Targeting the Undruggable: Recent Progress in PROTAC-Induced Transcription Factor Degradation
Hyein Jung, Yeongju Lee
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) play central roles in gene regulation and disease progression but have long been considered undruggable due to the absence of well-defined binding pockets and their reliance on protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) offer a novel strategy to overcome these limitations by inducing selective degradation of TFs via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. This review highlights recent advances in TF-targeting PROTACs, focusing on key oncogenic TFs such as androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), BRD4, c-Myc, and STAT family members. Strategies for ligand design-including small molecules, peptides, and nucleic acid-based elements-are discussed alongside the use of various E3 ligases such as VHL, CRBN, and IAP. Several clinically advanced PROTACs, including ARV-110 and ARV-471, demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this technology. Despite challenges in pharmacokinetics and E3 ligase selection, emerging data suggest that PROTACs can successfully target TFs, paving the way for new treatment strategies across oncology and other disease areas.