EGF-Containing Membrane-Bound Mucins: A Hidden ErbB2 Targeting Pathway?

J Med Chem. 2020 May 28;63(10):5074-5088. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b02001. Epub 2020 Feb 13.

Abstract

Membrane-bound mucins belong to a heterogeneous family of large O-glycoproteins involved in numerous cancers and inflammatory diseases of the epithelium. Some of them are also involved in protein-protein interactions, with receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB2, and fundamental and clinical data showed that these complexes have a detrimental impact on cancer outcome, thus raising interest in therapeutic targeting. This paper aims to demonstrate that MUC3, MUC4, MUC12, MUC13, and MUC17 have a common evolutionary origin and share a common structural organization with EGF-like and SEA domains. Theoretical structure-function relationship analysis of the conserved domains indicated that the studied membrane-bound mucins share common biological properties along with potential specific functions. Finally, the potential druggability of these complexes is discussed, revealing ErbB2-related pathways of cell signaling to be targeted.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Cell Membrane / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Drug Delivery Systems / trends*
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / chemistry
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mucins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mucins / chemistry
  • Mucins / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / chemistry
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Mucins
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2