Robust lanthanide-based assays for the detection of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2-family protein antagonists

Bioorg Chem. 2007 Apr;35(2):113-20. doi: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2006.07.006. Epub 2006 Sep 22.

Abstract

Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2-family proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), Bfl-1, Mcl-1, Bcl-W and Bcl-B) have been recently validated as drug discovery targets for cancer, owed to their ability to confer tumor resistance to chemotherapy or radiation. The anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2 proteins is due to their ability to heterodimerize with their pro-apoptotic counterparts (proteins such as Bad, Bim or Bid) via a conserved peptide region termed BH3. Thus, molecules that mimic pro-apoptotic BH3 domains represent a direct approach to overcoming the protective effects of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L). Here, we report on the development and evaluation of two novel Lanthanide-based assays that are formatted for high-throughput screening of small molecules capable of antagonizing BH3-Bcl-2 interactions. The assay conditions, robustness and reproducibility (Z' factors) are described. These assays represent useful tools to enable further studies in the search for novel, safe and effective anti-cancer agents targeting Bcl-2-family proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Fluoroimmunoassay
  • Humans
  • Lanthanoid Series Elements / chemistry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein
  • Lanthanoid Series Elements
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2