Cited by 336Protein Degradation and InhibitorsChemical Synthesis and AnalysisUbiquitin and proteasome pathways

Iterative Design and Optimization of Initially Inactive Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) Identify VZ185 as a Potent, Fast, and Selective von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) Based Dual Degrader Probe of BRD9 and BRD7

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Zoppi, Vittoria, Hughes, Scott J., Maniaci, Chiara, Testa, Andrea, Gmaschitz, Teresa, Wieshofer, Corinna, Koegl, Manfred, Riching, Kristin M. +3 more·2019·Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Abstract

Developing PROTACs to redirect the ubiquitination activity of E3 ligases and potently degrade a target protein within cells can be a lengthy and unpredictable process, and it remains unclear whether any combination of E3 and target might be productive for degradation. We describe a probe-quality degrader for a ligase–target pair deemed unsuitable: the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) and BRD9, a bromodomain-containing subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex BAF. VHL-based degraders could be optimized from suboptimal compounds in two rounds by systematically varying conjugation patterns and linkers and monitoring cellular degradation activities, kinetic profiles, and ubiquitination, as well as ternary complex formation thermodynamics. The emerged structure–activity relationships guided the discovery of VZ185, a potent, fast, and selective degrader of BRD9 and of its close homolog BRD7. Our findings qualify a new chemical tool for BRD7/9 knockdown and provide a roadmap for PROTAC development against seemingly incompatible target–ligase combinations.

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Crossref · 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01413

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  • VZ185 is more effective than corresponding inhibitor in reducing viability of EOL-1 acute myeloid eosinophilic leukemia cells and A-204 malignant rhabdoid tumor cells.

    “Subsequently, Ciulli’s group reported a VHL-based dual BRD7 and BRD9 degrader, VZ185, which was found to be more effective than the corresponding inhibitor in reducing the viability of EOL-1 acute myeloid eosinophilic leukemia cells and A-204 malignant rhabdoid tumor cells [181].”

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Authors
Zoppi, V., Hughes, S. J., Maniaci, C., Testa, A., Gmaschitz, T., Wieshofer, C., Koegl, M., Riching, K. M., Daniels, D. L., Spallarossa, A., & Ciulli, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Dundee (GB)
  • Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany) (DE)
  • Promega (United States) (US)
  • University of Genoa (IT)
Corresponding author
Ciulli, Alessio
Venue
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
Published
2018-12-12
Volume
62
Issue
2
Pages
699-726
ISSN
  • 0022-2623 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-4804
OpenAlex
W2903964626
Cited by
336
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 31 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 24 · 2014: 1
FWCI
12.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • CINECA IRIS Institutial Research Information System (University of Genoa) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Universit? degli Studi di Genova
  • Wellcome Trust (094090/Z/10/Z, 100476/Z/12/Z)
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (311460)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
Keywords
PROTACs, VHL, BRD9, BRD7, protein degraders, E3 ubiquitin ligase, SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling, SWI/SNF complex, bromodomain, structure-activity relationship, linkers, ternary complex formation, ubiquitination, iterative design
MeSH terms
Bromodomain Containing Proteins, Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone, HeLa Cells, Humans, Kinetics, Protein Binding, Structure-Activity Relationship, Thermodynamics, Transcription Factors, Drug Design, Proteome, Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein, Ubiquitination, Proteolysis

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