Structural insights into inhibition of the bivalent menin-MLL interaction by small molecules in leukemia.

ABSTRACT: Menin functions as a critical oncogenic cofactor of mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion proteins in the development of acute leukemias, and inhibition of the menin interaction with MLL fusion proteins represents a very promising strategy to reverse their oncogenic activity. MLL interacts with menin in a bivalent mode involving 2 N-terminal fragments of MLL. In the present study, we reveal the first high-resolution crystal structure of human menin in complex with a small-molecule inhibitor of the menin-MLL interaction, MI-2. The structure shows that the compound binds to the MLL pocket in menin and mimics the key interactions of MLL with menin. Based on the menin-MI-2 structure, we developed MI-2-2, a compound that binds to menin with low nanomolar affinity (K(d) = 22nM) and very effectivel

SUBMITTER: Shi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3512226 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature