Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40533441›Full record

ArticleCell death & disease2025

Blocking XIAP:CASP7-p19 selectively induces apoptosis of CASP3/DR malignancies by a novel reversible small molecule.

Shih-Hsun Chen, Szu-Ying Wu, Yun-Xun Chang, En-Ning Lui, Chih-Kang Chang, Sheng-Wei Lin, Michael Hsiao, Jinn-Moon Yang, Po-Huang Liang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death & disease, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Shih-Hsun ChenInstitute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. shichen@ntu.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6780-6004
Szu-Ying WuInstitute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yun-Xun ChangInstitute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
En-Ning LuiInstitute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chih-Kang ChangInstitute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sheng-Wei LinInstitute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
Michael HsiaoGenomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8529-9213
Jinn-Moon YangDepartment of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Po-Huang LiangInstitute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. phliang@gate.sinica.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1207-5256

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) inhibits caspases 3, 7, and 9, thereby preventing cell apoptosis. Endogenous Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac) competes out the binding of caspases with XIAP and causes apoptosis, so that Smac mimetics are under clinical trials for anti-cancer chemotherapy. We demonstrated by selectively alkylating caspase 7 (CASP7) to release the active CASP7 for killing the drug-resistant cancer cells with accumulated XIAP:CASP7 resulted from caspase-3 down-regulation (CASP3/DR). However, finding a reversible inhibitor of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) poses a significant challenge. Here, we identified a reversible XIAP:CASP7 inhibitor, 643943, through a multiple-mode virtual screening strategy. In vitro experiments revealed that 643943 bound to CASP7, released the linker-BIR2 domain of XIAP, and activated the caspase. Removing an essential hydroxyl group on 643943 or replacing the OH-interacting Asp93 on CASP7 caused loss of 643943 cytotoxicity, revealing the binding mode. This compound thus selectively killed MCF-7 and other CASP3/DR triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, but not the cancer and normal cell lines expressing higher levels of CASP3 in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, 643943 overcame chemoresistance via down-regulating β-catenin and its associated ABC transporters in paclitaxel-resistant MCF-7 cells. Our studies not only serve as a proof-of-concept for using XIAP:CASP7 as a drug target, but also provide the first reversible XIAP:CASP7 inhibitor for cancer therapy of CASP3/DR malignancies.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsApoptosisCaspase 3Caspase 7Small Molecule LibrariesX-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis ProteinAnimalsCell Line, TumorFemaleHumansMiceMice, NudeAntineoplastic AgentsCASP3 protein, humanCASP7 protein, humanCaspase 3Caspase 7Small Molecule LibrariesXIAP protein, humanX-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein

Identifiers

PMID40533441
PMCPMC12177060

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.