RESUMO
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogen with important roles in embryonic development and in the development of a number of cancers. Its activity is modulated by interactions with binding partners and co-receptors including heparin and heparin sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). To identify antagonists of Shh/heparin binding, a diverse collection of 34,560 chemicals was screened in single point 384-well format. We identified and confirmed twenty six novel small molecule antagonists with diverse structures including four scaffolds that gave rise to multiple hits. Nineteen of the confirmed hits blocked binding of the N-terminal fragment of Shh (ShhN) to heparin with IC50 values < 50 µM. In the Shh-responsive C3H10T1/2 cell model, four of the compounds demonstrated the ability to block ShhN-induced alkaline phosphatase activity. To demonstrate a direct and selective effect on ShhN ligand mediated activity, two of the compounds were able to block induction of Gli1 mRNA, a primary downstream marker for Shh signaling activity, in Shh-mediated but not Smoothened agonist (SAG)-mediated C3H10T1/2 cells. Direct binding of the two compounds to ShhN was confirmed by thermal shift assay and molecular docking simulations, with both compounds docking with the N-terminal heparin binding domain of Shh. Overall, our findings indicate that small molecule compounds that block ShhN binding to heparin and act to inhibit Shh mediated activity in vitro can be identified. We propose that the interaction between Shh and HSPGs provides a novel target for identifying small molecules that bind Shh, potentially leading to novel tool compounds to probe Shh ligand function.
RESUMO
Aberrant activation of hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in various cancers. Current FDA-approved inhibitors target the seven-transmembrane receptor Smoothened, but resistance to these drugs has been observed. It has been proposed that a more promising strategy to target this pathway is at the GLI1 transcription factor level. GANT61 was the first small molecule identified to directly suppress GLI-mediated activity; however, its development as a potential anti-cancer agent has been hindered by its modest activity and aqueous chemical instability. Our study aimed to identify novel GLI1 inhibitors. JChem searches identified fifty-two compounds similar to GANT61 and its active metabolite, GANT61-D. We combined high-throughput cell-based assays and molecular docking to evaluate these analogs. Five of the fifty-two GANT61 analogs inhibited activity in Hh-responsive C3H10T1/2 and Gli-reporter NIH3T3 cellular assays without cytotoxicity. Two of the GANT61 analogs, BAS 07019774 and Z27610715, reduced Gli1 mRNA expression in C3H10T1/2 cells. Treatment with BAS 07019774 significantly reduced cell viability in Hh-dependent glioblastoma and lung cancer cell lines. Molecular docking indicated that BAS 07019774 is predicted to bind to the ZF4 region of GLI1, potentially interfering with its ability to bind DNA. Our findings show promise in developing more effective and potent GLI inhibitors.
Assuntos
Proteínas Hedgehog , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Piridinas , Pirimidinas , Proteína GLI1 em Dedos de Zinco , Piridinas/farmacologia , Piridinas/química , Proteína GLI1 em Dedos de Zinco/metabolismo , Proteína GLI1 em Dedos de Zinco/genética , Pirimidinas/farmacologia , Pirimidinas/química , Proteínas Hedgehog/metabolismo , Humanos , Animais , Camundongos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Células NIH 3T3 , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/síntese química , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogenic protein with critical roles in embryogenesis and the development of some cancers. Hence, identifying inhibitors of the Shh pathway is of great therapeutic value. Heparin and HSPGs act as crucial modulators of Shh activity. To identify molecules that antagonize Shh binding to heparin we have developed a solid-phase plate-based assay. The N-terminal domain of Shh (ShhN) protein is first coated in 384-well plates and the direct binding of fluorescein-labeled heparin (flu-heparin) assessed by measuring the fluorescence signal after incubation and wash steps. Binding of ShhN protein to the 384-well plates was confirmed and optimized by a standard ELISA using a monoclonal antibody recognizing folded ShhN. The assay was validated using whole plate minimum and maximum signal wells with a Z' of 0.68-0.75 determined. Herein, we describe the development and validation of a high throughput screen to identify small molecule antagonists of Shh heparin binding. Overall, this methodâ¢Results in an optimized and validated assay for hedgehog heparin binding.â¢Delivers a cost effective high-throughput screen format for hedgehog heparin antagonist screening.
RESUMO
C. elegans has been widely used as a model organism for programmed cell death and apoptosis. Although the CED-3 caspase is the primary effector of cell death in C. elegans, no selective inhibitors have been identified. Utilizing high-throughput screening with recombinant C. elegans CED-3 protein, we have discovered and confirmed 21 novel small molecule inhibitors. Six compounds had IC50 values < 10 µM. From these, four distinct chemotypes were identified. The inhibitor scaffolds described here could lead to the development of selective molecular probes to facilitate our understanding of programmed cell death in this model organism.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Caenorhabditis elegans/antagonistas & inibidores , Inibidores de Caspase/análise , Inibidores de Caspase/química , Descoberta de Drogas/métodos , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos/métodos , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala/métodos , Caspases , Peso MolecularRESUMO
Diabetes currently affects 9.3% of the U.S. population totaling $245 billion annually in U.S. direct and indirect healthcare costs. Current therapies for diabetes are limited in their ability to control blood glucose and/or enhance insulin sensitivity. Therefore, innovative and efficacious therapies for diabetes are urgently needed. Herein we describe a fluorescent insulin reporter system (preproinsulin-mCherry, PPI-mCherry) that tracks live-cell insulin dynamics and secretion in pancreatic ß-cells with utility for high-content assessment of real-time insulin dynamics. Additionally, we report a new modality for sensing insulin granule packaging in conventional high-throughput screening (HTS), using a hybrid cell-based fluorescence polarization (FP)/internal FRET biosensor using the PPI-mCherry reporter system. We observed that bafilomycin, a vacuolar H(+) ATPase inhibitor and inhibitor of insulin granule formation, significantly increased mCherry FP in INS-1 cells with PPI-mCherry. Partial least squares regression analysis demonstrated that an increase of FP by bafilomycin is significantly correlated with a decrease in granularity of PPI-mCherry signal in the cells. The increased FP by bafilomycin is due to inhibition of self-Förster resonant energy transfer (homo-FRET) caused by the increased mCherry intermolecular distance. FP substantially decreases when insulin is tightly packaged in the granules, and the homo-FRET decreases when insulin granule packaging is inhibited, resulting in increased FP. We performed pilot HTS of 1782 FDA-approved small molecules and natural products from Prestwick and Enzo chemical libraries resulting in an overall Z'-factor of 0.52 ± 0.03, indicating the suitability of this biosensor for HTS. This novel biosensor enables live-cell assessment of protein-protein interaction/protein aggregation in live cells and is compatible with conventional FP plate readers.
Assuntos
Técnicas Biossensoriais/métodos , Polarização de Fluorescência/métodos , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala/métodos , Insulina/análise , Proteínas Luminescentes/análise , Precursores de Proteínas/análise , Animais , Produtos Biológicos/toxicidade , Células Cultivadas , Polarização de Fluorescência/tendências , Corantes Fluorescentes/análise , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala/tendências , Humanos , Insulina/metabolismo , Secreção de Insulina , Células Secretoras de Insulina/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Secretoras de Insulina/metabolismo , Precursores de Proteínas/metabolismo , Ratos , Proteína Vermelha FluorescenteRESUMO
Although there is no standard treatment protocol for inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), multi-modality treatment has improved survival. In this study we profiled the NCI approved oncology drug set in a qHTS format to identify those that are efficacious in basal type and ErbB2 overexpressing IBC models. Further, we characterized the sensitivity of an acquired therapeutic resistance model to the oncology drugs. We observed that lapatinib-induced acquired resistance in SUM149 cells led to cross-resistance to other targeted- and chemotherapeutic drugs. Removal of the primary drug to which the model was developed led to re-sensitization to multiple drugs to a degree comparable to the parental cell line; this coincided with the cells regaining the ability to accumulate ROS and reduced expression of anti-apoptotic factors and the antioxidant SOD2. We suggest that our findings provide a unique IBC model system for gaining an understanding of acquired therapeutic resistance and the effect of redox adaptation on anti-cancer drug efficacy.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Ensaios de Triagem em Larga Escala , Neoplasias Inflamatórias Mamárias/tratamento farmacológico , Quinazolinas/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Feminino , Humanos , Lapatinib , Proteínas Inibidoras de Apoptose Ligadas ao Cromossomo X/genética , Proteínas Inibidoras de Apoptose Ligadas ao Cromossomo X/fisiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Crosstalk between malignant hepatocytes and the surrounding peritumoral stroma is a key modulator of hepatocarcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance. To examine the chemotherapy resistance of these two cellular compartments in vitro, we evaluated a well-established hepatic tumor cell line, HepG2, and an adult hepatic stellate cell line, LX2. The aim was to compare the chemosensitization potential of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in combination with sorafenib or fluorouracil (5-FU), in both hepatic tumor cells and stromal cells. METHODS: Cytotoxicity of ATO, 5-FU, and sorafenib, alone and in combination against HepG2 cells and LX2 cells was measured by an automated high throughput cell-based proliferation assay. Changes in survival and apoptotic signaling pathways were analyzed by flow cytometry and western blot. Gene expression of the 5-FU metabolic enzyme, thymidylate synthase, was analyzed by real time PCR. RESULTS: Both HepG2 and LX2 cell lines were susceptible to single agent sorafenib and ATO at 24 hr (ATO IC(50): 5.3 µM in LX2; 32.7 µM in HepG2; Sorafenib IC(50): 11.8 µM in LX2; 9.9 µM in HepG2). In contrast, 5-FU cytotoxicity required higher concentrations and prolonged (48-72 hr) drug exposure. Concurrent ATO and 5-FU treatment of HepG2 cells was synergistic, leading to increased cytotoxicity due in part to modulation of thymidylate synthase levels by ATO. Concurrent ATO and sorafenib treatment showed a trend towards increased HepG2 cytotoxicity, possibly due to a significant decrease in MAPK activation in comparison to treatment with ATO alone. CONCLUSIONS: ATO differentially sensitizes hepatic tumor cells and adult hepatic stellate cells to 5-FU and sorafenib. Given the importance of both of these cell types in hepatocarcinogenesis, these data have implications for the rational development of anti-cancer therapy combinations for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Assuntos
Arsenicais/farmacologia , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Estreladas do Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Óxidos/farmacologia , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por AMP/metabolismo , Adulto , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Trióxido de Arsênio , Western Blotting , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Fluoruracila/farmacologia , Regulação Enzimológica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores do Crescimento/farmacologia , Células Hep G2 , Células Estreladas do Fígado/metabolismo , Humanos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Niacinamida/análogos & derivados , Niacinamida/farmacologia , Compostos de Fenilureia/farmacologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Sorafenibe , Timidilato Sintase/genética , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The bacterial RecA protein has been implicated as a bacterial drug target not as an antimicrobial target, but as an adjuvant target with the potential to suppress the mechanism by which bacteria gain drug resistance. In order to identify small molecules that inhibit RecA/ssDNA nucleoprotein filament formation, we have adapted the phosphomolybdate-blue ATPase assay for high throughput screening to determine RecA ATPase activity against a library of 33,600 compounds, which is a selected representation of diverse structure of 350,000. Four distinct chemotypes were represented among the 40 validated hits. SAR and further chemical synthesis is underway to optimize this set of inhibitors to be used as antimicrobial adjuvant agents.
RESUMO
The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance has created a need for the development of novel antibiotic classes with nonclassical cellular targets. Unfortunately, target-based drug discovery against proteins considered essential for in vitro bacterial viability has yielded few new therapeutic classes of antibiotics. Targeting the large proportion of genes considered nonessential that have yet to be explored by high-throughput screening, for example, RecA, can complement these efforts. Recent evidence suggests that RecA-controlled processes are responsible for tolerance to antibiotic chemotherapy and are involved in pathways that ultimately lead to full-fledged antibiotic resistance. Therefore inhibitors of RecA may serve as therapeutic adjuvants in combination chemotherapy of bacterial infectious diseases. Toward the goal of validating RecA as a novel target in the chemotherapy of bacterial infections, the authors have screened 35,780 small molecules against RecA. In total, 80 small molecules were identified as primary hits and could be clustered in 6 distinct chemotype clades. The most potent class of hits was further examined, and 1 member compound was found to inhibit RecA-mediated strand exchange and prevent ciprofloxacin-induced SOS expression in Escherichia coli. This compound represents the first small molecule demonstrating an ability to inhibit the bacterial SOS response in live bacterial cell cultures.