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An inhibitor of the pleckstrin homology domain of CNK1 selectively blocks the growth of mutant KRAS cells and tumors Supplemental Information

Cnk1 (connector enhancer of kinase suppressor of Ras 1) is a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain–containing scaffold protein that increases the efficiency of Ras signaling pathways, imparting efficiency and specificity to the response of cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Mutated KRAS (mut-KRAS) is the most common proto-oncogenic event, occurring in approximately 25% of human cancers and has no effective treatment. In this study, we show that selective inhibition of Cnk1 blocks growth and Raf/Mek/Erk, Rho and RalA/B signaling in mut-KRAS lung and colon cancer cells with little effect on wild-type (wt)-KRAS cells. Cnk1 inhibition decreased anchorage-independent mut-KRas cell growth more so than growth on plastic, without the partial "addiction" to mut-KRAS seen on plastic. The PH domain of Cnk1 bound with greater affinity to PtdIns(4,5)P2 than PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, and Cnk1 localized to areas of the plasma membranes rich in PtdIns, suggesting a role for the PH domain in the biological activity of Cnk1. Through molecular modeling and structural modification, we identified a compound PHT-7.3 that bound selectively to the PH domain of Cnk1, preventing plasma membrane colocalization with mut-KRas. PHT-7.3 inhibited mut-KRas, but not wild-type KRas cancer cell and tumor growth and signaling. Thus, the PH domain of Cnk1 is a druggable target whose inhibition selectively blocks mutant KRas activation, making Cnk1 an attractive therapeutic target in patients with mut-KRAS–driven cancer.Significance:These findings identify a therapeutic strategy to selectively block oncogenic KRas activity through the PH domain of Cnk1, which reduces its cell membrane binding, decreasing the efficiency of Ras signaling and tumor growth.

Supplementary Tables 1-2, Appendix materials, Figures 1-2 from In vitro and In vivo Activity of Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors Targeting the Pleckstrin Homology Domain of Protein Kinase B/AKT

More than 1 million Americans yearly have a new or recurrent acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Although the mortality rate from AMI has decreased in recent years, post-MI congestive heart failure is increasing due to microvascular obstruction (MVO), ultimately limiting myocardial salvage. We aim to address this unmet need by devising an image-guided therapy called sonoreperfusion (SRP) to resolve MVO by ultrasound-targeted microbubble cavitation (UTMC). In this study, we hypothesized that fibrin-targeted phase shift microbubbles (FTPSMBs; ∼200 nm) (Microvascular Therapeutics, Inc) would improve SRP efficacy compared to fibrin-targeted microbubbles (FTMBs; 1–3 μm) to treat MVO owing to the smaller size and more efficient microthrombi penetration. A rat hindlimb model of MVO was created by directly injecting freshly prepared porcine microthrombi into the left femoral artery under contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging (CEUS) guidance, and treated with UTMC (1 MHz, 1.5 MPa, 5 ms pulse duration, 5-sec pulse interval) with concomitant administration of FTPSMBs/FTMBs (3 mL/hr). The treatment effect was accessed with CEUS. UTMC with FTPSMBs caused more rapid and complete reperfusion of rat hindlimb following MVO compared with FTMB, likely owing to their small size and more effective thrombus penetration. Studies to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with SRP treatments are underway.