The co-crystal structure of Cbl-b and a small-molecule inhibitor reveals the mechanism of Cbl-b inhibition.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Source:

Commun Biol, Volume 6, Issue 1, p.1272 (2023)

Keywords:

Humans, Molecular Conformation, Neoplasms, Phosphorylation, Protein Binding, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases

Abstract:

<p>Cbl-b is a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase that is expressed in several immune cell lineages, where it negatively regulates the activity of immune cells. Cbl-b has specifically been identified as an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy due to its role in promoting an immunosuppressive tumor environment. A Cbl-b inhibitor, Nx-1607, is&nbsp;currently in phase I clinical trials for advanced solid tumor malignancies. Using a suite of biophysical and cellular assays, we confirm potent binding of C7683 (an analogue of Nx-1607) to the full-length Cbl-b and its N-terminal fragment containing the TKBD-LHR-RING domains. To further elucidate its mechanism of inhibition, we determined the co-crystal structure of Cbl-b with C7683, revealing the compound&#39;s interaction with both the TKBD and LHR, but not the RING domain. Here, we provide structural insights into a novel mechanism of Cbl-b inhibition by a small-molecule inhibitor that locks the protein in an inactive conformation by acting as an intramolecular glue.</p>

PDB: 
8GCY
Detector: 
EIGER
Beamline: 
24-ID-E