SMYD3 links lysine methylation of MAP3K2 to Ras-driven cancer.

Deregulation of lysine methylation signalling has emerged as a common aetiological factor in cancer pathogenesis, with inhibitors of several histone lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) being developed as chemotherapeutics. The largely cytoplasmic KMT SMYD3 (SET and MYND domain containing protein 3) is overexpressed in numerous human tumours. However, the molecular mechanism by which SMYD3 regulates cancer pathways and its relationship to tumorigenesis in vivo are largely unknown. Here we show that methylation of MAP3K2 by SMYD3 increases MAP kinase signalling and promotes the formation of Ras-driven carcinomas. Using mouse models for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma, we found that abrogating SMYD3 catalytic activity inhibits tumour development in response to oncogenic Ras. We used protein array technology to identify the MAP3K2 kinase as a target of SMYD3. In cancer cell lines, SMYD3-mediated methylation of MAP3K2 at lysine 260 potentiates activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signalling module and SMYD3 depletion synergizes with a MEK inhibitor to block Ras-driven tumorigenesis. Finally, the PP2A phosphatase complex, a key negative regulator of the MAP kinase pathway, binds to MAP3K2 and this interaction is blocked by methylation. Together, our results elucidate a new role for lysine methylation in integrating cytoplasmic kinase-signalling cascades and establish a pivotal role for SMYD3 in the regulation of oncogenic Ras signalling.

EZH2 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for lymphoma with EZH2-activating mutations.

In eukaryotes, post-translational modification of histones is critical for regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression. EZH2 is the catalytic subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and is involved in repressing gene expression through methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27). EZH2 overexpression is implicated in tumorigenesis and correlates with poor prognosis in several tumour types. Additionally, somatic heterozygous mutations of Y641 and A677 residues within the catalytic SET domain of EZH2 occur in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma. The Y641 residue is the most frequently mutated residue, with up to 22% of germinal centre B-cell DLBCL and follicular lymphoma harbouring mutations at this site. These lymphomas have increased H3K27 tri-methylation (H3K27me3) owing to altered substrate preferences of the mutant enzymes. However, it is unknown whether specific, direct inhibition of EZH2 methyltransferase activity will be effective in treating EZH2 mutant lymphomas. Here we demonstrate that GSK126, a potent, highly selective, S-adenosyl-methionine-competitive, small-molecule inhibitor of EZH2 methyltransferase activity, decreases global H3K27me3 levels and reactivates silenced PRC2 target genes. GSK126 effectively inhibits the proliferation of EZH2 mutant DLBCL cell lines and markedly inhibits the growth of EZH2 mutant DLBCL xenografts in mice. Together, these data demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 activity may provide a promising treatment for EZH2 mutant lymphoma.

Acylprolinamides: a new class of peptide deformylase inhibitors with in vivo antibacterial activity.

A new class of PDF inhibitor with potent, broad spectrum antibacterial activity is described. Optimization of blood stability and potency provided compounds with improved pharmacokinetics that were suitable for in vivo experiments. Compound 5c, which has robust antibacterial activity, demonstrated efficacy in two respiratory tract infection models.

Understanding the origins of time-dependent inhibition by polypeptide deformylase inhibitors.

The continual bacterial adaptation to antibiotics creates an ongoing medical need for the development of novel therapeutics. Polypeptide deformylase (PDF) is a highly conserved bacterial enzyme, which is essential for viability. It has previously been shown that PDF inhibitors represent a promising new area for the development of antimicrobial agents, and that many of the best PDF inhibitors demonstrate slow, time-dependent binding. To improve our understanding of the mechanistic origin of this time-dependent inhibition, we examined in detail the kinetics of PDF catalysis and inhibition by several different PDF inhibitors. Varying pH and solvent isotope led to clear changes in time-dependent inhibition parameters, as did inclusion of NaCl, which binds to the active site metal of PDF. Quantitative analysis of these results demonstrated that the observed time dependence arises from slow binding of the inhibitors to the active site metal. However, we also found several metal binding inhibitors that exhibited rapid, non-time-dependent onset of inhibition. By a combination of structural and chemical modification studies, we show that metal binding is only slow when the rest of the inhibitor makes optimal hydrogen bonds within the subsites of PDF. Both of these interactions between the inhibitor and enzyme were found to be necessary to observe time-dependent inhibition, as elimination of either leads to its loss.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major component of green tea, is a dual phosphoinositide-3-kinase/mTOR inhibitor.

The PI3K signaling pathway is activated in a broad spectrum of human cancers, either directly by genetic mutation or indirectly via activation of receptor tyrosine kinases or inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor. The key nodes of this pathway have emerged as important therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. In this study, we show that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major component of green tea, is an ATP-competitive inhibitor of both phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) with K(i) values of 380 and 320nM respectively. The potency of EGCG against PI3K and mTOR is within physiologically relevant concentrations. In addition, EGCG inhibits cell proliferation and AKT phosphorylation at Ser473 in MDA-MB-231 and A549 cells. Molecular docking studies show that EGCG binds well to the PI3K kinase domain active site, agreeing with the finding that EGCG competes for ATP binding. Our results suggest another important molecular mechanism for the anticancer activities of EGCG.

Characterization of PI3K class IA isoforms with regulatory subunit p55alpha using a scintillation proximity assay.

Differential activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway has been linked to cancer. Activation occurs through gene amplification and activating mutations. High-frequency mutations in the gene encoding the p110alpha catalytic subunit of PI3K (PIK3CA) have been observed in a variety of tumors including colon, brain, breast, ovarian, and gastric. Inhibition of PI3K kinase activity may provide a specific way to treat multiple types of human cancer. A scintillation proximity assay (SPA) was developed to detect phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic activity. Using this assay format, steady-state kinetic parameters were compared for the PI3K class IA enzymes p110alpha, p110beta, and p110delta, each coexpressed with the regulatory subunit p85alpha or splice variant p55alpha. Inhibition by the natural product wortmannin and LY294002 was detected with potencies consistent with alternate assay formats. Other biochemical assay formats have been described for phosphoinositide 3-kinases but each has its unique limitations. The simple, inexpensive, sensitive high-throughput nature of the SPA format has advanced our knowledge of isoform-specific enzymology and will facilitate the discovery of novel PI3K inhibitors.

Structure-Based Design of a Novel SMYD3 Inhibitor that Bridges the SAM-and MEKK2-Binding Pockets.

SMYD3 is a lysine methyltransferase overexpressed in colorectal, breast, prostate, and hepatocellular tumors, and has been implicated as an oncogene in human malignancies. Methylation of MEKK2 by SMYD3 is important for regulation of the MEK/ERK pathway, suggesting the possibility of selectively targeting SMYD3 in RAS-driven cancers. Structural and kinetic characterization of SMYD3 was undertaken leading to a co-crystal structure of SMYD3 with a MEKK2-peptide substrate bound, and the observation that SMYD3 follows a partially processive mechanism. These insights allowed for the design of GSK2807, a potent and selective, SAM-competitive inhibitor of SMYD3 (Ki = 14 nM). A high-resolution crystal structure reveals that GSK2807 bridges the gap between the SAM-binding pocket and the substrate lysine tunnel of SMYD3. Taken together, our data demonstrate that small-molecule inhibitors of SMYD3 can be designed to prevent methylation of MEKK2 and these could have potential use as anticancer therapeutics.

A DNA Hypomethylation Signature Predicts Antitumor Activity of LSD1 Inhibitors in SCLC.

Epigenetic dysregulation has emerged as an important mechanism in cancer. Alterations in epigenetic machinery have become a major focus for targeted therapies. The current report describes the discovery and biological activity of a cyclopropylamine containing inhibitor of Lysine Demethylase 1 (LSD1), GSK2879552. This small molecule is a potent, selective, orally bioavailable, mechanism-based irreversible inactivator of LSD1. A proliferation screen of cell lines representing a number of tumor types indicated that small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is sensitive to LSD1 inhibition. The subset of SCLC lines and primary samples that undergo growth inhibition in response to GSK2879552 exhibit DNA hypomethylation of a signature set of probes, suggesting this may be used as a predictive biomarker of activity.

First X-ray cocrystal structure of a bacterial FabH condensing enzyme and a small molecule inhibitor achieved using rational design and homology modeling.

The first cocrystal structure of a bacterial FabH condensing enzyme and a small molecule inhibitor is reported. The inhibitor was obtained by rational modification of a high throughput screening lead with the aid of a S. pneumoniae FabH homology model. This homology model was used to design analogues that would have both high affinity for the enzyme and appropriate aqueous solubility to facilitate cocrystallization studies.

Long residence time inhibition of EZH2 in activated polycomb repressive complex 2.

EZH2/PRC2 catalyzes transcriptionally repressive methylation at lysine 27 of histone H3 and has been associated with numerous cancer types. Point mutations in EZH2 at Tyr641 and Ala677 identified in non-Hodgkin lymphomas alter substrate specificity and result in increased trimethylation at histone H3K27. Interestingly, EZH2/PRC2 is activated by binding H3K27me3 marks on histones, and this activation is proposed as a mechanism for self-propagation of gene silencing. Recent work has identified GSK126 as a potent, selective, SAM-competitive inhibitor of EZH2 capable of globally decreasing H3K27 trimethylation in cells. Here we show that activation of PRC2 by an H3 peptide trimethylated at K27 is primarily an effect on the rate-limiting step (kcat) with no effect on substrate binding (Km). Additionally, GSK126 is shown to have a significantly longer residence time of inhibition on the activated form of EZH2/PRC2 as compared to unactivated EZH2/PRC2. Overall inhibition constant (Ki*) values for GSK126 were determined to be as low as 93 pM and appear to be driven by slow dissociation of inhibitor from the activated enzyme. The data suggest that activation of EZH2 allows the enzyme to adopt a conformation that possesses greater affinity for GSK126. The long residence time of GSK126 may be beneficial in vivo and may result in durable target inhibition after drug systemic clearance.

EZH2 is required for germinal center formation and somatic EZH2 mutations promote lymphoid transformation.

The EZH2 histone methyltransferase is highly expressed in germinal center (GC) B cells and targeted by somatic mutations in B cell lymphomas. Here, we find that EZH2 deletion or pharmacologic inhibition suppresses GC formation and functions. EZH2 represses proliferation checkpoint genes and helps establish bivalent chromatin domains at key regulatory loci to transiently suppress GC B cell differentiation. Somatic mutations reinforce these physiological effects through enhanced silencing of EZH2 targets. Conditional expression of mutant EZH2 in mice induces GC hyperplasia and accelerated lymphomagenesis in cooperation with BCL2. GC B cell (GCB)-type diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) are mostly addicted to EZH2 but not the more differentiated activated B cell (ABC)-type DLBCLs, thus clarifying the therapeutic scope of EZH2 targeting.

Smyd3 regulates cancer cell phenotypes and catalyzes histone H4 lysine 5 methylation.

Smyd3 is a lysine methyltransferase implicated in chromatin and cancer regulation. Here we show that Smyd3 catalyzes histone H4 methylation at lysine 5 (H4K5me). This novel histone methylation mark is detected in diverse cell types and its formation is attenuated by depletion of Smyd3 protein. Further, Smyd3-driven cancer cell phenotypes require its enzymatic activity. Thus, Smyd3, via H4K5 methylation, provides a potential new link between chromatin dynamics and neoplastic disease.

Development and validation of reagents and assays for EZH2 peptide and nucleosome high-throughput screens.

Histone methyltransferases (HMT) catalyze the methylation of histone tail lysines, resulting in changes in gene transcription. Misregulation of these enzymes has been associated with various forms of cancer, making this target class a potential new area for the development of novel chemotherapeutics. EZH2 is the catalytic component of the polycomb group repressive complex (PRC2), which selectively methylates histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27). EZH2 is overexpressed in prostate, breast, bladder, brain, and other tumor types and is recognized as a molecular marker for cancer progression and aggressiveness. Several new reagents and assays were developed to aid in the identification of EZH2 inhibitors, and these were used to execute two high-throughput screening campaigns. Activity assays using either an H3K27 peptide or nucleosomes as substrates for methylation are described. The strategy to screen EZH2 with either a surrogate peptide or a natural substrate led to the identification of the same tractable series. Compounds from this series are reversible, are [(3)H]-S-adenosyl-L-methionine competitive, and display biochemical inhibition of H3K27 methylation.

Discovery of GSK2126458, a Highly Potent Inhibitor of PI3K and the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase α (PI3Kα) is a critical regulator of cell growth and transformation, and its signaling pathway is the most commonly mutated pathway in human cancers. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a class IV PI3K protein kinase, is also a central regulator of cell growth, and mTOR inhibitors are believed to augment the antiproliferative efficacy of PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition. 2,4-Difluoro-N-{2-(methyloxy)-5-[4-(4-pyridazinyl)-6-quinolinyl]-3-pyridinyl}benzenesulfonamide (GSK2126458, 1) has been identified as a highly potent, orally bioavailable inhibitor of PI3Kα and mTOR with in vivo activity in both pharmacodynamic and tumor growth efficacy models. Compound 1 is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials for the treatment of cancer.

Phylogenomic and biochemical characterization of three Legionella pneumophila polypeptide deformylases.

Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative facultative intracellular human pathogen that can cause fatal Legionnaires' disease. Polypeptide deformylase (PDF) is a novel broad-spectrum antibacterial target, and reports of inhibitors of PDF with potent activities against L. pneumophila have been published previously. Here, we report the identification of not one but three putative pdf genes, pdfA, pdfB, and pdfC, in the complete genome sequences of three strains of L. pneumophila. Phylogenetic analysis showed that L. pneumophila PdfA is most closely related to the commonly known gamma-proteobacterial PDFs encoded by the gene def. PdfB and PdfC are more divergent and do not cluster with any specific bacterial or eukaryotic PDF. All three putative pdf genes from L. pneumophila strain Philadelphia 1 have been cloned, and their encoded products have been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Enzymatic characterization shows that the purified PDFs with Ni2+ substituted are catalytically active and able to remove the N-formyl group from several synthetic polypeptides, although they appear to have different substrate specificities. Surprisingly, while PdfA and PdfB with Zn2+ substituted are much less active than the Ni2+ forms of each enzyme, PdfC with Zn2+ substituted was as active as the Ni2+ form for the fMA substrate and exhibited substrate specificity different from that of Ni2+ PdfC. Furthermore, the catalytic activities of these enzymes are potently inhibited by a known small-molecule PDF inhibitor, BB-3497, which also inhibits the extracellular growth of L. pneumophila. These results indicate that even though L. pneumophila has three PDFs, they can be effectively inhibited by PDF inhibitors which can, therefore, have potent anti-L. pneumophila activity.

Mechanism of time-dependent inhibition of polypeptide deformylase by actinonin.

Polypeptide deformylase (PDF) is an essential bacterial metalloenzyme responsible for the removal of the N-formyl group from the N-terminal methionine of nascent polypeptides. Inhibition of bacterial PDF enzymes by actinonin, a naturally occurring antibacterial agent, has been characterized using steady-state and transient kinetic methods. Slow binding of actinonin to these enzymes is observed under steady-state conditions. Progress curve analysis is consistent with a two-step binding mechanism, in which tightening of the initial encounter complex (EI) results in a final complex (EI*) with an extremely slow, but observable, off-rate (t(1/2) for inhibitor dissociation >or=0.77 days). Stopped-flow measurement of PDF fluorescence confirms formation of EI and provides a direct measurement of the association rate. Rapid dilution studies establish that the potency of actinonin is enhanced by more than 2000-fold upon tightening of EI to form EI*, from K(i) = 530 nM (EI) to Ki*