Optimized M24B Aminopeptidase Inhibitors for CARD8 Inflammasome Activation

J Med Chem. 2023 Feb 23;66(4):2589-2607. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01535. Epub 2023 Feb 1.

Abstract

Inflammasomes are innate immune signaling platforms that trigger pyroptotic cell death. NLRP1 and CARD8 are related human inflammasomes that detect similar danger signals, but NLRP1 has a higher activation threshold and triggers a more inflammatory form of pyroptosis. Both sense the accumulation of intracellular peptides with Xaa-Pro N-termini, but Xaa-Pro peptides on their own without a second danger signal only activate the CARD8 inflammasome. We recently reported that a dual inhibitor of the Xaa-Pro-cleaving M24B aminopeptidases PEPD and XPNPEP1 called CQ31 selectively activates the CARD8 inflammasome by inducing the build-up of Xaa-Pro peptides. Here, we performed structure-activity relationship studies on CQ31 to develop the optimized dual PEPD/XPNPEP1 inhibitor CQ80 that more effectively induces CARD8 inflammasome activation. We anticipate that CQ80 will become a valuable tool to study the basic biology and therapeutic potential of selective CARD8 inflammasome activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminopeptidases* / metabolism
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inflammasomes* / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Pyroptosis
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Inflammasomes
  • Aminopeptidases
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD8 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins