Antileukemic activity and mechanism of drug resistance to the marine Salinispora tropica proteasome inhibitor salinosporamide A (Marizomib).

Salinosporamide A (NPI-0052, marizomib) is a naturally occurring proteasome inhibitor derived from the marine actinobacterium Salinispora tropica, and represents a promising clinical agent in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Recently, these actinobacteria were shown to harbor self-resistance properties to salinosporamide A by expressing redundant catalytically active mutants of the 20S proteasome ß-subunit, reminiscent of PSMB5 mutations identified in cancer cells with acquired resistance to the founding proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ). Here, we assessed the growth inhibitory potential of salinosporamide A in human acute lymphocytic leukemia CCRF-CEM cells, and its 10-fold (CEM/BTZ7) and 123-fold (CEM/BTZ200) bortezomib-resistant sublines harboring PSMB5 mutations. Parental cells displayed sensitivity to salinosporamide A (IC50 = 5.1 nM), whereas their bortezomib-resistant sublines were 9- and 17-fold cross-resistant to salinosporamide A, respectively. Notably, combination experiments of salinosporamide A and bortezomib showed synergistic activity in CEM/BTZ200 cells. CEM cells gradually exposed to 20 nM salinosporamide A (CEM/S20) displayed stable 5-fold acquired resistance to salinosporamide A and were 3-fold cross-resistant to bortezomib. Consistent with the acquisition of a PSMB5 point mutation (M45V) in CEM/S20 cells, salinosporamide A displayed a markedly impaired capacity to inhibit ß5-associated catalytic activity. Last, compared with parental CEM cells, CEM/S20 cells exhibited up to 2.5-fold upregulation of constitutive proteasome subunits, while retaining unaltered immunoproteasome subunit expression. In conclusion, salinosporamide A displayed potent antileukemic activity against bortezomib-resistant leukemia cells. ß-Subunit point mutations as a common feature of acquired resistance to salinosporamide A and bortezomib in hematologic cells and S. tropica suggest an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of resistance to proteasome inhibitors.

Molecular mechanisms of acquired proteasome inhibitor resistance.

The development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs) has transformed the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. To date, two PIs have been FDA approved, the boronate peptide bortezomib and, most recently, the epoxyketone peptide carfilzomib. However, intrinsic and acquired resistance to PIs, for which the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, may limit their efficacy. In this Perspective, we discuss recent advances in the molecular understanding of PI resistance through acquired bortezomib resistance in human cell lines and evolved salinosporamide A (marizomib) resistance in bacteria. Resistance mechanisms discussed include the up-regulation of proteasome subunits and mutations of the catalytic ß-subunits. Additionally, we explore potential strategies to overcome PI resistance.

The carmaphycins: new proteasome inhibitors exhibiting an α,ß-epoxyketone warhead from a marine cyanobacterium.

Two new peptidic proteasome inhibitors were isolated as trace components from a Curaçao collection of the marine cyanobacterium Symploca sp. Carmaphycin A (1) and carmaphycin B (2) feature a leucine-derived α,ß-epoxyketone warhead directly connected to either methionine sulfoxide or methionine sulfone. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive NMR and MS analyses and confirmed by total synthesis, which in turn provided more material for further biological evaluations. Pure carmaphycins A and B were found to inhibit the ß5 subunit (chymotrypsin-like activity) of the S. cerevisiae 20S proteasome in the low nanomolar range. Additionally, they exhibited strong cytotoxicity to lung and colon cancer cell lines, as well as exquisite antiproliferative effects in the NCI60 cell-line panel. These assay results as well as initial structural biology studies suggest a distinctive binding mode for these new inhibitors.

Bacterial self-resistance to the natural proteasome inhibitor salinosporamide A.

Proteasome inhibitors have recently emerged as a therapeutic strategy in cancer chemotherapy, but susceptibility to drug resistance limits their efficacy. The marine actinobacterium Salinispora tropica produces salinosporamide A (NPI-0052, marizomib), a potent proteasome inhibitor and promising clinical agent in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Actinobacteria also possess 20S proteasome machinery, raising the question of self-resistance. We identified a redundant proteasome ß-subunit, SalI, encoded within the salinosporamide biosynthetic gene cluster and biochemically characterized the SalI proteasome complex. The SalI ß-subunit has an altered substrate specificity profile, 30-fold resistance to salinosporamide A, and cross-resistance to the FDA-approved proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. An A49V mutation in SalI correlates to clinical bortezomib resistance from a human proteasome ß5-subunit A49T mutation, suggesting that intrinsic resistance to natural proteasome inhibitors may predict clinical outcomes.

Characterization of 5-chloro-5-deoxy-D-ribose 1-dehydrogenase in chloroethylmalonyl coenzyme A biosynthesis: substrate and reaction profiling.

SalM is a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase enzyme from the marine actinomycete Salinispora tropica that is involved in the biosynthesis of chloroethylmalonyl-CoA, a novel halogenated polyketide synthase extender unit of the proteasome inhibitor salinosporamide A. SalM was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli and characterized in vitro for its substrate specificity, kinetics, and reaction profile. A sensitive real-time (13)C NMR assay was developed to visualize the oxidation of 5-chloro-5-deoxy-D-ribose to 5-chloro-5-deoxy-D-ribono-γ-lactone in an NAD(+)-dependent reaction, followed by spontaneous lactone hydrolysis to 5-chloro-5-deoxy-D-ribonate. Although short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase enzymes are widely regarded as metal-independent, a strong divalent metal cation dependence for Mg(2+), Ca(2+), or Mn(2+) was observed with SalM. Oxidative activity was also measured with the alternative substrates D-erythrose and D-ribose, making SalM the first reported stereospecific non-phosphorylative ribose 1-dehydrogenase.

Function-oriented biosynthesis of beta-lactone proteasome inhibitors in Salinispora tropica.

The natural proteasome inhibitor salinosporamide A from the marine bacterium Salinispora tropica is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Using a comprehensive approach that combined chemical synthesis with metabolic engineering, we generated a series of salinosporamide analogues with altered proteasome binding affinity. One of the engineered compounds is equipotent to salinosporamide A in inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome yet exhibits superior activity in the cell-based HCT-116 assay.

Biosynthesis of the salinosporamide A polyketide synthase substrate chloroethylmalonyl-coenzyme A from S-adenosyl-L-methionine.

Polyketides are among the major classes of bioactive natural products used to treat microbial infections, cancer, and other diseases. Here we describe a pathway to chloroethylmalonyl-CoA as a polyketide synthase building block in the biosynthesis of salinosporamide A, a marine microbial metabolite whose chlorine atom is crucial for potent proteasome inhibition and anticancer activity. S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is converted to 5'-chloro-5'-deoxyadenosine (5'-ClDA) in a reaction catalyzed by a SAM-dependent chlorinase as previously reported. By using a combination of gene deletions, biochemical analyses, and chemical complementation experiments with putative intermediates, we now provide evidence that 5'-ClDA is converted to chloroethylmalonyl-CoA in a 7-step route via the penultimate intermediate 4-chlorocrotonyl-CoA. Because halogenation often increases the bioactivity of drugs, the availability of a halogenated polyketide building block may be useful in molecular engineering approaches toward polyketide scaffolds.