Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41898517›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Biological Evaluation of a Novel Compound with Predicted EZH2 and EED Binding Against Human Malignant Melanoma Cells.

Sergei Gorbunov, Sotiris Kyriakou, Ioannis Anestopoulos, Shahzaib Khoso, Marcello Manfredi, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, Mihalis I Panayiotidis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Sergei GorbunovDepartment of Cancer Genetics, Therapeutics and Ultrastructural Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus.ORCID 0009-0001-2883-3579
Sotiris KyriakouDepartment of Cancer Genetics, Therapeutics and Ultrastructural Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0002-6195-6570
Ioannis AnestopoulosDepartment of Cancer Genetics, Therapeutics and Ultrastructural Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0003-2052-8470
Shahzaib KhosoDepartment of Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy.
Marcello ManfrediDepartment of Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0632-5618
Rodrigo FrancoRedox Biology Centre, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3241-8615
Aglaia PappaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-0913-4315
Mihalis I PanayiotidisDepartment of Cancer Genetics, Therapeutics and Ultrastructural Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0002-1450-3552

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), the catalytic subunit of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), mediates histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), an epigenetic modification associated with transcriptional repression. EZH2 inhibitors (EZH2is) gained attention after the first-in-class drug Tazemetostat received FDA approval for treating epithelioid sarcoma. Preclinical studies suggest that EZH2is could be effective against melanoma, but their general inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), among others, limits the treatment of secondary brain metastases. Based on these limitations, we designed SG-8, a novel compound derived from TDI-6118 (a known brain-penetrant EZH2i). In silico docking predicted that SG-8 may exhibit high affinity for EZH2 as well as for another PRC2 subunit, Embryonic Ectoderm Development (EED). In addition, in vitro PAMPA assays suggested passive BBB permeability of SG-8. In cell-based assays, SG-8 and the structurally related EZH2i PF-06726304 displayed lower cytotoxicity than Tazemetostat in both primary (A375) and metastatic (Colo-679) human melanoma cells. Western blot analysis showed that SG-8 and PF-06726304 markedly reduced EED protein levels and, to a lesser extent, EZH2 levels, without affecting total H3K27me3, consistent with preserved canonical PRC2 activity. Instead, treatment with both compounds-most prominently SG-8-was associated with reduced phosphorylation levels of EZH2 (Ser21) and its upstream regulator Akt (Ser473), suggesting that modulation of the Akt-EZH2 signaling axis may at least partially contribute to their anti-melanoma activity.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsEnhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 ProteinMelanomaPolycomb Repressive Complex 2BenzamidesBiphenyl CompoundsBlood-Brain BarrierCell Line, TumorHumansMolecular Docking SimulationMorpholinesProtein BindingPyridonesAntineoplastic AgentsBenzamidesBiphenyl CompoundsEED protein, humanEnhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 ProteinEZH2 protein, humanMorpholinesPolycomb Repressive Complex 2Pyridonestazemetostatblood–brain barrierEEDEZH2H3K27 methylationhistone methyltransferasemalignant melanomaPRC2Tazemetostat

Identifiers

PMID41898517
PMCPMC13026104

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Registered trials

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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.