title: Identification of a small-molecule inhibitor of the interaction between Survivin and Smac/DIABLO.
abstract: The protein Survivin is selectively overexpressed in a variety of cancers, but not in normal tissues. It has been reported to be involved in cell survival and cell division. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in its function are not clear, although several binding partner proteins have been proposed to date. Here, we report the identification of a novel small molecule Survivin antagonist, which disrupts the Survivin-Smac/DIABLO interaction in cells. In order to identify Survivin-directed antagonists, we developed a high-throughput screening system based on AlphaScreen technology, which allows the identification of small molecules with the ability to inhibit the interaction of Survivin with Smac/DIABLO or INCENP in vitro. We screened chemical libraries, generated in-house, using this system and identified a 5-deazaflavin analog (compound 1) as a hit compound that selectively inhibited the interaction of Survivin with Smac/DIABLO but not INCENP. In cultured cells, compound 1 abrogated the formation of the complex between Survivin and Smac/DIABLO. In addition, this compound was able to sensitize cultured cells to doxorubicin-mediated DNA damage stress and synergistically enhance apoptotic cell death. Thus, the small-molecule inhibitor described here may serve as a proof-of-principle agent for discriminating between the multiple functions of Survivin.
authors.affiliation: University of Shizuoka, Yada, Suruga-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oikawa
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Unno
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Naohisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogo
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asai
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005415:Flavins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; C412403:DIABLO protein, human; D005415:Flavins; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; C019319:5-deazaflavin; D004317:Doxorubicin