Binding-pocket and lid-region substitutions render human STING sensitive to the species-specific drug DMXAA Journal Article


Authors: Gao, P.; Zillinger, T.; Wang, W.; Ascano, M.; Dai, P.; Hartmann, G.; Tuschl, T.; Deng, L.; Barchet, W.; Patel, D. J.
Article Title: Binding-pocket and lid-region substitutions render human STING sensitive to the species-specific drug DMXAA
Abstract: The drug DMXAA (5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid) showed therapeutic promise against solid tumors in mouse models but subsequently failed in human clinical trials. DMXAA was later discovered to activate mouse, but not human, STING, an adaptor protein in the cyclic dinucleotide cGAMP-mediated signaling pathway, inducing type I interferon expression. To facilitate the development of compounds that target human STING, we combined structural, biophysical, and cellular assays to study mouse and human chimeric proteins and their interaction with DMXAA. We identified a single substitution (G230I) that enables a DMXAA-induced conformational transition of hSTING from an inactive "open" to an active "closed" state. We also identified a substitution within the binding pocket (Q266I) that cooperates with G230I and the previously identified S162A binding-pocket point substitution, rendering hSTING highly sensitive to DMXAA. These findings should facilitate the reciprocal engineering of DMXAA analogs that bind and stimulate wild-type hSTING and their exploitation for vaccine-adjuvant and anticancer drug development.
Journal Title: Cell Reports
Volume: 8
Issue: 6
ISSN: 2211-1247
Publisher: Cell Press  
Date Published: 2014-09-25
Start Page: 1668
End Page: 1676
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.08.010
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 25199835
PMCID: PMC4381552
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 3 November 2014 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Liang Deng
    82 Deng
  2. Dinshaw J Patel
    477 Patel
  3. Weiyi Wang
    20 Wang
  4. Pu Gao
    12 Gao
  5. Peihong Dai
    40 Dai