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Esteban-Lopez M, Wilson KJ, Myhr C, Kaftanovskaya EM, Henderson MJ, Southall NT, Xu X, Wang A, Hu X, Barnaeva E, Ye W, George ER, Sherrill JT, Ferrer M, Morello R, Agoulnik IU, Marugan JJ, Agoulnik AI. Discovery of small molecule agonists of the Relaxin Family Peptide Receptor 2. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1183. [PMCID: PMC9636434 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04143-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 2 (RXFP2) belongs to the family of class A G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and it is the only known target for the insulin-like factor 3 peptide (INSL3). The importance of this ligand-receptor pair in the development of the gubernacular ligament during the transabdominal phase of testicular descent is well established. More recently, RXFP2 has been implicated in maintaining healthy bone formation. In this report, we describe the discovery of a small molecule series of RXFP2 agonists. These compounds are highly potent, efficacious, and selective RXFP2 allosteric agonists that induce gubernacular invagination in mouse embryos, increase mineralization activity in human osteoblasts in vitro, and improve bone trabecular parameters in adult mice. The described RXFP2 agonists are orally bioavailable and display favorable pharmacokinetic properties, which allow for future evaluation of the therapeutic benefits of modulating RXFP2 activation in disease models. Specific small molecule RXFP2 agonists with favorable pharmacokinetic properties induce gubernacular invagination in mouse embryos, increase mineralization activity in human osteoblasts in vitro, and improve bone trabecular parameters in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Esteban-Lopez
- grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA
| | - Kenneth J. Wilson
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Courtney Myhr
- grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA
| | - Elena M. Kaftanovskaya
- grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA
| | - Mark J. Henderson
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Noel T. Southall
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Xin Xu
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Amy Wang
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Xin Hu
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Elena Barnaeva
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Wenjuan Ye
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Emmett R. George
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - John T. Sherrill
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Marc Ferrer
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Roy Morello
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637Department of Physiology & Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Irina U. Agoulnik
- grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA ,grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA
| | - Juan J. Marugan
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Early Translation Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Alexander I. Agoulnik
- grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA ,grid.65456.340000 0001 2110 1845Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA
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