Volume 20, Issue 26 2307215
Research Article

High-Throughput Miniaturized Synthesis of PROTAC-Like Molecules

Ye Tian

Ye Tian

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012 China

Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012 China

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Maximilian Seifermann

Maximilian Seifermann

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Liana Bauer

Liana Bauer

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Charlotte Luchena

Charlotte Luchena

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Janne J. Wiedmann

Janne J. Wiedmann

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Stefan Schmidt

Stefan Schmidt

Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany

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Alexander Geisel

Alexander Geisel

Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany

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Sergii Afonin

Sergii Afonin

Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), POB 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany

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Julius Höpfner

Julius Höpfner

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Marius Brehm

Marius Brehm

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Xinyong Liu

Xinyong Liu

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012 China

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Carsten Hopf

Carsten Hopf

Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163 Mannheim, Germany

Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor Kutzer-Ufer 1–3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany

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Anna A. Popova

Anna A. Popova

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

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Pavel A. Levkin

Corresponding Author

Pavel A. Levkin

Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 22 January 2024
Citations: 8

Abstract

The development of miniaturized high-throughput in situ screening platforms capable of handling the entire process of drug synthesis to final screening is essential for advancing drug discovery in the future. In this study, an approach based on combinatorial solid-phase synthesis, enabling the efficient synthesis of libraries of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in an array format is presented. This on-chip platform allows direct biological screening without the need for transfer steps.  UV-induced release of target molecules into individual droplets facilitates further on-chip experimentation. Utilizing a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEK1/2) degrader as a template, a series of 132 novel PROTAC-like molecules is synthesized using solid-phase Ugi reaction. These compounds are further characterized using various methods, including matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging, while consuming only a few milligrams of starting materials in total. Furthermore, the feasibility of culturing cancer cells on the modified spots and quantifying the effect of MEK suppression is demonstrated. The miniaturized synthesis platform lays a foundation for high-throughput in situ biological screening of potent PROTACs for potential anticancer activity and offers the potential for accelerating the drug discovery process by integrating miniaturized synthesis and biological steps on the same array.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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