Discovery of WRN inhibitor HRO761 with synthetic lethality in MSI cancers.

The Werner syndrome RecQ helicase WRN was identified as a synthetic lethal target in cancer cells with microsatellite instability (MSI) by several genetic screens1-6. Despite advances in treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors7-10, there is an unmet need in the treatment of MSI cancers11-14. Here we report the structural, biochemical, cellular and pharmacological characterization of the clinical-stage WRN helicase inhibitor HRO761, which was identified through an innovative hit-finding and lead-optimization strategy. HRO761 is a potent, selective, allosteric WRN inhibitor that binds at the interface of the D1 and D2 helicase domains, locking WRN in an inactive conformation. Pharmacological inhibition by HRO761 recapitulated the phenotype observed by WRN genetic suppression, leading to DNA damage and inhibition of tumour cell growth selectively in MSI cells in a p53-independent manner. Moreover, HRO761 led to WRN degradation in MSI cells but not in microsatellite-stable cells. Oral treatment with HRO761 resulted in dose-dependent in vivo DNA damage induction and tumour growth inhibition in MSI cell- and patient-derived xenograft models. These findings represent preclinical pharmacological validation of WRN as a therapeutic target in MSI cancers. A clinical trial with HRO761 (NCT05838768) is ongoing to assess the safety, tolerability and preliminary anti-tumour activity in patients with MSI colorectal cancer and other MSI solid tumours.

Design of a Supersoft Topical JAK Inhibitor, Which Is Effective in Human Skin but Rapidly Deactivated in Blood.

We describe the discovery and characterization of the supersoft topical JAK inhibitor 3(R), which is potent in biochemical and cellular assays as well as in human skin models. In blood, the neutral ester 3(R) is rapidly hydrolyzed (t1/2 ∼ 6 min) to the corresponding charged carboxylic acid 4 exhibiting >30-fold reduced permeability. Consequently, acid 4 does not reach the intracellular JAK kinases and is inactive in cellular assays and in blood. Thus, hydrolysis by blood esterases leads to the rapid deactivation of topically active ester 3(R) at a rate beyond the maximal hepatic clearance.

Socio-Ecological Context of Sleep: Gender Differences and Couples' Relationships as Exemplars.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We summarized recent findings on insufficient sleep and insomnia, two prominent sleep issues that impact public health. We demonstrate the socio-ecologial impact of sleep health with findings on gender and couples' relationships as exemplars. RECENT FINDINGS: Robust gender differences in sleep duration and insomnia are due to biological and socio-ecological factors. Gender differences in insufficient sleep vary by country of origin and age whereas gender differences in insomnia reflect minoritized identities (e.g., sexual, gender). Co-sleeping with a partner is associated with longer sleep and more awakenings. Gender differences and couples' sleep were affected by intersecting social and societal influences, which supports a socio-ecological approach to sleep. Recent and seminal contributions to sleep health highlight the importance of observing individual sleep outcomes in a socio-ecological context. Novel methodology, such as global measures of sleep health, can inform efforts to improve sleep and, ultimately, public health.

The crystal structure of the varicella-zoster Orf24-Orf27 nuclear egress complex spotlights multiple determinants of herpesvirus subfamily specificity.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a human pathogen from the α-subfamily of herpesviruses. The VZV Orf24-Orf27 complex represents the essential viral core nuclear egress complex (NEC) that orchestrates the egress of the preassembled virus capsids from the nucleus. While previous studies have primarily emphasized that the architecture of core NEC complexes is highly conserved among herpesviruses, the present report focuses on subfamily-specific structural and functional features that help explain the differences in the autologous versus nonautologous interaction patterns observed for NEC formation across herpesviruses. Here, we describe the crystal structure of the Orf24-Orf27 complex at 2.1 Å resolution. Coimmunoprecipitation and confocal imaging data show that Orf24-Orf27 complex formation displays some promiscuity in a herpesvirus subfamily-restricted manner. At the same time, analysis of thermodynamic parameters of NEC formation of three prototypical α-, ß-, and γ herpesviruses, i.e., VZV, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), revealed highly similar binding affinities for the autologous interaction with specific differences in enthalpy and entropy. Computational alanine scanning, structural comparisons, and mutational data highlight intermolecular interactions shared among α-herpesviruses that are clearly distinct from those seen in ß- and γ-herpesviruses, including a salt bridge formed between Orf24-Arg167 and Orf27-Asp126. This interaction is located outside of the hook-into-groove interface and contributes significantly to the free energy of complex formation. Combined, these data explain distinct properties of specificity and permissivity so far observed in herpesviral NEC interactions. These findings will prove valuable in attempting to target multiple herpesvirus core NECs with selective or broad-acting drug candidates.

Sleep Valuation Is Associated with Components of Sleep Health and Daytime Functioning in a College Sample: A Survey Study.

Sleep valuation, the worth individuals place on sleep, is an understudied construct in the field of sleep medicine. This study introduced a Sleep Valuation Item Bank and explored how sleep valuation is related to sleep health and daytime functioning within a sample of college students. The participants in this study were 247 (85% white, 83% female) undergraduate students who completed an online survey that included questions from a Sleep Valuation Item Bank and questions about sleep and daytime functioning. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between sleep valuation, aspects of sleep health and daytime functioning. Mediation analyses were conducted to determine whether the sleep health variables explained the associations between sleep valuation and daytime functioning. In correlation analyses, sleep valuation was negatively associated with sleepiness and sleep quality. It was also associated with daytime functioning, including general mental and physical health, depression, and anxiety. In the regression analyses, daytime impairments including poorer physical and mental health, anxiety, and depression were associated with higher sleep valuation. Poorer sleep health, including greater sleepiness and lower sleep quality, explained these associations and were associated with higher sleep valuation. Thus, while daytime impairments, such as anxiety and depression, are related to sleep valuation, this relationship may be due in part to the sleep disturbance that often co-occurs with these impairments.

Improving Nonspecific Binding and Solubility: Bicycloalkyl Groups and Cubanes as para-Phenyl Bioisosteres.

Bicycloalkyl groups have been previously described as phenyl group bioisosteres. This article describes the synthesis of new building blocks allowing their introduction into complex molecules, and explores their use as a means to modify the physicochemical properties of drug candidates and improve the quality of imaging agents. In particular, the replacement of an aromatic ring with a bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane-1,3-diyl (BCP) group improves aqueous solubility by at least 50-fold, and markedly decreases nonspecific binding (NSB) as measured by CHI(IAM), the chromatographic hydrophobicity index on immobilized artificial membranes. Structural variations with the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-1,4-diyl group led to more lipophilic molecules and did not show the same benefits regarding NSB or solubility, whereas substitutions with cubane-1,4-diyl showed improvements for both parameters. These results confirm the potential advantages of both BCP and cubane motifs as bioisosteric replacements for optimizing para-phenyl-substituted molecules.

Peroxo and oxo intermediates in mononuclear nonheme iron enzymes and related active sites.

Fe(III)OOH and Fe(IV)O intermediates have now been documented in a number of nonheme iron active sites. In this Current Opinion we use spectroscopy combined with electronic structure calculations to define the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of these species and their contributions to reactivity. For the low-spin Fe(III)OOH species in activated bleomycin we show that the reactivity of this nonheme iron intermediate is very different from that of the analogous Compound 0 of cytochrome P450. For Fe(IV)O S=1 model species we experimentally define the electronic structure and its contribution to reactivity, and computationally evaluate how this would change for the Fe(IV)O S=2 intermediates found in nonheme iron enzymes.

Spectroscopic and quantum chemical studies on low-spin FeIV=O complexes: Fe-O bonding and its contributions to reactivity.

High-valent FeIV=O species are key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of many mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes and have been structurally defined in model systems. Variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism (VT-MCD) spectroscopy has been used to evaluate the electronic structures and in particular the Fe-O bonds of three FeIV=O (S = 1) model complexes, [FeIV(O)(TMC)(NCMe)]2+, [FeIV(O)(TMC)(OC(O)CF3)]+, and [FeIV(O)(N4Py)]2+. These complexes are characterized by their strong and covalent Fe-O pi-bonds. The MCD spectra show a vibronic progression in the nonbonding --> pi* excited state, providing the Fe-O stretching frequency and the Fe-O bond length in this excited state and quantifying the pi-contribution to the total Fe-O bond. Correlation of these experimental data to reactivity shows that the [FeIV(O)(N4Py)]2+ complex, with the highest reactivity toward hydrogen-atom abstraction among the three, has the strongest Fe-O pi-bond. Density functional calculations were correlated to the data and support the experimental analysis. The strength and covalency of the Fe-O pi-bond result in high oxygen character in the important frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) for this reaction, the unoccupied beta-spin d(xz/yz) orbitals, that activates these for electrophilic attack. An extension to biologically relevant FeIV=O (S = 2) enzyme intermediates shows that these can perform electrophilic attack reactions along the same mechanistic pathway (pi-FMO pathway) with similar reactivity but also have an additional reaction channel involving the unoccupied alpha-spin d(z2) orbital (sigma-FMO pathway). These studies experimentally probe the FMOs involved in the reactivity of FeIV=O (S = 1) model complexes resulting in a detailed understanding of the Fe-O bond and its contributions to reactivity.

Spectroscopic and electronic structure studies of aromatic electrophilic attack and hydrogen-atom abstraction by non-heme iron enzymes.

(4-Hydroxy)mandelate synthase (HmaS) and (4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) are two alpha-keto acid dependent mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes that use the same substrate, (4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate, but exhibit two different general reactivities. HmaS performs hydrogen-atom abstraction to yield benzylic hydroxylated product (S)-(4-hydroxy)mandelate, whereas HPPD utilizes an electrophilic attack mechanism that results in aromatic hydroxylated product homogentisate. These enzymes provide a unique opportunity to directly evaluate the similarities and differences in the reaction pathways used for these two reactivities. An Fe(II) methodology using CD, magnetic CD, and variable-temperature, variable-field magnetic CD spectroscopies was applied to HmaS and compared with that for HPPD to evaluate the factors that affect substrate interactions at the active site and to correlate these to the different reactivities exhibited by HmaS and HPPD to the same substrate. Combined with density functional theory calculations, we found that HmaS and HPPD have similar substrate-bound complexes and that the role of the protein pocket in determining the different reactivities exhibited by these enzymes (hydrogen-atom abstraction vs. aromatic electrophilic attack) is to properly orient the substrate, allowing for ligand field geometric changes along the reaction coordinate. Elongation of the Fe(IV) O bond in the transition state leads to dominant Fe(III) O(*-) character, which significantly contributes to the reactivity with either the aromatic pi-system or the C H sigma-bond.

Direct hydrogen-atom abstraction by activated bleomycin: an experimental and computational study.

Bleomycin (BLM), a glycopeptide antibiotic chemotherapy agent, is capable of single- and double-strand DNA damage. Activated bleomycin (ABLM), a low-spin Fe(III)-OOH complex, is the last intermediate detected prior to DNA cleavage following hydrogen-atom abstraction from the C-4' of a deoxyribose sugar moiety. The mechanism of this C-H bond cleavage reaction and the nature of the active oxidizing species are still open issues. We have used kinetic measurements in combination with density functional calculations to study the reactivity of ABLM and the mechanism of the initial attack on DNA. Circular dichroism spectroscopy was used to directly monitor the kinetics of the ABLM reaction. These experiments yield a deuterium isotope effect, kH/kD approximately 3 for ABLM decay, indicating the involvement of a hydrogen atom in the rate-determining step. H-atom donors with relatively weak X-H bonds accelerate the reaction rate, establishing that ABLM is capable of hydrogen-atom abstraction. Density functional calculations were used to evaluate the two-dimensional potential energy surface for the direct hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction of the deoxyribose 4'-H by ABLM. The calculations confirm that ABLM is thermodynamically and kinetically competent for H-atom abstraction. The activation and reaction energies for this pathway are favored over both homolytic and heterolytic O-O bond cleavage. Direct H-atom abstraction by ABLM would generate a reactive Fe(IV)=O species, which would be capable of a second DNA strand cleavage, as observed in vivo. This study provides experimental and theoretical evidence for direct H-atom abstraction by ABLM and proposes an attractive mechanism for the role of ABLM in double-strand cleavage.

Spectroscopy and electronic structures of mono- and binuclear high-valent non-heme iron-oxo systems.

High-valent iron-oxo intermediates are known or believed to be key oxidizing species in the catalytic mechanisms of many mononuclear and binuclear non-heme iron enzymes. So far only limited experimental data on their electronic structures are available. In this study we extend knowledge from the experimentally well characterized mononuclear Fe(IV)=O (S=1) biomimetic model system to computational insight into the spectroscopy and electronic structures of mono-and binuclear high-valent iron-oxo enzyme intermediates. In the mononuclear Fe(IV)=O complexes, we predict the spectroscopy and energies of the electronic transitions to be very different for the S=1 and S=2 spin states, but the iron-oxo bonding for both spin states to be very similar. A comparison of the S=2 mono- and binuclear high-valent iron-sites predicts similar electronic transitions. However, the bent iron-oxo bridge and interactions with the second iron-center in the dimer shift the transitions to higher energies and splits the d(xz/yz) orbital set. These electronic structure and TD-DFT results provide a basis for understanding the spectroscopy and electronic structures of high-valent intermediates in mono- and binuclear non-heme iron enzymes.

Spectroscopic and computational studies of NTBC bound to the non-heme iron enzyme (4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate dioxygenase: active site contributions to drug inhibition.

(4-Hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) is an alpha-keto-acid-dependent dioxygenase which catalyzes the conversion of (4-hydroxyphenyl)pyruvate (HPP) to homogentisate as part of tyrosine catabolism. While several di- and tri-ketone alkaloids are known as inhibitors of HPPD and used commercially as herbicides, one such inhibitor, [2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoyl]-1,3-cyclohexanedione (NTBC), has also been used therapeutically to treat type I tyrosinemia and alkaptonuria in humans. To gain further insight into the mechanism of inhibition by NTBC, a combination of CD/MCD spectroscopy and DFT calculations of HPPD/Fe(II)/NTBC has been performed to evaluate the contribution of the Fe(II)-NTBC bonding interaction to the high affinity of this drug for the enzyme. The results indicate that the bonding of NTBC to Fe(II) is very similar to that for HPP, both involving similar pi-backbonding interactions between NTBC/HPP and Fe(II). Combined with the result that the calculated binding energy of NTBC is, in fact, approximately 3 kcal/mol less than that for HPP, the bidentate coordination of NTBC to Fe(II) is not solely responsible for its extremely high affinity for the enzyme. Thus, the pi-stacking interactions between the aromatic rings of NTBC and two phenyalanine residues, as observed in the crystallography of the HPPD/Fe(II)/NTBC complex, appear to be responsible for the observed high affinity of drug binding.

Dioxygen activation by copper, heme and non-heme iron enzymes: comparison of electronic structures and reactivities.

Enzymes containing heme, non-heme iron and copper active sites play important roles in the activation of dioxygen for substrate oxidation. One key reaction step is CH bond cleavage through H-atom abstraction. On the basis of the ligand environment and the redox properties of the metal, these enzymes employ different methods of dioxygen activation. Heme enzymes are able to stabilize the very reactive iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin-radical intermediate. This is generally not accessible for non-heme iron systems, which can instead use low-spin ferric-hydroperoxo and iron(IV)-oxo species as reactive oxidants. Copper enzymes employ still a different strategy and achieve H-atom abstraction potentially through a superoxo intermediate. This review compares and contrasts the electronic structures and reactivities of these various oxygen intermediates.

Spectroscopic and quantum chemical characterization of the electronic structure and bonding in a non-heme FeIV[double bond]O complex.

High valent FeIV=O species are key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of many mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes involving the binding and activation of dioxygen. Using variable temperature magnetic circular dichroism (VT MCD) spectroscopy and experimentally calibrated density functional calculations, we are able to present the first detailed description of the electronic structure of a non-heme FeIV=O S = 1 complex. These studies define the nature of the FeIV=O bond and present the basis for understanding high-valent oxygen intermediates in non-heme iron enzymes.

Spectroscopic studies of the interaction of ferrous bleomycin with DNA.

Bleomycin is an antibiotic used in cancer chemotherapy for its ability to achieve both single- and double-strand cleavage of DNA through abstraction of the deoxyribose C4'-H. Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and X-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopies have been used to study the interaction of the biologically relevant FeIIBLM complex with DNA. Calf thymus DNA was used as the substrate as well as short oligonucleotides, including one with a preferred 5'-G-pyrimidine-3' cleavage site [d(GGAAGCTTCC)2] and one without [d(GGAAATTTCC)2]. DNA binding to FeIIBLM significantly perturbs the FeII active site, resulting in a change in intensity ratio of the d d transitions and a decrease in excited-state orbital splitting (5Eg). Although this effect is somewhat dependent on length and composition of the oligonucleotide, it is not correlated to the presence of a 5'-G-pyrimidine-3' cleavage site. No effect is observed on the charge-transfer transitions, indicating that the H-bonding recognition between the pyrimidine and guanine base does not perturb Fe-pyrimidine backbonding. Azide binding studies indicate that FeIIBLM bound to either oligomer has the same affinity for N3-. Parallel studies of BLM structural derivatives indicate that FeIIiso-PEPLM, in which the carbamoyl group is shifted on the mannose sugar, forms the same DNA-bound species as FeIIBLM. In contrast, FeIIDP-PEPLM, in which the -aminoalanine group is absent, forms a new species upon DNA binding. These data are consistent with a model in which the primary amine from the -aminoalanine is an FeII ligand and the mannose carbamoyl provides either a ligand to the FeII or significant second-sphere effects on the FeII site; intercalation of the bithiazole tail into the double helix likely brings the metal-bound complex close enough to the DNA to create steric interactions that remove the sugar groups from interaction with the FeII. The fact that the FeII active site is perturbed regardless of DNA sequence is consistent with the fact that cleavage is observed for both 5'-GC-3' and nonspecific oligomers and indicates that different reaction coordinates may be active, depending on orientation of the deoxyribose C4'-H.

Non-heme iron enzymes: contrasts to heme catalysis.

Non-heme iron enzymes catalyze a wide range of O(2) reactions, paralleling those of heme systems. Non-heme iron active sites are, however, much more difficult to study because they do not exhibit the intense spectral features characteristic of the porphyrin ligand. A spectroscopic methodology was developed that provides significant mechanistic insight into the reactivity of non-heme ferrous active sites. These studies reveal a general mechanistic strategy used by these enzymes and differences in substrate and cofactor interactions dependent on their requirement for activation by iron. Contributions to O(2) activation have been elucidated for non-heme relative to heme ligand sets, and major differences in reactivity are defined with respect to the heterolytic and homolytic cleavage of O-O bonds.

Spectroscopic and electronic structure studies of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase: O2 reactivity of the non-heme ferrous site in extradiol dioxygenases.

The extradiol dioxygenase, 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (DHBD, EC 1.13.11.39), has been studied using magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), variable-temperature variable-field (VTVH) MCD, X-ray absorption (XAS) pre-edge, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies, which are analogous to methods used in earlier studies on the extradiol dioxygenase catechol 2,3-dioxygenase [Mabrouk et al. J. Am. Chem Soc. 1991, 113, 4053-4061]. For DHBD, the spectroscopic data can be correlated to the results of crystallography and with the results from density functional calculations to obtain detailed geometric and electronic structure descriptions of the resting and substrate (DHB) bound forms of the enzyme. The geometry of the active site of the resting enzyme, square pyramidal with a strong Fe-glutamate bond in the equatorial plane, localizes the redox active orbital in an orientation appropriate for O(2) binding. However, the O(2) reaction is not favorable, as it would produce a ferric superoxide intermediate with a weak Fe-O bond. Substrate binding leads to a new square pyramidal structure with the strong Fe-glutamate bond in the axial direction as indicated by a decrease in the (5)E(g) and increase in the (5)T(2g) splitting. Electronic structure calculations provide insight into the relative lack of dioxygen reactivity for the resting enzyme and its activation upon substrate binding.