RESUMO
Protein kinases are known for their highly conserved adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding site, rendering the discovery of selective inhibitors a major challenge. In theory, allosteric inhibitors can achieve high selectivity by targeting less conserved regions of the kinases, often with an added benefit of retaining efficacy under high physiological ATP concentration. Although often overlooked in favor of ATP-site directed approaches, performing a screen at high ATP concentration or stringent hit triaging with high ATP concentration offers conceptually simple methods of identifying inhibitors that bind outside the ATP pocket. Here, we applied the latter approach to the With-No-Lysine (K) (WNK) kinases to discover lead molecules for a next-generation antihypertensive that requires a stringent safety profile. This strategy yielded several ATP noncompetitive WNK1-4 kinase inhibitors, the optimization of which enabled cocrystallization with WNK1, revealing an allosteric binding mode consistent with the observed exquisite specificity for WNK1-4 kinases. The optimized compound inhibited rubidium uptake by sodium chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) in HT29 cells, consistent with the reported physiology of WNK kinases in renal electrolyte handling.
Assuntos
Regulação Alostérica/efeitos dos fármacos , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/antagonistas & inibidores , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/química , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/antagonistas & inibidores , Trifosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Descoberta de Drogas , Células HEK293 , Células HT29 , Células HeLa , Humanos , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/química , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/química , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/metabolismo , Membro 2 da Família 12 de Carreador de Soluto/metabolismo , Proteína Quinase 1 Deficiente de Lisina WNKRESUMO
The With-No-Lysine (K) (WNK) kinases play a critical role in blood pressure regulation and body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Herein, we introduce the first orally bioavailable pan-WNK-kinase inhibitor, WNK463, that exploits unique structural features of the WNK kinases for both affinity and kinase selectivity. In rodent models of hypertension, WNK463 affects blood pressure and body fluid and electro-lyte homeostasis, consistent with WNK-kinase-associated physiology and pathophysiology.