Play all audios:
ABSTRACT The Hedgehog pathway is critical for animal development and has been implicated in multiple human malignancies. Despite great interest in targeting the pathway pharmacologically,
many of the principles underlying the signal transduction cascade remain poorly understood. Hedgehog ligands are recognized by a unique receptor system that features the transporter-like
protein Patched and the G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR)-like Smoothened (SMO). The biochemical interaction between these transmembrane proteins is the subject of intensive efforts. Recent
structural and functional studies have provided great insight into the small-molecule regulation of SMO through identification of two distinct ligand-binding sites. In this Perspective, we
review these recent findings and relate them to potential mechanisms for the endogenous regulation of SMO. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription
content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue
Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL
ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS HEDGEHOG-INTERACTING PROTEIN IS A
MULTIMODAL ANTAGONIST OF HEDGEHOG SIGNALLING Article Open access 09 December 2021 STEROLS IN AN INTRAMOLECULAR CHANNEL OF SMOOTHENED MEDIATE HEDGEHOG SIGNALING Article 14 September 2020 A
PKA INHIBITOR MOTIF WITHIN SMOOTHENED CONTROLS HEDGEHOG SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION Article 06 October 2022 ACCESSION CODES ACCESSIONS PROTEIN DATA BANK * 4C7A * 4F0A * 4JKV * 4N4W * 4O9R * 4QIN
REFERENCES * Briscoe, J. & Therond, P.P. The mechanisms of Hedgehog signalling and its roles in development and disease. _Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol._ 14, 416–429 (2013). PubMed Google
Scholar * Amakye, D., Jagani, Z. & Dorsch, M. Unraveling the therapeutic potential of the Hedgehog pathway in cancer. _Nat. Med._ 19, 1410–1422 (2013). CAS PubMed Google Scholar *
Stone, D.M. et al. The tumour-suppressor gene patched encodes a candidate receptor for Sonic hedgehog. _Nature_ 384, 129–134 (1996). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Izzi, L. et al. Boc and
Gas1 each form distinct Shh receptor complexes with Ptch1 and are required for Shh-mediated cell proliferation. _Dev. Cell_ 20, 788–801 (2011). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Taipale, J., Cooper, M.K., Maiti, T. & Beachy, P.A. Patched acts catalytically to suppress the activity of Smoothened. _Nature_ 418, 892–897 (2002). CAS PubMed Google Scholar *
Niewiadomski, P. et al. Gli protein activity is controlled by multisite phosphorylation in vertebrate Hedgehog signaling. _Cell Rep._ 6, 168–181 (2014). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Goetz,
S.C. & Anderson, K.V. The primary cilium: a signalling centre during vertebrate development. _Nat. Rev. Genet._ 11, 331–344 (2010). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Rohatgi, R., Milenkovic, L. & Scott, M.P. Patched1 regulates hedgehog signaling at the primary cilium. _Science_ 317, 372–376 (2007). Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Corbit, K.C.
et al. Vertebrate Smoothened functions at the primary cilium. _Nature_ 437, 1018–1021 (2005). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Milenkovic, L., Scott, M.P. & Rohatgi, R. Lateral transport
of Smoothened from the plasma membrane to the membrane of the cilium. _J. Cell Biol._ 187, 365–374 (2009). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Seo, S. et al. A novel protein
LZTFL1 regulates ciliary trafficking of the BBSome and Smoothened. _PLoS Genet._ 7, e1002358 (2011). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Kovacs, J.J. et al. b-Arrestin–mediated
localization of smoothened to the primary cilium. _Science_ 320, 1777–1781 (2008). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Chen, Y. et al. Sonic Hedgehog dependent phosphorylation by
CK1a and GRK2 is required for ciliary accumulation and activation of smoothened. _PLoS Biol._ 9, e1001083 (2011). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Ocbina, P.J. & Anderson,
K.V. Intraflagellar transport, cilia, and mammalian Hedgehog signaling: analysis in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. _Dev. Dyn._ 237, 2030–2038 (2008). PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Keady, B.T. et al. IFT25 links the signal-dependent movement of Hedgehog components to intraflagellar transport. _Dev. Cell_ 22, 940–951 (2012). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
* Myers, B.R. et al. Hedgehog pathway modulation by multiple lipid binding sites on the smoothened effector of signal response. _Dev. Cell_ 26, 346–357 (2013). CAS PubMed PubMed Central
Google Scholar * Fan, J., Liu, Y. & Jia, J. Hh-induced Smoothened conformational switch is mediated by differential phosphorylation at its C-terminal tail in a dose- and
position-dependent manner. _Dev. Biol._ 366, 172–184 (2012). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Li, S., Ma, G., Wang, B. & Jiang, J. Hedgehog induces formation of
PKA-Smoothened complexes to promote Smoothened phosphorylation and pathway activation. _Sci. Signal._ 7, ra62 (2014). PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Zhao, Y., Tong, C. &
Jiang, J. Hedgehog regulates smoothened activity by inducing a conformational switch. _Nature_ 450, 252–258 (2007). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Riobo, N.A., Saucy, B., Dilizio, C. &
Manning, D.R. Activation of heterotrimeric G proteins by Smoothened. _Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA_ 103, 12607–12612 (2006). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Mukhopadhyay, S.
& Rohatgi, R. G-protein-coupled receptors, Hedgehog signaling and primary cilia. Semin. _Cell Dev. Biol._ 33, 63–72 (2014). CAS Google Scholar * Murone, M., Rosenthal, A. & de
Sauvage, F.J. Sonic hedgehog signaling by the patched–smoothened receptor complex. _Curr. Biol._ 9, 76–84 (1999). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Concordet, J.P. et al. Spatial regulation of
a zebrafish patched homologue reflects the roles of sonic hedgehog and protein kinase A in neural tube and somite patterning. _Development_ 122, 2835–2846 (1996). CAS PubMed Google Scholar
* Epstein, D.J., Marti, E., Scott, M.P. & McMahon, A.P. Antagonizing cAMP-dependent protein kinase A in the dorsal CNS activates a conserved Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway.
_Development_ 122, 2885–2894 (1996). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Mukhopadhyay, S. et al. The ciliary G-protein-coupled receptor Gpr161 negatively regulates the Sonic hedgehog pathway via
cAMP signaling. _Cell_ 152, 210–223 (2013). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Meloni, A.R. et al. Smoothened signal transduction is promoted by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2. _Mol. Cell.
Biol._ 26, 7550–7560 (2006). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Nakano, Y. et al. Functional domains and sub-cellular distribution of the Hedgehog transducing protein Smoothened
in _Drosophila_. _Mech. Dev._ 121, 507–518 (2004). Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar * He, M. et al. The kinesin-4 protein Kif7 regulates mammalian Hedgehog signalling by organizing the
cilium tip compartment. _Nat. Cell Biol._ 16, 663–672 (2014). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Chinchilla, P., Xiao, L., Kazanietz, M.G. & Riobo, N.A. Hedgehog proteins
activate pro-angiogenic responses in endothelial cells through non-canonical signaling pathways. _Cell Cycle_ 9, 570–579 (2010). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Bijlsma, M.F., Damhofer, H.
& Roelink, H. Hedgehog-stimulated chemotaxis is mediated by smoothened located outside the primary cilium. _Sci. Signal._ 5, ra60 (2012). PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Teperino, R. et al. Hedgehog partial agonism drives Warburg-like metabolism in muscle and brown fat. _Cell_ 151, 414–426 (2012). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * de la Roche, M. et al.
Hedgehog signaling controls T cell killing at the immunological synapse. _Science_ 342, 1247–1250 (2013). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Polizio, A.H. et al. Heterotrimeric
Gi proteins link Hedgehog signaling to activation of Rho small GTPases to promote fibroblast migration. _J. Biol. Chem._ 286, 19589–19596 (2011). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
* Keeler, R.F. & Binns, W. Teratogenic compounds of _Veratrum californicum_ (Durand). V. Comparison of cyclopian effects of steroidal alkaloids from the plant and structurally related
compounds from other sources. _Teratology_ 1, 5–10 (1968). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Chen, J.K., Taipale, J., Cooper, M.K. & Beachy, P.A. Inhibition of Hedgehog signaling by direct
binding of cyclopamine to Smoothened. _Genes Dev._ 16, 2743–2748 (2002). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Dijkgraaf, G.J. et al. Small molecule inhibition of GDC-0449
refractory smoothened mutants and downstream mechanisms of drug resistance. _Cancer Res._ 71, 435–444 (2011). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Chen, J.K., Taipale, J., Young, K.E., Maiti, T.
& Beachy, P.A. Small molecule modulation of Smoothened activity. _Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA_ 99, 14071–14076 (2002). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Cooper, M.K. et al. A
defective response to Hedgehog signaling in disorders of cholesterol biosynthesis. _Nat. Genet._ 33, 508–513 (2003). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Reifenberger, J. et al. Somatic mutations
in the _PTCH_, _SMOH_, _SUFUH_ and _TP53_ genes in sporadic basal cell carcinomas. _Br. J. Dermatol._ 152, 43–51 (2005). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Reifenberger, J. et al. Missense
mutations in SMOH in sporadic basal cell carcinomas of the skin and primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the central nervous system. _Cancer Res._ 58, 1798–1803 (1998). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Xie, J. et al. Activating Smoothened mutations in sporadic basal-cell carcinoma. _Nature_ 391, 90–92 (1998). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Kool, M. et al. Genome sequencing of
SHH medulloblastoma predicts genotype-related response to Smoothened inhibition. _Cancer Cell_ 25, 393–405 (2014). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Low, J.A. & de Sauvage,
F.J. Clinical experience with Hedgehog pathway inhibitors. _J. Clin. Oncol._ 28, 5321–5326 (2010). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Dreno, B., Basset-Seguin, N., Caro, I., Yue, H. &
Schadendorf, D. Clinical benefit assessment of vismodegib therapy in patients with advanced Basal cell carcinoma. _Oncologist_ 19, 790–796 (2014). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
* Kim, J. et al. Itraconazole, a commonly used antifungal that inhibits Hedgehog pathway activity and cancer growth. _Cancer Cell_ 17, 388–399 (2010). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google
Scholar * Kim, D.J. et al. Open-label, exploratory phase II trial of oral itraconazole for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. _J. Clin. Oncol._ 32, 745–751 (2014). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Wang, C. et al. Structure of the human smoothened receptor bound to an antitumour agent. _Nature_ 497, 338–343 (2013). FIRST CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSMEMBRANE CORE OF
SMOOTHENED. THE BOUND ANTAGONIST HIGHLIGHTS KEY RESIDUES INVOLVED IN INHIBITION OF SMO. CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Weierstall, U. et al. Lipidic cubic phase injector
facilitates membrane protein serial femtosecond crystallography. _Nat. Commun._ 5, 3309 (2014). PubMed Google Scholar * Wang, C. et al. Structural basis for Smoothened receptor modulation
and chemoresistance to anticancer drugs. _Nat. Commun._ 5, 4355 (2014). STRUCTURAL INSIGHTS INTO HOW SEVERAL SMALL-MOLECULE MODULATORS OF SMO INTERACT WITH THE TRANSMEMBRANE CORE. CAS
PubMed Google Scholar * Ruat, M., Hoch, L., Faure, H. & Rognan, D. Targeting of Smoothened for therapeutic gain. _Trends Pharmacol. Sci._ 35, 237–246 (2014). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Rominger, C.M. et al. Evidence for allosteric interactions of antagonist binding to the smoothened receptor. _J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther._ 329, 995–1005 (2009). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Brastianos, P.K. et al. Genomic sequencing of meningiomas identifies oncogenic SMO and AKT1 mutations. _Nat. Genet._ 45, 285–289 (2013). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google
Scholar * Sweeney, R.T. et al. Identification of recurrent SMO and BRAF mutations in ameloblastomas. _Nat. Genet._ 46, 722–725 (2014). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Katritch, V., Cherezov, V. & Stevens, R.C. Structure-function of the G protein–coupled receptor superfamily. _Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol._ 53, 531–556 (2013). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Peluso, M.O. et al. Impact of the Smoothened inhibitor, IPI-926, on smoothened ciliary localization and Hedgehog pathway activity. _PLoS ONE_ 9, e90534 (2014). PubMed PubMed
Central Google Scholar * Rohatgi, R., Milenkovic, L., Corcoran, R.B. & Scott, M.P. Hedgehog signal transduction by Smoothened: pharmacologic evidence for a 2-step activation process.
_Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA_ 106, 3196–3201 (2009). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Wilson, C.W., Chen, M.H. & Chuang, P.T. Smoothened adopts multiple active and inactive
conformations capable of trafficking to the primary cilium. _PLoS ONE_ 4, e5182 (2009). PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Rudin, C.M. et al. Treatment of medulloblastoma with
hedgehog pathway inhibitor GDC-0449. _N. Engl. J. Med._ 361, 1173–1178 (2009). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Chang, A.L., Atwood, S.X., Tartar, D.M. & Oro, A.E. Surgical
excision after neoadjuvant therapy with vismodegib for a locally advanced basal cell carcinoma and resistant basal carcinomas in Gorlin syndrome. _JAMA Dermatol._ 149, 639–641 (2013).
PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Clark, V.E. et al. Genomic analysis of non-_NF2_ meningiomas reveals mutations in _TRAF7_, _KLF4_, _AKT1_, and _SMO_. _Science_ 339, 1077–1080
(2013). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Gether, U. et al. Structural instability of a constitutively active G protein–coupled receptor. Agonist-independent activation due to
conformational flexibility. _J. Biol. Chem._ 272, 2587–2590 (1997). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Nichols, A.S., Floyd, D.H., Bruinsma, S.P., Narzinski, K. & Baranski, T.J. Frizzled
receptors signal through G proteins. _Cell. Signal._ 25, 1468–1475 (2013). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Yauch, R.L. et al. Smoothened mutation confers resistance to a
Hedgehog pathway inhibitor in medulloblastoma. _Science_ 326, 572–574 (2009). THE FIRST REPORT OF ACQUIRED RESISTANCE TO A SMOOTHENED INHIBITOR IN THE CLINIC. CAS PubMed PubMed Central
Google Scholar * Buonamici, S. et al. Interfering with resistance to smoothened antagonists by inhibition of the PI3K pathway in medulloblastoma. _Sci. Transl. Med._ 2, 51ra70 (2010).
PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Corcoran, R.B. & Scott, M.P. Oxysterols stimulate Sonic hedgehog signal transduction and proliferation of medulloblastoma cells. _Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA_ 103, 8408–8413 (2006). THE FIRST OBSERVATION THAT OXYSTEROLS CAN MODULATE HEDGEHOG SIGNALING THROUGH SMO. CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Dwyer, J.R. et al.
Oxysterols are novel activators of the hedgehog signaling pathway in pluripotent mesenchymal cells. _J. Biol. Chem._ 282, 8959–8968 (2007). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Nachtergaele, S. et
al. Oxysterols are allosteric activators of the oncoprotein Smoothened. _Nat. Chem. Biol._ 8, 211–220 (2012). FIRST REPORT OF A DIRECT INTERACTION OF SMO WITH OXYSTEROLS. DEVELOPMENT OF A
20(S)-YNE CONJUGATED BEADS. CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Cyster, J.G., Dang, E.V., Reboldi, A. & Yi, T. 25-Hydroxycholesterols in innate and adaptive immunity. _Nat.
Rev. Immunol._ 14, 731–743 (2014). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Corman, A., DeBerardinis, A.M. & Hadden, M.K. Structure-activity relationships for side chain oxysterol agonists of the
Hedgehog signaling pathway. _ACS Med. Chem. Lett._ 3, 828–833 (2012). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Bazan, J.F. & de Sauvage, F.J. Structural ties between cholesterol
transport and morphogen signaling. _Cell_ 138, 1055–1056 (2009). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Janda, C.Y., Waghray, D., Levin, A.M., Thomas, C. & Garcia, K.C. Structural basis of Wnt
recognition by Frizzled. _Science_ 337, 59–64 (2012). THE STRUCTURE OF WNT BOUND TO THE FRIZZLED CRD REVEALED A HYDROPHOBIC GROOVE THAT BINDS THE PALMITOYL MOIETY OF WNT. CAS PubMed PubMed
Central Google Scholar * Gao, X. & Hannoush, R.N. Single-cell imaging of Wnt palmitoylation by the acyltransferase porcupine. _Nat. Chem. Biol._ 10, 61–68 (2014). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Nachtergaele, S. et al. Structure and function of the Smoothened extracellular domain in vertebrate Hedgehog signaling. _eLife_ 2, e01340 (2013). THE FIRST STRUCTURE OF THE
VERTEBRATE SMOOTHENED CRD REVEALING A HYDROPHOBIC GROOVE THAT APPEARS TO SERVE AS A LIGAND-BINDING SITE. PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Nedelcu, D., Liu, J., Xu, Y., Jao, C. &
Salic, A. Oxysterol binding to the extracellular domain of Smoothened in Hedgehog signaling. _Nat. Chem. Biol._ 9, 557–564 (2013). DEVELOPED A NOVEL OXYSTEROL-DERIVED ANTAGONIST TO STUDY
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SMOOTHENED CRD IN HEDGEHOG SIGNALING. CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Wang, Y. et al. Glucocorticoid compounds modify smoothened localization and
hedgehog pathway activity. _Chem. Biol._ 19, 972–982 (2012). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Rana, R. et al. Structural insights into the role of the Smoothened cysteine-rich
domain in Hedgehog signalling. _Nat. Commun._ 4, 2965 (2013). PubMed Google Scholar * Aanstad, P. et al. The extracellular domain of Smoothened regulates ciliary localization and is
required for high-level Hh signaling. _Curr. Biol._ 19, 1034–1039 (2009). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Infante, R.E. et al. NPC2 facilitates bidirectional transfer of
cholesterol between NPC1 and lipid bilayers, a step in cholesterol egress from lysosomes. _Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA_ 105, 15287–15292 (2008). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar *
Burke, R. et al. Dispatched, a novel sterol-sensing domain protein dedicated to the release of cholesterol-modified hedgehog from signaling cells. _Cell_ 99, 803–815 (1999). CAS PubMed
Google Scholar * Hausmann, G., von Mering, C. & Basler, K. The hedgehog signaling pathway: where did it come from? _PLoS Biol._ 7, e1000146 (2009). PubMed PubMed Central Google
Scholar * Denef, N., Neubuser, D., Perez, L. & Cohen, S.M. Hedgehog induces opposite changes in turnover and subcellular localization of patched and smoothened. _Cell_ 102, 521–531
(2000). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Milligan, G. Constitutive activity and inverse agonists of G protein–coupled receptors: a current perspective. _Mol. Pharmacol._ 64, 1271–1276 (2003).
CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Adan, R.A. & Kas, M.J. Inverse agonism gains weight. _Trends Pharmacol. Sci._ 24, 315–321 (2003). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Taipale, J. et al. Effects
of oncogenic mutations in Smoothened and Patched can be reversed by cyclopamine. _Nature_ 406, 1005–1009 (2000). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Takahashi, K., Tokita, S. & Kotani, H.
Generation and characterization of highly constitutive active histamine H3 receptors. _J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther._ 307, 213–218 (2003). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Koth, C.M. et al.
Molecular basis for negative regulation of the glucagon receptor. _Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA_ 109, 14393–14398 (2012). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Tao, H. et al. Small
molecule antagonists in distinct binding modes inhibit drug-resistant mutant of smoothened. _Chem. Biol._ 18, 432–437 (2011). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Deschaseaux, F., Sensebe, L.
& Heymann, D. Mechanisms of bone repair and regeneration. _Trends Mol. Med._ 15, 417–429 (2009). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Hadden, M.K. Hedgehog pathway agonism: therapeutic
potential and small-molecule development. _ChemMedChem_ 9, 27–37 (2014). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Montgomery, S.R. et al. A novel osteogenic oxysterol compound for therapeutic
development to promote bone growth: activation of hedgehog signaling and osteogenesis through smoothened binding. _J. Bone Miner. Res._ 29, 1872–1885 (2014). CAS PubMed Google Scholar *
Yam, P.T., Langlois, S.D., Morin, S. & Charron, F. Sonic hedgehog guides axons through a noncanonical, Src-family-kinase–dependent signaling pathway. _Neuron_ 62, 349–362 (2009). CAS
PubMed Google Scholar * Frank-Kamenetsky, M. et al. Small-molecule modulators of Hedgehog signaling: identification and characterization of Smoothened agonists and antagonists. _J. Biol._
1, 10 (2002). PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Robarge, K.D. et al. GDC-0449—a potent inhibitor of the hedgehog pathway. _Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett._ 19, 5576–5581 (2009). CAS PubMed
Google Scholar * Rodon, J. et al. A phase I, multicenter, open-label, first-in-human, dose-escalation study of the oral smoothened inhibitor Sonidegib (LDE225) in patients with advanced
solid tumors. _Clin. Cancer Res._ 20, 1900–1909 (2014). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Miller-Moslin, K. et al. 1-Amino-4-benzylphthalazines as orally bioavailable smoothened antagonists
with antitumor activity. _J. Med. Chem._ 52, 3954–3968 (2009). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Björkhem, I., Meaney, S. & Diczfalusy, U. Oxysterols in human circulation: which role do
they have? _Curr. Opin. Lipidol._ 13, 247–253 (2002). PubMed Google Scholar * Weber-Boyvat, M., Zhong, W., Yan, D. & Olkkonen, V.M. Oxysterol-binding proteins: functions in cell
regulation beyond lipid metabolism. _Biochem. Pharmacol._ 86, 89–95 (2013). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Patel, R. et al. LXRb is required for glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia and
hepatosteatosis in mice. _J. Clin. Invest._ 121, 431–441 (2011). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Hannedouche, S. et al. Oxysterols direct immune cell migration via EBI2. _Nature_ 475, 524–527
(2011). CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar * Liu, C. et al. Oxysterols direct B-cell migration through EBI2. _Nature_ 475, 519–523 (2011). CAS PubMed Google Scholar Download
references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank A. Bruce for assistance with the graphical abstract. We apologize to all investigators whose work could not be cited due to reference limitations. AUTHOR
INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA Hayley J Sharpe & Frederic J de Sauvage * Department of
Structural Biology, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA Weiru Wang * Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA Rami N Hannoush
Authors * Hayley J Sharpe View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Weiru Wang View author publications You can also search for this author
inPubMed Google Scholar * Rami N Hannoush View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Frederic J de Sauvage View author publications You can also
search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHORS Correspondence to Rami N Hannoush or Frederic J de Sauvage. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS H.J.S. is employed as
a postdoctoral researcher by Genentech Inc. R.N.H., W.W. and F.J.d.S. are employed by Genentech Inc. and own shares in Roche. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS
ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Sharpe, H., Wang, W., Hannoush, R. _et al._ Regulation of the oncoprotein Smoothened by small molecules. _Nat Chem Biol_ 11, 246–255 (2015).
https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1776 Download citation * Received: 24 October 2014 * Accepted: 19 February 2015 * Published: 18 March 2015 * Issue Date: April 2015 * DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1776 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not
currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative