학술논문
Interfering with HuR–RNA Interaction: Design, Synthesis and Biological Characterization of Tanshinone Mimics as Novel, Effective HuR Inhibitors
Document Type
Article
Author
Manzoni, Leonardo; Zucal, Chiara; Maio, Danilo Di; D’Agostino, Vito G.; Thongon, Natthakan; Bonomo, Isabelle; Lal, Preet; Miceli, Marco; Baj, Vanessa; Brambilla, Marta; Cerofolini, Linda; Elezgarai, Saioa; Biasini, Emiliano; Luchinat, Claudio; Novellino, Ettore; Fragai, Marco; Marinelli, Luciana; Provenzani, Alessandro; Seneci, Pierfausto
Source
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry; 20240101, Issue: Preprints
Subject
Language
ISSN
00222623; 15204804
Abstract
The human antigen R (HuR) is an RNA-binding protein known to modulate the expression of target mRNA coding for proteins involved in inflammation, tumorigenesis, and stress responses and is a valuable drug target. We previously found that dihydrotanshinone-I (DHTS, 1) prevents the association of HuR with its RNA substrate, thus imparing its function. Herein, inspired by DHTS structure, we designed and synthesized an array of ortho-quinones (tanshinone mimics) using a function-oriented synthetic approach. Among others, compound 6aand 6nturned out to be more effective than 1, showing a nanomolar Kiand disrupting HuR binding to RNA in cells. A combined approach of NMR titration and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggests that 6astabilizes HuR in a peculiar closed conformation, which is incompatible with RNA binding. Alpha screen and RNA-electrophoretic mobility shift assays (REMSA) data on newly synthesized compounds allowed, for the first time, the generation of structure activity relationships (SARs), thus providing a solid background for the generation of highly effective HuR disruptors.