Structure-Based Discovery of MDM2/4 Dual Inhibitors that Exert Antitumor Activities against MDM4-Overexpressing Cancer Cells

Despite recent clinical progress
in peptide-based dual inhibitors
of MDM2/4, small-molecule ones with robust antitumor activities remain
challenging. To tackle this issue, 31 (YL93) was structure-based designed and synthesized, which had MDM2/4
binding Ki values of 1.1 and 642 nM, respectively.
In three MDM4-overexpressing cancer cell lines harboring wild-type
p53, 31 shows improved cell growth inhibition activities
compared to RG7388, an MDM2-selective inhibitor in late-stage clinical
trials. Mechanistic studies show that 31 increased cellular
protein levels of p53 and p21 and upregulated the expression of p53-targeted
genes in RKO cells with MDM4 amplification. In addition, 31 induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in western blot and flow
cytometry assays. Taken together, dual inhibition of MDM2/4 by 31 elicited stronger antitumor activities in vitro compared to selective MDM2 inhibitors in wild-type p53 and MDM4-overexpressing
cancer cells.