A Highly Selective Chemical Probe for Activin Receptor-like Kinases ALK4 and ALK5

ACS Chem Biol. 2020 Apr 17;15(4):862-870. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00076. Epub 2020 Mar 20.

Abstract

The transforming growth factor beta-receptor I/activin receptor-like kinase 5 (TGFBR1/ALK5) and its close homologue ALK4 are receptor protein kinases associated with the development of diverse diseases, including cancer, fibrosis, heart diseases, and dysfunctional immune response. Therefore, ALK4/5 are among the most studied kinases, and several inhibitors have been developed. However, current commercially available inhibitors either lack selectivity or have not been comprehensively characterized, limiting their value for studying ALK4/5 function in cellular systems. To this end, we report the characterization of the 2-oxo-imidazopyridine, TP-008, a potent chemical probe with dual activity for ALK4 and ALK5 as well as the development of a matching negative control compound. TP-008 has excellent cellular potency and strongly abrogates phosphorylation of the substrate SMAD2 (mothers against decapentaplegic homologue 2). Thus, this chemical probe offers an excellent tool for mechanistic studies on the ALK4/5 signaling pathway and the contribution of these targets to disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activin Receptors, Type I / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / metabolism
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Pyridines / metabolism
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I / chemistry
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Smad2 Protein / chemistry
  • Smad2 Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • SMAD2 protein, human
  • Smad2 Protein
  • Smad2 protein, mouse
  • ACVR1B protein, human
  • Activin Receptors, Type I
  • Acvr1b protein, mouse
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I
  • TGFBR1 protein, human
  • Tgfbr1 protein, mouse