Selective degradation of splicing factor CAPERα by anticancer sulfonamides

T Uehara, Y Minoshima, K Sagane, NH Sugi… - Nature chemical …, 2017 - nature.com
T Uehara, Y Minoshima, K Sagane, NH Sugi, KO Mitsuhashi, N Yamamoto, H Kamiyama…
Nature chemical biology, 2017nature.com
Target-protein degradation is an emerging field in drug discovery and development. In
particular, the substrate-receptor proteins of the cullin–ubiquitin ligase system play a key
role in selective protein degradation, which is an essential component of the anti-myeloma
activity of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), such as lenalidomide. Here, we demonstrate
that a series of anticancer sulfonamides NSC 719239 (E7820), indisulam, and NSC 339004
(chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide, CQS) induce proteasomal degradation of the U2AF-related …
Abstract
Target-protein degradation is an emerging field in drug discovery and development. In particular, the substrate-receptor proteins of the cullin–ubiquitin ligase system play a key role in selective protein degradation, which is an essential component of the anti-myeloma activity of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), such as lenalidomide. Here, we demonstrate that a series of anticancer sulfonamides NSC 719239 (E7820), indisulam, and NSC 339004 (chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide, CQS) induce proteasomal degradation of the U2AF-related splicing factor coactivator of activating protein-1 and estrogen receptors (CAPERα) via CRL4DCAF15 mediated ubiquitination in human cancer cell lines. Both CRISPR–Cas9-based knockout of DCAF15 and a single amino acid substitution of CAPERα conferred resistance against sulfonamide-induced CAPERα degradation and cell-growth inhibition. Thus, these sulfonamides represent selective chemical probes for disrupting CAPERα function and designate DCAFs as promising drug targets for promoting selective protein degradation in cancer therapy.
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