2. Academic Validation
  3. Interrogating direct NLRP3 engagement and functional inflammasome inhibition using cellular assays

Interrogating direct NLRP3 engagement and functional inflammasome inhibition using cellular assays

  • Cell Chem Biol. 2023 Oct 12:S2451-9456(23)00335-5. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.09.016.
Kelly A Teske 1,  Cesear Corona 2,  Jennifer Wilkinson 1,  Daniel Mamott 1,  David A Good 2,  Delia Zambrano 2,  Dan F Lazar 1,  James J Cali 1,  Matthew B Robers 3,  Martha A O'Brien 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Promega Corporation, Research & Development, Madison, WI 53711, USA.
  • 2 Promega Corporation, Research & Development, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA.
  • 3 Promega Corporation, Research & Development, Madison, WI 53711, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Promega Corporation, Research & Development, Madison, WI 53711, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37858335 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.09.016
Abstract

As a key regulator of the innate immune system, the NLRP3 inflammasome responds to a variety of environmental insults through activation of Caspase-1 and release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. Aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome function is implicated in numerous inflammatory diseases, spurring drug discovery efforts at NLRP3 as a therapeutic target. A diverse array of small molecules is undergoing preclinical/clinical evaluation with a reported mode of action involving direct modulation of the NLRP3 pathway. However, for a subset of these ligands the functional link between live-cell target engagement and pathway inhibition has yet to be fully established. Herein we present a cohort of mechanistic assays to both query direct NLRP3 engagement in cells, and functionally interrogate different nodes of NLRP3 pathway activity. This system enabled the stratification of potency for five confirmed NLRP3 inhibitors, and identification of two reported NLRP3 inhibitors that failed to demonstrate direct pathway antagonism.

Keywords

CY-09; IL-1β; MCC950; NBC19; NLRP3 inflammasome; NLRP3 target engagement; OLT1177; OXSI-2; caspase-1; oridonin.

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