CDK Inhibitors: Cell Cycle Arrest Versus Apoptosis

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Key Words:

Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk), CDK inhibitors     

A Novel Mechanism for SUMO System Control: Regulated Ulp1 Nucleolar Sequestration

The small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) are evolutionarily conserved polypeptides that are covalently conjugated to protein targets to modulate their subcellular localization, half-life, or activity. Steady-state SUMO conjugation levels increase in response to many different types of environmental stresses, but how the SUMO system is regulated in response to these insults is not well understood. Here, we characterize a novel mode of SUMO system control: in response to elevated alcohol levels, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUMO protease Ulp1 is disengaged from its usual location at the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and sequestered in the nucleolus. We further show that the Ulp1 region previously demonstrated to interact with the karyopherins Kap95 and Kap60 (amino acids 150 to 340) is necessary and sufficient for nucleolar targeting and that enforced sequestration of Ulp1 in the nucleolus significantly increases steady-state SUMO conjugate levels, even in the absence of alcohol. We have thus characterized a novel mechanism of SUMO system control in which the balance between SUMO-conjugating and -deconjugating activities at the NPC is altered in response to stress via relocalization of a SUMO-deconjugating enzyme.The small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved polypeptides that are conjugated to protein targets via the concerted action of SUMO-specific E1 (activation), E2 (conjugation), and E3 (ligase) enzymes to effect changes in subcellular localization, half-life, or target activity. A family of SUMO-specific proteases act to remove the modifier from conjugates (8, 20). The SUMO system has been implicated in a variety of critical cellular functions, such as DNA repair and replication, RNA metabolism, and stress responses (8, 16, 20). Importantly, the SUMO system is highly dynamic and the SUMO pathway enzymes appear to work together to precisely control SUMO conjugate levels in the cell (8, 16, 20). However, how the SUMO system itself is regulated is poorly understood.Localization of the SUMO pathway enzymes may play an important role in SUMO system function (21). For example, the budding yeast SUMO protease Ulp1 is tethered to the nuclear face of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) via an unconventional interaction with the karyopherin Kap121 and the heterodimeric Kap95/Kap60 complex (12, 13, 23). However, this SUMO protease is not maintained exclusively at the NPC but appears to be mobile, effecting desumoylation at diverse subcellular locations: e.g., during mitosis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ulp1 is recruited to the septin ring to desumoylate septins (15), Schizosaccharomyces pombe Ulp1 localization is regulated throughout the cell cycle (31), and a mammalian Ulp1 homolog, SENP2, is shuttled between the nucleus and the cytoplasm (7). Consistent with these observations, SUMO conjugate levels are significantly altered in yeast strains expressing mislocalized Ulp1 (13, 37).Dramatic changes in SUMO conjugate populations have been noted in response to many different types of stresses in yeasts, mammals, and plants (9, 17, 27, 32, 38). For example, in S. cerevisiae, significantly increased steady-state SUMO conjugate levels are observed in response to elevated concentrations of ethanol (38). To better understand how the SUMO system is regulated in response to stress, we utilized alcohol as a model of a physiologically relevant stressor in yeast. Here, we demonstrate that alcohol stress results in a rapid, reversible nucleolar sequestration of Ulp1 and that enforced localization of Ulp1 in the nucleolus leads to a dramatic increase in steady-state SUMO conjugate levels. This is the first demonstration of regulated modulation of the intracellular localization of a SUMO enzyme in response to stress and thus represents a novel mechanism for SUMO system control.     

CDK11 P58调节细胞增殖与凋亡机制

CDK11 P58属于CDK11/PITSLRE蛋白激酶家族成员,由Cdc2L1和Cdc2L2基因编码,通过使用内部核糖体进入位点（IRES）翻译而来.它在有丝分裂、凋亡、纺锤体形成、微管稳定肿瘤发生发展和中枢神经损伤等方面均有重要作用.目前发现,CDK11 P58能与HBO1、细胞周期蛋白D3、β-1,4-半乳糖转移酶、雌激素受体、雄激素受体等相互作用.进一步研究CDK11 P58的功能将为如肿瘤和代谢疾病的医治带来新的思路.     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的机制

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂（HDACi）是一类新的化疗药物,能够有效抑制组蛋白去乙酰化酶的活性,促进组蛋白及非组蛋白的乙酰化修饰,在转录和翻译后修饰水平调控肿瘤靶蛋白及凋亡相关蛋白的表达和降解,活化凋亡信号通路,诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡。HDACi抑制抗氧化蛋白的表达,提高细胞内活性氧的水平,引起细胞的氧化损伤。因此,氧化损伤诱导的细胞凋亡也是HDACi杀伤肿瘤细胞的重要机制。HDACi诱导细胞凋亡机制的发现将进一步促进HDACi在临床治疗中的应用。     

3D-Pharmacophore Modeling,Molecular Docking,and Virtual Screening for Discovery of Novel CDK4/6 Selective Inhibitors

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Structure-based pharmacophore mapping, drug-likeness and ADMET profiles were used as tools in our virtual screening process, in addition to molecular...     

心肌纤维化的信号转导机制及新型抑制剂的研究进展

心肌纤维化(myocardial fibrosis, MF)是心肌重构发生的重要病理过程,能够引起心脏衰竭甚至死亡。心肌组织中成纤维细胞异常增殖并转化为肌成纤维细胞以及心肌细胞外基质代谢紊乱导致沉积是心肌纤维化形成的主要病理基础。心肌纤维化发生的分子机制较复杂,已发现多种信号通路参与了心肌纤维化的发生。该文主要对参与调控心肌纤维化的信号转导机制进行了综述,并对新型信号抑制剂的研究进展进行了小结。     

共转染CDK1、CDK2siRNA对肿瘤细胞周期和细胞凋亡的影响

目的研究共转染CDK1、CDK2siRNA同时抑制CDKI、CDK2蛋白表达对肿瘤细胞周期和细胞凋亡的影响,探讨细胞周期主要调控分子在肿瘤细胞凋亡中的作用。方法以人宫颈癌细胞株HeLa细胞为研究对象,用脂质体lipofectamine2000同时转染CDKl和CDK2siRNA。在转染后48、60h收集细胞,用Western印迹检测CDKl、CDK2蛋白的表达,AnnexinV／PI检测转染细胞的凋亡,流式细胞术DNA含量检测分析细胞周期。转染细胞进行瑞氏一姬姆萨染色（Wright—Giemsa）后在显微镜下观察其形态变化i结果共转染CDKl、CDK2siRNA后48和60h,Western印迹结果显示CDKl和CDK2蛋白的表达都同时降低。共转染CDKl、CDK2siRNA后,细胞周期S期和G1／M期比例与对照相比有明显增加;共转染细胞经瑞氏一姬姆萨染色后在显微镜下可见双核或多核细胞增多;AnnexinV／PI检测结果显示共转染CDK1、CDK2siRNA的细胞在48和60h细胞凋亡率与对照相比有显著的升高。结论siRNA干扰导致的CDKI、CDK2表达同时降低不仅导致细胞周期s期和G1／M期的阻滞,也诱导了肿瘤细胞的凋亡。     

Synthesis and Mechanism of Action of Novel Thiocarbamate Inhibitors of Human Leukocyte Elastase

Several peptidyl thiocarbamate inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase were synthesized in the molecular weight range of 700-800. Two different sequences with lysine at the P(3) and ornithine at the P(4) positions were synthesized. Most of the inhibitors with large molecular weights showed high inhibitory capacity with Ki values as low as 10(-8) M. Compounds immobilized on poly,alpha,beta-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide] (PHEA) polymers with an average molecular weight of 36,000 showed higher inhibitory capacity than their free forms.     

Novel INK4 proteins, p19 and p18, are specific inhibitors of the cyclin D-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6.

Cyclin D-dependent kinases act as mitogen-responsive, rate-limiting controllers of G1 phase progression in mammalian cells. Two novel members of the mouse INK4 gene family, p19 and p18, that specifically inhibit the kinase activities of CDK4 and CDK6, but do not affect those of cyclin E-CDK2, cyclin A-CDK2, or cyclin B-CDC2, were isolated. Like the previously described human INK4 polypeptides, p16INK4a/MTS1 and p15INK4b/MTS2, mouse p19 and p18 are primarily composed of tandemly repeated ankyrin motifs, each ca. 32 amino acids in length, p19 and p18 bind directly to CDK4 and CDK6, whether untethered or in complexes with D cyclins, and can inhibit the activity of cyclin D-bound cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Although neither protein interacts with D cyclins or displaces them from preassembled cyclin D-CDK complexes in vitro, both form complexes with CDKs at the expense of cyclins in vivo, suggesting that they may also interfere with cyclin-CDK assembly. In proliferating macrophages, p19 mRNA and protein are periodically expressed with a nadir in G1 phase and maximal synthesis during S phase, consistent with the possibility that INK4 proteins limit the activities of CDKs once cells exit G1 phase. However, introduction of a vector encoding p19 into mouse NIH 3T3 cells leads to constitutive p19 synthesis, inhibits cyclin D1-CDK4 activity in vivo, and induces G1 phase arrest.     

Identification of Novel Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine Inhibitors Targeting M. tuberculosis QcrB

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major human pathogen and the causative agent for the pulmonary disease, tuberculosis (TB). Current treatment programs to combat TB are under threat due to the emergence of multi-drug and extensively-drug resistant TB. Through the use of high throughput whole cell screening of an extensive compound library a number of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine (IP) compounds were obtained as potent lead molecules active against M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG. The IP inhibitors (1–4) demonstrated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the range of 0.03 to 5 µM against a panel of M. tuberculosis strains. M. bovis BCG spontaneous resistant mutants were generated against IP 1, 3, and 4 at 5× MIC and subsequent whole genome sequencing identified a single nucleotide polymorphism ⁹³⁷ACC>⁹³⁷GCC (T313A) in qcrB, which encodes the b subunit of the electron transport ubiquinol cytochrome C reductase. This mutation also conferred cross-resistance against IP 1, 3 and 4 demonstrating a common target. Gene dosage experiments confirmed M. bovis BCG QcrB as the target where over-expression in M. bovis BCG led to an increase in MIC from 0.5 to >8 µM for IP 3. An acute murine model of TB infection established bacteriostatic activity of the IP series, which await further detailed characterization.     

Analysing the Effect of Mutation on Protein Function and Discovering Potential Inhibitors of CDK4: Molecular Modelling and Dynamics Studies

The cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4)-cyclin D1 complex plays a crucial role in the transition from the G1 phase to S phase of the cell cycle. Among the CDKs, CDK4 is one of the genes most frequently affected by somatic genetic variations that are associated with various forms of cancer. Thus, because the abnormal function of the CDK4-cyclin D1 protein complex might play a vital role in causing cancer, CDK4 can be considered a genetically validated therapeutic target. In this study, we used a systematic, integrated computational approach to identify deleterious nsSNPs and predict their effects on protein-protein (CDK4-cyclin D1) and protein-ligand (CDK4-flavopiridol) interactions. This analysis resulted in the identification of possible inhibitors of mutant CDK4 proteins that bind the conformations induced by deleterious nsSNPs. Using computational prediction methods, we identified five nsSNPs as highly deleterious: R24C, Y180H, A205T, R210P, and R246C. From molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies, we observed that these deleterious nsSNPs affected CDK4-cyclin D1 and CDK4-flavopiridol interactions. Furthermore, in a virtual screening approach, the drug 5_7_DIHYDROXY_ 2_ (3_4_5_TRI HYDROXYPHENYL) _4H_CHROMEN_ 4_ONE displayed good binding affinity for proteins with the mutations R24C or R246C, the drug diosmin displayed good binding affinity for the protein with the mutation Y180H, and the drug rutin displayed good binding affinity for proteins with the mutations A205T and R210P. Overall, this computational investigation of the CDK4 gene highlights the link between genetic variation and biological phenomena in human cancer and aids in the discovery of molecularly targeted therapies for personalized treatment.     

Structure-based Discovery of Novel Small Molecule Wnt Signaling Inhibitors by Targeting the Cysteine-rich Domain of Frizzled

Frizzled is the earliest discovered glycosylated Wnt protein receptor and is critical for the initiation of Wnt signaling. Antagonizing Frizzled is effective in inhibiting the growth of multiple tumor types. The extracellular N terminus of Frizzled contains a conserved cysteine-rich domain that directly interacts with Wnt ligands. Structure-based virtual screening and cell-based assays were used to identify five small molecules that can inhibit canonical Wnt signaling and have low IC₅₀ values in the micromolar range. NMR experiments confirmed that these compounds specifically bind to the Wnt binding site on the Frizzled8 cysteine-rich domain with submicromolar dissociation constants. Our study confirms the feasibility of targeting the Frizzled cysteine-rich domain as an effective way of regulating canonical Wnt signaling. These small molecules can be further optimized into more potent therapeutic agents for regulating abnormal Wnt signaling by targeting Frizzled.     

小鼠RNA干扰基因RelA慢病毒载体的构建与鉴定

目的：构建小鼠RelA 基因的RNA 干扰慢病毒载体,转染小鼠成骨样细胞并鉴定。方法：针对小鼠RelA 基因序列,设计特异 性的shRNA 序列,应用基因重组技术插入慢病毒载体GV-248。得到的重组质粒转化感受态大肠杆菌DH5-alpha,筛选得到阳性克隆 并扩大培养。所得质粒进行测序分析确定载体构建成功。重组质粒载体及包装辅助质粒转染293T 细胞,得到目的病毒并测定相 应病毒滴度。慢病毒转染MC3T3-E1 细胞后,Real-time PCR 及Western blot 检测MC3T3-E1 细胞RelA 基因及成骨相关基因 ALP、OCN、RANKL的表达。结果：成功构建小鼠RelA 基因的RNA干扰慢病毒载体,感染MC3T3-E1 细胞后,RelA 基因的表达 明显受到抑制,同时RANKL基因表达水平明显下降,ALP、OCN基因表达水平明显上升。结论：成功构建了小鼠RelA 基因的 RNA 干扰慢病毒载体。当小鼠成骨细胞RelA基因表达被干扰,NF-资B 通路被抑制后,小鼠成骨细胞成骨相关基因ALP、OCN的 表达明显上升,成骨功能增强;同时RANKL 的表达明显下降,其介导的破骨细胞骨吸收功能减弱。