Blocking the chaperone kinome pathway: Mechanistic insights into a novel dual inhibition approach for supra-additive suppression of malignant tumors

The chaperone Hsp90 is involved in regulating the stability and activation state of more than 200 'client' proteins and takes part in the cancer diseased states. The major clientele-protein kinases depend on Hsp90 for their proper folding and functioning. Cdc37, a kinase targeting co-chaperone of Hsp90, mediates the interactions between Hsp90 and protein kinases. Targeting of Cdc37 has the prospect of delivering predominantly kinase-selective molecular responses as compared to the current pharmacologic Hsp90 inhibitors. The present work reports a bio-computational study carried out with the aim of exploring the dual inhibition of Hsp90/Cdc37 chaperone/co-chaperone association complex by the naturally occurring drug candidates withaferin A and 17-DMAG along with their possible modes of action. Our molecular docking studies reveal that withaferin A in combination with 17-DMAG can act as potent chaperone system inhibitors. The structural and thermodynamic stability of the ligands' bound complex was also observed from molecular dynamics simulations in water. Our results suggest a novel tumor suppressive action mechanism of herbal ligands which can be looked forward for further clinical investigations for possible anticancer drug formulations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.