Molecular glues of the regulatory ChREBP/14-3-3 complex protect beta cells from glucolipotoxicity.
Katz, L.S., Visser, E.J., Plitzko, K.F., Pennings, M., Cossar, P.J., Tse, I.L., Kaiser, M., Brunsveld, L., Scott, D.K., Ottmann, C.(2024) bioRxiv 
- PubMed: 38405965 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.16.580675
- Primary Citation Related Structures: 
8BTQ, 8BWE, 8BWH, 8C1Y - PubMed Abstract: 
The Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein (ChREBP) is a glucose-responsive transcription factor (TF) with two major splice isoforms (α and β). In chronic hyperglycemia and glucolipotoxicity, ChREBPα-mediated ChREBPβ expression surges, leading to insulin-secreting β-cell dedifferentiation and death. 14-3-3 binding to ChREBPα results in cytoplasmic retention and suppression of transcriptional activity. Thus, small molecule-mediated stabilization of this protein-protein interaction (PPI) may be of therapeutic value. Here, we show that structure-based optimizations of a 'molecular glue' compound led to potent ChREBPα/14-3-3 PPI stabilizers with cellular activity. In primary human β-cells, the most active compound retained ChREBPα in the cytoplasm, and efficiently protected β-cells from glucolipotoxicity while maintaining β-cell identity. This study may thus not only provide the basis for the development of a unique class of compounds for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes but also showcases an alternative 'molecular glue' approach for achieving small molecule control of notoriously difficult to target TFs.
- Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1152, New York, 10029, USA.
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