人类c-MYC启动子和端粒中的DNA G4结构被认为是重要的药物靶点;然而,开发基于小分子的荧光结合配体,高度选择性地针对这些G4结构而非其他类型的核酸,是具有挑战性的。我们在此报道了一种新的设计小分子的方法,基于非选择性噻唑橙支架,提供与G4基序的侧翼残基和环的双向和多位点相互作用,以获得更好的选择性。这些配体被设计为在G4结合口袋中建立多位点相互作用。这种结构特征可能使分子对c-MYC G4比其他结构具有更高的选择性。利用1H NMR研究的配体-G4相互作用可能表明与末端G四联体的堆积相互作用。此外,与BG4的细胞内共定位研究以及与BRACO-19的细胞竞争实验可能表明,配体在细胞中的结合靶点很可能是G4结构。此外,优先结合于c-MYC启动子或端粒G4的配体能够显著降低MCF-7细胞中c-MYC和hTERT基因的表达,并诱导癌细胞衰老和DNA损伤。该配体在MCF-7肿瘤承载小鼠中的体内抗肿瘤活性也得到了证明。
DNA G4-structures from human c-MYC promoter and telomere are considered as important drug targets; however, the developing of small-molecule-based fluorescent binding ligands that are highly selective in targeting these G4-structures over other types of nucleic acids is challenging. We herein report a new approach of designing small molecules based on a non-selective thiazole orange scaffold to provide two-directional and multi-site interactions with flanking residues and loops of the G4-motif for better selectivity. The ligands are designed to establish multi-site interactions in the G4-binding pocket. This structural feature may render the molecules higher selectivity toward c-MYC G4s than other structures. The ligand–G4 interaction studied with 1H NMR may suggest a stacking interaction with the terminal G-tetrad. Moreover, the intracellular co-localization study with BG4 and cellular competition experiments with BRACO-19 may suggest that the binding targets of the ligands in cells are most probably G4-structures. Furthermore, the ligands that either preferentially bind to c-MYC promoter or telomeric G4s are able to downregulate markedly the c-MYC and hTERT gene expression in MCF-7 cells, and induce senescence and DNA damage to cancer cells. The in vivo antitumor activity of the ligands in MCF-7 tumor-bearing mice is also demonstrated.
人类c-MYC启动子和端粒中的DNA G4结构被认为是重要的药物靶点;然而,开发基于小分子的荧光结合配体,高度选择性地针对这些G4结构而非其他类型的核酸,是具有挑战性的。我们在此报道了一种新的设计小分子的方法,基于非选择性噻唑橙支架,提供与G4基序的侧翼残基和环的双向和多位点相互作用,以获得更好的选择性。这些配体被设计为在G4结合口袋中建立多位点相互作用。这种结构特征可能使分子对c-MYC G4比其他结构具有更高的选择性。利用1H NMR研究的配体-G4相互作用可能表明与末端G四联体的堆积相互作用。此外,与BG4的细胞内共定位研究以及与BRACO-19的细胞竞争实验可能表明,配体在细胞中的结合靶点很可能是G4结构。此外,优先结合于c-MYC启动子或端粒G4的配体能够显著降低MCF-7细胞中c-MYC和hTERT基因的表达,并诱导癌细胞衰老和DNA损伤。该配体在MCF-7肿瘤承载小鼠中的体内抗肿瘤活性也得到了证明。