Synthesis and biological evaluation of thiazole derivatives as novel USP7 inhibitors

Herpesvirus-associated Ubiquitin-Specific Protease (HAUSP, also called USP7) interacts with and stabilizes Mdm2, and represents one of the first examples that deubiquitinases oncogenic proteins. USP7 has been regarded as a potential drug target for cancer therapy. Inhibitors of USP7 have been recently shown to suppress tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Based on leading USP7 inhibitors P5091 and P22077, we designed and synthesized a series of thiazole derivatives. The results of in vitro assays showed that the thiazole compounds exhibited low micromolar inhibition activity against both USP7 enzyme and cancer cell lines. The compounds induced cell death in a p53-dependent and p53-independent manner. Taken together, this study may provide thiazole compounds as a new class of USP7 inhibitors.     

Psammaplysin H, a new antimalarial bromotyrosine alkaloid from a marine sponge of the genus Pseudoceratina

Mass-directed isolation of the CH₂Cl₂/CH₃OH extract from a marine sponge of the genus Pseudoceratina resulted in the purification of a new antimalarial bromotyrosine alkaloid, psammaplysin H (1), along with the previously isolated analogs psammaplysins G (2) and F (3). The structure of 1 was elucidated following 1D and 2D NMR, and MS data analysis. All compounds were tested in vitro against the 3D7 line of Plasmodium falciparum and mammalian cell lines (HEK293 and HepG2), with 1 having the most potent (IC₅₀ 0.41 μM) and selective (>97-fold) antimalarial activity.     

The ubiquitin E3 ligase MARCH7 is differentially regulated by the deubiquitylating enzymes USP7 and USP9X

Protein modification by one or more ubiquitin chains serves a critical signalling function across a wide range of cellular processes. Specificity within this system is conferred by ubiquitin E3 ligases, which target the substrates. Their activity is balanced by deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs), which remove ubiquitin from both substrates and ligases. The RING-CH ligases were initially identified as viral immunoevasins involved in the downregulation of immunoreceptors. Their cellular orthologues, the Membrane-Associated RING-CH (MARCH) family represent a subgroup of the classical RING genes. Unlike their viral counterparts, the cellular RING-CH proteins appear highly regulated, and one of these in particular, MARCH7, was of interest because of a potential role in neuronal development and lymphocyte proliferation. Difficulties in detection and expression of this orphan ligase lead us to search for cellular cofactors involved in MARCH7 stability. In this study, we show that MARCH7 readily undergoes autoubiquitylation and associates with two deubiquitylating enzymes – ubiquitin-specific protease (USP)9X in the cytosol and USP7 in the nucleus. Exogenous expression and short interfering RNA depletion experiments demonstrate that MARCH7 can be stabilized by both USP9X and USP7, which deubiquitylate MARCH7 in the cytosol and nucleus, respectively. We therefore demonstrate compartment-specific regulation of this E3 ligase through recruitment of site-specific DUBs.     

USP7: Structure,substrate specificity,and inhibition

Turnover of cellular proteins is regulated by Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS). Components of this pathway, including the proteasome, ubiquitinating enzymes and deubiquitinating enzymes, are highly specialized and tightly regulated. In this mini-review we focus on the de-ubiquitinating enzyme USP7, and summarize latest advances in understanding its structure, substrate specificity and relevance to human cancers. There is increasing interest in UPS components as targets for cancer therapy and here we also overview the recent progress in the development of small molecule inhibitors that target USP7.     

Stylissamide X, a new proline-rich cyclic octapeptide as an inhibitor of cell migration, from an Indonesian marine sponge of Stylissa sp

A new proline-rich cyclic octapeptide named stylissamide X (1) was isolated from an Indonesian marine sponge of Stylissa sp. as an inhibitor of cell migration from the guidance of wound-healing assay. The chemical structure of stylissamide X (1) was determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and stereostructure of the amino acids were deduced by Marfey's method. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activity against migration of HeLa cells in the ranges of 0.1-10 μM concentration through both wound-healing assay and chemotaxicell chamber assay, while the cell viability was maintained more than 75% up to 10 μM concentration of 1.     

Phosphocalyculin C as a pyrophosphate protoxin of calyculin C in the marine sponge Discodermia calyx

Calyculin C, a minor derivative of the calyculins, has an additional methyl group on C32 of calyculin A. A recent biosynthetic study of calyculins revealed that an end product of calyculin biosynthesis is the pyrophosphate form, phosphocalyculin A. However, the pyrophosphate counterpart derived from calyculin C had not been reported. We isolated phosphocalyculin C as a minor pyrophosphate derivative, by a detailed investigation of an extract from the sponge Discodermia calyx. The treatment of phosphocalyculin C with the D. calyx cell-free extract significantly enhanced its cytotoxicity, providing molecular evidence for its role as the protoxin of calyculin C.     

Tetradehydrohalicyclamine B,a new proteasome inhibitor from the marine sponge Acanthostrongylophora ingens

A new halicyclamine derivative, tetradehydrohalicyclamine B (1), was isolated from the marine sponge Acanthostrongylophora ingens, along with halicyclamine B (2) as proteasome inhibitors. Compound 1 is the second example found to have a pyridinium ring in the halicyclamine family. Although the relative configuration of 2 was previously determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis, here we determined the absolute configuration of 2 by ECD experiment. Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited the constitutive proteasome as well as the immunoproteasome. The inhibitory activities of 2 were 4- to 10-fold more potent than those of 1.     

Unusual glycosides of pyrrole alkaloid and 4'-hydroxyphenylethanamide from leaves of Moringa oleifera

Glycosides of pyrrole alkaloid (pyrrolemarumine 4″-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside) and 4′-hydroxyphenylethanamide (marumosides A and B) were isolated from leaves of Moringa oleifera along with eight known compounds; niazirin, methyl 4-(α-l-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzylcarbamate, benzyl β-d-glucopyranoside, benzyl β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-d-glucopyranoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, adenosine and l-tryptophan. Structure elucidations were based on analyses of chemical and spectroscopic data including 1D- and 2D-NMR.     

Deubiquitination of Chfr, a checkpoint protein, by USP7/HAUSP regulates its stability and activity

Chfr, a mitotic stress checkpoint, plays an important role in cell cycle progression, tumor suppression and the processes that require the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity mediated by the RING finger domain. Chfr stimulates the formation of polyubiquitin chains by ub-conjugating enzymes, and induces the proteasome-dependent degradation of a number of cellular proteins including Plk1 and Aurora A. In this study, we identified USP7 (also known as HAUSP), which is a member of a family of proteins that cleave polyubiquitin chains and/or ubiquitin precursors, as an interacting protein with Chfr by immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry, and their interaction greatly increases the stability of Chfr. In fact, USP7 can remove ubiquitin moiety from the autoubiquitinated Chfr both in vivo and in vitro, which results in the accumulation of Chfr in the cell. Thus, our finding suggests that USP7-mediated deubiquitination of Chfr leads to its accumulation, which might be a key regulatory step for Chfr activation and that USP7 may play an important role in the regulation of Chfr-mediated cellular processes including cell cycle progression and tumor suppression.     

Bromosceptrin, an alkaloid from the marine sponge Agelas conifera

Six dimeric bromopyrrole alkaloids (1-6) were isolated from a Florida Keys specimen of Agelas conifera. One of the constituents was identified as a new bromopyrrole metabolite, bromosceptrin (1). The structure of 1 was established from MS spectrometry and 1D and 2D NMR spectrocopy.     

SENP3 and USP7 regulate Polycomb-rixosome interactions and silencing functions

1. Download : Download high-res image (137KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Polyacelylenic alcohols and alkaloid derivatives from a calcareous marine sponge,Leucetta chagosensis

A chemical investigation of the CH₂Cl₂ extract of the marine sponge Leucetta chagosensis afforded 8 secondary metabolites, namely, pellynol A (1), pellynol B (2), pellynol I (3), pellynol D (4), plakohypaphorine B (5), plakohypaphorine E (6), 4-bromo-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxamide (7), and 2-phenylacetamide (8). The structures of these secondary metabolites were elucidated via NMR spectroscopic analysis, MS experiment and compared with those reported in the literature. This is the first report of compounds 1–8 isolated from the marine sponge genus Leucetta and from the class Calcarea. This work contributes expands the knowledge of the chemical diversity of calcareous marine sponges, and the chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates is also discussed.     

Further Insight into Substrate Recognition by USP7: Structural and Biochemical Analysis of the HdmX and Hdm2 Interactions with USP7

Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) catalyzes the deubiquitination of several substrate proteins including p53 and Hdm2. We have previously shown that USP7, and more specifically its amino-terminal domain (USP7-NTD), interacts with distinct regions on p53 and Hdm2 containing P/AxxS motifs. The ability of USP7 to also deubiquitinate and control the turnover of HdmX was recently demonstrated. We utilized a combination of biochemistry and structural biology to identify which domain of USP7 interacts with HdmX as well as to identify regions of HdmX that interact with USP7. We showed that USP7-NTD recognized two of six P/AxxS motifs of HdmX (⁸AQCS¹¹ and ³⁹⁸AHSS⁴⁰¹). The crystal structure of the USP7-NTD:HdmX^AHSS complex was determined providing the molecular basis of complex formation between USP7-NTD and the HdmX^AHSS peptide. The HdmX peptide interacted within the same residues of USP7-NTD as previously demonstrated with p53, Hdm2, and EBNA1 peptides. We also identified an additional site on Hdm2 (³⁹⁷PSTS⁴⁰⁰) that interacts with USP7-NTD and determined the crystal structure of this complex. Finally, analysis of USP7-interacting peptides on filter arrays confirmed the importance of the serine residue at the fourth position for the USP7-NTD interaction and showed that phosphorylation of serines within the binding sequence prevents this interaction. These results lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of substrate recognition by USP7-NTD.     

New polyhydroxylated sterols stylisterols A-C and a novel 5,19-cyclosterol hatomasterol from the Okinawan marine sponge Stylissa sp

New polyhydroxylated sterols, stylisterol A-C (1-3), and a novel 5,19-cyclosterol, hatomasterol (4) were isolated from the Okinawan sponge Stylissa sp. Structural determinations of these compounds were made by spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversion. Assessment of cytotoxicity toward HeLa cells was also determined.     

Sativanine-g,a cyclopeptide alkaloid from Zizyphus sativa

In addition to the already described peptide alkaloids from the bark of Zizyphus sativa, a new compound of this class, sativanine-G, has been isolated and its structure elucidated. This alkaloid contains a 13-membered ring system and belongs to the nummularine-C class.     

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of novel pyrrole derivatives as potential ClpP1P2 inhibitor against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

In an effort to discover novel inhibitors of M. tuberculosis Caseinolytic proteases (ClpP1P2), a combination strategy of virtual high-throughput screening and in vitro assay was employed and a new pyrrole compound, 1-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzyl)-2, 5-dimethyl-4-((phenethylamino)methyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate was found to display inhibitory effects against H₃₇Ra with an MIC value of 77 µM. In order for discovery of more potent anti-tubercular agents that inhibit ClpP1P2 peptidase in M. tuberculosis, a series of pyrrole derivatives were designed and synthesized based on this hit compound. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro studies against ClpP1P2 peptidase and anti-tubercular activities were also evaluated. The most promising compounds 2-(4-bromophenyl)-N-((1-(2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl)-2, 5-dimethyl-1H- pyrrolyl)methyl)ethan-1-aminehydrochloride 7d, ethyl 4-(((4-bromophenethyl) amino) methyl)-2,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride 13i, ethyl 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-(((2-fluorophenethyl)amino)methyl)-2-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride 13n exhibited favorable anti-mycobacterial activity with MIC value at 5 µM against Mtb H₃₇Ra, respectively.     

17-O-acetyl-19,20-dihydrovoachalotine,a new alkaloid from Voacanga chalotiana

The structure of 17-O-acetyl-19,20-dihydrovoachalotine, a new alkaloid from the root bark of Voacanga chalotiana, has been determined by spectroscopic analysis. The stereochemistry at C-20 has been deduced on the basis of ¹³C-NMR and comparison with other compounds containing the voachalotine skeleton.