2. Academic Validation
  3. Exploring Targeted Degradation Strategy for Oncogenic KRASG12C

Exploring Targeted Degradation Strategy for Oncogenic KRASG12C

  • Cell Chem Biol. 2020 Jan 16;27(1):19-31.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.12.006.
Mei Zeng 1,  Yuan Xiong 1,  Nozhat Safaee 1,  Radosław P Nowak 1,  Katherine A Donovan 1,  Christine J Yuan 1,  Behnam Nabet 1,  Thomas W Gero 1,  Frederic Feru 1,  Lianbo Li 2,  Sudershan Gondi 2,  Lincoln J Ombelets 1,  Chunshan Quan 1,  Pasi A Jänne 3,  Milka Kostic 1,  David A Scott 1,  Kenneth D Westover 4,  Eric S Fischer 5,  Nathanael S Gray 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • 2 Departments of Biochemistry and Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
  • 3 Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology and the Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • 4 Departments of Biochemistry and Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 31883964 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.12.006
Abstract

KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene found in pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers. Although it has been challenging to identify targeted therapies for cancers harboring KRAS mutations, KRASG12C can be targeted by small-molecule inhibitors that form covalent bonds with cysteine 12 (C12). Here, we designed a library of C12-directed covalent degrader molecules (PROTACs) and subjected them to a rigorous evaluation process to rapidly identify a lead compound. Our lead degrader successfully engaged CRBN in cells, bound KRASG12Cin vitro, induced CRBN/KRASG12C dimerization, and degraded GFP-KRASG12C in reporter cells in a CRBN-dependent manner. However, it failed to degrade endogenous KRASG12C in pancreatic and lung Cancer cells. Our data suggest that inability of the lead degrader to effectively poly-ubiquitinate endogenous KRASG12C underlies the lack of activity. We discuss challenges for achieving targeted KRASG12C degradation and proposed several possible solutions which may lead to efficient degradation of endogenous KRASG12C.

Keywords

CRBN; KRAS(G12C); PROTAC; caner; degrader; targeted protein degradation; ubiquitination.

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