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Roth Flach RJ, Bollinger E, Reyes AR, Laforest B, Kormos BL, Liu S, Reese MR, Martinez Alsina LA, Buzon L, Zhang Y, Bechle B, Rosado A, Sahasrabudhe PV, Knafels J, Bhattacharya SK, Omoto K, Stansfield JC, Hurley LD, Song L, Luo L, Breitkopf SB, Monetti M, Cunio T, Tierney B, Geoly FJ, Delmore J, Siddall CP, Xue L, Yip KN, Kalgutkar AS, Miller RA, Zhang BB, Filipski KJ. Small molecule branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BDK) inhibitors with opposing effects on BDK protein levels. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4812. [PMID: 37558654 PMCID: PMC10412597 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40536-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Branched chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolic impairments have been implicated in several diseases. Branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) controls the rate limiting step in BCAA degradation, the activity of which is inhibited by BCKDH kinase (BDK)-mediated phosphorylation. Screening efforts to discover BDK inhibitors led to identification of thiophene PF-07208254, which improved cardiometabolic endpoints in mice. Structure-activity relationship studies led to identification of a thiazole series of BDK inhibitors; however, these inhibitors did not improve metabolism in mice upon chronic administration. While the thiophenes demonstrated sustained branched chain ketoacid (BCKA) lowering and reduced BDK protein levels, the thiazoles increased BCKAs and BDK protein levels. Thiazoles increased BDK proximity to BCKDH-E2, whereas thiophenes reduced BDK proximity to BCKDH-E2, which may promote BDK degradation. Thus, we describe two BDK inhibitor series that possess differing attributes regarding BDK degradation or stabilization and provide a mechanistic understanding of the desirable features of an effective BDK inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J Roth Flach
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Eliza Bollinger
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Allan R Reyes
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Brigitte Laforest
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Bethany L Kormos
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Shenping Liu
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Matthew R Reese
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - Leanne Buzon
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Bruce Bechle
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Amy Rosado
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - John Knafels
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - Kiyoyuki Omoto
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - John C Stansfield
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Liam D Hurley
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - LouJin Song
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Lina Luo
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - Mara Monetti
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Teresa Cunio
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Brendan Tierney
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Frank J Geoly
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Jake Delmore
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - C Parker Siddall
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Liang Xue
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ka N Yip
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Amit S Kalgutkar
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Russell A Miller
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Bei B Zhang
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Kevin J Filipski
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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Bollinger E, Peloquin M, Libera J, Albuquerque B, Pashos E, Shipstone A, Hadjipanayis A, Sun Z, Xing G, Clasquin M, Stansfield JC, Tierney B, Gernhardt S, Siddall CP, Greizer T, Geoly FJ, Vargas SR, Gao LC, Williams G, Marshall M, Rosado A, Steppan C, Filipski KJ, Zhang BB, Miller RA, Roth Flach RJ. BDK inhibition acts as a catabolic switch to mimic fasting and improve metabolism in mice. Mol Metab 2022; 66:101611. [PMID: 36220546 PMCID: PMC9589198 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Branched chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolic defects are implicated to be causal determinates of multiple diseases. This work aimed to better understand how enhancing BCAA catabolism affected metabolic homeostasis as well as the mechanisms underlying these improvements. METHODS The rate limiting step of BCAA catabolism is the irreversible decarboxylation by the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) enzyme complex, which is post-translationally controlled through phosphorylation by BCKDH kinase (BDK). This study utilized BT2, a small molecule allosteric inhibitor of BDK, in multiple mouse models of metabolic dysfunction and NAFLD including the high fat diet (HFD) model with acute and chronic treatment paradigms, the choline deficient and methionine minimal high fat diet (CDAHFD) model, and the low-density lipoprotein receptor null mouse model (Ldlr-/-). shRNA was additionally used to knock down BDK in liver to elucidate liver-specific effects of BDK inhibition in HFD-fed mice. RESULTS A rapid improvement in insulin sensitivity was observed in HFD-fed and lean mice after BT2 treatment. Resistance to steatosis was assessed in HFD-fed mice, CDAHFD-fed mice, and Ldlr-/- mice. In all cases, BT2 treatment reduced steatosis and/or inflammation. Fasting and refeeding demonstrated a lack of response to feeding-induced changes in plasma metabolites including insulin and beta-hydroxybutyrate and hepatic gene changes in BT2-treated mice. Mechanistically, BT2 treatment acutely altered the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and lipogenesis in liver, and upstream regulator analysis suggested that BT2 treatment activated PPARα. However, BT2 did not directly activate PPARα in vitro. Conversely, shRNA-AAV-mediated knockdown of BDK specifically in liver in vivo did not demonstrate any effects on glycemia, steatosis, or PPARα-mediated gene expression in mice. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that BT2 treatment acutely improves metabolism and liver steatosis in multiple mouse models. While many molecular changes occur in liver in BT2-treated mice, these changes were not observed in mice with AAV-mediated shRNA knockdown of BDK. All together, these data suggest that systemic BDK inhibition is required to improve metabolism and steatosis by prolonging a fasting signature in a paracrine manner. Therefore, BCAA may act as a "fed signal" to promote nutrient storage and reduced systemic BCAA levels as shown in this study via BDK inhibition may act as a "fasting signal" to prolong the catabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Bollinger
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew Peloquin
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Jenna Libera
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Bina Albuquerque
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Evanthia Pashos
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Arun Shipstone
- Inflammation & Immunology Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Angela Hadjipanayis
- Inflammation & Immunology Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Sun
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Gang Xing
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Michelle Clasquin
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | | | - C. Parker Siddall
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Timothy Greizer
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Frank J. Geoly
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton CT 06340, USA
| | - Sarah R. Vargas
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton CT 06340, USA
| | - Lily C. Gao
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - George Williams
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Amy Rosado
- Medicine Design, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | | | | | - Bei B. Zhang
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Russell A. Miller
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA
| | - Rachel J. Roth Flach
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge MA 02139, USA,Corresponding author. Pfizer Inc, 1 Portland St, Cambridge MA 02139, USA.
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Horn MP, Knecht SM, Rushing FL, Birdsong J, Siddall CP, Johnson CM, Abraham TN, Brown A, Volk CB, Gammon K, Bishop DL, McKillip JL, McDowell SA. Simvastatin inhibits Staphylococcus aureus host cell invasion through modulation of isoprenoid intermediates. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008; 326:135-43. [PMID: 18388257 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.108.137927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients on a statin regimen have a decreased risk of death due to bacterial sepsis. We have found that protection by simvastatin includes the inhibition of host cell invasion by Staphylococcus aureus, the most common etiologic agent of sepsis. Inhibition was due in part to depletion of isoprenoid intermediates within the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and led to the cytosolic accumulation of the small GTPases CDC42, Rac, and RhoB. Actin stress fiber disassembly required for host invasion was attenuated by simvastatin and by the inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. PI3K relies on coupling to prenylated proteins, such as this subset of small GTPases, for access to membrane-bound phosphoinositide to mediate stress fiber disassembly. Therefore, we examined whether simvastatin restricts PI3K cellular localization. In response to simvastatin, the PI3K isoform p85, coupled to these small-GTPases, was sequestered within the cytosol. From these findings, we propose a mechanism whereby simvastatin restricts p85 localization, inhibiting the actin dynamics required for bacterial endocytosis. This approach may provide the basis for protection at the level of the host in invasive infections by S. aureus.
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