Stabilization of the Max Homodimer with a Small Molecule Attenuates Myc-Driven Transcription.

Cell Chem Biol
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

The transcription factor Max is a basic-helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bHLHLZ) protein that forms homodimers or interacts with other bHLHLZ proteins, including Myc and Mxd proteins. Among this dynamic network of interactions, the Myc/Max heterodimer has crucial roles in regulating normal cellular processes, but its transcriptional activity is deregulated in a majority of human cancers. Despite this significance, the arsenal of high-quality chemical probes to interrogate these proteins remains limited. We used small molecule microarrays to identify compounds that bind Max in a mechanistically unbiased manner. We discovered the asymmetric polycyclic lactam, KI-MS2-008, which stabilizes the Max homodimer while reducing Myc protein and Myc-regulated transcript levels. KI-MS2-008 also decreases viable cancer cell growth in a Myc-dependent manner and suppresses tumor growth in vivo. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of modulating Max with small molecules and supports altering Max dimerization as an alternative approach to targeting Myc.

Year of Publication
2019
Journal
Cell Chem Biol
Volume
26
Issue
5
Pages
711-723.e14
Date Published
2019 05 16
ISSN
2451-9448
DOI
10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.02.009
PubMed ID
30880155
Links
Grant list
R01 CA160860 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
U01 CA176152 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
U01 CA188383 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA215452 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States