Developing and Characterization of Chemically Modified RNA Aptamers for Targeting Wild Type and Mutated c-KIT Receptor Tyrosine Kinases

J Med Chem. 2020 Mar 12;63(5):2209-2228. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00868. Epub 2019 Aug 15.

Abstract

The c-KIT receptor represents an attractive target for cancer therapy. Aptamers are emerging as a new promising class of nucleic acid therapeutics. In this study, a conventional SELEX approach was applied against the kinase domain of a group of c-KIT proteins (c-KITWT, c-KITD816V, and c-KITD816H) to select aptamers from a random RNA pool that can bind to the kinase domain of each target with high affinity and can selectively interfere with their kinase activities. Interestingly, our data indicated that one candidate aptamer, called V15, can specifically inhibit the in vitro kinase activity of mutant c-KITD816V with an IC50 value that is 9-fold more potent than the sunitinib drug tested under the same conditions. Another aptamer, named as H5/V36, showed the potential to distinguish between the c-KIT kinases by modulating the phosphorylation activity of each in a distinct mechanism of action and in a different potency.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / pharmacology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / metabolism

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit