Molecular interaction between small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide G and heat shock protein 70.14: a microscale thermophoresis exposition towards developing anti-cancer drugs

Am J Transl Res. 2022 Sep 15;14(9):6150-6162. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Background: Targeting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) linked to protein quality control (PQC) pathways as potential anti-cancer drug targets have unanimously widened biological insights and the therapeutic potential of PPIs as smart-drug discovery tools in cancer. PPIs between disease-relevant proteins associated with protein homeostasis in PQC pathways have been linked to improved mechanistic understanding associated with conformational abnormalities and impairment, cellular proteotoxicity, induced apoptosis, and pathogenesis in different types of cancers. In this context, PPIs between small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide G (SNRPG) and heat shock protein 70.14 (Hsp70.14) have attracted attention as potential smart drug discovery tools in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Validated evidence of high-quality biological data has shown the presence of the two proteins in different types of cancers including breast cancer. The links between SNRPG and Hsp70.14 in cancer-cell networks remain elusive, overlooked, and uncharacterized.

Methodology: In this study, we explored the interaction between the two oncogenic proteins using the MST-based assays.

Results: The results revealed a low KD in the nanomolar concentration range of 2.4673 × 10-7 demonstrating a great affinity for SNRPG binding to Hsp70.14.

Conclusions: The results suggest a possible involvement between the two proteins in hostile tumour microenvironments. Furthermore, these findings offer a different therapeutic perspective that could pave the way for the creation of novel small molecule inhibitors as drugs for the treatment of cancer.

Keywords: Anti-cancer drug discovery; Hsp70.14; SNRPG; dissociation constant; microscale thermophoresis; protein-protein interactions; proteostasis.