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Liu SS, Yu T, Qiao YF, Gu SX, Chai XL. Research on Hepatocyte Regulation of PCSK9-LDLR and Its Related Drug Targets. Chin J Integr Med 2024; 30:664-672. [PMID: 36913119 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3545-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of hyperlipidemia has increased significantly due to genetic, dietary, nutritional and pharmacological factors, and has become one of the most common pathological conditions in humans. Hyperlipidemia can lead to a range of diseases such as atherosclerosis, stroke, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, diabetes, and kidney failure, etc. High circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is one of the causes of hyperlipidemia. LDL-C in the blood binds to LDL receptor (LDLR) and regulates cholesterol homeostasis through endocytosis. In contrast, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) mediates LDLR degradation via the intracellular and extracellular pathways, leading to hyperlipidemia. Targeting PCSK9-synthesizing transcription factors and downstream molecules are important for development of new lipid-lowering drugs. Clinical trials regarding PCSK9 inhibitors have demonstrated a reduction in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events. The purpose of this review was to explore the target and mechanism of intracellular and extracellular pathways in degradation of LDLR and related drugs by PCSK9 in order to open up a new pathway for the development of new lipid-lowering drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Su Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102401, China
| | - Tong Yu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102401, China
| | - Yan-Fang Qiao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102401, China
| | - Shu-Xiao Gu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102401, China
| | - Xin-Lou Chai
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102401, China.
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Wang WZ, Liu C, Luo JQ, Lei LJ, Chen MH, Zhang YY, Sheng R, Li YN, Wang L, Jiang XH, Xiao TM, Zhang YH, Li SW, Wu YX, Xu Y, Xu YN, Si SY. A novel small-molecule PCSK9 inhibitor E28362 ameliorates hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01305-9. [PMID: 38811775 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01305-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) binds to the epidermal growth factor precursor homologous domain A (EGF-A) of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) in the liver and triggers the degradation of LDLR via the lysosomal pathway, consequently leading to an elevation in plasma LDL-C levels. Inhibiting PCSK9 prolongs the lifespan of LDLR and maintains cholesterol homeostasis in the body. Thus, PCSK9 is an innovative pharmacological target for treating hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. In this study, we discovered that E28362 was a novel small-molecule PCSK9 inhibitor by conducting a virtual screening of a library containing 40,000 compounds. E28362 (5, 10, 20 μM) dose-dependently increased the protein levels of LDLR in both total protein and the membrane fraction in both HepG2 and AML12 cells, and enhanced the uptake of DiI-LDL in AML12 cells. MTT assay showed that E28362 up to 80 μM had no obvious toxicity in HepG2, AML12, and HEK293a cells. The effects of E28362 on hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis were evaluated in three different animal models. In high-fat diet-fed golden hamsters, administration of E28362 (6.7, 20, 60 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) for 4 weeks significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and PCSK9 levels, and reduced liver TC and TG contents. In Western diet-fed ApoE-/- mice (20, 60 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) and human PCSK9 D374Y overexpression mice (60 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.), administration of E28362 for 12 weeks significantly decreased plasma LDL-C levels and the area of atherosclerotic lesions in en face aortas and aortic roots. Moreover, E28362 significantly increased the protein expression level of LDLR in the liver. We revealed that E28362 selectively bound to PCSK9 in HepG2 and AML12 cells, blocked the interaction between LDLR and PCSK9, and induced the degradation of PCSK9 through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which finally resulted in increased LDLR protein levels. In conclusion, E28362 can block the interaction between PCSK9 and LDLR, induce the degradation of PCSK9, increase LDLR protein levels, and alleviate hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in three distinct animal models, suggesting that E28362 is a promising lead compound for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Zhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Jin-Que Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of the Research and Development of Novel Pharmaceutical Preparations, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, 410219, China
| | - Li-Juan Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Ming-Hua Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Uighur Medicine, Xinjiang Institute of Materia Medica, Urumqi, 830002, China
| | - Yu-Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Ren Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yi-Ning Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xin-Hai Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Tong-Mei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yu-Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Shun-Wang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Ye-Xiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yan-Ni Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Shu-Yi Si
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Microbial Drugs, National Center for New Microbial Drug Screening, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, 100050, China.
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Wang X, Zhang L, Wang X, Zhu D, Xu G, Li H, Zhang L. Discovery of (2-(4-Substituted phenyl)quinolin-4-yl)(4-isopropylpiperazin-1-yl)methanone Derivatives as Potent Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Inhibitors. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300498. [PMID: 38054966 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays an increasingly important role in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. In pursuit of potent small molecules that block the PCSK9/low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein-protein interaction (PPI), a series of 2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid derivatives were designed and synthesized based on previously derived molecules. In the in vitro PPI inhibition test, compounds M1, M12, M14, M18 and M27 exhibited potent activities with IC50 values of 6.25 μM, 0.91 μM, 2.81 μM, 4.26 μM and 0.76 μM, respectively, compared with SBC-115337 (IC50 value of 9.24 μM). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the importance of hydrophobic interactions in the binding of inhibitors to the PPI interface of PCSK9. In LDLR expression and LDL uptake assays, the tested compounds M1, M12 and M14 were found to restore LDLR expression levels and to increase the extracellular LDL uptake capacity of HepG2 cells in the presence of exogenous PCSK9. Collectively, novel small-molecule PCSK9/LDLR PPI inhibitors (especially M12) with in vitro lipid lowering ability, were discovered as lead compounds for further development of hypolipidemic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Lihui Zhang
- School of Stomatology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Dongqi Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Guangzhao Xu
- Harway Pharma Co., Ltd., Dongying, Shandong, China
- Weifang Synovtech New Material Technology Co., Ltd., Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Honggang Li
- Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
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Zhu D, Qin H, Wang X, Jia Y, Wang X, Zhang L. Discovery of [5,5'-bibenzo[d][1,3]dioxol]-6-substituted amine derivatives as potent proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 102:153-167. [PMID: 37170061 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. In discovery of novel small molecules that interfere PCSK9/LDLR protein-protein interaction (PPI), structural modification was performed based on our previously derived compounds. A series of [5,5'-bibenzo[d][1,3]dioxol]-6-amine analogs were designed and synthesized for the activity evaluation. In the PCSK9/LDLR PPI impairing test, molecules D28 and D29, exhibited remarkable inhibitory potency with IC50 values of 8.30 and 6.70 μM compared with SBC-115337 (17.89 μM), respectively. Molecular docking predicted the binding pattern of compounds D28 and D29 in the LDLR binding site of PCSK9. Hydrophobic interactions play an important role in the binding of aromatic molecular fragments to the pockets in the PCSK9/LDLR binding interface. Further LDLR expression and LDL uptake studies revealed that both D28 and D29 restored LDLR expression on the surface of hepatic HepG2 cells and improved extracellular LDL uptake in the presence of PCSK9. It is significant that molecules D28 and D29 exhibited potential for the treatment of hyperlipidemia in current in vitro investigations. Generally, lead compounds with novel structures were developed in the present study for further design of lipid-lowering molecules by targeting PCSK9/LDLR PPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqi Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Hongyu Qin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yuping Jia
- Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan, China
| | - Xuejian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
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