Mitochondrial quality control proteases and their modulation for cancer therapy.

Mitochondria, the main provider of energy in eukaryotic cells, contains more than 1000 different proteins and is closely related to the development of cells. However, damaged proteins impair mitochondrial function, further contributing to several human diseases. Evidence shows mitochondrial proteases are critically important for protein maintenance. Most importantly, quality control enzymes exert a crucial role in the modulation of mitochondrial functions by degrading misfolded, aged, or superfluous proteins. Interestingly, cancer cells thrive under stress conditions that damage proteins, so targeting mitochondrial quality control proteases serves as a novel regulator for cancer cells. Not only that, mitochondrial quality control proteases have been shown to affect mitochondrial dynamics by regulating the morphology of optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), which is closely related to the occurrence and progression of cancer. In this review, we introduce mitochondrial quality control proteases as promising targets and related modulators in cancer therapy with a focus on caseinolytic protease P (ClpP), Lon protease (LonP1), high-temperature requirement protein A2 (HrtA2), and OMA-1. Further, we summarize our current knowledge of the advances in clinical trials for modulators of mitochondrial quality control proteases. Overall, the content proposed above serves to suggest directions for the development of novel antitumor drugs.

Epigenetic changes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its host provide potential targets or biomarkers for drug discovery and clinical diagnosis.

Tuberculosis infection caused by the contagious pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is one of the ancient diseases in the world. The problem of drug resistance is a difficulty in tuberculosis treatment. MTB engendered epigenetic changes play vital parts in escaping the host immune response and bring about the persistence as well as bacterial expansion. This article describes the epigenetic changes that occur in the pathogen MTB and its host during infection, including DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNA, and summarizes their research progress in drug discovery and tuberculosis diagnosis, providing new ideas and strategies to combat against drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Biophysical and biochemical properties of PHGDH revealed by studies on PHGDH inhibitors.

The rate-limiting serine biogenesis enzyme PHGDH is overexpressed in cancers. Both serine withdrawal and genetic/pharmacological inhibition of PHGDH have demonstrated promising tumor-suppressing activities. However, the enzyme properties of PHGDH are not well understood and the discovery of PHGDH inhibitors is still in its infancy. Here, oridonin was identified from a natural product library as a new PHGDH inhibitor. The crystal structure of PHGDH in complex with oridonin revealed a new allosteric site. The binding of oridonin to this site reduced the activity of the enzyme by relocating R54, a residue involved in substrate binding. Mutagenesis studies showed that PHGDH activity was very sensitive to cysteine mutations, especially those in the substrate binding domain. Conjugation of oridonin and other reported covalent PHGDH inhibitors to these sites will therefore inhibit PHGDH. In addition to being inhibited enzymatically, PHGDH can also be inhibited by protein aggregation and proteasome-mediated degradation. Several tested PHGDH cancer mutants showed altered enzymatic activity, which can be explained by protein structure and stability. Overall, the above studies present new biophysical and biochemical insights into PHGDH and may facilitate the future design of PHGDH inhibitors.

Ribosome-targeting antibacterial agents: Advances, challenges, and opportunities.

Ribosomes, which synthesize proteins, are critical organelles for the survival and growth of bacteria. About 60% of approved antibiotics discovered so far combat pathogenic bacteria by targeting ribosomes. However, several issues, such as drug resistance and toxicity, have impeded the clinical use of ribosome-targeting antibiotics. Moreover, the complexity of the bacteria ribosome structure has retarded the discovery of new ribosome-targeting agents that are considered as the key to the drug-resistance and toxicity. To deal with these challenges, efforts such as medicinal chemistry optimization, combination treatment, and new drug delivery system have been developed. But not enough, the development of structural biology and new screening methods bring powerful tools, such as cryo-electron microscopy technology, advanced computer-aided drug design, and cell-free in vitro transcription/translation systems, for the discovery of novel ribosome-targeting antibiotics. Thus, in this paper, we overview the research on different aspects of bacterial ribosomes, especially focus on discussing the challenges in the discovery of ribosome-targeting antibacterial drugs and advances made to address issues such as drug-resistance and selectivity, which, we believe, provide perspectives for the discovery of novel antibiotics.

Discovery of novel indolin-2-one compounds as potent inhibitors of HsClpP for cancer treatment.

Human caseinolytic protease proteolytic subunit (HsClpP) is a highly conserved serine protease that plays an essential role in cell homeostasis through removal of the damaged and/or misfolded proteins. Recently, due to its critical role in cancer proliferation and metastasis, HsClpP has been considered as a promising target for the cancer treatment. In this paper, through a random screening toward a library of 2086 bioactive chemicals, a novel compound I, 3-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzylidene) -5-iodoindolin-2-one, was identified as a potent suppressor of HsClpP. Herein, a series of compound I derivatives were synthesized, and evaluated for their anti-cancer activities on a variety of cancers cells. Through the preliminary biological assay in vitro, including MTT assay and proteolytic activity assay, compound I was identified as the most potent inhibitor. Treatment with compound I impaired the migration of Hela cells. In addition, compound I disrupted the mitochondrial function, and reduced the level of the SDHB and induced the production of the ATF4. In general, compound I is a promising probe of HsClpP for cancer treatment, and is a good lead compound for the development of novel anti-cancer agent.

Discovery of novel inhibitors of human phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase by activity-directed combinatorial chemical synthesis strategy.

Serine, the source of the one-carbon units essential for de novo purine and deoxythymidine synthesis plays a crucial role in the growth of cancer cells. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) which catalyzes the first, rate-limiting step in de novo serine biosynthesis has become a promising target for the cancer treatment. Here we identified H-G6 as a potential PHGDH inhibitor from the screening of an in-house small molecule library based on the enzymatic assay. We adopted activity-directed combinatorial chemical synthesis strategy to optimize this hit compound. Compound b36 was found to be the noncompetitive and the most promising one with IC50 values of 5.96 ± 0.61 µM against PHGDH. Compound b36 inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells, reduced intracellular serine synthesis, damaged DNA synthesis, and induced cell cycle arrest. Collectively, our results suggest that b36 is a novel PHGDH inhibitor, which could be a promising modulator to reprogram the serine synthesis pathway and might be a potential anticancer lead worth further exploration.

Structure-activity relationship study of DEL-22379: ERK dimerization inhibitors with increased safety.

Aberrant activation of ERK signaling pathway usually leads to oncogenesis, and small molecular agents targeting this pathway are impeded by the emergence of drug resistance due to reactivation of ERK signaling. Compound DEL-22379 has been reported to inhibit ERK dimerization which was unaffected by drug-resistant mechanism reactivating the ERK signaling. Here, we discussed a structure-activity relationship study of DEL-22379. Forty-seven analogues were designed and synthesized. Each synthesized compound was biologically evaluated for their inhibitory rates on several tumor cell lines and compounds with high inhibitory rates were further evaluated for IC50 values. The structure-activity relationship of idolin-2-one scaffold and the impact of Z/E configuration on potency were discussed. Potential safety of two synthesized analogues was investigated and in silico docking study of five compounds was performed to understand the structural basis of ERK dimerization inhibition.

Design and synthesis of novel spirooxindole-indenoquinoxaline derivatives as novel tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors.

In the current study, we used an integrated approach combining bioinformatics, rational drug design, one-pot synthesis, and biological experiments in vitro for the potential discovery of novel tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) inhibitors. Atom economic and diastereoselective syntheses were used to generate several Spirooxindole-indenoquinoxaline derivatives in situ from isatin and amino acids viz. proline, phenylglycine, and sarcosine through targeting the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides. These compounds were assayed by biochemical TrpRS inhibition, using in vitro experiments to test against various gram-positive and gram-negative strains, and using diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines. Compound 6e was found to be the most active in vitro with IC50 values of 225 and 74 nM for tests against hmTrpRS and ecTrpRS, respectively. We also found a MIC90 value of 4 µg/mL for tests against S. aureus and IC50 values which ranged from 2.9 to 4.8 µM for tests against proliferation of DLBCL cell lines. Moreover, compound 6e was remarkably good at inducing bacterial autolysis in MRSA strains. Our results suggested that such an integrated approach could be an attractive and viable strategy for the discovery of novel TrpRS inhibitors as potential lead compounds for antibiotics and as novel anticancer agents. Discovery of novel spirooxindole-indenoquinoxaline TrpRS inhibitors as potential lead compounds with antibacterial and antitumor activities.

A Novel Small Molecule, ZY354, Inhibits Dental Caries-Associated Oral Biofilms.

Biofilm control is a critical approach to the better management of dental caries. Antimicrobial small molecules have shown their potential in the disruption of oral biofilm and control of dental caries. The objectives of this study were to examine the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of a newly designed small-molecule compound, ZY354. ZY354 was synthesized, and its cytotoxicity was evaluated in human oral keratinocytes (HOK), human gingival epithelial cells (HGE), and macrophages (RAW) by CCK-8 assays. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), minimum biofilm inhibition concentrations (MBICs), and minimum biofilm reduction concentrations (MBRCs) of ZY354 against common oral streptococci (i.e., Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus gordonii, and Streptococcus sanguinis) were determined by microdilution method. The exopolysaccharide (EPS)/bacterium ratio and the dead/live bacterium ratio in the ZY354-treated multispecies biofilms were determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the microbial composition was visualized and quantified by fluorescent in situ hybridization and quantitative PCR (qPCR). The demineralizing activity of ZY354-treated biofilms was evaluated by transverse microradiography. The results showed that ZY354 exhibited low cytotoxicity in HOK, HGE, and RAW cells and exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against common oral streptococci. The EPS and the abundance of S. mutans were significantly reduced after ZY354 treatment, along with an increased dead/live microbial ratio in multispecies biofilms compared to the level with the nontreated control. The ZY354-treated multispecies biofilms exhibited reduced demineralizing activity at the biofilm/enamel interface. In conclusion, the small-molecule compound ZY354 exhibits low cytotoxicity and remarkable antimicrobial activity against oral streptococci, and it may have a great potential in anticaries clinical applications.

Discovery of novel anti-tuberculosis agents with pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline-based scaffold.

A series of small molecules with novel pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline-based scaffold was designed via molecular hybridization of privileged agents active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Twenty-three compounds were synthesized and investigated for their antitubercular activities in vitro where ten compounds showed appreciable activities and moderate cytotoxicity. Compound 12g with MIC values of 5 µg/ml as a representative may possess better oral bioavailability and indicated high permeability by the parallel artificial membrane permeation assay of the blood-brain barrier (PAMPA-BBB). Further, the determination of enzyme inhibition and molecular docking study indicated that InhA may be the biological target of the active compounds. The results suggest the pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline hybrids as potential antitubercular leads for the development of new antitubercular agents.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel pyrrole derivatives as potential ClpP1P2 inhibitor against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In an effort to discover novel inhibitors of M. tuberculosis Caseinolytic proteases (ClpP1P2), a combination strategy of virtual high-throughput screening and in vitro assay was employed and a new pyrrole compound, 1-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzyl)-2, 5-dimethyl-4-((phenethylamino)methyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate was found to display inhibitory effects against H37Ra with an MIC value of 77 µM. In order for discovery of more potent anti-tubercular agents that inhibit ClpP1P2 peptidase in M. tuberculosis, a series of pyrrole derivatives were designed and synthesized based on this hit compound. The synthesized compounds were evaluated forin vitrostudies against ClpP1P2 peptidase and anti-tubercular activities were also evaluated. The most promising compounds 2-(4-bromophenyl)-N-((1-(2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl)-2, 5-dimethyl-1H- pyrrolyl)methyl)ethan-1-aminehydrochloride 7d, ethyl 4-(((4-bromophenethyl) amino) methyl)-2,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride 13i, ethyl 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-(((2-fluorophenethyl)amino)methyl)-2-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride 13n exhibited favorable anti-mycobacterial activity with MIC value at 5 µM against Mtb H37Ra, respectively.

Transcriptional Repressor PtvR Regulates Phenotypic Tolerance to Vancomycin in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Reversible or phenotypic tolerance to antibiotics within microbial populations has been implicated in treatment failure of chronic infections and development of persister cells. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating phenotypic drug tolerance are largely unknown. In this study, we identified a four-gene operon in Streptococcus pneumoniae that contributes to phenotypic tolerance to vancomycin (ptv). RNA sequencing, quantiative reverse transcriptase PCR, and transcriptional luciferase reporter experiments revealed that transcription of the ptv operon (consisting of ptvR, ptvA, ptvB, and ptvC) is induced by exposure to vancomycin. Further investigation showed that transcription of the ptv operon is repressed by PtvR, a PadR family repressor. Transcriptional induction of the ptv operon by vancomycin was achieved by transcriptional derepression of this locus, which was mediated by PtvR. Importantly, fully derepressing ptvABC by deleting ptvR or overexpressing the ptv operon with an exogenous promoter significantly enhanced vancomycin tolerance. Gene deletion analysis revealed that PtvA, PtvB, and PtvC are all required for the PtvR-regulated phenotypic tolerance to vancomycin. Finally, the results of an electrophoretic mobility shift assay with recombinant PtvR showed that PtvR represses the transcription of the ptv operon by binding to two palindromic sequences within the ptv promoter. Together, the ptv locus represents an inducible system in S. pneumoniae in response to stressful conditions, including those caused by antibiotics.IMPORTANCE Reversible or phenotypic tolerance to antibiotics within microbial populations is associated with treatment failure of bacterial diseases, but the underlying mechanisms regulating phenotypic drug tolerance remain obscure. This study reports our finding of a multigene locus that contributes to inducible tolerance to vancomycin in Streptococcus pneumoniae, an important opportunistic human pathogen. The vancomycin tolerance phenotype depends on the PtvR transcriptional repressor and three predicted membrane-associated proteins encoded by the ptv locus. This represents the first example of a gene locus in S. pneumoniae that is responsible for antibiotic tolerance and has important implications for further understanding bacterial responses and phenotypic tolerance to antibiotic treatment in this and other pathogens.

Efficacy of the novel oxazolidinone compound FYL-67 for preventing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus.

OBJECTIVES: Infections of hospitalized patients caused by biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus represent a major problem. Using in vitro and in vivo biofilm models, we evaluated the efficacy of the novel oxazolidinone FYL-67, by using linezolid (the only clinically approved oxazolidinone antibiotic) as a control, for inhibiting S. aureus biofilm formation. METHODS: Antibiofilm activity was determined using strains of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. We studied the mechanism(s) and pharmacodynamics of antibiofilm activity as follows: (i) effects of pre- and post-exposure to FYL-67 or linezolid on biofilm formation; (ii) the effect of FYL-67 on biofilm structure; (iii) the role of FYL-67 in biofilm composition; (iv) effects on cell morphology; and (v) efficacy of FYL-67 and linezolid using an in vivo murine model of catheter infection. RESULTS: FYL-67 effectively inhibited biofilm formation using in vitro and in vivo assays. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that oxazolidinone compounds, such as FYL-67, may serve as antibiofilm agents.

Discovery of novel bis-oxazolidinone compounds as potential potent and selective antitubercular agents.

A variety of new mono-oxazolidinone molecules by modifying the C-ring of Linezolid, a marketed antibiotic for MRSA, were synthesized and tested for their in vitro antibacterial activities against several Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis and two Gram-negative bacteria strains (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Among them, compounds 4-7 displayed moderate antimicrobial activities. After development of a second oxazolidinone ring in the western part of the mono-oxazolidinone compounds 4-7 by a ring closure reaction with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), we found thus obtained bis-oxazolidinone compounds 22-25 possess excellently inhibitory activities against H37Rv but poor or no effects on other test bacteria. Among them, bis-oxazolidinone compound 22 and 24 are the most potent two compounds with a same MIC value of 0.125µg/mL against H37Rv virulent strain. Compound 22 also exhibited extremely low cytotoxicity on monkey kidney Vero cells with a selective index (IC50/MIC) over 40,000, which suggested bis-oxazolidinone compound 22 is a promising lead compound for subsequent investigation in search of new antitubercular agents.

Synthesis and evaluation of amide side-chain modified Agomelatine analogues as potential antidepressant-like agents.

In this work, nineteen analogues of Agomelatine were readily synthesized through structural modification of the acetamide side-chain starting from the key common intermediate 2-(7-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl) ethanamine (3), which was prepared from commercially available compound 2-(7-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl) acetonitrile (2) in two steps. Corticosterone-induced PC12 pheochromocytoma cells phenotypic in vitro model was utilized to evaluate their potential antidepression activities. Imide compound 4a and acylamino carboxylic acid analogue 5b showed good protective effects on traumatic PC12 cells with protection rates of 34.2% and 23.2%, respectively. Further in vivo assessments in C57 mice FST (forced swim test) model demonstrated that compound 4a significantly reduced the immobility time of the tested subjects, indicating antidepressant-like activity. Preliminary toxicity assays conducted on human normal liver L02 cells and embryonic kidney 293 cells suggested a relatively low safety risk for compound 4a compared with the marketed drugs Agomelatine and Fluoxetine. The promising antidepressant-like efficacy of compound 4a, together with the relatively low toxicity to the normal tested cells and high liability of diffusion through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), presents us insights of exploration of me-better drug candidates of Agomelatine.

Application of covalent modality in proximity-induced drug pharmacology: Early development, current strategy, and feature directions.

With a growing number of covalent drugs securing FDA approval as successful therapies across various indications, particularly in the realm of cancer treatment, the covalent modulating strategy is undergoing a resurgence. The renewed interest in covalent bioactive compounds has captured significant attention from both the academic and biopharmaceutical industry sectors. Covalent chemistry presents several advantages over traditional noncovalent proximity-induced drugs, including heightened potency, reduced molecular size, and the ability to target "undruggable" entities. Within this perspective, we have compiled a comprehensive overview of current covalent modalities applied to proximity-induced molecules, delving into their advantages and drawbacks. Our aim is to stimulate more profound insights and ideas within the scientific community, guiding future research endeavors in this dynamic field.

In vitro and in vivo enhancement effect of glabridin on the antibacterial activity of colistin, against multidrug resistant Escherichia coli strains.

BACKGROUND: The increase in antimicrobial resistance leads to complications in treatments, prolonged hospitalization, and increased mortality. Glabridin (GLA) is a hydroxyisoflavan from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. that exhibits multiple pharmacological activities. Colistin (COL), a last-resort antibiotic, is increasingly being used in clinic against Gram-negative bacteria. Previous reports have shown that GLA is able to sensitize first line antibiotics such as norfloxacin and vancomycin on Staphylococcus aureus, implying that the use of GLA as an antibiotic adjuvant is a promising strategy for addressing the issue of drug resistance. However, the adjuvant effect on other antibiotics, especially COL, on Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli has not been studied. PURPOSE: The objective of our study was to investigate the targets of GLA and the synergistic effect of GLA and COL in E. coli, and to provide further evidence for the use of GLA as an antibiotic adjuvant to alleviate the problem of drug resistance. METHODS: We first investigated the interaction between GLA and enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, also called "FabI", through enzyme inhibition assay, differential scanning fluorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking assay. We tested the transmembrane capacity of GLA on its own and combined it with several antibiotics. The antimicrobial activities of GLA and COL were evaluated against six different susceptible and resistant E. coli in vitro. Their interactions were analyzed using checkerboard assay, time-kill curve and CompuSyn software. A series of sensitivity tests was conducted in E. coli overexpressing the fabI gene. The development of COL resistance in the presence of GLA was tested. The antimicrobial efficacy of GLA and COL in a mouse model of urinary tract infection was assessed. The anti-biofilm effects of GLA and COL were investigated. RESULTS: In this study, enzyme kinetic analysis and thermal analysis provided evidence for the interaction between GLA and FabI in E. coli. GLA enhanced the antimicrobial effect of COL and synergistically suppressed six different susceptible and resistant E. coli with COL. Overexpression experiments showed that targeted inhibition of FabI was a key mechanism by which GLA synergistically enhanced COL activity. The combination of GLA and COL slowed the development of COL resistance in E. coli. Combined GLA and COL treatment significantly reduced bacterial load and mitigated urinary tract injury in a mouse model of E. coli urinary tract infection. Additionally, GLA + COL inhibited the formation and eradication of biofilms and the synthesis of curli. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that GLA synergistically enhances antimicrobial activities of COL by targeting inhibition of FabI in E. coli. GLA is expected to continue to be developed as an antibiotic adjuvant to address drug resistance issues.

Repurposing TAK875 as a novel STAT3 inhibitor for treating inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated disease associated with a high recurrence rate and an elevated risk of colon cancer. In this study, we screened a bioactive compound library using a luciferase reporter assay and identified the compound TAK875 as a novel inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Surface plasmon resonance analysis, differential scanning fluorimetry, and isothermal titration calorimetry demonstrated that TAK875 directly bound to recombinant STAT3. TAK875 suppressed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells, likely by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation. In addition, TAK875 inhibited the differentiation of CD4+ T cells into T-helper 17 cells, which may partially account for its anti-inflammatory effect. TAK875 also alleviated the LPS-induced accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, thus displaying its antioxidant effects. Finally, we demonstrated its satisfactory anti-inflammatory effect in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model of ulcerative colitis. In conclusion, this study presented TAK875 as a novel STAT3 inhibitor and demonstrated its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects both in vitro and in vivo.

Discovery of 5-(Piperidin-4-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole Derivatives as a New Class of Human Caseinolytic Protease P Agonists for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Chemical agonism of human caseinolytic protease P (HsClpP) is increasingly being recognized as a potential anticancer strategy due to its critical role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. We unveil the discovery of 5-(piperidin-4-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives as a novel class of HsClpP agonists and demonstrate for the first time the application of HsClpP agonists in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (Pace, A.; Pierro, P. The new era of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2009, 7 (21), 4337-4348). Compound SL44 exhibited potent HsClpP agonistic activity in the α-casein hydrolysis assay (EC50 = 1.30 µM) and inhibited the proliferation of HCCLM3 cells (IC50 = 3.1 µM, 21.4-fold higher than hit ADX-47273). Mechanistically, SL44 induces degradation of respiratory chain complex subunits and leads to apoptosis in HCC cells. In vivo results demonstrated that SL44 has potent tumor growth inhibitory activity and has a superior safety profile compared to the kinase inhibitor sorafenib. Overall, we developed a novel class of HsClpP agonists that can potentially be used for the treatment of HCC.

Discovery of a Novel Series of Homo sapiens Caseinolytic Protease P Agonists for Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Treatment via ATF3-Dependent Integrated Stress Response.

Homo sapiens caseinolytic protease P (HsClpP) activation is a promising strategy for colon cancer treatment. In this study, CCG1423 was identified as a selective activator of HsClpP. After optimization, NCA029 emerged as the most potent compound, with an EC50 of 0.2 µM against HsClpP. Molecular dynamics revealed that the affinity of NCA029 for the YYW aromatic network is crucial for its selectivity toward HsClpP. Furthermore, NCA029 displayed favorable pharmacokinetics and safety profiles and significantly inhibited tumor growth in HCT116 xenografts, resulting in 83.6% tumor inhibition. Mechanistically, NCA029 targeted HsClpP, inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and activating the ATF3-dependent integrated stress response, ultimately causing cell death in colorectal adenocarcinoma. These findings highlight NCA029 as an effective HsClpP activator with potential for colon cancer therapy.