Discovery of novel VEGFR-2-PROTAC degraders based on the localization of lysine residues via recruiting VHL for the treatment of gastric cancer

Abstract

VEGFR-2 is an attractive therapeutic target for antitumor drug research by blocking tumor angiogenesis and PROTAC provides a new technology for targeted protein knockout. Herein, a library of novel VEGFR-2-PROTAC degraders were rationally designed and synthesized based on the Lys residue region on the surface of VEGFR-2 protein using protein structure-based drug design strategy. Among them, P7 exhibited preferable antitumor activity against HGC-27 cells and less toxic to human normal HUVEC, HEK293T and GES-1 cells in vitro, as well as the potent degradation activity of VEGFR-2 protein in HGC-27 cells (DC₅₀: 0.084 ± 0.04 μM, D_max: 73.7%) and HUVEC cells (DC₅₀: 0.51 ± 0.10 μM, Dmax: 76.6%). Additionally, P7 degraded VEGFR-2 protein by the formation of ternary complex and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway in HGC-27 cells. Furthermore, P7 shortened the half-life of VEGFR-2 protein synthesis and had no inhibitory effect on the expression of VEGFR-2 mRNA in HGC-27 cells. Moreover, P7 inhibited the colony formation, migration and invasion of HGC-27 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and meanwhile induced G₂/M phase cycle arrest and apoptosis. All the results demonstrated that P7 could be as a promising VEGFR-2-PROTAC degrader for gastric cancer therapy.

Keywords: 1H-indazole; Antitumor; PROTAC degrader; VEGFR-2; VHL.