VHL-based PROTACs as potential therapeutic agents: Recent progress and perspectives

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which hijack proteins of interest (POIs) and recruit E3 ligases for target degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, are a novel drug discovery paradigm that has been widely used as biological tools and medicinal molecules with the potential of clinical application value. To date, a wide variety of small molecule PROTACs have been developed. Importantly, VHLbased PROTACs have emerged to be a promising approach for proteins, including those non-druggable ones, such as transcriptional factors and scaffold proteins. VHL-based PRTOACs have been developed for the treatment of diseases that are difficult to be dealt with by conventional methods, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and small molecule inhibitors. In this review, the recent advances of VHLbased PRTOACs were summarized, and the chances and challenges associated with this area were also highlighted. (C) 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

PROTACs are a novel drug discovery paradigm that utilizes the protein degradation pathway for target degradation, with VHL-based PROTACs emerging as a promising approach for treating diseases that are difficult to be dealt with by conventional methods. Advances in VHL-based PROTACs have been summarized in this review, highlighting the opportunities and challenges in this area.