Inhibition of human dyskerin as a new approach to target ribosome biogenesis

PLoS One. 2014 Jul 10;9(7):e101971. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101971. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The product of the DKC1 gene, dyskerin, is required for both ribosome biogenesis and telomerase complex stabilization. Targeting these cellular processes has been explored for the development of drugs to selectively or preferentially kill cancer cells. Presently, intense research is conducted involving the identification of new biological targets whose modulation may simultaneously interfere with multiple cellular functions that are known to be hyper-activated by neoplastic transformations. Here, we report, for the first time, the computational identification of small molecules able to inhibit dyskerin catalytic activity. Different in silico techniques were applied to select compounds and analyze the binding modes and the interaction patterns of ligands in the human dyskerin catalytic site. We also describe a newly developed and optimized fast real-time PCR assay that was used to detect dyskerin pseudouridylation activity in vitro. The identification of new dyskerin inhibitors constitutes the first proof of principle that the pseudouridylation activity can be modulated by means of small molecule agents. Therefore, the presented results, obtained through the usage of computational tools and experimental validation, indicate an alternative therapeutic strategy to target ribosome biogenesis pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Biocatalysis
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / chemistry
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nuclear Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Pseudouridine / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal / metabolism
  • Ribosomes / drug effects*
  • Ribosomes / metabolism*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • DKC1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Pseudouridine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) - Emilia Romagna Start-Up grant 6266 to ADR and IG-11416 to LM and by PRIN grant from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research n. 20104AE23N_002 to LM. The authors thank “Cassa di risparmio di Bologna (Carisbo)” foundation for supporting LR. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.