| Structural highlights
Function
UBP7_HUMAN Hydrolase that deubiquitinates target proteins such as FOXO4, p53/TP53, MDM2, ERCC6, DNMT1, UHRF1, PTEN and DAXX. Together with DAXX, prevents MDM2 self-ubiquitination and enhances the E3 ligase activity of MDM2 towards p53/TP53, thereby promoting p53/TP53 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Deubiquitinates p53/TP53 and MDM2 and strongly stabilizes p53/TP53 even in the presence of excess MDM2, and also induces p53/TP53-dependent cell growth repression and apoptosis. Deubiquitination of FOXO4 in presence of hydrogen peroxide is not dependent on p53/TP53 and inhibits FOXO4-induced transcriptional activity. In association with DAXX, is involved in the deubiquitination and translocation of PTEN from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, both processes that are counteracted by PML. Involved in cell proliferation during early embryonic development. Involved in transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) in response to UV damage: recruited to DNA damage sites following interaction with KIAA1530/UVSSA and promotes deubiquitination of ERCC6, preventing UV-induced degradation of ERCC6. Contributes to the overall stabilization and trans-activation capability of the herpesvirus 1 trans-acting transcriptional protein ICP0/VMW110 during HSV-1 infection. Involved in maintenance of DNA methylation via its interaction with UHRF1 and DNMT1: acts by mediating deubiquitination of UHRF1 and DNMT1, preventing their degradation and promoting DNA methylation by DNMT1. Exhibits a preference towards 'Lys-48'-linked Ubiquitin chains.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
The cysteine protease ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7), also known as herpes-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP), has gained increasing attention in recent years due to its proven overexpression in several cancer types and its role in tumorigenesis. Herein, after a design based on molecular docking experiments, we report the synthesis of a series of mildly electrophilic compounds that covalently modify the catalytic cysteine 223 in USP7 through a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S(N)Ar) reaction. The compounds were first evaluated using differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) to describe their influence on the melting temperature of native and mutant USP7 variants. Furthermore, the possible formation of a covalent bond was analyzed using intact protein mass spectrometry (MS). For promising derivatives, IC(50) values were determined in an enzyme activity assay to confirm an inhibitory effect on USP7. Finally, a co-crystal structure revealed that the prototype compound (7a) arylates the catalytic cysteine in the apo form of USP7 via an unconventional binding mode near the catalytic triad. The synthesis and biological evaluation of this compound series provides valuable structure-activity relationships (SAR) and reveals an interesting and unprecedented binding mode, thus providing a basis for improving USP7 inhibitors.
Design, Synthesis, and Molecular Evaluation of S(N)Ar-Reactive N-(6-Fluoro-3-Nitropyridin-2-yl)Isoquinolin-3-Amines as Covalent USP7 Inhibitors Reveals an Unconventional Binding Mode.,Ernst LN, Stahlecker J, Mier F, Serafim RAM, Wydra VR, Masberg B, Jaag SJ, Knappe C, Lammerhofer M, Stehle T, Gehringer M, Boeckler FM Arch Pharm (Weinheim). 2025 Aug;358(8):e70053. doi: 10.1002/ardp.70053. PMID:40785232[14]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Li M, Chen D, Shiloh A, Luo J, Nikolaev AY, Qin J, Gu W. Deubiquitination of p53 by HAUSP is an important pathway for p53 stabilization. Nature. 2002 Apr 11;416(6881):648-53. Epub 2002 Mar 31. PMID:11923872 doi:10.1038/nature737
- ↑ Holowaty MN, Sheng Y, Nguyen T, Arrowsmith C, Frappier L. Protein interaction domains of the ubiquitin-specific protease, USP7/HAUSP. J Biol Chem. 2003 Nov 28;278(48):47753-61. Epub 2003 Sep 23. PMID:14506283 doi:10.1074/jbc.M307200200
- ↑ Li M, Brooks CL, Kon N, Gu W. A dynamic role of HAUSP in the p53-Mdm2 pathway. Mol Cell. 2004 Mar 26;13(6):879-86. PMID:15053880
- ↑ Boutell C, Canning M, Orr A, Everett RD. Reciprocal activities between herpes simplex virus type 1 regulatory protein ICP0, a ubiquitin E3 ligase, and ubiquitin-specific protease USP7. J Virol. 2005 Oct;79(19):12342-54. PMID:16160161 doi:10.1128/JVI.79.19.12342-12354.2005
- ↑ van der Horst A, de Vries-Smits AM, Brenkman AB, van Triest MH, van den Broek N, Colland F, Maurice MM, Burgering BM. FOXO4 transcriptional activity is regulated by monoubiquitination and USP7/HAUSP. Nat Cell Biol. 2006 Oct;8(10):1064-73. Epub 2006 Sep 10. PMID:16964248 doi:10.1038/ncb1469
- ↑ Song MS, Salmena L, Carracedo A, Egia A, Lo-Coco F, Teruya-Feldstein J, Pandolfi PP. The deubiquitinylation and localization of PTEN are regulated by a HAUSP-PML network. Nature. 2008 Oct 9;455(7214):813-7. doi: 10.1038/nature07290. Epub 2008 Aug 20. PMID:18716620 doi:10.1038/nature07290
- ↑ Antrobus R, Boutell C. Identification of a novel higher molecular weight isoform of USP7/HAUSP that interacts with the Herpes simplex virus type-1 immediate early protein ICP0. Virus Res. 2008 Oct;137(1):64-71. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2008.05.017. Epub 2008 , Jul 17. PMID:18590780 doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2008.05.017
- ↑ Tang J, Qu L, Pang M, Yang X. Daxx is reciprocally regulated by Mdm2 and Hausp. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2010 Mar 12;393(3):542-5. doi:, 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.02.051. Epub 2010 Feb 12. PMID:20153724 doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.02.051
- ↑ Felle M, Joppien S, Nemeth A, Diermeier S, Thalhammer V, Dobner T, Kremmer E, Kappler R, Langst G. The USP7/Dnmt1 complex stimulates the DNA methylation activity of Dnmt1 and regulates the stability of UHRF1. Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Oct;39(19):8355-65. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr528. Epub 2011, Jul 10. PMID:21745816 doi:10.1093/nar/gkr528
- ↑ Ma H, Chen H, Guo X, Wang Z, Sowa ME, Zheng L, Hu S, Zeng P, Guo R, Diao J, Lan F, Harper JW, Shi YG, Xu Y, Shi Y. M phase phosphorylation of the epigenetic regulator UHRF1 regulates its physical association with the deubiquitylase USP7 and stability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Mar 27;109(13):4828-33. doi:, 10.1073/pnas.1116349109. Epub 2012 Mar 12. PMID:22411829 doi:10.1073/pnas.1116349109
- ↑ Iphofer A, Kummer A, Nimtz M, Ritter A, Arnold T, Frank R, van den Heuvel J, Kessler BM, Jansch L, Franke R. Profiling ubiquitin linkage specificities of deubiquitinating enzymes with branched ubiquitin isopeptide probes. Chembiochem. 2012 Jul 9;13(10):1416-20. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201200261. Epub 2012, Jun 11. PMID:22689415 doi:10.1002/cbic.201200261
- ↑ Schwertman P, Lagarou A, Dekkers DH, Raams A, van der Hoek AC, Laffeber C, Hoeijmakers JH, Demmers JA, Fousteri M, Vermeulen W, Marteijn JA. UV-sensitive syndrome protein UVSSA recruits USP7 to regulate transcription-coupled repair. Nat Genet. 2012 May;44(5):598-602. doi: 10.1038/ng.2230. PMID:22466611 doi:10.1038/ng.2230
- ↑ Zhang X, Horibata K, Saijo M, Ishigami C, Ukai A, Kanno S, Tahara H, Neilan EG, Honma M, Nohmi T, Yasui A, Tanaka K. Mutations in UVSSA cause UV-sensitive syndrome and destabilize ERCC6 in transcription-coupled DNA repair. Nat Genet. 2012 May;44(5):593-7. doi: 10.1038/ng.2228. PMID:22466612 doi:10.1038/ng.2228
- ↑ Ernst LN, Stahlecker J, Mier F, Serafim RAM, Wydra VR, Masberg B, Jaag SJ, Knappe C, Lämmerhofer M, Stehle T, Gehringer M, Boeckler FM. Design, Synthesis, and Molecular Evaluation of S(N)Ar-Reactive N-(6-Fluoro-3-Nitropyridin-2-yl)Isoquinolin-3-Amines as Covalent USP7 Inhibitors Reveals an Unconventional Binding Mode. Arch Pharm (Weinheim). 2025 Aug;358(8):e70053. PMID:40785232 doi:10.1002/ardp.70053
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