Ras proteins are of importance in cell proliferation, and hence their mutated forms play causative roles in many kinds of cancer in different tissues. Inhibition of the Ras-depalmitoylating enzyme acyl protein thioesterases APT1 and -2 is a new approach to modulating the Ras cycle. Here we present boronic and borinic acid derivatives as a new class of potent and nontoxic APT inhibitors. These compounds were detected by extensive library screening using chemical arrays and turned out to inhibit human APT1 and -2 in a competitive mode. Furthermore, one of the molecules was demonstrated to inhibit Erk1/2 phosphorylation significantly.
Zimmermann TJ, Burger M, Tashiro E, Kondoh Y, Martinez NE, Gormer K, Rosin-Steiner S, Shimizu T, Ozaki S, Mikoshiba K, Watanabe N, Hall D, Vetter IR, Osada H, Hedberg C, Waldmann H (2013) Boron-based inhibitors of acyl protein thioesterases 1 and 2 Chembiochem14: 115-22
Zimmermann TJ, Burger M, Tashiro E, Kondoh Y, Martinez NE, Gormer K, Rosin-Steiner S, Shimizu T, Ozaki S, Mikoshiba K, Watanabe N, Hall D, Vetter IR, Osada H, Hedberg C, Waldmann H (2013) Chembiochem14: 115-22
