Targeting DUBs to degrade oncogenic proteins

Anjali Cremer1,2, Kimberly Stegmaier3

  • 1Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

British Journal of Cancer
|February 5, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Targeted protein degradation is a novel cancer therapy. HBX19818, a USP10 inhibitor, degrades spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and FLT3, killing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Targeted protein degradation is a promising strategy in oncology.
  • Deubiquitinase (DUB) inhibitors represent a novel therapeutic avenue.
  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a challenging malignancy.

Discussion:

  • The deubiquitinase USP10 is a potential therapeutic target in AML.
  • Inhibition of USP10 leads to the degradation of key oncogenic proteins.
  • Dual degradation of SYK and FLT3 has significant implications for AML treatment.

Key Insights:

  • HBX19818, a novel USP10 inhibitor, induces targeted protein degradation.
  • The compound effectively degrades both spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and FLT3.
  • This dual degradation results in the death of AML cells, highlighting a new therapeutic mechanism.

Outlook:

  • USP10 inhibitors like HBX19818 show potential for AML therapy.
  • Further research may explore combination therapies involving DUB inhibitors.
  • This approach could be extended to other hematological malignancies or solid tumors.

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.6K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
5.0K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.5K
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes01:33

Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
11.0K
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR...
2.7K
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
9.3K