Communications
per minute. This reaction velocity was sufficient to
show the concentration–inhibition curve of com-
pound 1 that had little or no effect on NQO2 up to
a concentration of 1 mm, which exceeded the solu-
bility of the compound (Figure S2, Supporting Infor-
mation). This inhibitory effect of 1 was even lower
than that of dicoumarol, with a half-maximal inhibi-
tory concentration (IC50) of 708 mm, which is general-
ly resistant with NQO2.[5] The concentration–inhibi-
tion curve indicated that NQO2 is not an effective
target protein of 1, although it effectively bound to
Figure 1. Structures of compound 2 and the affinity matrices.
a sample affinity resin and 1 eluent by the optimized
buffer systems in the affinity purification procedure.
The other candidate, KPNB1, is involved in the nu-
(LC–MS/MS). 2D gel electrophoresis was performed under reg-
ular polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) conditions in
the first dimension followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-
PAGE in the second dimension. We identified 23 protein spots
from the affinity-purified sample of HeLa cells, and 17 spots
clear translocation of proteins.[6] KPNB1 recognizes a nuclear lo-
calization sequence (NLS) on cargo proteins to be transported
to the nucleus and interacts with KPNA (importin a1) to
import proteins containing a classical NLS.[7] KPNB1 can also di-
rectly interact with the cargo proteins and transport them into
the nucleus via a non-classical transport pathway.[8] In cancer
cells, KPNB1 is reported to play a role in the nuclear transloca-
tion of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3), cell membrane recep-
tors, and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) containing NLS se-
quences, such as ErbB2 and epidermal growth factor receptor
(EGFR), from the cell surface to the nucleus.[9] Then, nuclear
EGFR and ErbB2 interact with several proteins including cy-
clin D1, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), aurora kinase A, c-Myc,
breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP), STAT1, and B-Myb, acti-
vating their transcription, thus leading to accelerated cell-cycle
progression.[10]
To confirm the inhibitory effects of 1 on the function of
KPNB1, we performed western blotting using EGFR, ErbB2,
STAT3, and pSTAT3 in whole-cell lysates and nuclear fractions
of SK-OV3 treated with various concentrations of 1. Whereas
the nuclear levels of EGFR, ErbB2, STAT3, pSTAT3, KPNB1, and
KPNA decreased in a concentration-dependent manner after
treatment with 1, their levels in whole-cell lysates were nearly
constant (Figure 2). Results of western blotting showed that
compound 1 inhibits the classical importin pathway of KPNB1
and KPNA, and in turn decreased the nuclear transport of
EGFR, ErbB2, STAT3, and pSTAT3. The EGFR superfamily has
a significant impact on tumor initiation, cell-cycle progression,
tumor progression, and drug resistance. These membrane-
bound proteins have been intensively studied to block RTK-
centered signaling transduction networks, including the down-
stream pathways of STAT3. However, the internalization and
nuclear translocation of these membrane receptors induced by
specific agents highlight the need to modify the strategy for
the discovery of new anticancer agents, considering the nucle-
ar levels of RTKs as important markers in cancer cells.[11]
Regarding the binding effect of 1 on KPNB1, methods for
determining small-molecule binding affinity and analyzing
direct molecular interactions include surface plasmon reso-
nance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). However,
we were unable to obtain any information about binding affin-
ity using these methods because these are easily influenced by
exogenous factors. Therefore, we prepared fluorescein-labeled
from SK-OV3 cells (Figure S1, Supporting Information). To de-
termine the extent of purification, we performed quantitative
LC–MS/MS using an accurate and sensitive nanoLC-Orbitrap
LTQ tandem mass spectrometer, which enables a repeat analy-
sis of each sample of whole-cell lysates, affinity-purified pro-
teins, and control eluents to statistically compare the peptide
spectrum matches (PSMs) of the identified proteins, as de-
scribed in the Supporting Information. After normalization of
the PSMs of each sample, we calculated protein purification
folds (Tables S1 and S2, Supporting Information). From the pro-
teins highly purified using affinity chromatography, two com-
pound-1-binding proteins, KPNB1 (importin b1) and NQO2
(NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2), were found in HeLa and SK-
OV3 cells; these were considered to be the target protein can-
didates of 1.
The first candidate, NQO2, is known to reduce quinones and
nitroaromatic compounds using a shortened nicotinamide de-
rivative, nicotinamide riboside, which is not present in cells.[4]
We examined the activity of a reconstituted NQO2 protein on
the reduction of dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) with NRH
synthesized by the addition of calf intestinal alkaline phospha-
tase to nicotinamide mononucleotide in phosphate-buffered
saline, pH 7.4, as described previously.[4] Reoxidation-reduced
DCPIP occurred within a few minutes after saturation of the
enzyme reaction; therefore, the concentration of NQO2 was
limited to produce a 0.1-a.u. change in absorbance difference
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ChemMedChem 2016, 11, 1 – 5
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ÝÝ These are not the final page numbers!