9lta
Crystal Structure of Compound SKLB-D18 with MAPK7 (ERK5)
Structural highlights
FunctionMK07_HUMAN Plays a role in various cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation and cell survival. The upstream activator of MAPK7 is the MAPK kinase MAP2K5. Upon activation, it translocates to the nucleus and phosphorylates various downstream targets including MEF2C. EGF activates MAPK7 through a Ras-independent and MAP2K5-dependent pathway. May have a role in muscle cell differentiation. May be important for endothelial function and maintenance of blood vessel integrity. MAP2K5 and MAPK7 interact specifically with one another and not with MEK1/ERK1 or MEK2/ERK2 pathways. Phosphorylates SGK1 at Ser-78 and this is required for growth factor-induced cell cycle progression. Involved in the regulation of p53/TP53 by disrupting the PML-MDM2 interaction.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Publication Abstract from PubMedDespite significant advancements in kinase-targeted therapy, the emergence of acquired drug resistance to targets such as KRAS and MEK remains a challenge. Extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), positioned at the terminus of this pathway, is highly conserved and less susceptible to mutations, thereby garnering attention as a crucial therapeutical target. However, attempts to use monotherapies that target ERK1/2 have achieved only limited clinical success, mainly due to the issues of limited efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Herein, we present a proof of concept that extracellular-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) acts as a compensatory pathway after ERK1/2 inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). By utilizing the principle of polypharmacology, we computationally designed SKLB-D18, a first-in-class molecule that selectively targets ERK1/2 and ERK5, with nanomolar potency and high specificity for both targets. SKLB-D18 demonstrated excellent tolerability in mice and demonstrated superior in vivo anti-tumor efficacy, not only exceeding the existing clinical ERK1/2 inhibitor BVD-523, but also the combination regimen of BVD-523 and the ERK5 inhibitor XMD8-92. Mechanistically, we showed that SKLB-D18, as an autophagy agonist, played a role in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) and nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)-mediated ferroptosis, which may mitigate multidrug resistance. A first-in-class selective inhibitor of ERK1/2 and ERK5 overcomes drug resistance with a single-molecule strategy.,Xiao H, Wang A, Shuai W, Qian Y, Wu C, Wang X, Yang P, Sun Q, Wang G, Ouyang L, Sun Q Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2025 Feb 20;10(1):70. doi: , 10.1038/s41392-025-02169-z. PMID:39979271[6] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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