Wang Yuzhu, Yang Changxiao, Guo Li, Nie Peiyu, Hu Xiaowei, Zhou Hongfeng, Li Huibo, Tao Haiquan, Wu Jin
Department of Head, Neck and Genitourinary Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China.
Apoptosis. 2025 Sep 16. doi: 10.1007/s10495-025-02183-0.
BTB domain and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) has been reported to be a vital regulator of tumor progression. However, methods for targeting BACH1 in cancers have not been fully researched. In this study, we identified BACH1 as a poor prognosis-related factor in patients with GBM. Furthermore, a small-molecule compound, HPPE, was found to interact with BACH1 and inhibit the progression of GBM in vitro and in vivo. Molecular dynamics analysis, molecular docking simulation, MST assay, and co-IP experiments revealed that HPPE principally binds to BACH1 at the bZIP domain on the C-terminus and promotes the competitive binding of BACH1 and TCF-4, thus inhibiting formation of the β-catenin/TCF-4 complex. HPPE incubation inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and induced G2/M arrest, indicating a potential synergistic effect with temozolomide in GBM cells. RNA-seq, qRT‒PCR, and gene enrichment analyses revealed that the induction of HPPE repressed the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Further experiments revealed that BTB domain deletion from BACH1 eliminated its ability to interact with TCF-4 and significantly rescued the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and the reduction of malignant phenotype induced by HPPE in GBM cells. In vivo experiments revealed that HPPE prolonged the survival time of mice, inhibited Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity and had a synergistic effect with TMZ in a xenograft model. In summary, these findings provide potential combined therapeutic strategies for glioma by targeting the C-terminus of BACH1 and inhibiting the activation of WNT signaling.
BTB结构域和CNC同源蛋白1(BACH1)据报道是肿瘤进展的重要调节因子。然而,针对癌症中BACH1的靶向方法尚未得到充分研究。在本研究中,我们确定BACH1是胶质母细胞瘤(GBM)患者预后不良相关因素。此外,发现一种小分子化合物HPPE与BACH1相互作用,并在体外和体内抑制GBM的进展。分子动力学分析、分子对接模拟、 MST分析和免疫共沉淀实验表明,HPPE主要在C端的bZIP结构域与BACH1结合,并促进BACH1与TCF-4的竞争性结合,从而抑制β-连环蛋白/TCF-4复合物的形成。HPPE孵育抑制增殖、促进凋亡并诱导G2/M期阻滞,表明其在GBM细胞中与替莫唑胺有潜在协同作用。RNA测序、qRT-PCR和基因富集分析表明HPPE的诱导抑制了Wnt/β-连环蛋白通路。进一步实验表明,从BACH1中缺失BTB结构域消除了其与TCF-4相互作用的能力,并显著挽救了HPPE对GBM细胞中Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号的抑制以及恶性表型的降低。体内实验表明,HPPE延长了小鼠的存活时间,抑制了Wnt/β-连环蛋白通路活性,并在异种移植模型中与替莫唑胺有协同作用。总之,这些发现通过靶向BACH1的C端并抑制WNT信号激活,为胶质瘤提供了潜在的联合治疗策略。