Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase inhibitor, A484954 lowered blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats via inducing vasorelaxation

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase inhibitor, A484954 induced diuresis via nitric oxide production in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase (eEF2K) is a protein kinase that inactivates eEF2, a protein that mediates a peptidyl-tRNA translocation during an elongation step of protein synthesis. We have previously shown that eEF2K was involved in pathogenesis of essential and pulmonary hypertension. A484954 (7-amino-1-cyclopropyl-3-ethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrido[2,3-d] pyrimidine-6-carboxamide), a selective eEF2K inhibitor, is a membrane permeable small molecule. We have previously shown that A484954 lowered blood pressure and induced diuretic effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) due to an increase in renal blood flow. Here we aimed to reveal mechanisms underlying the diuretic effects of A484954 in SHR. A484954-induced diuresis and increase in urinary Na+ excretion were inhibited by N (G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor. A484954 increased mRNA expression of angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In summary, we for the first time revealed that A484954 induces diuresis in SHR at least partly via the activation of NO/Nrf2/AT2R pathway.

Structure of the complex between calmodulin and a functional construct of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase bound to an ATP-competitive inhibitor

The calmodulin-activated α-kinase, eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF-2K) serves as a master regulator of translational elongation by specifically phosphorylating and reducing the ribosome-affinity of the guanosine triphosphatase, eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF-2). Given its critical role in a fundamental cellular process, dysregulation of eEF-2K has been implicated in several human diseases, including those of the cardiovascular system, chronic neuropathies, and many cancers, making it a critical pharmacological target. In the absence of high-resolution structural information, high-throughput screening efforts have yielded small-molecule candidates that show promise as eEF-2K antagonists. Principal among these is the ATP-competitive pyrimido-pyrimidinedione inhibitor, A-484954, which shows high specificity towards eEF-2K relative to a panel of "typical" protein kinases. A-484954 has been shown to have some degree of efficacy in animal models of several disease states. It has also been widely deployed as a reagent in eEF-2K-specific biochemical and cell-biological studies. However, given the absence of structural information, the precise mechanism of the A-484954-mediated inhibition of eEF-2K has remained obscure. Leveraging our identification of the calmodulin-activatable catalytic core of eEF-2K and our recent determination of its long-elusive structure, here we present the structural basis for its specific inhibition by A-484954. This structure, which represents the first for an inhibitor-bound catalytic domain of a member of the α-kinase family, enables rationalization of the existing structure-activity relationship data for A-484954 variants and lays the groundwork for further optimization of this scaffold to attain enhanced specificity/potency against eEF-2K.

eEF2K Inhibitor Design: The Progression of Exemplary Structure-Based Drug Design

The α-kinase, eEF2K, phosphorylates the threonine 56 residue of eEF2 to inhibit global peptide elongation (protein translation). As a master regulator of protein synthesis, in combination with its unique atypical kinase active site, investigations into the targeting of eEF2K represents a case of intense structure-based drug design that includes the use of modern computational techniques. The role of eEF2K is incredibly diverse and has been scrutinized in several different diseases including cancer and neurological disorders-with numerous studies inhibiting eEF2K as a potential treatment option, as described in this paper. Using available crystal structures of related α-kinases, particularly MHCKA, we report how homology modeling has been used to improve inhibitor design and efficacy. This review presents an overview of eEF2K related drug discovery efforts predating from the 1990's, to more recent in vivo studies in rat models. We also provide the reader with a basic introduction to several approaches and software programs used to undertake such drug discovery campaigns. With the recent exciting publication of an eEF2K crystal structure, we present our view regarding the future of eEF2K drug discovery.

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase inhibitor, A484954 induces diuretic effect via renal vasorelaxation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase (eEF2K), alternatively known as calmodulin-dependent protein kinase III, inhibits protein translation via phosphorylating its sole substrate, eEF2. We previously demonstrated that expression and activity of eEF2K change in mesenteric artery from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with aging and that eEF2K is involved in pathogenesis of essential hypertension. In addition, we have recently revealed that acute intravenous injection with A484954, a selective eEF2K inhibitor, lowers blood pressure specifically in SHR partly via inducing vasorelaxation. In this study, we examined whether A484954 induces diuretic effect. After male SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were given a single intraperitoneal injection of A484954 (2.5 mg/kg, 0.5-9 h), urine was collected using metabolic cage. Contraction of isolated renal arteries form SHR was isometrically measured. While A484954 did not induce diuretic effect in WKY, it increased urine output, water intake, and urinary sodium excretion in SHR. A484954 (10 μM) induced vasorelaxation in isolated renal arteries, which was inhibited by a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol. It was confirmed that A484954 increased renal blood flow in SHR as measured by renal ultrasonography. In summary, it was for the first time revealed that A484954 induces diuretic effect in SHR at least partly via renal vasorelaxation through β-adrenergic receptor.