2. Academic Validation
  3. Targeting the Central Pocket in Human Transcription Factor TEAD as a Potential Cancer Therapeutic Strategy

Targeting the Central Pocket in Human Transcription Factor TEAD as a Potential Cancer Therapeutic Strategy

  • Structure. 2015 Nov 3;23(11):2076-86. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2015.09.009.
Ajaybabu V Pobbati 1,  Xiao Han 2,  Alvin W Hung 3,  Seetoh Weiguang 3,  Nur Huda 3,  Guo-Ying Chen 3,  CongBao Kang 3,  Cheng San Brian Chia 3,  Xuelian Luo 4,  Wanjin Hong 5,  Anders Poulsen 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A(∗)STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore. Electronic address: ajaybabuvp@imcb.a-star.edu.sg.
  • 2 Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology & Engineering, the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
  • 3 Experimental Therapeutics Centre, A(∗)STAR, 31 Biopolis Way, #3-01, Singapore 138669, Singapore.
  • 4 Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: xuelian.luo@utsouthwestern.edu.
  • 5 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A(∗)STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore.
  • 6 Experimental Therapeutics Centre, A(∗)STAR, 31 Biopolis Way, #3-01, Singapore 138669, Singapore. Electronic address: apoulsen@etc.a-star.edu.sg.
PMID: 26592798 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2015.09.009
Abstract

The human TEAD family of transcription factors (TEAD1-4) is required for YAP-mediated transcription in the Hippo pathway. Hyperactivation of TEAD's co-activator YAP contributes to tissue overgrowth and human cancers, suggesting that pharmacological interference of TEAD-YAP activity may be an effective strategy for Anticancer therapy. Here we report the discovery of a central pocket in the YAP-binding domain (YBD) of TEAD that is targetable by small-molecule inhibitors. Our X-ray crystallography studies reveal that flufenamic acid, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), binds to the central pocket of TEAD2 YBD. Our biochemical and functional analyses further demonstrate that binding of NSAIDs to TEAD inhibits TEAD-YAP-dependent transcription, cell migration, and proliferation, indicating that the central pocket is important for TEAD function. Therefore, our studies discover a novel way of targeting TEAD transcription factors and set the stage for therapeutic development of specific TEAD-YAP inhibitors against human cancers.

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