Discovery of Selective Small Molecule Degraders of BRAF-V600E

J Med Chem. 2020 Apr 23;63(8):4069-4080. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b02083. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Abstract

BRAF is among the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancers. Multiple small molecule BRAF kinase inhibitors have been approved for treating melanoma carrying BRAF-V600 mutations. However, the benefits of BRAF kinase inhibitors are generally short-lived. Small molecule-mediated targeted protein degradation has recently emerged as a novel pharmaceutical strategy to remove disease proteins through hijacking the cellular ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). In this study, we developed thalidomide-based heterobifunctional compounds that induced selective degradation of BRAF-V600E, but not the wild-type BRAF. Downregulation of BRAF-V600E suppressed the MEK/ERK kinase cascade in melanoma cells and impaired cell growth in culture. Abolishing the interaction between degraders and cereblon or blocking the UPS significantly impaired the activities of these degraders, validating a mechanistic role of UPS in mediating targeted degradation of BRAF-V600E. These findings highlight a new approach to modulate the functions of oncogenic BRAF mutants and provide a framework to treat BRAF-dependent human cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Humans
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proteolysis / drug effects*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / metabolism*
  • Vemurafenib / chemistry
  • Vemurafenib / metabolism
  • Vemurafenib / pharmacology

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Vemurafenib
  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf