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DLL3:肺癌“網(wǎng)紅”靶點(diǎn),或成精準(zhǔn)治療新希望

日期:2021-07-07 14:53:20

近期,在國(guó)際學(xué)術(shù)期刊《Clinical Cancer Research》在線發(fā)表題為“AMG 757, a Half-Life Extended, DLL3-Targeted Bispecific T-Cell Engager, Shows High Potency and Sensitivity in Preclinical Models of Small-Cell Lung Cancer”的研究提示:AMG 757作為雙特異性DLL3靶向T細(xì)胞結(jié)合劑,在小細(xì)胞肺癌(SCLC)的治療中,展現(xiàn)出令人信服的安全性和有效性 [1]。而DLL3,作為治療小細(xì)胞肺癌的“網(wǎng)紅”靶點(diǎn),在剛剛結(jié)束的2021年歐洲肺癌大會(huì)(ELCC Virtual 2021)上,也報(bào)道了靶向DLL3有望成為臨床上治療SCLC的新希望。近年來(lái),越來(lái)越多的研究者在尋找靶向DLL3精準(zhǔn)治療腫瘤的方法。那么,什么是DLL3?它在腫瘤中的研究進(jìn)展如何?今天,我們一起來(lái)了解一下。


1、DLL3的結(jié)構(gòu)和功能是什么?

δ樣配體(Delta-Like Ligand 3,DLL3)為一種附著在細(xì)胞表面的單次跨膜蛋白,屬于Notch配體家族中的一員。人DLL3基因定位于染色體19q13,其開(kāi)放閱讀框長(zhǎng)度約為1800 bp [2]。人DLL3蛋白由619個(gè)氨基酸組成,完整結(jié)構(gòu)包含1個(gè)DSL結(jié)構(gòu)域、1個(gè)胞內(nèi)結(jié)構(gòu)域和6個(gè)表皮生長(zhǎng)因子樣結(jié)構(gòu)域 (圖1[3, 4]。胞外結(jié)構(gòu)域N端的DSL基因序列在配體家族中高度保守,是與Notch受體結(jié)合所必須的功能結(jié)構(gòu)域。DLL3胞內(nèi)結(jié)構(gòu)域較短,其功能尚不清楚。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)DLL3在SCLC和其他神經(jīng)內(nèi)分泌腫瘤中高表達(dá),而在正常組織中很少表達(dá),這為靶向治療提供了潛力 [5]。近年來(lái),越來(lái)越多的研究提示,DLL3可與不同的Notch受體結(jié)合,參與到復(fù)雜的腫瘤調(diào)控過(guò)程中,既可表現(xiàn)出促癌作用,也可表現(xiàn)出抑癌作用。

LL3結(jié)構(gòu)示意圖

圖1. DLL3結(jié)構(gòu)示意圖

*圖片來(lái)源于Frontiers in immunology 出版物 [3]


2、配體DLL3的受體有哪些?

配體DLL3通過(guò)與Notch受體結(jié)合,直接或間接地發(fā)揮作用生物學(xué)功能。Notch受體有4種(Notch 1-4),為一類(lèi)保守的單次跨膜蛋白,受體分子量約為300 kDa [6]。Notch受體含胞外區(qū)、跨膜區(qū)和胞內(nèi)區(qū)3部分。如圖2所示,其N(xiāo)otch受體的胞外段(N端)由數(shù)量不等的EGF樣重復(fù)片段和一個(gè)近膜區(qū)的負(fù)向調(diào)節(jié)區(qū)域(NRR)構(gòu)成,而NRR是由3個(gè)Lin12/Notch重復(fù)片段(LNR)和1個(gè)異二聚化區(qū)域(HD)組成;胞內(nèi)段通常包含一段蛋白結(jié)合RPBJ相關(guān)分子(RAM)區(qū)域、7個(gè)錨蛋白重復(fù)片段、1個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)錄激活區(qū)域(TAD)和1個(gè)PEST(富含脯氨酸、谷氨酸、絲氨酸和蘇氨酸)降解決定子區(qū)域 [3]。

受體Notch1-4結(jié)構(gòu)

圖2. 受體Notch1-4結(jié)構(gòu)

*圖片來(lái)源于Frontiers in immunology 出版物 [3]

不同于Notch其它配體,目前的研究表明DLL3是一種抑制性Notch配體。配體DLL3和Notch受體結(jié)合,具有Notch通路的抑制作用 [7]。在SCLC中,促進(jìn)DLL3表達(dá),DLL3與Notch1受體結(jié)合,將抑制Notch信號(hào)活化,Notch信號(hào)靶基因HES1、HEY1的表達(dá)下調(diào),對(duì)腫瘤的抑制解除,促進(jìn)SCLC的發(fā)生發(fā)展 [8];DLL3/Notch2可以增加細(xì)胞周期蛋白CyclinD1CyclinD3的表達(dá),提示DLL3/Notch2可能通過(guò)上調(diào)CyclinD1和CyclinD3蛋白促進(jìn)SCLC細(xì)胞的增殖 [9]。此外DLL3和Notch受體結(jié)合還與其它腫瘤密切相關(guān),比如,DLL3/Notch2參與垂體腺瘤的增殖和侵襲的調(diào)節(jié) [10];DLL3/Notch2/Notch4對(duì)黑色素瘤細(xì)胞生存和生長(zhǎng)至關(guān)重要 [11];DLL3/Notch2/Notch3介導(dǎo)了卵巢癌細(xì)胞的增殖和分化,并且與較差的生存期相關(guān) [12]??傮w而言,DLL3可與不同的Notch受體結(jié)合,在細(xì)胞增殖、分化及凋亡中發(fā)揮著多種功能,然而其涉及的細(xì)胞分子機(jī)制仍未具體闡明。


3、DLL3相關(guān)的信號(hào)通路有哪些?

前文提到,DLL3是一種抑制性Notch配體,大量研究發(fā)現(xiàn),配體DLL3通過(guò)和Notch受體結(jié)合,抑制Notch信號(hào),影響相鄰細(xì)胞之間的通訊,進(jìn)而調(diào)控細(xì)胞發(fā)育,其具體機(jī)制尚不明確。除了Notch信號(hào)通路,DLL3也在其他信號(hào)通路中發(fā)揮作用,DLL3通過(guò)抑制Notch信號(hào)通路,激活脂酰肌醇-3-激酶/絲氨酸-蘇氨酸蛋白激B(phosphoinositol-3-kinase/serine-threonine protein kinase B,P13K/Akt)信號(hào)傳導(dǎo)通路。DLL3表達(dá)上調(diào)時(shí),配體Wnt-1和Wnt-4以及Wnt通路的下游靶基因Axin-2和Lef-1表達(dá)上調(diào),提示DLL3參與誘導(dǎo)Wnt信號(hào)途徑的激活。此外,還有研究證實(shí)DLL3通過(guò)調(diào)節(jié)Nrarp的循環(huán)表達(dá)來(lái)調(diào)節(jié)Notch/Wnt信號(hào)通路 [13]。

由此可見(jiàn),DLL3參與到多個(gè)信號(hào)通路中的調(diào)節(jié)過(guò)程,涉及一系列基因的激活、表達(dá)以及調(diào)控等作用。在腫瘤的發(fā)生發(fā)展中,DLL3發(fā)揮著促癌或抑癌的雙向調(diào)節(jié)功能。因此,進(jìn)一步研究DLL3在各腫瘤中的表達(dá)和作用機(jī)制,將對(duì)腫瘤的發(fā)病機(jī)制、治療和預(yù)防等具有重要的意義。


4、DLL3在腫瘤疾病中的作用

根據(jù)腫瘤類(lèi)型和細(xì)胞生長(zhǎng)環(huán)境的不同,DLL3的激活可以發(fā)揮促癌或抑癌作用。有報(bào)道,DLL3在小細(xì)胞肺癌 [14, 15]、乳腺癌 [16]、垂體瘤 [10]、急性髓系白血病 [17]中有促癌作用,但在肝癌 [18]、神經(jīng)膠質(zhì)瘤 [19]和惡性膠質(zhì)瘤 [20]中卻發(fā)揮了抑癌作用。

在小細(xì)胞肺癌中,DLL3在超過(guò)80%患者中高表達(dá),并且在腫瘤的細(xì)胞膜和細(xì)胞質(zhì)中都高表達(dá);但是,在正常組織中少量表達(dá)或不表達(dá)。臨床研究表明,SCLC中的DLL3高表達(dá)與患者的生存期呈現(xiàn)負(fù)相關(guān),即DLL3表達(dá)量越高,患者的生存期越低 [21]。

在原發(fā)性肝癌中,有研究提示,DLL3的表達(dá)被乙肝病毒誘導(dǎo)的DNA甲基化和組蛋白乙?;种?。抑制組蛋白去乙?;傅囊种苿┛梢允笵LL3在HCC中重新表達(dá)。重表達(dá)的DLL3可以抑制HCC細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng)并誘導(dǎo)細(xì)胞凋亡。因此,在原發(fā)性肝癌中,DLL3可以抑制癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng) [22]。

更多研究顯示DLL3在多種癌癥中異常表達(dá),發(fā)揮不同作用。比如,DLL3在異檸檬酸脫氫酶IDH突變的神經(jīng)膠質(zhì)瘤細(xì)胞中表達(dá),特別是在1p/19q缺失的神經(jīng)膠質(zhì)瘤細(xì)胞中高表達(dá) [23, 24];在胰腺癌中,激活的DLL3可以刺激Notch信號(hào)從而促進(jìn)癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng) [25];在黑色素瘤中,DLL3/MAPK通路可以促進(jìn)黑色素瘤細(xì)胞的增殖和遷移 [26, 27];在子宮內(nèi)膜瘤中,高表達(dá)的DLL3與較差的生存期和較差的無(wú)進(jìn)展生存期相關(guān) [28]


5、靶向DLL3的研發(fā)藥物及臨床意義

近年來(lái),以DLL3為靶點(diǎn)的治療方法已在臨床試驗(yàn)中得到驗(yàn)證。其中,靶向DLL3進(jìn)展最快的抗體藥為Rova-T(Rovalpituzumab tesirine),目前正處于臨床III期。雖然該抗體藥在臨床II期治療中的表現(xiàn)沒(méi)有達(dá)到預(yù)期效果,但是艾伯維公司(AbbVie)還在進(jìn)行III期臨床實(shí)驗(yàn)。AMG-757(Tarlatamab)是由安進(jìn)公司(Amgen)研發(fā)的靶向DLL3/CD3的雙特異性抗體,用于增加免疫細(xì)胞,促進(jìn)腫瘤細(xì)胞凋亡。目前AMG757治療SCLC的I期臨床研究正在進(jìn)行中。同時(shí),處于臨床階段的還有HPN-328和89Zr-DFO-SC16.56。DLL3作為一個(gè)重要的Notch配體與多種腫瘤的發(fā)生發(fā)展密切相關(guān),吸引著藥企嘗試開(kāi)發(fā)DLL3靶向藥。目前這些藥物多數(shù)處于臨床研究階段,如下表所示。

藥物名稱(chēng) 全球最高研發(fā)狀態(tài) 原研公司 治療領(lǐng)域 最后更新日期
Rova-T/Rovalpituzumab tesirine 臨床三期 艾伯維;
Stemcentrx;
小細(xì)胞肺癌;
實(shí)體瘤;
黑色素瘤;
甲狀腺髓樣癌;
膠質(zhì)母細(xì)胞瘤;
前列腺癌;
神經(jīng)內(nèi)分泌癌;
2020-09-30
HPN-328 臨床二期 Harpoon Therapeutics; 小細(xì)胞肺癌; 2021-04-09
AMG-757/Tarlatamab 臨床一期 安進(jìn); 小細(xì)胞肺癌;
前列腺癌;
2020-08-28
89Zr-DFO-SC16.56 臨床一期 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; 小細(xì)胞肺癌; 2020-08-28

數(shù)據(jù)來(lái)源于藥渡

腫瘤分子靶向治療已成為臨床腫瘤治療的熱點(diǎn),越來(lái)越多的腫瘤分子靶向藥被開(kāi)發(fā)上市。而作為Notch信號(hào)的抑制性配體,DLL3與多種腫瘤有密切聯(lián)系。尤其是在SCLC中,大量的基礎(chǔ)研究和臨床研究證據(jù)表明DLL3是治療SCLC的一種極具潛力的干預(yù)靶點(diǎn)。因此,探索針對(duì)DLL3的抗體藥物用于癌癥治療,有望為腫瘤治療帶來(lái)更多選擇。


6、DLL3科研產(chǎn)品服務(wù)

Recombinant Human DLL3, partial (Active) (CSB-MP882142HU)

DLL3 Antibody (ELISA, IHC)(CSB-PA882142LA01HU)

Human DLL3 ELISA Kit (CSB-EL006948HU)


DLL3蛋白

Recombinant Macaca fascicularis Delta-like protein 3(DLL3),partial (Active) (CSB-MP3536MOV)

High Purity Validated by SDS-PAGE
CSB-MP3536MOV SDS-PAGE

(Tris-Glycine gel) Discontinuous SDS-PAGE (reduced) with 5% enrichment gel and 15% separation gel.

Excellent Bioactivity Validated by Functional ELISA
High Purity Validated of CSB-MP3536MOV

Immobilized DLL3 at 2 μg/ml can bind Anti-DLL3 Recombinant Antibody(CSB-RA882142A1HU), the EC50 is 1.625-2.702 ng/mL.


參考文獻(xiàn):

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