Probing the effect of NEK7 and cofactor interactions on dynamics of NLRP3 monomer using molecular simulation

Brazilin is a natural product inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome

Excessive or aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation has been implicated in the progression and initiation of many inflammatory conditions; however, currently no NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors have been approved for therapeutic use in the clinic. Here we have identified that the natural product brazilin effectively inhibits both priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in cultured murine macrophages, a human iPSC microglial cell line and in a mouse model of acute peritoneal inflammation. Through computational modeling, we predict that brazilin can adopt a favorable binding pose within a site of the NLRP3 protein which is essential for its conformational activation. Our results not only encourage further evaluation of brazilin as a therapeutic agent for NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases, but also introduce this small-molecule as a promising scaffold structure for the development of derivative NLRP3 inhibitor compounds.

Protein-protein interactions and related inhibitors involved in the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway

NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) receptor serves as the central node of immune sensing in the innate immune system, and plays an important role in the initiation and progression of chronic diseases. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has provided insights into the conformation of various oligomers within the NLRP3 activation pathway, significantly advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Despite the extensive network of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) involved in the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, the utilization of protein-protein interactions has been relatively overlooked in the development of NLRP3 inhibitors. This review focuses on summarizing PPIs within the NLRP3 inflammasome activation pathway and small molecule inhibitors capable of interfering with PPIs to counteract the NLRP3 overactivation. Small molecule NLRP3 inhibitors have been gained significant attention owing to their remarkable efficacy, excellent safety profiles, and unique mechanisms of action.

A Selective Review and Virtual Screening Analysis of Natural Product Inhibitors of the NLRP3 Inflammasome

The NLRP3 inflammasome is currently an exciting target for drug discovery due to its role in various inflammatory diseases; however, to date, no NLRP3 inhibitors have reached the clinic. Several studies have used natural products as hit compounds to facilitate the design of novel selective NLRP3 inhibitors. Here, we review selected natural products reported in the literature as NLRP3 inhibitors, with a particular focus on those targeting gout. To complement this survey, we also report a virtual screen of the ZINC20 natural product database, predicting favored chemical features that can aid in the design of novel small molecule NLRP3 inhibitors.