P roteins of the STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) family are activated in response to cytokines and growth factors and promote proliferation, survival, and other biological processes (1-3). STATs are activated by phosphorylation of a critical tyrosine residue, which is mediated by growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, Janus kinases, or the Src family kinases. Upon tyrosine phosphorylation, dimers of STATs formed between two phosphorylated monomers translocate to the nucleus, bind to specific DNA-response elements in the promoters of target genes, and induce gene expression. Aberrant activity of one of the family members, Stat3, contributes to carcinogenesis and tumor progression by up-regulating gene expression and promoting dysregulated growth, survival, and angiogenesis and modulating immune responses (2-9).As a critical step in STAT activation (10), the dimerization between two STAT monomers presents an attractive target to abolish Stat3 DNA-binding and transcriptional activity and to inhibit Stat3 biological functions (11, 12). Stat3 dimerization relies on the reciprocal binding of the SH2 domain of one monomer to the Pro-pTyr-Leu-Lys-Thr-Lys sequence of the other Stat3 monomer. To pursue the development of inhibitors of Stat3 signaling, key structural information gleaned from the x-ray crystal structure of the Stat3␤ homodimer (13) was used in the computational modeling and automated docking of small molecules into the SH2 domain of a Stat3 monomer, relative to the bound native pTyr peptide, to identify binders of the Stat3 SH2 domain, and potentially disruptors of Stat3⅐Stat3 dimers (14, 15).Structure-based high-throughput virtual screening of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) chemical libraries identified the high-scoring compound NSC 74859 (resynthesized as a pure sample and named S3I-201), which selectively inhibits Stat3 DNA-binding activity in vitro with an IC 50 value of 86 Ϯ 33 M. Furthermore, S3I-201 induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of malignant cells in part by constitutively inhibiting active Stat3 and induces human breast tumor regression in xenograft models. ResultsComputational Modeling and Virtual Screening. Our computational modeling and virtual screening study used the GLIDE (Grid-based Ligand Docking from Energetics) software (16, 17) (available from Schrödinger, Portland, OR) for the docking simulations and relied on the x-ray crystal structure of the Stat3␤ homodimer bound to DNA (13) determined at 2.25-Å resolution (1BG1 in the Protein Data Bank). For the virtual screening, DNA was removed and only one of the two monomers was used (see Fig. 1). To validate the docking approach, the native pTyr (pY) peptide, APpYLKT, was extracted from the crystal structure of one of the monomers and docked to the other monomer, whereby GLIDE produced a docking mode that closely resembled the x-ray crystal structure (data not shown). Three-dimensional structures of compounds from the NCI's chemical libraries were downloaded from the NCI Developmental Therapeutics Progra...

Ras-induced malignant transformation requiresRas proteins are plasma membrane-associated GTPases that function as relay switches transducing biological information from extracellular signals to the nucleus (for review, see Refs.

Signaling via Jak2/STAT3 is critically important for normal dendritic cell (DC) differentiation. In addition, we have previously demonstrated that hyperactivation of the Jak2/STAT3 pathway induced by tumor-derived factors (TDF) may be responsible for abnormal DC differentiation in cancer. In this study, using a novel selective inhibitor of Jak2/STAT3, JSI-124, we investigated the mechanism of the Jak2/STAT3 effect on DCs and the possibility of pharmacological regulation of DC differentiation in cancer. Our experiments have demonstrated that JSI-124 overcomes the differentiation block induced by TDF and promotes the differentiation of mature DCs and macrophages. Surprisingly, inhibition of Jak2/STAT3 signaling resulted in dramatic activation of immature DCs generated in the presence of TDF as well as in control medium. This activation manifested in up-regulation of MHC class II, costimulatory molecules, and a dramatic increase in the ability to stimulate allogeneic or Ag-specific T cells. Inhibition of Jak2/STAT3 signaling resulted in activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. This up-regulation was not due to a conventional pathway involving IκBα, but was probably due to a block of the dominant negative effect of STAT3. This indicates that Jak2/STAT3 play an important role in negative regulation of DC activation, and pharmacological inhibition of the Jak2/STAT3 pathway can be used to enhance DC function.

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We have designed a molecule, GFB-111, that binds to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), prevents it from binding to its receptor tyrosine kinase, and blocks PDGF-induced receptor autophosphorylation, activation of Erk1 and Erk2 kinases, and DNA synthesis. GFB-111 is highly potent (IC50 = 250 nM) and selective for PDGF over EGF, IGF-1, aFGF, bFGF, and HRGbeta (IC50 values > 100 microM), but inhibits VEGF-induced Flk-1 tyrosine phosphorylation and Erk1/Erk2 activation with an IC50 of 10 microM. GFB-111 treatment of nude mice bearing human tumors resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis. The results demonstrate the feasibility of designing novel growth factor-binding molecules with potent anticancer and antiangiogenic activity.

Cysteine farnesylation of the carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide CAAX (C = Cys, A = Leu, Ile, or Val, X = Met or Ser) of the oncogene product Ras is required for its malignant transformation activity. As a consequence farnesyltransferase (FTase), the enzyme responsible for this lipid modification, has become one of the most sought-after targets for anticancer drug development. We have recently designed peptide mimics of the COOH-terminal Cys-Val-Ile-Met of KB-Ras where the dipeptide Val-Ile was replaced by aminobenzoic acid derivatives. Although these peptidomimetics are potent inhibitors of FTase in vitro, they retain several undesirable peptide features that hamper their use in vivo. We report here the design, synthesis, and biological activity of the first non-peptide mimetics of CAAX where the tripeptide AAX was replaced by biphenyl derivatives. (R)-4-[N-(3-mercapto-2-aminopropyl)]amino-3'- carboxybiphenyl, where the cysteine is linked to the biphenyl derivative through a secondary amine, contains no amino acids, lacks peptidic features, and has no hydrolyzable bonds. This peptidomimetic is a potent inhibitor of FTase in vitro (IC50 = 50-150 nM) and disrupts Ras processing in whole cells. Furthermore, this non-peptide mimetic of CAAX is highly selective for FTase (666-fold) relative to the closely related geranylgeranyltransferase I. This selectivity is also respected in vivo since the processing of Ras but not the geranylgeranylated Rap1A was disrupted in whole cells. Structure activity relationship studies revealed that FTase recognition and inhibitory potency of CAAX peptidomimetics require free thiol and carboxylate groups separated by a hydrophobic moiety, and that precise positioning of these functional groups must correspond to that of the parent CAAX. The true CAAX peptidomimetic described in this manuscript has several desirable features for further development as a potential anticancer agent. It is not metabolically inactivated by FTase, does not require a pro-drug strategy for inhibition in vivo, and is selective for farnesylation relative to geranylgeranylation.

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The activity of small GTP-binding proteins is regulated by a critical step in posttranslational processing, namely, the addition of isoprenoid lipids farnesyl and geranylgeranyl, mediated by the enzymes farnesyltransferase (FTase) and geranylgeranyltransferase I (GGTase I), respectively. We have developed compounds that inhibit these enzymes specifically and in this study sought to determine their effects on smooth muscle cells (SMC) from the pulmonary microvasculature. We found that the GGTase I inhibitor GGTI-298 suppressed protein geranylgeranylation and blocked serum-dependent growth as measured by thymidine uptake and cell counts. In the absence of serum, however, GGTI-298 induced apoptosis in these cells as measured by both DNA staining and flow cytometry. The FTase inhibitor FTI-277 selectively inhibited protein farnesylation but had a minor effect on growth and no effect on apoptosis. To further investigate the role of geranylgeranylated proteins in apoptosis, we added the cholesterol synthesis inhibitor lovastatin, which inhibits the biosynthesis of farnesyl and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphates. This also induced apoptosis, but when geranylgeraniol was added to replenish cellular pools of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, apoptosis was reduced to baseline. In contrast, farnesol achieved only partial rescue of the cells. These results imply that geranylgeranylated proteins are required for growth and protect SMC against apoptosis. GGTase I inhibitors may be useful in preventing hyperplastic remodeling and may have the potential to induce the apoptotic regression of established vascular lesions.