Cancer selective cell death induction by a bivalent CK2 inhibitor targeting the ATP site and the allosteric αD pocket

Alexandre Bancet1,2, Rita Frem3, Florian Jeanneret4

  • 1University Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, Institut Convergence Plascan, Team « Small Molecules for Biological Targets », 69373 Lyon, France.

Iscience
|February 6, 2024
PubMed

Insights

A novel selective inhibitor, AB668, targets protein kinase CK2 via a unique bivalent binding mode. This inhibitor demonstrates distinct anti-cancer activity by inducing apoptosis and modulating specific pathways in renal cell carcinoma.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Protein kinase CK2 (CK2) is implicated in various cancers.
  • There is a need for selective CK2 inhibitors to study its role in cancer and for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discover and characterize a novel, selective CK2 inhibitor.
  • To compare the anti-cancer mechanism of the new inhibitor with existing ones.

Main Methods:

  • Discovery of AB668, a bivalent CK2 inhibitor.
  • Caspase activation assays, live-cell imaging, and transcriptomic analysis.
  • Comparison with ATP-competitive inhibitors CX-4945 and SGC-CK2-1.

Main Results:

  • AB668 exhibits selective bivalent binding to CK2 at the ATP site and the unique αD pocket.
  • AB668 induces apoptotic cell death in multiple cancer cell lines.
  • AB668 displays a distinct mechanism of action compared to CX-4945 and SGC-CK2-1, modulating specific pathways in renal cell carcinoma.

Conclusions:

  • AB668 represents a novel bivalent inhibitor with a distinct mechanism for targeting CK2.
  • This inhibitor offers a valuable tool for investigating CK2's role in cancer and its therapeutic potential.

Related Concept Videos

Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
4.8K
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...
7.6K
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
5.6K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
4.9K
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
6.6K
Anaphase Promoting Complex00:50

Anaphase Promoting Complex

The stepwise destruction of specific proteins is necessary for the progression and completion of the cell cycle. Such proteins are ubiquitinated by ubiquitin ligases and then subsequently destroyed by the proteasome. The SCF (Skp1/Cullin/F-box) and the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) are two important ubiquitin ligases involved in cell cycle progression. While SCF is active throughout the cell cycle, APC gets activated during metaphase to anaphase transition. Cdc20 or Cdh1 binds to APC and...
2.9K