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  3. Design and Characterization of a Novel eEF2K Degrader with Potent Therapeutic Efficacy Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Design and Characterization of a Novel eEF2K Degrader with Potent Therapeutic Efficacy Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Feb;11(5):e2305035. doi: 10.1002/advs.202305035.
Changxin Zhong 1 2,  Rongfeng Zhu 3,  Ting Jiang 1 2,  Sheng Tian 3,  Xiaobao Zhao 3,  Xiaoya Wan 1 2,  Shilong Jiang 4,  Zonglin Chen 1 5,  Rong Gong 1 2,  Linhao He 1 2,  Jin-Ming Yang 6,  Na Ye 3,  Yan Cheng 1 2 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
  • 2 Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug, Changsha, 410011, China.
  • 3 Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China.
  • 4 Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
  • 5 Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
  • 6 Department of Cancer Biology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
  • 7 Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology (Central South University), Changsha, 410011, China.
PMID: 38084501 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305035
Abstract

Dysregulated eEF2K expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC), making it a plausible therapeutic target. However, specific eEF2K inhibitors with potent anti-cancer activity have not been available so far. Targeted protein degradation has emerged as a new strategy for drug discovery. In this study, a novel small molecule chemical is designed and synthesized, named as compound C1, which shows potent activity in degrading eEF2K. C1 selectively binds to F8, L10, R144, C146, E229, and Y236 of the eEF2K protein and promotes its proteasomal degradation by increasing the interaction between eEF2K and the ubiquitin E3 Ligase βTRCP in the form of molecular glue. C1 significantly inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo and in TNBC patient-derived organoids, and these antitumor effects are attributed to the degradation of eEF2K by C1. Additionally, combination treatment of C1 with paclitaxel, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug, exhibits synergistic anti-tumor effects against TNBC. This study not only generates a powerful research tool to investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting eEF2K, but also provides a promising lead compound for developing novel drugs for the treatment of TNBC and Other cancers.

Keywords

degrader; eEF2K; molecular glue; triple-negative breast cancer.

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