LRRK2 is a negative regulator of Mycobacterium tuberculosis phagosome maturation in macrophages.

Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are associated with Parkinson's disease, chronic inflammation and mycobacterial infections. Although there is evidence supporting the idea that LRRK2 has an immune function, the cellular function of this kinase is still largely unknown. By using genetic, pharmacological and proteomics approaches, we show that LRRK2 kinase activity negatively regulates phagosome maturation via the recruitment of the Class III phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase complex and Rubicon to the phagosome in macrophages. Moreover, inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity in mouse and human macrophages enhanced Mycobacterium tuberculosis phagosome maturation and mycobacterial control independently of autophagy. In vivo, LRRK2 deficiency in mice resulted in a significant decrease in M. tuberculosis burdens early during the infection. Collectively, our findings provide a molecular mechanism explaining genetic evidence linking LRRK2 to mycobacterial diseases and establish an LRRK2-dependent cellular pathway that controls M. tuberculosis replication by regulating phagosome maturation.

Impact of Type II LRRK2 inhibitors on signaling and mitophagy.

Much effort has been devoted to the development of selective inhibitors of the LRRK2 as a potential treatment for LRRK2 driven Parkinson's disease. In this study, we first compare the properties of Type I (GSK3357679A and MLi-2) and Type II (GZD-824, Rebastinib and Ponatinib) kinase inhibitors that bind to the closed or open conformations of the LRRK2 kinase domain, respectively. We show that Type I and Type II inhibitors suppress phosphorylation of Rab10 and Rab12, key physiological substrates of LRRK2 and also promote mitophagy, a process suppressed by LRRK2. Type II inhibitors also display higher potency towards wild-type LRRK2 compared with pathogenic mutants. Unexpectedly, we find that Type II inhibitors, in contrast with Type I compounds, fail to induce dephosphorylation of a set of well-studied LRRK2 biomarker phosphorylation sites at the N-terminal region of LRRK2, including Ser935. These findings emphasize that the biomarker phosphorylation sites on LRRK2 are likely reporting on the open vs closed conformation of LRRK2 kinase and that only inhibitors which stabilize the closed conformation induce dephosphorylation of these biomarker sites. Finally, we demonstrate that the LRRK2[A2016T] mutant which is resistant to MLi-2 Type 1 inhibitor, also induces resistance to GZD-824 and Rebastinib suggesting this mutation could be exploited to distinguish off target effects of Type II inhibitors. Our observations provide a framework of knowledge to aid with the development of more selective Type II LRRK2 inhibitors.

The Mystery of "Metal Mouth" in Chemotherapy.

Of all the oral sensations that are experienced, "metallic" is one that is rarely reported in healthy participants. So why, then, do chemotherapy patients so frequently report that "metallic" sensations overpower and interfere with their enjoyment of food and drink? This side-effect of chemotherapy-often referred to (e.g., by patients) as "metal mouth"-can adversely affect their appetite, resulting in weight loss, which potentially endangers (or at the very least slows) their recovery. The etiology of "metal mouth" is poorly understood, and current management strategies are largely unevidenced. As a result, patients continue to suffer as a result of this poorly understood phenomenon. Here, we provide our perspective on the issue, outlining the evidence for a range of possible etiologies, and highlighting key research questions. We explore the evidence for "metallic" as a putative taste, and whether "metal mouth" might therefore be a form of phantageusia, perhaps similar to already-described "release-of-inhibition" phenomena. We comment on the possibility that "metal mouth" may simply be a direct effect of chemotherapy drugs. We present the novel theory that "metal mouth" may be linked to chemotherapy-induced sensitization of TRPV1. Finally, we discuss the evidence for retronasal olfaction of lipid oxidation products in the etiology of "metal mouth." This article seeks principally to guide much-needed future research which will hopefully one day provide a basis for the development of novel supportive therapies for future generations of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

5-Substituted-N-pyridazinylbenzamides as potent and selective LRRK2 inhibitors: Improved brain unbound fraction enables efficacy.

We describe the discovery and optimization of 5-substituted-N-pyridazinylbenzamide derivatives as potent and selective LRRK2 inhibitors. Extensive SAR studies led to the identification of compounds 18 and 23, which demonstrated good in vitro pharmacokinetic profile and excellent selectivity over 140 other kinases. Both compounds demonstrated high unbound fractions in both blood and brain. Compound 18 proved to be brain penetrant, and the high unbound fraction of compound 18 in brain enabled its in vivo efficacy in CNS, wherein a significant inhibition of LRRK2 Ser935 phosphorylation was observed in rat brain following intravenous infusion at 5 mg/kg/h.

Discovery of 4-ethoxy-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-amines as potent, selective and orally bioavailable LRRK2 inhibitors.

Inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity with small molecules has emerged as a potential novel therapeutic treatment for Parkinson's disease. Herein we disclose the discovery of a 4-ethoxy-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-amine series as potent LRRK2 inhibitors identified through a kinase-focused set screening. Optimization of the physicochemical properties and kinase selectivity led to the discovery of compound 7, which exhibited potent in vitro inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity, good physicochemical properties and kinase selectivity across the kinome. Moreover, compound 7 was able to penetrate into the CNS, and in vivo pharmacology studies revealed significant inhibition of Ser935 phosphorylation in the brain of both rats (30 and 100 mg/kg) and mice (45 mg/kg) following oral administration.

Discovery of 5-substituent-N-arylbenzamide derivatives as potent, selective and orally bioavailable LRRK2 inhibitors.

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) has been suggested as a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease. Herein we report the discovery of 5-substituent-N-arylbenzamide derivatives as novel LRRK2 inhibitors. Extensive SAR study led to the discovery of compounds 8e, which demonstrated potent LRRK2 inhibition activity, high selectivity across the kinome, good brain exposure, and high oral bioavailability.

Phos-tag analysis of Rab10 phosphorylation by LRRK2: a powerful assay for assessing kinase function and inhibitors.

Autosomal dominant mutations that activate the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) cause inherited Parkinson's disease. Recent work has revealed that LRRK2 directly phosphorylates a conserved threonine/serine residue in the effector-binding switch-II motif of a number of Rab GTPase proteins, including Rab10. Here we describe a facile and robust method to assess phosphorylation of endogenous Rab10 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), lung and spleen-derived B-cells, based on the ability of the Phos-tag reagent to retard the electrophoretic mobility of LRRK2-phosphorylated Rab10. We exploit this assay to show that phosphorylation of Rab10 is ablated in kinase-inactive LRRK2[D2017A] knockin MEFs and mouse lung, demonstrating that LRRK2 is the major Rab10 kinase in these cells/tissue. We also establish that the Phos-tag assay can be deployed to monitor the impact that activating LRRK2 pathogenic (G2019S and R1441G) knockin mutations have on stimulating Rab10 phosphorylation. We show that upon addition of LRRK2 inhibitors, Rab10 is dephosphorylated within 1-2 min, markedly more rapidly than the Ser(935) and Ser(1292) biomarker sites that require 40-80 min. Furthermore, we find that phosphorylation of Rab10 is suppressed in LRRK2[S910A+S935A] knockin MEFs indicating that phosphorylation of Ser(910) and Ser(935) and potentially 14-3-3 binding play a role in facilitating the phosphorylation of Rab10 by LRRK2 in vivo The Rab Phos-tag assay has the potential to significantly aid with evaluating the effect that inhibitors, mutations and other factors have on the LRRK2 signalling pathway.

Characterization of the cellular action of the MSK inhibitor SB-747651A.

MSK1 (mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1) and MSK2 are nuclear protein kinases that regulate transcription downstream of the ERK1/2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2) and p38α MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) via the phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP-response-element-binding protein) and histone H3. Previous studies on the function of MSKs have used two inhibitors, H89 and Ro 31-8220, both of which have multiple off-target effects. In the present study, we report the characterization of the in vitro and cellular properties of an improved MSK1 inhibitor, SB-747651A. In vitro, SB-747651A inhibits MSK1 with an IC50 value of 11 nM. Screening of an in vitro panel of 117 protein kinases revealed that, at 1 µM, SB-747651A inhibited four other kinases, PRK2 (double-stranded-RNA-dependent protein kinase 2), RSK1 (ribosomal S6 kinase 1), p70S6K (S6K is S6 kinase) (p70RSK) and ROCK-II (Rho-associated protein kinase 2), with a similar potency to MSK1. In cells, SB-747651A fully inhibited MSK activity at 5-10 µM. SB-747651A was found to inhibit the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (interleukin-10) in wild-type, but not MSK1/2-knockout, macrophages following LPS (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Both SB-747651A and MSK1/2 knockout resulted in elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine production by macrophages in response to LPS. Comparison of the effects of SB-747651A, both in vitro and in cells, demonstrated that SB-747651A exhibited improved selectivity over H89 and Ro 31-8220 and therefore represents a useful tool to study MSK function in cells.

GSK2578215A; a potent and highly selective 2-arylmethyloxy-5-substitutent-N-arylbenzamide LRRK2 kinase inhibitor.

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a promising therapeutic target for some forms of Parkinson's disease. Here we report the discovery and characterization of 2-arylmethyloxy-5-subtitutent-N-arylbenzamides with potent LRRK2 activities exemplified by GSK2578215A which exhibits biochemical IC(50)s of around 10 nM against both wild-type LRRK2 and the G2019S mutant. GSK2578215A exhibits exceptionally high selectivity for LRRK2 across the kinome, substantially inhibits Ser910 and Ser935 phosphorylation of both wild-type LRRK2 and G2019S mutant at a concentration of 0.3-1.0 µM in cells and in mouse spleen and kidney, but not in brain, following intraperitoneal injection of 100mg/kg.

Inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity leads to dephosphorylation of Ser(910)/Ser(935), disruption of 14-3-3 binding and altered cytoplasmic localization.

LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat protein kinase 2) is mutated in a significant number of Parkinson's disease patients. Since a common mutation that replaces Gly2019 with a serine residue enhances kinase catalytic activity, small-molecule LRRK2 inhibitors might have utility in treating Parkinson's disease. However, the effectiveness of inhibitors is difficult to assess, as no physiological substrates or downstream effectors have been identified that could be exploited to develop a robust cell-based assay. We recently established that LRRK2 bound 14-3-3 protein isoforms via its phosphorylation of Ser910 and Ser935. In the present study we show that treatment of Swiss 3T3 cells or lymphoblastoid cells derived from control or a Parkinson's disease patient harbouring a homozygous LRRK2(G2019S) mutation with two structurally unrelated inhibitors of LRRK2 (H-1152 or sunitinib) induced dephosphorylation of endogenous LRRK2 at Ser910 and Ser935, thereby disrupting 14-3-3 interaction. Our results suggest that H-1152 and sunitinib induce dephosphorylation of Ser910 and Ser935 by inhibiting LRRK2 kinase activity, as these compounds failed to induce significant dephosphorylation of a drug-resistant LRRK2(A2016T) mutant. Moreover, consistent with the finding that non-14-3-3-binding mutants of LRRK2 accumulated within discrete cytoplasmic pools resembling inclusion bodies, we observed that H-1152 causes LRRK2 to accumulate within inclusion bodies. These findings indicate that dephosphorylation of Ser910/Ser935, disruption of 14-3-3 binding and/or monitoring LRRK2 cytoplasmic localization can be used as an assay to assess the relative activity of LRRK2 inhibitors in vivo. These results will aid the elaboration and evaluation of LRRK2 inhibitors. They will also stimulate further research to understand how phosphorylation of Ser910 and Ser935 is controlled by LRRK2, and establish any relationship to development of Parkinson's disease.

Pharmacological rescue of impaired mitophagy in Parkinson's disease-related LRRK2 G2019S knock-in mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major and progressive neurodegenerative disorder, yet the biological mechanisms involved in its aetiology are poorly understood. Evidence links this disorder with mitochondrial dysfunction and/or impaired lysosomal degradation - key features of the autophagy of mitochondria, known as mitophagy. Here, we investigated the role of LRRK2, a protein kinase frequently mutated in PD, in this process in vivo. Using mitophagy and autophagy reporter mice, bearing either knockout of LRRK2 or expressing the pathogenic kinase-activating G2019S LRRK2 mutation, we found that basal mitophagy was specifically altered in clinically relevant cells and tissues. Our data show that basal mitophagy inversely correlates with LRRK2 kinase activity in vivo. In support of this, use of distinct LRRK2 kinase inhibitors in cells increased basal mitophagy, and a CNS penetrant LRRK2 kinase inhibitor, GSK3357679A, rescued the mitophagy defects observed in LRRK2 G2019S mice. This study provides the first in vivo evidence that pathogenic LRRK2 directly impairs basal mitophagy, a process with strong links to idiopathic Parkinson's disease, and demonstrates that pharmacological inhibition of LRRK2 is a rational mitophagy-rescue approach and potential PD therapy.

Risk of adverse coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes for people living with HIV.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether people living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality or adverse outcomes, and whether antiretroviral therapy (ART) influences this risk. DESIGN: Rapid review with meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. METHODS: We searched databases including Embase, Medline, medRxiv and Google Scholar up to 26 August 2020 for studies describing COVID-19 outcomes in PLWH and conducted a meta-analysis of higher quality studies. RESULTS: We identified 1908 studies and included 19 in the review. In a meta-analysis of five studies, PLWH had a higher risk of COVID-19 mortality [hazard ratio 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62-2.34] compared with people without HIV. Risk of death remained elevated for PLWH in a subgroup analysis of hospitalized cohorts (hazard ratio 1.60, 95% CI: 1.12-2.27) and studies of PLWH across all settings (hazard ratio 2.08, 95% CI: 1.69-2.56). Eight other studies assessed the association between HIV and COVID-19 outcomes, but provided inconclusive, lower quality evidence due to potential confounding and selection bias. There were insufficient data on the effect of CD4+ T-cell count and HIV viral load on COVID-19 outcomes. Eleven studies reported COVID-19 outcomes by ART-regimen. In the two largest studies, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based regimens were associated with a lower risk of adverse COVID-19 outcomes, although these analyses are susceptible to confounding by co-morbidities. CONCLUSION: Emerging evidence suggests a moderately increased risk of COVID-19 mortality among PLWH. Further investigation into the relationship between COVID-19 outcomes and CD4+ T-cell count, HIV viral load, ART and the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is warranted.

Substrate specificity and inhibitors of LRRK2, a protein kinase mutated in Parkinson's disease.

The LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat protein kinase-2) is mutated in a significant number of Parkinson's disease patients, but little is known about its regulation and function. A common mutation changing Gly2019 to serine enhances catalytic activity, suggesting that small-molecule inhibitors might have utility in treating Parkinson's disease. We employed various approaches to explore the substrate-specificity requirements of LRRK2 and elaborated a peptide substrate termed Nictide, that had 20-fold lower Km and nearly 2-fold higher Vmax than the widely deployed LRRKtide substrate. We demonstrate that LRRK2 has marked preference for phosphorylating threonine over serine. We also observed that several ROCK (Rho kinase) inhibitors such as Y-27632 and H-1152, suppressed LRRK2 with similar potency to which they inhibited ROCK2. In contrast, GSK429286A, a selective ROCK inhibitor, did not significantly inhibit LRRK2. We also identified a mutant LRRK2[A2016T] that was normally active, but resistant to H-1152 and Y-27632, as well as sunitinib, a structurally unrelated multikinase inhibitor that, in contrast with other compounds, suppresses LRRK2, but not ROCK. We have also developed the first sensitive antibody that enables measurement of endogenous LRRK2 protein levels and kinase activity as well as shRNA (short hairpin RNA) methods to reduce LRRK2 expression. Finally, we describe a pharmacological approach to validate whether substrates are phosphorylated by LRRK2 and use this to provide evidence that LRRK2 may not be rate-limiting for the phosphorylation of the proposed substrate moesin. The findings of the present study will aid with the investigation of LRRK2.

A Protocol for Dual Calcium-Voltage Optical Mapping in Murine Sinoatrial Preparation With Optogenetic Pacing.

Among the animal models for studying the molecular basis of atrial and sinoatrial node (SAN) biology and disease, the mouse is a widely used species due to its feasibility for genetic modifications in genes encoding ion channels or calcium handling and signaling proteins in the heart. It is therefore highly valuable to develop robust methodologies for studying SAN and atrial electrophysiological function in this species. Here, we describe a protocol for performing dual calcium-voltage optical mapping on mouse sinoatrial preparation (SAP), in combination with an optogenetic approach, for studying SAP membrane potential, intracellular Ca2+ transients, and pacemaker activity. The protocol includes the details for preparing the intact SAP, robust tissue dual-dye loading, light-programmed pacing, and high-resolution optical mapping. Our protocol provides an example of use of the combination of optogenetic and optical mapping techniques for investigating SAP membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ transients and pacemaker activity with high temporal and spatial resolution in specific cardiac tissues. Thus, our protocol provides a useful tool for studying SAP physiology and pathophysiology in mice.

The identification of potent, selective and CNS penetrant furan-based inhibitors of B-Raf kinase.

Modification of the potent imidazole-based B-Raf inhibitor SB-590885 resulted in the identification of a series of furan-based derivatives with enhanced CNS penetration. One such compound, SB-699393 (17), was examined in vivo to challenge the hypothesis that selective B-Raf inhibitors may be of value in the treatment of stroke.

A kinase-dependent role for EphA2 receptor in promoting tumor growth and metastasis.

Receptor tyrosine kinases of the Eph family are upregulated in several different types of cancer. One family member in particular, the EphA2 receptor, has been linked to breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer, as well as melanoma. However, mechanisms by which EphA2 contributes to tumor progression are far from clear. In certain tumor cell lines, EphA2 receptor is underphosphorylated, raising the question of whether ligand-induced receptor phosphorylation and its kinase activity play a role in oncogenesis. To test directly the role of EphA2 receptor phosphorylation/kinase activity in tumor progression, we generated EphA2 receptor variants that were either lacking the cytoplasmic domain or carrying a point mutation that inhibits its kinase activity. Expression of these EphA2 mutants in breast cancer cells resulted in decreased tumor volume and increased tumor apoptosis in primary tumors. In addition, the numbers of lung metastases were significantly reduced in both experimental and spontaneous metastasis models. Reduced tumor volume and metastasis are not due to defects in tumor angiogenesis, as there is no significant difference in tumor vessel density between wild-type tumors and tumors expressing EphA2-signaling-defective mutants. In contrast, tumor cells expressing the EphA2 mutants are defective in RhoA GTPase activation and cell migration. Taken together, these results suggest that receptor phosphorylation and kinase activity of the EphA2 receptor, at least in part, contribute to tumor malignancy.

The structure of MSK1 reveals a novel autoinhibitory conformation for a dual kinase protein.

Mitogen and stress-activated kinase-1 (MSK1) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is activated by either p38 or p42ERK MAPKs in response to stress or mitogenic extracellular stimuli. MSK1 belongs to a family of protein kinases that contain two distinct kinase domains in one polypeptide chain. We report the 1.8 A crystal structure of the N-terminal kinase domain of MSK1. The crystal structure reveals a unique inactive conformation with the ATP binding site blocked by the nucleotide binding loop. This inactive conformation is stabilized by the formation of a new three-stranded beta sheet on the N lobe of the kinase domain. The three beta strands come from residues at the N terminus of the kinase domain, what would be the alphaB helix in the active conformation, and the activation loop. The new three-stranded beta sheet occupies a position equivalent to the N terminus of the alphaC helix in active protein kinases.

A High-Throughput Screen to Identify LRRK2 Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease Using RapidFire Mass Spectrometry.

LRRK2 is a large multidomain protein containing two functional enzymatic domains: a GTPase domain and a protein kinase domain. Dominant coding mutations in the LRRK2 protein are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Among such pathogenic mutations, Gly2019Ser mutation in the LRRK2 kinase domain is the most frequent cause of familial PD in Caucasians and is also found in some apparently sporadic PD cases. This mutation results in 2- to 3-fold elevated LRRK2 kinase activity compared with wild type, providing a clear clinical hypothesis for the application of kinase inhibitors in the treatment of this disease. To date, reported screening assays for LRRK2 have been based on detection of labeled adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate or on antibody-based detection of phosphorylation events. While these assays do offer a high-throughput method of monitoring LRRK2 kinase activity, they are prone to interference from autofluorescent compounds and nonspecific events. Here we describe a label-free assay for LRRK2 kinase activity using the RapidFire mass spectrometry system. This assay format was found to be highly robust and enabled a screen of 100,000 lead-like small molecules. The assay successfully identified a number of known LRRK2 chemotypes that met stringent physicochemical criteria.

Phosphoproteomics reveals that Parkinson's disease kinase LRRK2 regulates a subset of Rab GTPases.

Mutations in Park8, encoding for the multidomain Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) protein, comprise the predominant genetic cause of Parkinson's disease (PD). G2019S, the most common amino acid substitution activates the kinase two- to threefold. This has motivated the development of LRRK2 kinase inhibitors; however, poor consensus on physiological LRRK2 substrates has hampered clinical development of such therapeutics. We employ a combination of phosphoproteomics, genetics, and pharmacology to unambiguously identify a subset of Rab GTPases as key LRRK2 substrates. LRRK2 directly phosphorylates these both in vivo and in vitro on an evolutionary conserved residue in the switch II domain. Pathogenic LRRK2 variants mapping to different functional domains increase phosphorylation of Rabs and this strongly decreases their affinity to regulatory proteins including Rab GDP dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Our findings uncover a key class of bona-fide LRRK2 substrates and a novel regulatory mechanism of Rabs that connects them to PD.

Inhibition of VEGF-dependent multistage carcinogenesis by soluble EphA receptors.

Elevated expression of Eph receptors has long been correlated with the growth of solid tumors. However, the functional role of this family of receptor tyrosine kinases in carcinogenesis and tumor angiogenesis has not been well characterized. Here we report that soluble EphA receptors inhibit tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression in vivo in the RIP-Tag transgenic model of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent multistage pancreatic islet cell carcinoma. Soluble EphA receptors delivered either by a transgene or an osmotic minipump inhibited the formation of angiogenic islet, a premalignant lesion, and reduced tumor volume of solid islet cell carcinoma. EphA2-Fc or EphA3-Fc treatment resulted in decreased tumor volume but increased tumor and endothelial cell apoptosis in vivo. In addition, soluble EphA receptors inhibited VEGF and betaTC tumor cell-conditioned medium-induced endothelial cell migration in vitro and VEGF-induced cornea angiogenesis in vivo. A dominant negative EphA2 mutant inhibited--whereas a gain-of-function EphA2 mutant enhanced--tumor cell-induced endothelial cell migration, suggesting that EphA2 receptor activation is required for tumor cell-endothelial cell interaction. These data provide functional evidence for EphA class receptor regulation of VEGF-dependent tumor angiogenesis, suggesting that the EphA signaling pathway may represent an attractive novel target for antiangiogenic therapy in cancer.