effect in cancer cells, thus indicating a potential application of SAE inhibitors in treating MYC-amplified tumors. Using ML-792, we further explored the critical roles of SUMOylation in mitotic progression and chromosome segregation. Furthermore, expression of an SAE catalytic-subunit (UBA2) S95N M97T mutant rescued SUMOylation loss and the mitotic defect induced by ML-792, thus confirming the selectivity of ML-792. As a potent and selective SAE inhibitor, ML-792 provides rapid loss of endogenously SUMOylated proteins, thereby facilitating novel insights into SUMO biology.
Assuntos
Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Proteínas Modificadoras Pequenas Relacionadas à Ubiquitina/antagonistas & inibidores , Sumoilação , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Segregação de Cromossomos/efeitos dos fármacos , Dano ao DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Genes myc , Humanos , Mitose/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/patologia , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
MLN4924 is an investigational small-molecule inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. MLN4924 is a mechanism-based inhibitor, with enzyme inhibition occurring through the formation of a tight-binding NEDD8-MLN4924 adduct. In cell and xenograft models of cancer, we identified treatment-emergent heterozygous mutations in the adenosine triphosphate binding pocket and NEDD8-binding cleft of NAEß as the primary mechanism of resistance to MLN4924. Biochemical analyses of NAEß mutants revealed slower rates of adduct formation and reduced adduct affinity for the mutant enzymes. A compound with tighter binding properties was able to potently inhibit mutant enzymes in cells. These data provide rationales for patient selection and the development of next-generation NAE inhibitors designed to overcome treatment-emergent NAEß mutations.