Identification of the Raf kinase inhibitor TAK-632 and its analogues as potent inhibitors of necroptosis by targeting RIPK1 and RIPK3

Background and purpose: Necroptosis is a form of programmed, caspase-independent, cell death, mediated by receptor-interacting protein kinases, RIPK1 and RIPK3, and the Mixed Lineage Kinase domain-like (MLKL). Necroptosis contributes to the pathophysiology of various inflammatory, infectious, and degenerative diseases. Thus, identification of low MW inhibitors for Necroptosis has broad therapeutic relevance. Here, we identified that the pan-Raf inhibitor TAK-632 was also an inhibitor of Necroptosis. We have further generated a more selective, highly potent analogue of TAK-632 by targeting RIPK1 and RIPK3.

Experimental approach: Cell viability was measured by MTT, propidium staining, or CellTiter-Glo luminescent assays. Effects of TAK-632 on Necroptosis signalling pathways were investigated by western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and in vitro kinase assays. Downstream targets of TAK-632 were identified by a drug affinity responsive target stability assay and a pull-down assay with biotinylated TAK-632. A mouse model of TNF-α-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was further used to explore the role of TAK-632 in protecting against necroptosis-associated inflammation in vivo.

Key results: TAK-632 protected against Necroptosis in human and mouse cells but did not protect cells from Apoptosis. TAK-632 directly bound with RIPK1 and RIPK3 to inhibit kinase activities of both enzymes. In vivo, TAK-632 alleviated TNF-induced SIRS. Furthermore, we performed a structure-activity relationship analysis of TAK-632 analogues and generated SZM594, a highly potent inhibitor of RIPK1/3.

Conclusions and implications: TAK-632 is an inhibitor of Necroptosis and represents a new lead compound in the development of highly potent inhibitors of RIPK1 and RIPK3.