Inhibition of Macrophage-Specific CHIT1 as an Approach to Treat Airway Remodeling in Severe Asthma.

Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) is an enzyme produced by macrophages that regulates their differentiation and polarization. Lung macrophages have been implicated in asthma development; therefore, we asked whether pharmacological inhibition of macrophage-specific CHIT1 would have beneficial effects in asthma, as it has been shown previously in other lung disorders. CHIT1 expression was evaluated in the lung tissues of deceased individuals with severe, uncontrolled, steroid-naïve asthma. OATD-01, a chitinase inhibitor, was tested in a 7-week-long house dust mite (HDM) murine model of chronic asthma characterized by accumulation of CHIT1-expressing macrophages. CHIT1 is a dominant chitinase activated in fibrotic areas of the lungs of individuals with fatal asthma. OATD-01 given in a therapeutic treatment regimen inhibited both inflammatory and airway remodeling features of asthma in the HDM model. These changes were accompanied by a significant and dose-dependent decrease in chitinolytic activity in BAL fluid and plasma, confirming in vivo target engagement. Both IL-13 expression and TGFß1 levels in BAL fluid were decreased and a significant reduction in subepithelial airway fibrosis and airway wall thickness was observed. These results suggest that pharmacological chitinase inhibition offers protection against the development of fibrotic airway remodeling in severe asthma.

The Role of Chitinases in Chronic Airway Inflammation Associated with Tobacco Smoke Exposure.

Chitinases and chitinase-like proteins are thought to play a role in innate inflammatory responses. Our study aimed to assess whether chitinase concentration and activity in induced sputum (IS) of patients exposed to tobacco smoke are related to the level of airway inflammation including the level and activity of chitinases and chitinase-like proteins. The study included 22 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 12 non-COPD smokers, and nine nonsmoking subjects. Sputum CHIT1 and YKL-40 levels and chitinolytic activity were compared with sputum IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, and MMP-9 levels. A hierarchical cluster analysis was also performed. Sputum YKL-40 was higher in COPD patients than in the control groups. Sputum CHIT1 and YKL-40 levels correlated with IS inflammatory cell count as well as with MMP-9 and IL-8 levels. Two main clusters were revealed: Cluster 1 had lower chitinase levels and activity, lower IS macrophage and neutrophil count, and lower IS IL-8, IL-18, and MMP-9 than Cluster 2. Comparison of COPD patients from both clusters revealed significant differences in the IS inflammatory profile despite comparable clinical and functional data. Our findings seem to confirm the involvement of chitinases in smoking-associated chronic airway inflammation and show that airway chitinases may be a potential novel marker in COPD phenotyping.

Pharmacological Inhibition of Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) as a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Sarcoidosis.

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology characterized by granuloma formation in the affected tissues. The pathologically activated macrophages are causatively implicated in disease pathogenesis and play important role in granuloma formation. Chitotriosidase (CHIT1), macrophage-derived protein, is upregulated in sarcoidosis and its levels correlate with disease severity implicating CHIT1 in pathology. Methods: CHIT1 was evaluated in serum and bronchial mucosa and mediastinal lymph nodes specimens from sarcoidosis patients. The therapeutic efficacy of OATD-01 was assessed ex vivo on human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) macrophages and in vivo in the murine models of granulomatous inflammation. Results: CHIT1 activity was significantly upregulated in serum from sarcoidosis patients. CHIT1 expression was restricted to granulomas and localized in macrophages. Ex vivo OATD-01 inhibited pro-inflammatory mediators' production (CCL4, IL-15) by lung macrophages. In the acute model of granulomatous inflammation in mice, OATD-01 showed anti-inflammatory effects reducing the percentage of neutrophils and CCL4 concentration in BALF. In the chronic model, inhibition of CHIT1 led to a decrease in the number of organized lung granulomas and the expression of sarcoidosis-associated genes. Conclusion: In summary, CHIT1 activity was increased in sarcoidosis patients and OATD-01, a first-in-class CHIT1 inhibitor, demonstrated efficacy in murine models of granulomatous inflammation providing a proof-of-concept for its clinical evaluation in sarcoidosis.

Design, Synthesis, and Development of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine Derivatives as a Novel Series of Selective PI3Kδ Inhibitors: Part I-Indole Derivatives.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ (PI3Kδ), a member of the class I PI3K family, is an essential signaling biomolecule that regulates the differentiation, proliferation, migration, and survival of immune cells. The overactivity of this protein causes cellular dysfunctions in many human disorders, for example, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this work, we designed and synthesized a new library of small-molecule inhibitors based on indol-4-yl-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine with IC50 values in the low nanomolar range and high selectivity against the PI3Kδ isoform. CPL302253 (54), the most potent compound of all the structures obtained, with IC50 = 2.8 nM, is a potential future candidate for clinical development as an inhaled drug to prevent asthma.

Inhibition of CHIT1 as a novel therapeutic approach in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and eventually fatal lung disease with a complex etiology. Approved drugs, nintedanib and pirfenidone, modify disease progression, but IPF remains incurable and there is an urgent need for new therapies. We identified chitotriosidase (CHIT1) as new driver of fibrosis in IPF and a novel therapeutic target. We demonstrate that CHIT1 activity and expression are significantly increased in serum (3-fold) and induced sputum (4-fold) from IPF patients. In the lungs CHIT1 is expressed in a distinct subpopulation of profibrotic, disease-specific macrophages, which are only present in patients with ILDs and CHIT1 is one of the defining markers of this fibrosis-associated gene cluster. To define CHIT1 role in fibrosis, we used the therapeutic protocol of the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model. We demonstrate that in the context of chitinase induction and the macrophage-specific expression of CHIT1, this model recapitulates lung fibrosis in ILDs. Genetic inactivation of Chit1 attenuated bleomycin-induced fibrosis (decreasing the Ashcroft scoring by 28%) and decreased expression of profibrotic factors in lung tissues. Pharmacological inhibition of chitinases by OATD-01 reduced fibrosis and soluble collagen concentration. OATD-01 exhibited anti-fibrotic activity comparable to pirfenidone resulting in the reduction of the Ashcroft score by 32% and 31%, respectively. These studies provide a preclinical proof-of-concept for the antifibrotic effects of OATD-01 and establish CHIT1 as a potential new therapeutic target for IPF.

Discovery of OATD-01, a First-in-Class Chitinase Inhibitor as Potential New Therapeutics for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) and acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) are the enzymatically active chitinases that have been implicated in the pathology of chronic lung diseases such as asthma and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and sarcoidosis. The clinical and preclinical data suggest that pharmacological inhibition of CHIT1 might represent a novel therapeutic approach in IPF. Structural modification of an advanced lead molecule 3 led to the identification of compound 9 (OATD-01), a highly active CHIT1 inhibitor with both an excellent PK profile in multiple species and selectivity against a panel of other off-targets. OATD-01 given orally once daily in a range of doses between 30 and 100 mg/kg showed significant antifibrotic efficacy in an animal model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. OATD-01 is the first-in-class CHIT1 inhibitor, currently completed phase 1b of clinical trials, to be a potential treatment for IPF.

Benzoxazepine-Derived Selective, Orally Bioavailable Inhibitor of Human Acidic Mammalian Chitinase.

Human acidic mammalian chitinase (hAMCase) is one of two true chitinases in humans, the function of which remains elusive. In addition to the defense against highly antigenic chitin and chitin-containing pathogens in the gastric and intestinal contents, AMCase has been implicated in asthma, allergic inflammation, and ocular pathologies. Potent and selective small-molecule inhibitors of this enzyme have not been identified to date. Here we describe structural modifications of compound OAT-177, a previously developed inhibitor of mouse AMCase, leading to OAT-1441, which displays high activity and selectivity toward hAMCase. Significantly reduced off-target activity toward the human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) and a good pharmacokinetic profile make OAT-1441 a potential candidate for further preclinical development as well as a useful tool compound to study the physiological role of hAMCase.

Discovery and Pharmacokinetics of Sulfamides and Guanidines as Potent Human Arginase 1 Inhibitors.

We designed and synthesized a series of arginase inhibitors as derivatives of the well-known 2-(S)-amino-6-boronohexanoic acid (ABH) with basic and neutral side chains in the α-position relative to the amino acid group. In an effort to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of literature examples and retain potent enzymatic activity, sulfamido moieties were introduced to generate hydrogen bond interaction with the aspartic acid residue in the arginase active site. The compounds with basic guanidine-containing side chains were even more potent arginase inhibitors. Both groups of compounds, as designed, demonstrated low clearance in their pharmacokinetic profile. The most active inhibitor 15aa showed high nanomolar potency with IC50 = 32 nM toward human arginase 1 and demonstrated low clearance (4.2 mL/min/kg), long t 1/2, and moderate volume of distribution in rat pharmacokinetic studies.

Development of Dual Chitinase Inhibitors as Potential New Treatment for Respiratory System Diseases.

Acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) and chitotriosidase-1 (CHIT1) are two enzymatically active proteins produced by mammals capable of cleaving the glycosidic bond in chitin. Based on the clinical findings and animal model studies, involvement of chitinases has been suggested in several respiratory system diseases including asthma, COPD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Exploration of structure-activity relationships within the series of 1-(3-amino-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)-piperidin-4-amines, which was earlier identified as a scaffold of potent AMCase inhibitors, led us to discover highly active dual (i.e., AMCase and CHIT1) inhibitors with very good pharmacokinetic properties. Among them, compound 30 was shown to reduce the total number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of mice challenged with house dust mite extract after oral administration (50 mg/kg, qd). In addition, affinity toward the hERG potassium channel of compound 30 was significantly reduced when compared to the earlier reported chitinase inhibitors.

Discovery of selective, orally bioavailable inhibitor of mouse chitotriosidase.

This article describes our work towards the identification of a potent and selective inhibitor of mouse chitotriosidase (mCHIT1). A series of small molecule inhibitors of mCHIT1 and mAMCase have been developed from early lead compound 1. Examination of synthetized analogues led to discovery of several novel highly potent compounds. Among them compound 9 (OAT-2068) displays a remarkable 143-fold mCHIT1 vs. mAMCase selectivity. To explain the observed SAR molecular docking experiments were performed, which were in line with the experimental data from the enzymatic assays. Inhibitor 9 (OAT-2068) was found to have an excellent pharmacokinetic profile. This, together with high activity and selectivity, makes the compound an ideal and unique tool for studying the role of CHIT1 in biological models.

Targeting Acidic Mammalian chitinase Is Effective in Animal Model of Asthma.

This article highlights our work toward the identification of a potent, selective, and efficacious acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) inhibitor. Rational design, guided by X-ray analysis of several inhibitors bound to human chitotriosidase (hCHIT1), led to the identification of compound 7f as a highly potent AMCase inhibitor (IC50 values of 14 and 19 nM against human and mouse enzyme, respectively) and selective (>150× against mCHIT1) with very good PK properties. This compound dosed once daily at 30 mg/kg po showed significant anti-inflammatory efficacy in HDM-induced allergic airway inflammation in mice, reducing inflammatory cell influx in the BALF and total IgE concentration in plasma, which correlated with decrease of chitinolytic activity. Therapeutic efficacy of compound 7f in the clinically relevant aeroallergen-induced acute asthma model in mice provides a rationale for developing AMCase inhibitor for the treatment of asthma.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition confers resistance to selective FGFR inhibitors in SNU-16 gastric cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Up to 10 % of primary gastric cancers are characterized by FGFR2 amplification, and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors may represent therapeutic agents for patients with these malignancies. However, long-term benefits of the treatment might be limited owing to the occurrence of drug resistance. METHODS: To investigate the mechanisms of resistance to selective FGFR inhibitors, we established three FGFR2-amplified SNU-16 gastric cancer cell lines resistant to AZD4547, BGJ398, and PD173074, respectively. RESULTS: The resistant cell lines (SNU-16R) demonstrated changes characteristic of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In addition, they displayed loss of expression of FGFR2 and other tyrosine kinase receptors concurrent with activation of downstream signaling proteins and upregulation of the transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) level. However, treatment of parental SNU-16 cells with TGF-ß1 did not evoke EMT, and pharmacological inhibition of TGF-ß receptor I was not sufficient to reverse EMT changes in the resistant cells. Finally, we showed that the SNU-16R cell lines were sensitive to the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 inhibitor mubritinib and the heat shock protein 90 inhibitor AUY922. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we provide experimental evidence that EMT-mediated resistance might emerge in gastric cancer patients following treatment with FGFR inhibitors, and mubritinib or AUY922 treatment may be an alternative therapeutic strategy for these patients.

Differences in gene expression and alterations in cell cycle of acute myeloid leukemia cell lines after treatment with JAK inhibitors.

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a promising treatment strategy in several hematological malignancies and autoimmune diseases. A number of inhibitors are in clinical development, and two have already reached the market. Unfortunately, all of them are burdened with different toxicity profiles. To check if the JAK inhibitors of different selectivity evoke different responses on JAK2-dependent and independent cells, we have used three acute myeloid leukemia cell lines with confirmed JAK2 mutation status. We have found that JAK inhibitors exert distinct effect on the expression of BCLXL, CCND1 and c-MYC genes, regulated by JAK pathway, in JAK2 wild type cells in comparison to JAK2 V617F-positive cell lines. Moreover, cell cycle analysis showed that inhibitors alter the cycle by arresting cells in different phases. Our results suggest that observed effect of JAK2 inhibitors on transcription and cell cycle level in different cell lines are associated not with activity within JAK family, but presumably with other off-target activities.

Activating mutations in ALK kinase domain confer resistance to structurally unrelated ALK inhibitors in NPM-ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Crizotinib, the first FDA-approved ALK inhibitor, showed significant antitumor activity in young patients with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) frequently displaying ALK rearrangement. However, long-term therapeutic benefits of crizotinib are limited due to development of drug resistance. CH5424802--more potent and selective ALK inhibitor--comprises a good candidate for second-line treatment in crizotinib-relapsed patients. The aim of this study was to determine possible mechanisms of resistance to ALK inhibitors that can appear in ALCL patients. METHODS: ALK+ ALCL cell lines resistant to crizotinib (Karpas299CR) and to CH5424802 (Karpas299CHR) were established by long-term exposure of Karpas299 cells to these inhibitors. Next, alterations in their sensitivity to ALK, HSP90 and mTOR inhibitors were investigated by cell viability and BrdU incorporation assays and immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: cDNA sequencing of ALK kinase domain revealed activating mutations-I1171T in Karpas299CR and F1174C in Karpas299CHR. The resistant cells displayed diminished sensitivity to structurally unrelated ALK inhibitors-crizotinib, CH5424802 and TAE684. Nevertheless, CH5424802 and TAE684 were still more potent against the resistant cells than crizotinib. Moreover, Karpas299CR and Karpas299CHR cells remained sensitive to HSP90 or mTOR inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Resistance mediated by activating mutations in ALK kinase domain may emerge in ALCL patients during ALK inhibitors treatment. However, more potent second-generation ALK inhibitors, HSP90 or mTOR inhibitors may represent an effective therapy for relapsed ALK+ ALCL patients.

Heat stress and hormetin-induced hormesis in human cells: effects on aging, wound healing, angiogenesis, and differentiation.

Accumulation of molecular damage and increased molecular heterogeneity are hallmarks of cellular aging. Mild stress-induced hormesis can be an effective way for reducing the accumulation of molecular damage, and thus slowing down aging from within. We have shown that repeated mild heat stress (RMHS) has anti-aging effects on growth and various other cellular and biochemical characteristics of normal human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes undergoing aging in vitro. RMHS given to human cells increased the basal levels of various chaperones, reduced the accumulation of damaged proteins, stimulated proteasomal activities, increased the cellular resistance to other stresses, enhanced the levels of various antioxidant enzymes, enhanced the activity and amounts of sodium-potassium pump, and increased the phosphorylation-mediated activities of various stress kinases. We have now observed novel hormetic effects of mild heat stress on improving the wound healing capacity of skin fibroblasts and on enhancing the angiogenic ability of endothelial cells. We have also tested potential hormetins, such as curcumin and rosmarinic acid in bringing about their beneficial effects in human cells by inducing stress response pathways involving heat shock proteins and hemeoxygenase HO-1. These data further support the view that mild stress-induced hormesis can be applied for the modulation, intervention and prevention of aging and age-related impairments.