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Theranostics 2023; 13(14):5075-5098. doi:10.7150/thno.85356 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Discovery of a novel NAMPT inhibitor that selectively targets NAPRT-deficient EMT-subtype cancer cells and alleviates chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

Minjee Kim^1,2,#, Hyeyoung Kim^1,3,#, Bu-Gyeong Kang^4,#, Jooyoung Lee^2,5,#, Taegun Kim^6,#, Hwanho Lee^1,2, Jane Jung^1,3, Myung Joon Oh^1,2, Seungyoon Seo⁷, Myung-Jeom Ryu², Yeojin Sung^1,2, Yunji Lee^1,2, Jeonghun Yeom⁷, Gyoonhee Han^6,✉, Sun-Shin Cha^4,✉, Hosung Jung^1,3,✉, Hyun Seok Kim^1,2,5,✉

1. Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
3. Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
4. Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea.
5. Checkmate Therapeutics Inc., Seoul, 07207, Republic of Korea.
6. Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
7. Prometabio Research Institute, Prometabio Co., Ltd. Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do 12939, Republic of Korea.
# Equal contribution.

✉ Corresponding authors: hsfkimac (lead contact), hjungac, chajungac.kr, gyoonheeac.kr.

Abstract

Background: Exploiting synthetic lethality (SL) relationships between protein pairs has emerged as an important avenue for the development of anti-cancer drugs. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme of the NAD+ salvage pathway, having an SL relationship with nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRT), the key enzyme in the NAD+ Preiss-Handler pathway. NAMPT inhibitor holds clinical potential not only as a promising cancer treatment but also as a means of protection against chemotherapy-induced-peripheral-neuropathy (CIPN). However, as NAD+ is essential for normal cells, the clinical use of NAMPT inhibitors is challenging. This study aimed to identify a novel NAMPT inhibitor with enhanced selective cytotoxicity against NAPRT-deficient cancer cells as well as prominent efficacy in alleviating CIPN.

Methods: We began by conducting drug derivatives screening in a panel of lung cancer cell lines to select an agent with the broadest therapeutic window between the NAPRT-negative and-positive cancer cell lines. Both in vitro and In vivo comparative analyses were conducted between A4276 and other NAMPT inhibitors to evaluate the NAPRT-negative cancer cell selectivity and the underlying distinct NAMPT inhibition mechanism of A4276. Patient-derived tumor transcriptomic data and protein levels in various cancer cell lines were analyzed to confirm the correlation between NAPRT depletion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like features in various cancer types. Finally, the efficacy of A4276 for axonal protection and CIPN remedy was examined in vitro and in vivo.

Results: The biomarker-driven phenotypic screening led to a discovery of A4276 with prominent selectivity against NAPRT-negative cancer cells compared with NAPRT-positive cancer cells and normal cells. The cytotoxic effect of A4276 on NAPRT-negative cells is achieved through its direct binding to NAMPT, inhibiting its enzymatic function at an optimal and balanced level allowing NAPRT-positive cells to survive through NAPRT-dependent NAD+ synthesis. NAPRT deficiency serves as a biomarker for the response to A4276 as well as an indicator of EMT-subtype cancer in various tumor types. Notably, A4276 protects axons from Wallerian degeneration more effectively than other NAMPT inhibitors by decreasing NMN-to-NAD+ ratio.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that A4276 selectively targets NAPRT-deficient EMT-subtype cancer cells and prevents chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, highlighting its potential as a promising anti-cancer agent for use in cancer monotherapy or combination therapy with conventional chemotherapeutics.

Keywords: Synthetic lethality, NAMPT inhibitor, Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Wallerian degeneration, Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)

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