RESUMEN

WRN helicase is a promising target for treatment of cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI) due to its essential role in resolving deleterious non-canonical DNA structures that accumulate in cells with faulty mismatch repair mechanisms1-5. Currently there are no approved drugs directly targeting human DNA or RNA helicases, in part owing to the challenging nature of developing potent and selective compounds to this class of proteins. Here we describe the chemoproteomics-enabled discovery of a clinical-stage, covalent allosteric inhibitor of WRN, VVD-133214. This compound selectively engages a cysteine (C727) located in a region of the helicase domain subject to interdomain movement during DNA unwinding. VVD-133214 binds WRN protein cooperatively with nucleotide and stabilizes compact conformations lacking the dynamic flexibility necessary for proper helicase function, resulting in widespread double-stranded DNA breaks, nuclear swelling and cell death in MSI-high (MSI-H), but not in microsatellite-stable, cells. The compound was well tolerated in mice and led to robust tumour regression in multiple MSI-H colorectal cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. Our work shows an allosteric approach for inhibition of WRN function that circumvents competition from an endogenous ATP cofactor in cancer cells, and designates VVD-133214 as a promising drug candidate for patients with MSI-H cancers.

Asunto(s)

Regulación Alostérica , Descubrimiento de Drogas , Inhibidores Enzimáticos , Proteómica , Helicasa del Síndrome de Werner , Animales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Regulación Alostérica/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias Colorrectales/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorrectales/enzimología , Neoplasias Colorrectales/patología , Cisteína/efectos de los fármacos , Cisteína/metabolismo , Roturas del ADN de Doble Cadena/efectos de los fármacos , Descubrimiento de Drogas/métodos , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/química , Inestabilidad de Microsatélites , Modelos Moleculares , Helicasa del Síndrome de Werner/antagonistas & inhibidores , Helicasa del Síndrome de Werner/química , Helicasa del Síndrome de Werner/metabolismo , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Muerte Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Adenosina Trifosfato/metabolismo

RESUMEN

L-type calcium channels (LTCCs) are highly expressed in the heart and brain and are critical for cardiac and neuronal functions. LTCC-blocking drugs have a long and successful record in the clinic for treating cardiovascular disorders. In contrast, establishment of their efficacy for indications of the central nervous system remains challenging given the tendency of existing LTCC drugs being functionally and mechanistically more selective for peripheral tissues. LTCCs in vivo are large macromolecular complexes consisting of a pore-forming subunit and other modulatory proteins, some of which may be neuro-specific and potentially harbor mechanisms for neuronal selectivity. To exploit the possibility of identifying mechanistically novel and/or neuro-selective blockers, we developed two phenotypic assays-a calcium flux-based primary screening assay and a patch clamp secondary assay, using rat primary cortical cultures. We screened a library comprised of 1278 known bioactive agents and successfully identified a majority of the potent LTCC-blocking drugs in the library. Significantly, we identified a previously unrecognized LTCC blocker with a novel mechanism, which was corroborated by patch clamp and binding studies. As such, these phenotypic assays are robust and represent an important step towards identifying mechanistically novel and neuro-selective LTCC blockers.

Asunto(s)

Bloqueadores de los Canales de Calcio/metabolismo , Canales de Calcio Tipo L , Neuronas/metabolismo , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Corteza Cerebral/citología , Técnicas de Placa-Clamp , Fenotipo , Ratas

RESUMEN

Highly stereoselective 2-oxonia-Cope rearrangement reactions between newly designed bisvinylogous aldolation synthons and aldehydes, which can provide ε-hydroxy-α,ß,γ,δ-unsaturated esters with excellent enantioselectivities, as well as with unprecedented E- and Z-selectivities without regioselectivity issues, are described.

Asunto(s)

Aldehídos/química , Acetatos , Catálisis , Difosfonatos , Peróxido de Hidrógeno , Estructura Molecular , Estereoisomerismo

RESUMEN

A focused high throughput screening for GPR139 was completed for a select 100K compounds, and new agonist leads were identified. Subsequent analysis and structure-activity relationship studies identified (S)-3-chloro-N-(2-oxo-2-((1-phenylethyl)amino)ethyl)benzamide 7c as a potent and selective agonist of hGPR139 with an EC50 = 16 nM. The compound was found to cross the blood-brain barrier and have good drug-like properties amenable for oral dosing in rat.

RESUMEN

The cores of most galaxies are thought to harbour supermassive black holes, which power galactic nuclei by converting the gravitational energy of accreting matter into radiation. Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the compact source of radio, infrared and X-ray emission at the centre of the Milky Way, is the closest example of this phenomenon, with an estimated black hole mass that is 4,000,000 times that of the Sun. A long-standing astronomical goal is to resolve structures in the innermost accretion flow surrounding Sgr A*, where strong gravitational fields will distort the appearance of radiation emitted near the black hole. Radio observations at wavelengths of 3.5 mm and 7 mm have detected intrinsic structure in Sgr A*, but the spatial resolution of observations at these wavelengths is limited by interstellar scattering. Here we report observations at a wavelength of 1.3 mm that set a size of 37(+16)(-10) microarcseconds on the intrinsic diameter of Sgr A*. This is less than the expected apparent size of the event horizon of the presumed black hole, suggesting that the bulk of Sgr A* emission may not be centred on the black hole, but arises in the surrounding accretion flow.

RESUMEN

We describe the design and implementation of a controller-area-network bus (CANbus) monitor and control system for a millimeter wave interferometer. The Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) is a 15-antenna connected-element interferometer for astronomical imaging, created by the merger of two university observatories. Its new control system relies on a central computer supervising a variety of subsystem computers, many of which control distributed intelligent nodes over CANbus. Subsystems are located in the control building and in individual antennas and communicate with the central computer via Ethernet. Each of the CAN modules has a very specific function, such as reading an antenna encoder or tuning an oscillator. Hardware for the modules was based on a core design including a commercial CANbus-enabled single-board computer and some standard circuitry for interfacing to peripherals. Hardware elements were added or changed as necessary for the specific module types. Similarly, a base set of embedded code was implemented for essential common functions such as CAN message handling and time keeping and extended to implement the required functionality for the different hardware. Using a standard CAN messaging protocol designed to fit the requirements of CARMA and a well-defined interface to the high-level software allowed separate development of high-level code and embedded code with minimal integration problems. Over 30 module types have been implemented and successfully deployed in CARMA, which is now delivering excellent new science data.