Design and synthesis of nucleic acid nano-environment interactome-targeting small molecule PROTACs and their anticancer activity

Nanoscale. 2024 Jul 4;16(26):12502-12509. doi: 10.1039/d4nr01006j.

Abstract

Targeted protein degradation through PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) is a relatively new modality in cellular interventions. The minimum requirement for PROTACs to function is forming a tertiary complex of the protein of interest (POI), E3 ligase, and the molecular glue PROTAC. Here, we propose a new approach to modulate the nano-environment interactome of a non-protein target through a plausible quaternary complex of interactome-biomolecule of interest (BOI)-PROTAC and E3 ligase. We report nucleic acid-targeting PROTAC (NA-TAC) molecules by conjugating DNA-binding and E3 ligase ligands. We demonstrate that NA-TACs can target the G-quadruplex DNA and induce elevated DNA damage and cytotoxicity compared to the conventional G-quadruplex binding ligands. Our new class of NA-TACs lays the foundation for small molecule-based non-protein targeting PROTACs for interactome and nanoenvironment mapping and nucleic acid-targeted precision medicines.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • G-Quadruplexes* / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Nucleic Acids / chemistry
  • Nucleic Acids / metabolism
  • Proteolysis Targeting Chimera
  • Proteolysis* / drug effects
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Ligands
  • Nucleic Acids
  • DNA
  • Proteolysis Targeting Chimera