Mitochondrial ClpP-Mediated Proteolysis Induces Selective Cancer Cell Lethality.
Ishizawa, J., Zarabi, S.F., Davis, R.E., Halgas, O., Nii, T., Jitkova, Y., Zhao, R., St-Germain, J., Heese, L.E., Egan, G., Ruvolo, V.R., Barghout, S.H., Nishida, Y., Hurren, R., Ma, W., Gronda, M., Link, T., Wong, K., Mabanglo, M., Kojima, K., Borthakur, G., MacLean, N., Ma, M.C.J., Leber, A.B., Minden, M.D., Houry, W., Kantarjian, H., Stogniew, M., Raught, B., Pai, E.F., Schimmer, A.D., Andreeff, M.(2019) Cancer Cell 35: 721
- PubMed: 31056398 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2019.03.014
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
6DL7 - PubMed Abstract: 
The mitochondrial caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) plays a central role in mitochondrial protein quality control by degrading misfolded proteins. Using genetic and chemical approaches, we showed that hyperactivation of the protease selectively kills cancer cells, independently of p53 status, by selective degradation of its respiratory chain protein substrates and disrupts mitochondrial structure and function, while it does not affect non-malignant cells. We identified imipridones as potent activators of ClpP. Through biochemical studies and crystallography, we show that imipridones bind ClpP non-covalently and induce proteolysis by diverse structural changes. Imipridones are presently in clinical trials. Our findings suggest a general concept of inducing cancer cell lethality through activation of mitochondrial proteolysis.
Organizational Affiliation: 
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, Houston, TX 77030, USA.