Linker-free PROTACs efficiently induce the degradation of oncoproteins.

ABSTRACT: Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) present a potentially effective strategy against various diseases via selective proteolysis. How to increase the efficacy of PROTACs remains challenging. Here, we explore the necessity of the linker, which has been deemed as an integral part of heterobifunctional PROTACs. Adopting single amino acid-based degradation signals, we find that the linker is not a required feature of the PROTACs. Notably, the linker-free PROTAC, Pro-BA, exhibits superior efficacy over its linker-bearing counterparts in degrading EML4-ALK and inhibiting lung cancer cell growth, as Pro-BA induces a stronger interaction between the target and the E3 ubiquitin ligase. Pro-BA is a water-soluble, orally administered degrader that significantly inhibits the tumor growth in a xeno

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12102262 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature