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The 90 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone responsible for folding proteins that are directly associated with cancer progression. Consequently, inhibition of the Hsp90 protein folding machinery results in a combinatorial attack on numerous oncogenic pathways. Seventeen small-molecule inhibitors of Hsp90 have entered clinical trials, all of which bind the Hsp90 N-terminus and exhibit pan-inhibitory activity against all four Hsp90 isoforms. pan-Inhibition of Hsp90 appears to be detrimental as toxicities have been reported alongside induction of the pro-survival heat shock response. The development of Hsp90 isoform-selective inhibitors represents an alternative approach towards the treatment of cancer that may limit some of the detriments. Described herein is a structure-based approach to design isoform-selective inhibitors of Hsp90β, which induces the degradation of select Hsp90 clients without concomitant induction of Hsp90 levels. Together, these initial studies support the development of Hsp90β-selective inhibitors as a method to overcome the detriments associated with pan-inhibition., The molecular chaperone Hsp90 oversees the folding of many proteins associated with cancer progression but existing small-molecule inhibitors of this pathway are not isoform-selective. Here, the authors rationally design an Hsp90 inhibitor that displays high selectivity for the Hsp90β isoform.

Hsp90 has become the target of intensive investigation, as inhibition of its function has the ability to simultaneously incapacitate proteins that function in pathways that represent the six hallmarks of cancer. While a number of Hsp90 inhibitors have made it into clinical trials, a number of short-comings have been noted, such that the search continues for novel Hsp90 inhibitors with superior pharmacological properties. To identify new potential Hsp90 inhibitors, we have utilized a high-throughput assay based on measuring Hsp90-dependent refolding of thermally denatured luciferase to screen natural compound libraries. Over 4,000 compounds were screen with over 100 hits. Data mining of the literature indicated that 51 compounds had physiological effects that Hsp90 inhibitors also exhibit, and/or the ability to downregulate the expression levels of Hsp90-dependent proteins. Of these 51 compounds, seven were previously characterized as Hsp90 inhibitors. Four compounds, anthothecol, garcinol, piplartine, and rottlerin, were further characterized, and the ability of these compounds to inhibit the refolding of luciferase, and reduce the rate of growth of MCF7 breast cancer cells, correlated with their ability to suppress the Hsp90-dependent maturation of the heme-regulated eIF2α kinase, and deplete cultured cells of Hsp90-dependent client proteins. Thus, this screen has identified an additional 44 compounds with known beneficial pharmacological properties, but with unknown mechanisms of action as possible new inhibitors of the Hsp90 chaperone machine.

AUY922 is a potent synthetic Hsp90 antagonist that is moving steadily through clinical trials against a small range of cancers. To identify protein markers that might measure the drug’s effects, and to gain understanding of mechanisms by which AUY922 might inhibit the proliferation of leukemia cells, we characterized AUY922’s impacts on the proteomes of cultured Jurkat cells. We describe a robust and readily assayed proteomics fingerprint that AUY922 shares with the flagship Hsp90 inhibitors 17-DMAG and radicicol. We also extend our proteomics findings, demonstrating that an unrelated antagonist of protein folding potentiates the anti-proliferative effects of AUY922. Results provide a set of candidate biomarkers for responses to AUY922 in leukemia cells, and suggest new modalities for enhancing AUY922’s anti-cancer activities.

Hsp90 is the target of ongoing drug discovery studies seeking new compounds to treat cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and protein folding disorders. To better understand Hsp90's roles in cellular pathologies and in normal cells, numerous studies have utilized proteomics assays and related high-throughput tools to characterize its physical and functional protein partnerships. This review surveys these studies, and summarizes the strengths and limitations of the individual attacks. We also include downloadable spreadsheets compiling all of the Hsp90-interacting proteins identified in more than 23 studies. These tools include cross-references among gene aliases, human homologues of yeast Hsp90-interacting proteins, hyperlinks to database entries, summaries of canonical pathways that are enriched in the Hsp90 interactome, and additional bioinformatic annotations. In addition to summarizing Hsp90 proteomics studies performed to date and the insights they have provided, we identify gaps in our current understanding of Hsp90-mediated proteostasis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90).

The Hsp90 chaperone machine is required for the folding, activation, and/or stabilization of more than 50 proteins directly related to malignant progression. Hsp90 contains small molecule binding sites at both its N- and C-terminal domains; however, limited structural and biochemical data regarding the C-terminal binding site is available. In this report, the small molecule binding site in the Hsp90 C-terminal domain was revealed by protease fingerprinting and photoaffinity labeling utilizing LC-MS/MS. The identified site was characterized by generation of a homology model for hHsp90α using the SAXS open structure of HtpG and docking the bioactive conformation of NB into the generated model. The resulting model for the bioactive conformation of NB bound to Hsp90α is presented herein.

High-throughput screening of a library of diverse molecules has identified the 1,4-naphthoquinone scaffold as a new class of Hsp90 inhibitors. The synthesis and evaluation of a rationally-designed series of analogues containing the naphthoquinone core scaffold has provided key structure-activity relationships for these compounds. The most active inhibitors exhibited potent in vitro activity with low micromolar IC(50) values in anti-proliferation and Her2 degradation assays. In addition, 3g, 12, and 13a induced the degradation of oncogenic Hsp90 client proteins, a hallmark of Hsp90 inhibition. The identification of these naphthoquinones as Hsp90 inhibitors provides a new scaffold upon which improved Hsp90 inhibitors can be developed.

Previously, we have demonstrated that the renaturation of heat denatured firefly luciferase is dependent upon the activity of Hsp90 in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Here, we demonstrate that this assay may identify inhibitors that obstruct the chaperone activity of Hsp90 either by direct binding to its N-terminal or C-terminal nucleotide binding sites or by interference with the ability of the chaperone to switch conformations. The assay was adapted and optimized for high-throughput screening. Greater than 20,000 compounds were screened to demonstrate the feasibility of using this assay on a large scale. The assay was reproducible (av Z-factor=0.62) and identified 120 compounds that inhibited luciferase renaturation by greater than 70% at a concentration of 12.5 microg/mL. IC50 values for twenty compounds with varying structures were determined for inhibition of luciferase refolding and in cell-based assays for Hsp90 inhibition. Several compounds had IC50 values

Many critical protein kinases rely on the Hsp90 chaperone machinery for stability and function. After initially forming a ternary complex with kinase client and the cochaperone p50(Cdc37), Hsp90 proceeds through a cycle of conformational changes facilitated by ATP binding and hydrolysis. Progression through the chaperone cycle requires release of p50(Cdc37) and recruitment of the ATPase activating cochaperone AHA1, but the molecular regulation of this complex process at the cellular level is poorly understood. We demonstrate that a series of tyrosine phosphorylation events, involving both p50(Cdc37) and Hsp90, are minimally sufficient to provide directionality to the chaperone cycle. p50(Cdc37) phosphorylation on Y4 and Y298 disrupts client-p50(Cdc37) association, while Hsp90 phosphorylation on Y197 dissociates p50(Cdc37) from Hsp90. Hsp90 phosphorylation on Y313 promotes recruitment of AHA1, which stimulates Hsp90 ATPase activity, furthering the chaperoning process. Finally, at completion of the chaperone cycle, Hsp90 Y627 phosphorylation induces dissociation of the client and remaining cochaperones.

A high-throughput screening of natural product libraries identified (-)-gambogic acid (1), a component of the exudate of Garcinia harburyi, as a potential Hsp90 inhibitor, in addition to the known Hsp90 inhibitor celastrol (2). Subsequent testing established that 1 inhibited cell proliferation, brought about the degradation of Hsp90 client proteins in cultured cells, and induced the expression of Hsp70 and Hsp90, which are hallmarks of Hsp90 inhibition. Gambogic acid also disrupted the interaction of Hsp90, Hsp70, and Cdc37 with the heme-regulated eIF2α kinase (HRI, an Hsp90-dependent client) and blocked the maturation of HRI in vitro. Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy indicated that 1 bound to the N-terminal domain of Hsp90 with a low micromolar Kd, in a manner that was not competitive with the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin (3). Molecular docking experiments supported the posit that 1 binds Hsp90 at a site distinct from Hsp90s ATP binding pocket. The data obtained have firmly established 1 as a novel Hsp90 inhibitor and have provided evidence of a new site that can be targeted for the development of improved Hsp90 inhibitors.

Several Hsp90 modulators have been identified including the N-terminal ligand geldanamycin (GDA), the C-terminal ligand novobiocin (NB), and the co-chaperone disruptor celastrol. Other Hsp90 modulators elicit a mechanism of action that remains unknown. For example, the natural product gedunin and the synthetic anti-spermatogenic agent H2-gamendazole, recently identified Hsp90 modulators, manifest biological activity through undefined mechanisms. Herein, we report a series of biochemical techniques used to classify such modulators into identifiable categories. Such studies provided evidence that gedunin and H2-gamendazole both modulate Hsp90 via a mechanism similar to celastrol, and unlike NB or GDA.

PURPOSE Hsp90 is important in the folding, maturation and stabilization of pro-tumorigenic client proteins and represents a viable drug target for the design of chemotherapies. Previously, we reported the development of novobiocin analogues designed to inhibit the C-terminal portion of Hsp90, which demonstrated the ability to decrease client protein expression. We now report the characterization of the novel novobiocin analogue, F-4, which demonstrates improved cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cell lines compared to the N-terminal inhibitor, 17-AAG. MATERIALS AND METHODS LNCaP and PC-3 cells were treated with 17-AAG or F-4 in anti-proliferative, apoptosis, cell cycle and cytotoxicity assays. Western blot and prostate specific antigen (PSA) ELISAs were used to determine client protein degradation, induction of Hsp90 and to assess the functional status of the androgen receptor (AR) in response to F-4 treatment. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was also used to determine the binding properties of F-4 to Hsp90. RESULTS F-4 demonstrated improved potency and efficacy compared to novobiocin in anti-proliferative assays and decreased expression of client proteins. PSA secretion was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner that paralleled a decrease in AR expression. The binding of F-4 to Hsp90 was determined to be saturable with a binding affinity (Kd) of 100 µM. In addition, superior efficacy was demonstrated by F-4 compared to 17-AAG in experiments measuring cytotoxicity and apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS These data reveal distinct modes of action for N-terminal and C-terminal Hsp90 inhibitors, which may offer unique therapeutic benefits for the treatment of prostate cancer. Prostate 70: 27–36, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

During apoptosis and under conditions of cellular stress, several signaling pathways promote inhibition of cap-dependent translation while allowing continued translation of specific messenger RNAs encoding regulatory and stress-response proteins. We report here that the apoptotic regulator Reaper inhibits protein synthesis by binding directly to the 40S ribosomal subunit. This interaction does not affect either ribosomal association of initiation factors or formation of 43S or 48S complexes. Rather, it interferes with late initiation events upstream of 60S subunit joining, apparently modulating start-codon recognition during scanning. CrPV IRES-driven translation, involving direct ribosomal recruitment to the start site, is relatively insensitive to Reaper. Thus, Reaper is the first known cellular ribosomal binding factor with the potential to allow selective translation of mRNAs initiating at alternative start codons or from certain IRES elements. This function of Reaper may modulate gene expression programs to affect cell fate.