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Identification and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of formin-mediated actin assembly.

ABSTRACT: Formins stimulate actin filament assembly for fundamental cellular processes including division, adhesion, establishing polarity, and motility. A formin inhibitor would be useful because most cells express multiple formins whose functions are not known and because metastatic tumor formation depends on the deregulation of formin-dependent processes. We identified a general small molecule inhibitor of formin homology 2 domains (SMIFH2) by screening compounds for the ability to prevent formin-mediated actin assembly in vitro. SMIFH2 targets formins from evolutionarily diverse organisms including yeast, nematode worm, and mice, with a half-maximal inhibitor concentration of approximately 5 to 15 microM. SMIFH2 prevents both formin nucleation and processive barbed end elongation and decreases formin's affinity for the barbed end. Furthermore, low micromolar concentrations of SMIFH2 disrupt formin-dependent, but not Arp2/3 complex-dependent, actin cytoskeletal structures in fission yeast and mammalian NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.

SUBMITTER: Rizvi SA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2784894 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Identification and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of formin-mediated actin assembly.

Rizvi Syed A SA Neidt Erin M EM Cui Jiayue J Feiger Zach Z Skau Colleen T CT Gardel Margaret L ML Kozmin Sergey A SA Kovar David R DR

Chemistry & biology 20091101 11

Formins stimulate actin filament assembly for fundamental cellular processes including division, adhesion, establishing polarity, and motility. A formin inhibitor would be useful because most cells express multiple formins whose functions are not known and because metastatic tumor formation depends on the deregulation of formin-dependent processes. We identified a general small molecule inhibitor of formin homology 2 domains (SMIFH2) by screening compounds for the ability to prevent formin-media ...[more]

PMID: 19942139

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Project description:Rabies virus (RABV) causes a severe and fatal neurological disease, but morbidity is vaccine preventable and treatable prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. However, immunoglobulin (IgG)-based rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is expensive, restricting access to life-saving treatment, especially for patients in low-income countries where the clinical need is greatest, and does not confer cross-protection against newly emerging phylogroup II lyssaviruses. Toward identifying a cost-effective replacement for the IgG component of rabies PEP, we developed and implemented a high-throughput screening protocol utilizing a single-cycle RABV reporter strain. A large-scale screen and subsequent direct and orthogonal counterscreens identified a first-in-class direct-acting RABV inhibitor, GRP-60367, with a specificity index (SI) of >100,000. Mechanistic characterization through time-of-addition studies, transient cell-to-cell fusion assays, and chimeric vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) recombinants expressing the RABV glycoprotein (G) demonstrated that GRP-60367 inhibits entry of a subset of RABV strains. Resistance profiling of the chemotype revealed hot spots in conserved hydrophobic positions of the RABV G protein fusion loop that were confirmed in transient cell-to-cell fusion assays. Transfer of RABV G genes with signature resistance mutations into a recombinant VSV backbone resulted in the recovery of replication-competent virions with low susceptibility to the inhibitor. This work outlines a tangible strategy for mechanistic characterization and resistance profiling of RABV drug candidates and identified a novel, well-behaved molecular probe chemotype that specifically targets the RABV G protein and prevents G-mediated viral entry.IMPORTANCE Rabies PEP depends on anti-RABV IgG, which is expensive and in limited supply in geographical areas with the highest disease burden. Replacing the IgG component with a cost-effective and shelf-stable small-molecule antiviral could address this unmet clinical need by expanding access to life-saving medication. This study has established a robust protocol for high-throughput anti-RABV drug screens and identified a chemically well-behaved, first-in-class hit with nanomolar anti-RABV potency that blocks RABV G protein-mediated viral entry. Resistance mapping revealed a druggable site formed by the G protein fusion loops that has not previously emerged as a target for neutralizing antibodies. Discovery of this RABV entry inhibitor establishes a new molecular probe to advance further mechanistic and structural characterization of RABV G that may aid in the design of a next-generation clinical candidate against RABV.

Dataset Information

Identification and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of formin-mediated actin assembly.

Publications

Identification and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of formin-mediated actin assembly.

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