Development of Novel N-Aryl-2,4-bithiazole-2-amine-Based CYP1B1 Degraders for Reversing Drug Resistance

Extrahepatic cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), which is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer, is an attractive target for cancer prevention, therapy, and overcoming drug resistance. Historically, CYP1B1 inhibition has been the primary therapeutic approach for treating CYP1B1-related malignancies, but its success has been limited. This study introduced CYP1B1 degradation as an alternative strategy to counter drug resistance and metastasis in CYP1B1-overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer A549/Taxol cells via a PROTAC strategy. Our investigation revealed that the identification of the potent CYP1B1 degrader PV2, achieving DC50 values of 1.0 nM and inducing > 90% CYP1B1 degradation at concentrations as low as 10 nM in A549/Taxol cells. Importantly, PV2 enhanced the sensitivity of the A549/Taxol subline to Taxol, possibly due to its stronger inhibitory effects on P-gp through CYP1B1 degradation. Additionally, compared to the CYP1B1 inhibitor A1, PV2 effectively suppressed the migration and invasion of A549/Taxol cells by inhibiting the FAK/SRC and EMT pathways. These findings hold promise for a novel therapy targeting advanced CYP1B1+ non-small cell lung cancer.