A target-disease network model of second-generation BCR-ABL inhibitor action in Ph+ ALL

Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) is in part driven by the tyrosine kinase bcr-abl, but imatinib does not produce long-term remission. Therefore, second-generation ABL inhibitors are currently in clinical investigation. Considering different target specificities and the pronounced genetic heterogeneity of Ph+ ALL, which contributes to the aggressiveness of the disease, drug candidates should be evaluated with regard to their effects on the entire Ph+ ALL-specific signaling network. Here, we applied an integrated experimental and computational approach that allowed us to estimate the differential impact of the bcr-abl inhibitors nilotinib, dasatinib, Bosutinib and Bafetinib. First, we determined drug-protein interactions in Ph+ ALL cell lines by chemical proteomics. We then mapped those interactions along with known genetic lesions onto public protein-protein interactions. Computation of global scores through correlation of target affinity, network topology, and distance to disease-relevant nodes assigned the highest impact to dasatinib, which was subsequently confirmed by proliferation assays. In future, combination of patient-specific genomic information with detailed drug target knowledge and network-based computational analysis should allow for an accurate and individualized prediction of therapy.Uwe Rix, a, Jacques Colinge, Katharina Blatt, Manuela Gridling, Lily L. Remsing Rix, a, Katja Parapatics, Sabine Cerny-Reiterer, Thomas R. Burkard, Ulrich Jäger, Junia V. Melo, Keiryn L. Bennett, Peter Valent, Giulio Superti-Furg

Elaboration of tetra-orthogonally-substituted aromatic scaffolds towards novel EGFR-kinase inhibitors

Nitration of three regioisomers of bromo-fluorobenzaldehyde proceeds regioselectively, notably with H2SO4/HNO3 at 0 °C. The thereby synthesized tetrasubstituted aromatics, endowed with orthogonal substituents, can be elaborated via Pd-catalysed coupling, reduction and reductive amination reactions. As a test-case, these compounds were converted into EGFR inhibitors related to Gefitinib, whose activity was rationalised by docking studies

Chemoproteomics Reveals Novel Protein and Lipid Kinase Targets of Clinical CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Lung Cancer

Several selective CDK4/6 inhibitors are in clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Palbociclib (PD0332991) is included in the phase II/III Lung-MAP trial for squamous cell lung carcinoma (LUSQ). We noted differential cellular activity between palbociclib and the structurally related ribociclib (LEE011) in LUSQ cells. Applying an unbiased mass spectrometry-based chemoproteomics approach in H157 cells and primary tumor samples, we here report distinct proteome-wide target profiles of these two drug candidates in LUSQ, which encompass novel protein and, for palbociclib only, lipid kinases. In addition to CDK4 and 6, we observed CDK9 as a potent target of both drugs. Palbociclib interacted with several kinases not targeted by ribociclib, such as casein kinase 2 and PIK3R4, which regulate autophagy. Furthermore, palbociclib engaged several lipid kinases, most notably, PIK3CD and PIP4K2A/B/C. Accordingly, we observed modulation of autophagy and inhibition of AKT signaling by palbociclib but not ribociclib

Dabrafenib inhibits the growth of BRAF‐WT cancers through CDK16 and NEK9 inhibition

Although the BRAF inhibitors dabrafenib and vemurafenib have both proven successful against BRAF‐mutant melanoma, there seem to be differences in their mechanisms of action. Here, we show that dabrafenib is more effective at inhibiting the growth of NRAS‐mutant and KRAS‐mutant cancer cell lines than vemurafenib. Using mass spectrometry‐based chemical proteomics, we identified NEK9 and CDK16 as unique targets of dabrafenib. Both NEK9 and CDK16 were highly expressed in specimens of advanced melanoma, with high expression of both proteins correlating with a worse overall survival. A role for NEK9 in the growth of NRAS‐ and KRAS‐mutant cell lines was suggested by siRNA studies in which silencing was associated with decreased proliferation, cell cycle arrest associated with increased p21 expression, inhibition of phospho‐CHK1, decreased CDK4 expression, and the initiation of a senescence response. Inhibition of CDK4 but not CHK1 recapitulated the effects of NEK9 silencing, indicating this to be the likely mechanism of growth inhibition. We next turned our attention to CDK16 and found that its knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of the Rb protein at S780 and increased expression of p27. Both of these effects were phenocopied in NRAS‐ and KRAS‐mutant cancer cells by dabrafenib, but not vemurafenib. Combined silencing of NEK9 and CDK16 was associated with enhanced inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation. In summary, we have identified dabrafenib as a potent inhibitor of NEK9 and CDK16, and our studies suggest that inhibition of these kinases may have activity against cancers that do not harbor BRAF mutations