Inflammation switches the chemoattractant requirements for naive lymphocyte entry into lymph nodes.

Sustained lymphocyte migration from blood into lymph nodes (LNs) is important for immune responses. The CC-chemokine receptor-7 (CCR7) ligand CCL21 is required for LN entry but is downregulated during inflammation, and it has been unclear how recruitment is maintained. Here, we show that the oxysterol biosynthetic enzyme cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (Ch25h) is upregulated in LN high endothelial venules during viral infection.

Discovery of MD-265: A Potent MDM2 Degrader That Achieves Complete Tumor Regression and Improves Long-Term Survival of Mice with Leukemia.

MDM2 has been pursued as an attractive therapeutic target for human cancers. Herein, we describe our discovery of MD-265 as a promising PROTAC MDM2 degrader and extensive and evaluations of its therapeutic potential and mechanism of action. MD-265 effectively depleted MDM2 protein in cancer cells at concentrations as low as 1 nM, leading to strong activation of p53 in cancer cells carrying wild-type p53.

PVRL2 Suppresses Antitumor Immunity through PVRIG- and TIGIT-independent Pathways.

Poliovirus receptor-related 2 (PVRL2, also known as nectin-2 or CD112) is believed to act as an immune checkpoint protein in cancer; however, most insight into its role is inferred from studies on its known receptor, poliovirus receptor (PVR)-related immunoglobulin domain protein (PVRIG, also known as CD112R). Here, we study PVRL2 itself. PVRL2 levels were found to be high in tumor cells and tumor-derived exosomes.

Cell-surface tethered promiscuous biotinylators enable comparative small-scale surface proteomic analysis of human extracellular vesicles and cells.

Characterization of cell surface proteome differences between cancer and healthy cells is a valuable approach for the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets. However, selective sampling of surface proteins for proteomics requires large samples (>10e6 cells) and long labeling times. These limitations preclude analysis of material-limited biological samples or the capture of rapid surface proteomic changes.

Simple Structural Modifications Converting a Bona fide MDM2 PROTAC Degrader into a Molecular Glue Molecule: A Cautionary Tale in the Design of PROTAC Degraders.

Inducing protein degradation by proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has gained tremendous momentum for its promise to discover and develop new therapies. Based upon our previously reported PROTAC MDM2 degraders, we have designed and synthesized additional analogues. Surprisingly, we found that simple structural modifications of MD-222, a bona fide MDM2 PROTAC degrader, converts it into a "molecular glue", as exemplified by .

Cofilin hyperactivation in HIV infection and targeting the cofilin pathway using an anti-αβ integrin antibody.

A functional HIV cure requires immune reconstitution for lasting viremia control. A major immune dysfunction persisting in HIV infection is the impairment of T helper cell migration and homing to lymphoid tissues such as GALTs (gut-associated lymphoid tissues). ART (antiretroviral therapy) does not fully restore T cell motility for tissue repopulation.

Discovery of MD-224 as a First-in-Class, Highly Potent, and Efficacious Proteolysis Targeting Chimera Murine Double Minute 2 Degrader Capable of Achieving Complete and Durable Tumor Regression.

Human murine double minute 2 (MDM2) protein is a primary endogenous cellular inhibitor of the tumor suppressor p53 and has been pursued as an attractive cancer therapeutic target. Several potent, nonpeptide, small-molecule inhibitors of MDM2 are currently in clinical development. In this paper, we report our design, synthesis, and evaluation of small-molecule MDM2 degraders based on the proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) concept.

Discovery of QCA570 as an Exceptionally Potent and Efficacious Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) Degrader of the Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Proteins Capable of Inducing Complete and Durable Tumor Regression.

Proteins of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family are epigenetics "readers" and promising therapeutic targets for cancer and other human diseases. We describe herein a structure-guided design of [1,4]oxazepines as a new class of BET inhibitors and our subsequent design, synthesis, and evaluation of proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) small-molecule BET degraders. Our efforts have led to the discovery of extremely potent BET degraders, exemplified by QCA570, which effectively induces degradation of BET proteins and inhibits cell growth in human acute leukemia cell lines even at low picomolar concentrations.

Discovery of a Highly Potent, Cell-Permeable Macrocyclic Peptidomimetic (MM-589) Targeting the WD Repeat Domain 5 Protein (WDR5)-Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) Protein-Protein Interaction.

We report herein the design, synthesis, and evaluation of macrocyclic peptidomimetics that bind to WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) and block the WDR5-mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) protein-protein interaction. Compound 18 (MM-589) binds to WDR5 with an IC value of 0.90 nM (K value <1 nM) and inhibits the MLL H3K4 methyltransferase (HMT) activity with an IC value of 12.

LAPTM4B allele *2 is a marker of poor prognosis for gallbladder carcinoma.

Background: Lysosomal protein transmembrane 4 beta (LAPTM4B) is a novel cancer-related gene which has two alleles designated LAPTM4B*1 and LAPTM4B*2. In this study we investigated the correlation of LAPTM4B genotype with prognosis and clinicopathologic features in patients who had undergone curative resection for gallbladder carcinoma (GBC).

Methodology/principal Findings: PCR assay was performed to determine the LAPTM4B genotype in 85 patients.