Regulator

Kinase is an enzyme that adds phosphate groups to other molecules. This process is known as phosphorylation. Protein phosphorylation is a key aspect in the regulation of a large number of cellular processes including cellular division, metabolism, signal transduction, and so on. There are over 500 kinases encoded by the human genome and it has been estimated that kinases regulate approximately 50% of cellular functions. Kinases are a large group of drug targets in drug discovery. Kinase inhibitors are an important class of drugs that block certain enzymes involved in diseases such as cancer and inflammatory disorders.

Kinase inhibitor library designed by MCE contains 2,842 kinase inhibitors and regulators mainly targeting protein kinases (VEGFR, EGFR, BTK, CDK, Akt, etc.), lipid kinases (PI3K, PI4K, SK, etc.) and carbohydrate kinases (Hexokinase), and is a useful tool for kinase drug discovery and related research.

Techniques for reprogramming somatic cells create new opportunities for drug screening, disease modeling, artificial organ development, and cell therapy. The development of reprogramming techniques has grown exponentially since Yamanaka reprogrammed somatic cells to become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using four transcription factors, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC in 2006. Despite the development of efficient reprogramming methods, most methods are inappropriate for clinical applications because they carry the risk of integrating exogenous genetic factors or use oncogenes. Alternative approaches, such as those based on miRNA, non-viral genes, non-integrative vectors, and small molecules, have been studied as possible solutions to the problems. Among these alternatives, small molecules are attractive options for clinical applications. Reprogramming using small molecules is inexpensive and easy to control in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. It offers a high level of cell permeability, ease of synthesis and standardization, and it is appropriate for mass-producing cells.

MCE Reprogramming Compound Library contains a unique collection of 2,254 compounds that act on reprogramming signaling pathways. These compounds are potential stimulators for reprogramming. This library is a useful tool for researching reprogramming and regenerative medicine.

Unlike the 20 natural amino acids commonly found within living organisms, unnatural amino acids are synthesized through chemical or biosynthetic methods, thereby being endowed with unique chemical properties or biological activities. In drug development, these amino acids can be utilized to design novel pharmaceutical molecules that may exhibit superior pharmacological characteristics, such as increased selectivity, improved pharmacokinetic profiles, or reduced toxicity. In biomedical research, unnatural amino acids can act as biological markers or probes for investigating biological processes like cell signaling, protein conformation, and protein-protein interactions. In addition, non-natural amino acids can also be used in the field of agriculture to develop new pesticides, plant growth regulators and so on.

MCE included 124 unnatural amino acids and relative derivatives, serving as valuable tools for drug development and pesticide research.

DNA is prone to numerous forms of damage that can injure cells and impair fitness. Cells have developed an array of mechanisms to repair these injuries. Proliferating cells are especially vulnerable to DNA damage due to the added demands of cellular growth and division. Cell cycle checkpoints represent integral components of DNA repair that coordinate cooperation between the machinery of the cell cycle and several biochemical pathways that respond to damage and restore DNA structure. By delaying progression through the cell cycle, checkpoints provide more time for repair before the critical phases of DNA replication, when the genome is replicated, and of mitosis, when the genome is segregated. Loss or attenuation of checkpoint function may increase spontaneous and induced gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations by reducing the efficiency of DNA repair.

MCE owns a unique collection of 2,197 cell cycle/DNA damage-related compounds which can be used in the research of the same.

Protein serine/threonine kinases (PSKs) are protein kinases that use ATP as a high-energy donor molecule to transfer phosphate groups to serine/threonine residues of target protein. As an important signal transduction regulator, serine/threonine kinases can affect the function of target proteins by disrupting enzyme activity or binding of target proteins to other proteins. Serine/threonine kinases are involved in the regulation of immune response, cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and other physiological processes. Serine/threonine kinase inhibitors are an important class of compounds that have been widely studied in cancer, chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, aging and other diseases.

MCE designs a unique collection of 1,371 serine/threonine kinase inhibitors, mainly targeting the receptor PKA, Akt, PKC, MAPK/ERK, etc, which is an effective tool for development and research of anti-cancer, anti-chronic inflammatory diseases, anti-autoimmune diseases and anti-aging compounds.

The developmental proteins Hedgehog, Notch and Wnt are key regulators of cell fate, proliferation, migration and differentiation in several tissues. Their related signaling pathways are frequently activated in tumors, and particularly in the rare subpopulation of cancer stem cells. The Wnt signaling pathway is a conserved pathway in animals. Deregulated Wnt signaling has catastrophic consequences for the developing embryo and it is now well appreciated that defective Wnt signaling is a causative factor for a number of pleiotropic human pathologies, including cancer. Hedgehog signaling pathway is linked to tumorigenesis and is aberrantly activated in a variety of cancers. The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved cell signaling system present in most animals. It plays an important role in cell-cell communication, and further regulates embryonic development.

MCE designs a unique collection of 390 Wnt/Hedgehog/Notch signaling pathway-related small molecules. Wnt/Hedgehog/Notch Compound Library serves as a useful tool for stem cell research and anti-cancer drug screening.

Oxygen homeostasis regulation is the most fundamental cellular process for adjusting physiological oxygen variations, and its irregularity leads to various human diseases, including cancer. Hypoxia is closely associated with cancer development, and hypoxia/oxygen-sensing signaling plays critical roles in the modulation of cancer progression.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that functions as a master regulator of oxygen homeostasis. A variety of HF-1 target genes have been identified thus far which encode proteins that play key roles in critical developmental and physiological processes including angiogenesis/vascular remodeling, erythropoiesis, glucose transport, glycolysis, iron transport, and cell proliferation/survival.

HIF-1 is a heterodimeric transcription factor consisting of a constitutively expressed β-subunit and an oxygen-regulated α-subunit. The unique feature of HIF-1 is the regulation of HIF-1α expression and activity based upon the cellular O₂ concentration. Under normoxic conditions, hydroxylation of HIF-1α on these different proline residues is essential for HIF proteolytic degradation by promoting interaction with the von Hippel-Lindau tumor-suppressor protein (pVHL) through hydrogen bonding to the hydroxyproline-binding pocket in the pVHL β-domain. As oxygen levels decrease, hydroxylation of HIF decreases; HIF-1α then no longer binds pVHL, and becomes stabilized, allowing more of the protein to translocate to the cell’s nucleus, where it acts as a transcription factor, upregulating (often within minutes) the production of proteins that stimulate blood perfusion in tissues and thus tissue oxygenation.

MCE offers a unique collection of 2,742 oxygen sensing related compounds targeting HIF/HIF Prolyl-Hydroxylase, MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, etc. MCE Oxygen Sensing Compound Library is a useful tool to study hypoxia, oxidative stress and discover new anti-cancer drugs.