RESUMO
Targeting thymidylate kinase (TMPK) that catalyzes the phosphotransfer reaction for formation of dTDP from dTMP is a new strategy for anticancer treatment. This study is to understand the inhibitory mechanism of a previously identified human TMPK (hTMPK) inhibitor YMU1 (1a) by molecular docking, isothermal titration calorimetry, and photoaffinity labeling. The molecular dynamics simulation suggests that 1a prefers binding at the catalytic site of hTMPK, whereas the hTMPK inhibitors that bear pyridino[d]isothiazolone or benzo[d]isothiazolone core structure in lieu of the dimethylpyridine-fused isothiazolone moiety in 1a can have access to both the ATP-binding and catalytic sites. The binding sites of hTMPK inhibitors were validated by photoaffinity labeling and mass spectrometric studies. Taking together, 1a and its analogues stabilize the conformation of ligand-induced degradation (LID) region of hTMPK and block the catalytic site or ATP-binding site, thus attenuating the ATP binding-induced closed conformation that is required for phosphorylation of dTMP.
Assuntos
Núcleosídeo-Fosfato Quinase/antagonistas & inibidores , Fosfatos/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Proteólise/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Sítios de Ligação/efeitos dos fármacos , Calorimetria , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Cristalografia por Raios X , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Humanos , Camundongos , Modelos Moleculares , Estrutura Molecular , Núcleosídeo-Fosfato Quinase/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/síntese química , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/química , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The synthesis of dTDP is unique because there is a requirement for thymidylate kinase (TMPK). All other dNDPs including dUDP are directly produced by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). We report the binding of TMPK and RNR at sites of DNA damage. In tumor cells, when TMPK function is blocked, dUTP is incorporated during DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Disrupting RNR recruitment to damage sites or reducing the expression of the R2 subunit of RNR prevents the impairment of DNA repair by TMPK intervention, indicating that RNR contributes to dUTP incorporation during DSB repair. We identified a cell-permeable nontoxic inhibitor of TMPK that sensitizes tumor cells to doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option.