Autoimmune deficiency and destruction in either βcell mass or function can cause insufficient insulin levels and, as a result, hyperglycemia and diabetes. Thus, promoting β-cell proliferation could be one approach toward diabetes intervention. In this report we describe the discovery of a potent and selective DYRK1A inhibitor GNF2133, which was identified through optimization of a 6-azaindole screening hit. In vitro, GNF2133 is able to proliferate both rodent and human β-cells. In vivo, GNF2133 demonstrated significant dose-dependent glucose disposal capacity and insulin secretion in response to glucosepotentiated arginine-induced insulin secretion (GPAIS) challenge in rat insulin promoter and diphtheria toxin A (RIP-DTA) mice. The work described here provides new avenues to disease altering therapeutic interventions in the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Loss of β‐cell mass and function can lead to insufficient insulin levels and ultimately to hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The mainstream treatment approach involves regulation of insulin levels; however, approaches intended to increase β‐cell mass are less developed. Promoting β‐cell proliferation with low‐molecular‐weight inhibitors of dual‐specificity tyrosine‐regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) offers the potential to treat diabetes with oral therapies by restoring β‐cell mass, insulin content and glycemic control. GNF4877, a potent dual inhibitor of DYRK1A and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) was previously reported to induce primary human β‐cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the lead optimization that lead to the identification of GNF4877 from an aminopyrazine hit identified in a phenotypic high‐throughput screening campaign measuring β‐cell proliferation.
Pancreatic β-cell apoptosis, a hallmark of the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D), is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, an agent protecting β-cells from cytokine-induced stress should have an impact on maintaining functional β-cell mass in T1D. Screening of a ∼2 million-compound library identified a series of 7-azaindole derivatives as capable of protecting rat insulinoma β-cells from death induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. The screening hits were optimized to result in GNF3809, a compound which preserves insulin content and viability of β-cells in both rodent and human islets under stress induced by cytokines. In vivo, orally bioavailable GNF3809 prevented elevated blood glucose level and improved oral glucose tolerance in a nonobese diabetic mouse model. This work lays the foundation for development of a new class of therapeutic interventions for T1D.
Current therapies for anthrax include the use of antibiotics (i.e., doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin), an anthrax vaccine (BioThrax) and Bacillus anthracis-specific, monoclonal antibody (mAb) (i.e., Raxibacumab and obiltoxaximab). In this study, we investigated the activity of immunomodulators, which potentiate inflammatory responses through innate immune receptors. The rationale for the use of innate immune receptor agonists as adjunctive immunomodulators for infectious diseases is based on the concept that augmentation of host defense should promote the antimicrobial mechanism of the host. Our aim was to explore the anti-B. anthracis effector function of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists using a mouse model. Amongst the six TLR ligands tested, Pam3CSK4 (TLR1/2 ligand) was the best at protecting mice from lethal challenge of B. anthracis. We then evaluated the activity of a novel TLR2 ligand, DA-98-WW07. DA-98-WW07 demonstrated enhanced protection in B. anthracis infected mice. The surviving mice that received DA-98-WW07 when re-challenged with B. anthracis 20 days post the first infection showed increased survival rate. Moreover, ciprofloxacin, when treated in adjunct with a suboptimal concentration of DA-98-WW07 demonstrated augmented activity in protecting mice from B. anthracis infection. Taken together, we report the prophylactic treatment potential of DA-98-WW07 for anthrax and the utility of immunomodulators in combination with an antibiotic to treat infections caused by the B. anthracis bacterium.
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