Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40766587›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2025

Modulation of the 14-3-3σ/C-RAF "auto"inhibited complex by molecular glues.

Markella Konstantinidou, Holly R Vickery, Marloes A M Pennings, Johanna M Virta, Emira J Visser, Sean D Bannier, Mrudula Srikanth, Sabine Z Cismoski, Lucy C Young, Maxime C M van den Oetelaar and 4 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2025. 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
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Markella KonstantinidouDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC), University of California, San Francisco 94143, United States.
Holly R VickeryDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC), University of California, San Francisco 94143, United States.
Marloes A M PenningsLaboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Johanna M VirtaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC), University of California, San Francisco 94143, United States.
Emira J VisserLaboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Sean D BannierAmbagon Therapeutics, de Lismortel 31, 5612AR Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Mrudula SrikanthAmbagon Therapeutics, de Lismortel 31, 5612AR Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Sabine Z CismoskiDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC), University of California, San Francisco 94143, United States.
Lucy C YoungHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Maxime C M van den OetelaarLaboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Frank McCormickHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Christian OttmannLaboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Luc BrunsveldLaboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Michelle R ArkinDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC), University of California, San Francisco 94143, United States.

Funding

Research Training in Chemistry and Chemical BiologyT32GM145460 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Jason E Gestwicki · 2022 to 2026
$3.1M
Systematic stabilization of specific protein-protein interactionsR01GM147696 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI ARKIN, MICHELLE · 2022 to 2025
$1.4M
NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM147696NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM145460
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Molecular glues, compounds that bind cooperatively at protein-protein interfaces are revolutionizing chemical biology and drug discovery, allowing the modulation of traditional "undruggable" targets. Here, we focus on the native protein-protein interaction (PPI) of C-RAF, a key component of the MAPK signaling pathway, with the scaffolding protein 14-3-3. Although extensive drug discovery efforts have focused on the MAPK pathway, its central role in oncology and developmental disorders (RASopathies), still requires alternative approaches, moving beyond direct kinase inhibition. Indeed, stabilization of native PPIs is a relatively unexplored territory in this pathway. The function of C-RAF is regulated on multiple levels including dimerization, phosphorylation and complex formation with the hub protein 14-3-3. 14-3-3 prevents C-RAF activation by molecular recognition and binding at the phospho-serine 259. We used a fragment-merging approach to design a molecular glue scaffold that would bind to the composite surface of the 14-3-3/C-RAF "auto"inhibited complex. The synthesized molecular glues stabilized the 14-3-3/C-RAF complex up to 300-fold in biophysical assays; their glue-based mechanism of action was confirmed with several crystal structures of ternary complexes. Selectivity among the other RAF isoforms and other RAF phosphorylation sites was evaluated with biophysical assays. The best compounds showed excellent selectivity among a broad panel of 80 14-3-3 clients. Validation in cell assays showed on-target engagement, enhanced phosphorylation levels of the C-RAF pS259 site, reduced RAF dimerization and reduced ERK phosphorylation. Overall, this approach enables chemical biology studies on a C-RAF site that is intrinsically disordered prior to 14-3-3 binding and has not been targeted previously. These molecular glues will be useful as chemical probes and starting points for further drug discovery efforts to elucidate the effect of native PPI stabilization in the MAPK pathway with applications in oncology and RASopathies.

Indexed as

14-3-3covalentC-RAFfragment merginginduced proximitymolecular gluePPIstabilizer

Identifiers

PMID40766587
PMCPMC12324506

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.