Designing Selective Drug-like Molecular Glues for the Glucocorticoid Receptor/14-3-3 Protein-Protein Interaction

J Med Chem. 2022 Dec 22;65(24):16818-16828. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01635. Epub 2022 Dec 9.

Abstract

The ubiquitously expressed glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a nuclear receptor that controls a broad range of biological processes and is activated by steroidal glucocorticoids such as hydrocortisone or dexamethasone. Glucocorticoids are used to treat a wide variety of conditions, from inflammation to cancer but suffer from a range of side effects that motivate the search for safer GR modulators. GR is also regulated outside the steroid-binding site through protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with 14-3-3 adapter proteins. Manipulation of these PPIs will provide insights into noncanonical GR signaling as well as a new level of control over GR activity. We report the first molecular glues that selectively stabilize the 14-3-3/GR PPI using the related nuclear receptor estrogen receptor α (ERα) as a selectivity target to drive design. These 14-3-3/GR PPI stabilizers can be used to dissect noncanonical GR signaling and enable the development of novel atypical GR modulators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Dexamethasone
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glucocorticoids* / metabolism
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid* / metabolism
  • Steroids

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Steroids
  • Dexamethasone