Tosoni Beatrice, Naghshineh Eisa, Zanin Irene, Gallina Irene, Di Pietro Lorenzo, Cleris Loredana, Nadai Matteo, Lecchi Mara, Verderio Paolo, Pratesi Pietro, Pasquali Sandro, Zaffaroni Nadia, Neidle Stephen, Folini Marco, Richter Sara N
Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Via A. Gabelli, 63, 35121 Padua, Italy.
Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via G. A. Amadeo, 42, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2025 Feb 8;53(4). doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaf085.
Well-differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcomas (WD/DDLPSs) account for ∼60% of all liposarcomas. They have a poor prognosis due to limited therapeutic options. WD/DDLPSs are characterized by aberrant expression of mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), which forms G-quadruplexes (G4s) in its promoter. Here, we investigated the possibility of targeting WD/DDLPSs with small molecules against the MDM2 G4s. Among the molecules tested, the naphthalene diimide derivative QN-302 significantly impaired WD/DDLPS cell growth and its activity strikingly paralleled cell-specific G4 abundance as measured by CUT&Tag and RNA sequencing analysis. QN-302 stabilized MDM2 G4s at the P2 inducible promoter and prevented polymerase progression from the constitutive P1 promoter, thereby inhibiting the formation of full-length MDM2 transcripts. This resulted in the accumulation of p53 through the p53-MDM2 autoregulatory feedback loop, ultimately leading to apoptotic cell death. In patient-derived xenograft mouse models, QN-302 treatment reduced tumour volume distribution and was well tolerated. We have identified a novel and effective therapeutic strategy to reduce MDM2 expression and promote p53 reactivation in tumours harbouring wild-type TP53, such as WD/DDLPSs.
高分化/去分化脂肪肉瘤(WD/DDLPSs)占所有脂肪肉瘤的60%左右。由于治疗选择有限,它们的预后较差。WD/DDLPSs的特征是小鼠双微体2(MDM2)异常表达,MDM2在其启动子中形成G-四链体(G4s)。在此,我们研究了用针对MDM2 G4s的小分子靶向WD/DDLPSs的可能性。在所测试的分子中,萘二亚胺衍生物QN-302显著损害WD/DDLPS细胞生长,其活性与通过CUT&Tag和RNA测序分析测量的细胞特异性G4丰度显著平行。QN-302在P2诱导型启动子处稳定MDM2 G4s,并阻止聚合酶从组成型P1启动子前进,从而抑制全长MDM2转录本的形成。这通过p53-MDM2自动调节反馈环导致p53积累,最终导致凋亡性细胞死亡。在患者来源的异种移植小鼠模型中,QN-302治疗减少了肿瘤体积分布,且耐受性良好。我们已经确定了一种新的有效治疗策略,以降低具有野生型TP53的肿瘤(如WD/DDLPSs)中的MDM2表达并促进p53重新激活。