pht-73

Description: PHT-7.3 is a novel, potent and selective inhibitor of connector enhancer of kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (Cnk1) which is a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain-containing scaffold protein that increases the efficiency of Ras signaling pathways, imparting efficiency and specificity to the response of cell proliferation, survival, and migration. PHT-7.3 inhibited mut-KRas, but not wild-type KRas cancer cell and tumor growth and signaling. Thus, the PH domain of Cnk1 is a druggable target whose inhibition selectively blocks mutant KRas activation, making Cnk1 an attractive therapeutic target in patients with mut-KRAS-driven cancer. These findings identify a therapeutic strategy to selectively block oncogenic KRas activity through the PH domain of Cnk1, which reduces its cell membrane binding, decreasing the efficiency of Ras signaling and tumor growth.

References: Cancer Res. 2019 Jun 15; 79(12):3100-3111.