Covalent Inhibitors of S100A4 Block the Formation of a Pro-Metastasis Non-Muscle Myosin 2A Complex

The S100 protein family functions as protein-protein interaction adaptors regulated by Ca²⁺ binding. Formation of various S100 complexes plays a central role in cell functions, from calcium homeostasis to cell signaling, and is implicated in cell growth, migration, and tumorigenesis. We established a suite of biochemical and cellular assays for small molecule screening based on known S100 protein-protein interactions. From 25 human S100 proteins, we focused our attention on S100A4 because of its well-established role in cancer progression and metastasizes by interacting with nonmuscle myosin II (NMII). We identified several potent and selective inhibitors of this interaction and established the covalent nature of binding, confirmed by mass spectrometry and crystal structures. 5b showed on-target activity in cells and inhibition of cancer cell migration. The identified S100A4 inhibitors can serve as a basis for the discovery of new cancer drugs operating via a novel mode of action.