6b9l
Crystal structure of EphA2 with peptide 135E2
Structural highlights
DiseaseEPHA2_HUMAN Genetic variations in EPHA2 are the cause of susceptibility to cataract cortical age-related type 2 (ARCC2) [MIM:613020. A developmental punctate opacity common in the cortex and present in most lenses. The cataract is white or cerulean, increases in number with age, but rarely affects vision.[1] [2] Defects in EPHA2 are the cause of cataract posterior polar type 1 (CTPP1) [MIM:116600. A subcapsular opacity, usually disk-shaped, located at the back of the lens. It can have a marked effect on visual acuity.[3] [4] [5] [6] Note=Overexpressed in several cancer types and promotes malignancy.[7] FunctionEPHA2_HUMAN Receptor tyrosine kinase which binds promiscuously membrane-bound ephrin-A family ligands residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The signaling pathway downstream of the receptor is referred to as forward signaling while the signaling pathway downstream of the ephrin ligand is referred to as reverse signaling. Activated by the ligand ephrin-A1/EFNA1 regulates migration, integrin-mediated adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of cells. Regulates cell adhesion and differentiation through DSG1/desmoglein-1 and inhibition of the ERK1/ERK2 (MAPK3/MAPK1, respectively) signaling pathway. May also participate in UV radiation-induced apoptosis and have a ligand-independent stimulatory effect on chemotactic cell migration. During development, may function in distinctive aspects of pattern formation and subsequently in development of several fetal tissues. Involved for instance in angiogenesis, in early hindbrain development and epithelial proliferation and branching morphogenesis during mammary gland development. Engaged by the ligand ephrin-A5/EFNA5 may regulate lens fiber cells shape and interactions and be important for lens transparency development and maintenance. With ephrin-A2/EFNA2 may play a role in bone remodeling through regulation of osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Publication Abstract from PubMedEphA2 overexpression is invariably associated with poor prognosis and development of aggressive metastatic cancers in pancreatic, prostate, lung, ovarian, and breast cancers and melanoma. Recent efforts from our laboratories identified a number of agonistic peptides targeting the ligand-binding domain of the EphA2 receptor. The individual agents, however, were still relatively weak in affinities (micromolar range) that precluded detailed structural studies on the mode of action. Using a systematic optimization of the 12-mer peptide mimetic 123B9, we were able to first derive an agent that displayed a submicromolar affinity for the receptor. This agent enabled cocrystallization with the EphA2 ligand-binding domain providing for the first time the structural basis for their agonistic mechanism of action. In addition, the atomic coordinates of the complex enabled rapid iterations of structure-based optimizations that resulted in a novel agonistic agent, named 135H11, with a nanomolar affinity for the receptor, as demonstrated by in vitro binding assays (isothermal titration calorimetry measurements), and a biochemical displacement assay. As we have recently demonstrated, the cellular activity of these agents is further increased by synthesizing dimeric versions of the compounds. Hence, we report that a dimeric version of 135H11 is extremely effective at low nanomolar concentrations to induce cellular receptor activation, internalization, and inhibition of cell migration in a pancreatic cancer cell line. Given the pivotal role of EphA2 in tumor growth, angiogenesis, drug resistance, and metastasis, these agents, and the associated structural studies, provide significant advancements in the field for the development of novel EphA2-targeting therapeutics or diagnostics. Structure-Based Design of Novel EphA2 Agonistic Agents with Nanomolar Affinity in Vitro and in Cell.,Gambini L, Salem AF, Udompholkul P, Tan XF, Baggio C, Shah N, Aronson A, Song J, Pellecchia M ACS Chem Biol. 2018 Sep 21;13(9):2633-2644. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00556. Epub, 2018 Aug 29. PMID:30110533[14] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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