New Class Of Hsp90 Inhibitors Research Articles

Discovery of 5-aryl-3-thiophen-2-yl-1H-pyrazoles as a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma

Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-related mortality has increased over the past decades, treatment options are still very limited, underlining the need for developing new therapeutic strategies. The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) plays a key role in post-translational maturation of many oncogenic client proteins that are important for survival and proliferation of cancer cells. Thus, inhibitors of Hsp90 are promising targets for many cancer types. In this study, 15 diarylpyrazole compounds were screened against MCF7 and HepG2 cell lines. Compound 8, which contained a thiophene group, demonstrated the highest antiproliferative activity against HepG2 cells having an IC50 of 0.083 μM. Four additional diarylpyrazoles, each containing a thiophene group, were prepared and screened for antiproliferative activity. None of these four compounds exhibited superior activity to compound 8 on HepG2 cells. Therefore, compound 8 was selected for further in vitro assays. Cell cycle arrest was observed at the G2 phase in compound 8-treated cells. Compound 8 also caused a 7.7-fold increase in caspase-3. These results confirm the apoptotic effect of compound 8 on HepG2 cells. Moreover, compound 8 inhibited Hsp90 (IC50 = 2.67 ± 0.18 µM) in an in vitro assay and caused a 70.8% reduction in Hsp90 levels in a HepG2 cell-based assay. Additionally, compound 8 caused significant reduction in the levels of Hsp90 client proteins (Akt, c-Met, c-Raf, and EGFR) and a 1.57-fold increase in Hsp70. Molecular docking studies were also performed to predict the binding mode of compound 8 and followed by molecular dynamics simulations to give further insights into the binding mode of 8.

Amide-tethered quinoline-resorcinol conjugates as a new class of HSP90 inhibitors suppressing the growth of prostate cancer cells

The study is focused on the design and synthesis of amide tethered quinoline-resorcinol hybrid constructs as a new class of HSP90 inhibitor. In-vitro studies of the synthetic compounds led to the identification of compound 11, which possesses potent cell growth inhibitory effects against HCT116, Hep3B and PC-3 cell lines, exerted through HSP90 inhibition. Compound 11 triggers degradation of HSP90 client proteins along with concomitant induction of HSP70, demonstrates apoptosis inducing ability and causes G2M phase cell cycle arrest in PC-3 cells. Molecular modeling was used to dock compound 11 into the HSP90 active site and key interactions with the amino acid residues of the HSP90 chaperone protein were determined.

A novel chalcone-based molecule, BDP inhibits MDA‑MB‑231 triple-negative breast cancer cell growth by suppressing Hsp90 function.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a molecularly diverse and heterogeneous disease and the molecular heterogeneity of TNBC increases the difficulty in improving survival rates. To date, therapeutic approaches for the treatment of TNBC such as hormonal chemotherapy and trastuzumab-based therapy have been limited by the lack of target receptors such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (Her2), emphasizing the urgent need for identifying new therapeutic options. In this regard, heat shock protein90 (Hsp90) has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for TNBC. Hsp90 plays a central role in regulating correct folding, stability, and function of numerous oncogenic proteins. In the present study, we evaluated the invitro effect of a small molecule Hsp90 inhibitor, (E)-3-(2-bromo-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (BDP) on TNBC cell line, MDA‑MB‑231. This study indicated that BDP efficiently inhibited the growth of MDA‑MB‑231 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. BDP induced overall degradation of multiple oncogenic proteins including EGFR, Her2, Met, Akt, c‑Raf, and Cdk4, consequently leading to apoptotic cell death. The flow cytometric analysis revealed that BDP promoted cell cycle arrest at G2/M phases. Moreover, BDP treatment attenuated the migration of MDA‑MB‑231 cells and impaired MMP9 activity, which are essential processes for tumor metastasis. Collectively, BDP represents a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor and shows therapeutic potential for TNBC treatment.

Chalcone-templated Hsp90 inhibitors and their effects on gefitinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 has emerged as an attractive cancer therapeutic target due to its role in cellular homeostasis by modulating the stabilization and maturation of many oncogenic proteins. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of Hsp90 inhibitors that hybridized NVP-AUY992 (2) and PU3 (3) in the chalcone scaffold using a structure-based approach. Our results indicate that compound 1g inhibited the proliferation of gefitinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (H1975) cells, downregulated the expression of client proteins of Hsp90 including EGFR, MET, Her2 and Akt, and up-regulated the expression of Hsp70. The compound 1g represents a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors with a chalcone structure. The design, synthesis, and evaluation of 1g are described herein.

Targeting the entry region of Hsp90's ATP binding pocket with a novel 6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridin-5(4H)-yl amide

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 plays an important role in cancer cell survival and proliferation by regulating the maturation and stabilization of numerous oncogenic proteins. Due to its potential to simultaneously disable multiple signaling pathways, Hsp90 has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this study, the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of Hsp90 inhibitors are described. Among the synthetic compounds, 6,7-dihydrothieno [3,2-c]pyridin-5(4H)-yl amide 19 exhibits a remarkable binding affinity to the N-terminus of Hsp90 in a fluorescence polarization (FP) binding assay (IC50 = 50.3 nM). Furthermore, it effectively inhibits the proliferation of H1975 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and Skbr3 breast cancer cell lines with GI50 values of 0.31 μM and 0.11 μM, respectively. Compound 19 induces the degradation of the Hsp90 client proteins including EGFR, Her2, Met, c-Raf, and Akt, and consequently promotes apoptotic cancer cell death. Compound 19 also inhibits the growth of H1975 xenografts in NOD-scid IL2R gammanull mice without any apparent body-weight loss. The immunohistologic evaluation indicates that compound 19 decreases the expression of Akt in xenograft tumor tissue via an inhibition of the Hsp90 chaperon function. Additionally, the cytochrome P450 assay indicates that compound 19 has no effect on the activities of five major P450 isoforms (IC50 > 50 μM for 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A), suggesting that clinical interactions between compound 19 and the substrate drugs of the five major P450 isoforms are not expected. Overall, compound 19 represents a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor with its 6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridin-5(4H)-yl-amide structure, and it has the therapeutic potential to overcome drug resistance in cancer chemotherapy.

Multivariate analysis in the identification of biological targets for designed molecular structures: The BIOTA protocol

In this work the new protocol BIOlogical Target Assignation (BIOTA) for the prediction of the biological target from molecular structures is proposed. BIOTA is based on the Principal Components Analysis (PCA) application on a matrix of ligands versus molecular descriptors. The application of BIOTA could allow to hypothesize the mechanism of action of a candidate drug prior to its biological evaluation or to repurpose old drugs. The protocol can be fine-tuned by choosing opportune targets (biological or not) and molecular descriptors, and it can be useful in every fields in with it is possible to collect set of compounds with known properties.The robustness of the protocol depends from different factors: the correctness of biological data, the optimization of the molecular structures and their molecular descriptors calculation, the selection of the biological targets. The application of BIOTA to a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors was able to predict quite correctly their affinity for Hsp90.

Targeting the hydrophobic region of Hsp90’s ATP binding pocket with novel 1,3,5-triazines

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone that plays an important role in regulating the maturation and stabilization of many oncogenic proteins. In an attempt to discover a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors, a series of 1,3,5-triazine compounds were rationally designed, synthesized, and their biological activities were evaluated. Compound 3b was found to degrade Hsp90’s client proteins of Her2, Met and Akt and to induce the expression level of Hsp70. The binding mode of 3b in the ATP-binding site of Hsp90 was predicted by the molecular docking.

1679P - Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibition Downregulates C-Kit Expression in Gist Cells Through Diminishing Transcription and Enhancing Protein Degradation via both Autophagy and Proteasome Pathways

ABSTRACT Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a mutant oncoprotein c-Kit droved cancer. Patients suffered drug resistance after prolonged standard treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), imatinib mesylate (IM). Inhibition of heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), a chaperone responsible for protein maturation and stability, causing its client proteins degradation, as c-Kit, is a developing therapy for cancer. However, the mechanisms of Hsp90 inhibition-induced c-Kit downregulation in post-translational and transcriptional levels have rarely been investigated. Methods and results Our data showed that NVP-AUY922 (AUY922), a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor, inhibited the growth of GIST882 and GIST48 cells with mutant c-Kit protein expression that was accompanied with reduction of both total and phosphor-c-Kit protein and induction of apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition on either autophagy or proteasome degradation pathway could partially reverse endogenous c-Kit turnover and AUY922-induced c-Kit reduction. These findings were further confirmed by the co-localization of c-Kit with either LC-3B or acridine orange-labeled autophagosome in confocal microscopy, and delay of c-Kit degradation by silencing autophagosome essential Beclin-1 protein. In addition, AUY922 could also reduce c-Kit mRNA without affecting its degradation. Our preliminary data showed that activities and nuclear levels of several transcription factors in GIST cells were diminished after AUY922 treatment. DNA affinity precipitation assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) will be performed to validate the binding of the candidate transcript factors on the c-Kit promoter. Conclusions This is the first report showing the involvement of autophagy in endogenous as well as Hsp90 inhibitor-induced c-Kit degradation. Moreover, AUY922 treatment resulted in downregulation of c-Kit through protein degradation and transcriptional mRNA regulation in GIST cells. These findings address the mechanisms of AUY922 on c-Kit protein downregulation and highlight the potential use of AUY922 in TKI-refractory, c-Kit-expressing GIST. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

A Triazine Compound S06 Inhibits Proinvasive Crosstalk between Carcinoma Cells and Stromal Fibroblasts via Binding to Heat Shock Protein 90

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote tumor invasion by secreting soluble factors. A tagged triazine library was screened in our novel transwell coculture model of CAF and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We discovered compound S06, which reduced OSCC invasion by inhibiting secretionof CAF-derived proinvasive chemokines. The N-terminus of Hsp90 was found to be the cellular target of S06. Importantly, S06 did not induce hepatic toxicity, a side effect associated with well-known Hsp90 inhibitors. Moreover, S06 inhibited tumor cell migration in a zebrafish xenograft model. Our results demonstrate that Hsp90 is a novel target for stromal-based therapy to modulate proinvasive molecular crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, S06 represents a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor and is an attractive candidate for anticancer drug development.

Effect of inhibition of heat-shock protein 90 on mutant c-Kit protein as modulated by mRNA expression and protein degradation through both proteasome and autophagy-mediated pathways.

54 Background: c-Kit is a known client protein of heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Inhibition of Hsp90 can reduce the expression of c-Kit protein in human mastocytoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cells, which is conceived through the proteasome degradation pathway. Methods: COS-1 cells transfected with vectors containing CMV promoter-driven various c-Kit mutants (imatinib- sensitive or imatinib-resistant) and human GIST882 cells (with endogenous exon 13 mutant c-Kit) were used to investigate the efficacy NVP-AUY922, a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor, on suppressing the constitutive activation of mutated c-Kit. Detail mechanisms of protein regulation, as RNA transcription, RNA stability, and protein degradation were studied. Results: NVP-AUY922 is more potent than 17-AAG to inhibit the proliferation of imatinib-sensitive GIST882 cells. Further study showed that NVP-AUY922 down-regulated both total and phosphorylated c-Kit proteins in dose- and time-dependent manners in both GIST882 cells and mutant c-Kit (including imatinib-resistant exon11/17 double mutants) expressed in COS-1 cells. Surprisingly, the NVP-AUY922-induced c-Kit degradation in both cell models could be reversed by proteasome-degradation inhibitor and autophagy inhibitor. The involvement of autophagy in NVP-AUY922-induced c-Kit protein degradation was further confirmed by co-localization of c-Kit and autophagosome by immuno-staining. In addition, NVP-AUY922 treatment resulted in a reduction of c-Kit mRNA level in GIST882 cells but not c-Kit expressing COS-1 cells, which could be explained by the use of CMV promoter in artificial COS-1 cell model. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings provide the first evidence that down-regulation of mutant c-Kit protein by Hsp90 inhibitor involved both transcription and post-translation levels. Of the latter, autophagy- as well as proteasome-mediated degradation pathways were involved. These observations highlight the use of NVP-AUY922 either alone or in combination with autophagy modulators in imatinib-refractory, c-Kit-expressing GIST. Supported by 99D1-TC-CADOH03. [Table: see text]

Inhibition of heat-shock protein 90 reduces Ebola virus replication

Ebola virus (EBOV), a negative-sense RNA virus in the family Filoviridae, is known to cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates. Infection with EBOV causes a high mortality rate and currently there is no FDA-licensed vaccine or therapeutic treatment available. Recently, heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), a molecular chaperone, was shown to be an important host factor for the replication of several negative-strand viruses. We tested the effect of several different Hsp90 inhibitors including geldanamycin, radicicol, and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG; a geldanamycin analog) on the replication of Zaire EBOV. Our results showed that inhibition of Hsp90 significantly reduced the replication of EBOV. Classic Hsp90 inhibitors reduced viral replication with an effective concentration at 50% (EC50) in the high nanomolar to low micromolar range, while drugs from a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors showed markedly more potent inhibition. These compounds blocked EBOV replication with an EC50 in the low nanomolar range and showed significant potency in blocking replication in primary human monocytes. These results validated that Hsp90 is an important host factor for the replication of filoviruses and suggest that Hsp90 inhibitors may be therapeutically effective in treating EBOV infection.

696 CHARACTERIZATION OF A C-TERMINAL HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 90 INHIBITOR IN PROSTATE CANCER CELLS

You have accessJournal of UrologyProstate Cancer: Basic Research V1 Apr 2010696 CHARACTERIZATION OF A C-TERMINAL HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 90 INHIBITOR IN PROSTATE CANCER CELLS Heidi A. Penn, Craig A. Manthe, Shawna B. Comer, George A. Vielhauer, Roger J. Rajewski, Brian S.J. Blagg, and Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein Heidi A. PennHeidi A. Penn Kansas City, KS More articles by this author , Craig A. MantheCraig A. Manthe Kansas City, KS More articles by this author , Shawna B. ComerShawna B. Comer Kansas City, KS More articles by this author , George A. VielhauerGeorge A. Vielhauer Kansas City, KS More articles by this author , Roger J. RajewskiRoger J. Rajewski Lawrence, KS More articles by this author , Brian S.J. BlaggBrian S.J. Blagg Lawrence, KS More articles by this author , and Jeffrey M. HolzbeierleinJeffrey M. Holzbeierlein Kansas City, KS More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2010.02.1095AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) assists in folding, activation, and maintenance of proteins, as well as protects from degradation in stressed cells. In cancer, it has been found to be constitutely over-expressed and involved in various signaling pathways to promote tumor survival. Because of this, HSP 90 is a viable drug target. Traditionally, Hsp90 inhibitors have targeted the N-terminal ATP-binding site and 17-AAG has demonstrated activity both in vitro and in vivo and clinical trials are currently ongoing. Unfortunately, significant toxicity and difficult pharmacokinetic properties have limited their use. A second ATP-binding site was identified in the carboxyl terminus of Hsp90 and the antibiotic novobiocin has been demonstrated to weakly bind to and inhibit, however it has very low potency. We evaluate the in vitro efficacy of one of our analogues, KU-174, in hormone dependent (LNCaP-LN3) and independent (PC3-MM2) prostate cancer cell lines and normal renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTEC). METHODS Three cell lines, LNCaP-LN3, PC3-MM2, and RPTEC, were treated with KU-174, 17-AAG, and novobiocin and the effects compared. MTS anti-proliferation assays were used to determine potency. Western blot experiments determined the effect on Hsp90, Hsp70 and client protein expression and trypan blue exclusion assays assessed cell death. Additionally, KU-174 was analyzed in flow cytometry experiments for the induction of apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle. RESULTS KU-174 demonstrated anti-proliferative activity in both cancer cell lines and was more potent at earlier time points compared to novobiocin and 17-AAG. KU-174 induced the degradation of client proteins without inducing a heat-shock response. The percentage of viable cells was decreased significantly in both PC3–MM2 and LNCaP-LN3 lines with no effect on normal cells and KU-174 appears to be cytotoxic. In cell cycle experiments, KU-174 induced significant G2/M and S-phase arrest with the LNCaP-LN3 cell line demonstrating an increasing percentage of cells in the sub-G0/apoptotic fraction. In both cancer cell lines, the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest increased over time in a dose-dependent manner with less of an effect on RPTEC cells. CONCLUSIONS KU-174 is specific for cancer cells and differs from N-terminal inhibitors in that it is cytotoxic versus cystostatic, it does not induce a heat-shock response, and is more effective at earlier times. KU-174 represents a new class of Hsp-90 inhibitors that may prove to be superior to N-terminal inhibitors for the treatment of prostate cancer. © 2010 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 183Issue 4SApril 2010Page: e271-e272 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2010 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Heidi A. Penn Kansas City, KS More articles by this author Craig A. Manthe Kansas City, KS More articles by this author Shawna B. Comer Kansas City, KS More articles by this author George A. Vielhauer Kansas City, KS More articles by this author Roger J. Rajewski Lawrence, KS More articles by this author Brian S.J. Blagg Lawrence, KS More articles by this author Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein Kansas City, KS More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Characterization of Celastrol to Inhibit Hsp90 and Cdc37 Interaction

The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is required for the stabilization and conformational maturation of various oncogenic proteins in cancer. The loading of protein kinases to Hsp90 is actively mediated by the cochaperone Cdc37. The crucial role of the Hsp90-Cdc37 complex has made it an exciting target for cancer treatment. In this study, we characterize Hsp90 and Cdc37 interaction and drug disruption using a reconstituted protein system. The GST pull-down assay and ELISA assay show that Cdc37 binds to ADP-bound/nucleotide-free Hsp90 but not ATP-bound Hsp90. Celastrol disrupts Hsp90-Cdc37 complex formation, whereas the classical Hsp90 inhibitors (e.g. geldanamycin) have no effect. Celastrol inhibits Hsp90 ATPase activity without blocking ATP binding. Proteolytic fingerprinting indicates celastrol binds to Hsp90 C-terminal domain to protect it from trypsin digestion. These data suggest that celastrol may represent a new class of Hsp90 inhibitor by modifying Hsp90 C terminus to allosterically regulate its chaperone activity and disrupt Hsp90-Cdc37 complex.

Synthesis and evaluation of Hsp90 inhibitors that contain the 1,4-naphthoquinone scaffold

High-throughput screening of a library of diverse molecules has identified the 1,4-naphthoquinone scaffold as a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors. The synthesis and evaluation of a rationally-designed series of analogues containing the naphthoquinone core scaffold has provided key structure–activity relationships for these compounds. The most active inhibitors exhibited potent in vitro activity with low micromolar IC 50 values in anti-proliferation and Her2 degradation assays. In addition, 3g, 12, and 13a induced the degradation of oncogenic Hsp90 client proteins, a hallmark of Hsp90 inhibition. The identification of these naphthoquinones as Hsp90 inhibitors provides a new scaffold upon which improved Hsp90 inhibitors can be developed.

Discovery of aminoquinolines as a new class of potent inhibitors of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90): Synthesis, biology, and molecular modeling

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 plays important roles in maintaining malignant phenotypes. Recent studies suggest that Hsp90 exerts high-affinity interactions with multiple oncoproteins, which are essential for the growth of tumor cells. As a result, research has focused on finding Hsp90 probes as potential and selective anticancer agents. In a high-throughput screening exercise, we identified quinoline 7 as a moderate inhibitor of Hsp90. Further hit identification, SAR studies, and biological investigation revealed several synthetic analogs in this series with micromolar activities in both fluorescent polarization (FP) assay and a cell-based Western blot (WB) assay. These compounds represent a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors with simple chemical structures.

Structure-based discovery of a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors

Docking-based virtual screening identified 1-(2-phenol)-2-naphthol compounds as a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors of low to sub-micromolar potency. Here we report the binding affinities and cellular activities of several members of this class. A high resolution crystal structure of the most potent compound reveals its binding mode in the ATP binding site of Hsp90, providing a rationale for the observed activity of the series and suggesting strategies for developing compounds with improved properties.