Homogeneous, Synthetic, Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Potent Inhibitors of Human Cathepsin G

oleh: Daniel K. Afosah, Rawan M. Fayyad, Valerie R. Puliafico, Spencer Merrell, Eltice K. Langmia, Sophie R. Diagne, Rami A. Al-Horani, Umesh R. Desai

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-04-01

Deskripsi

Cathepsin G (CatG) is a pro-inflammatory neutrophil serine protease that is important for host defense, and has been implicated in several inflammatory disorders. Hence, inhibition of CatG holds much therapeutic potential; however, only a few inhibitors have been identified to date, and none have reached clinical trials. Of these, heparin is a well-known inhibitor of CatG, but its heterogeneity and bleeding risk reduce its clinical potential. We reasoned that synthetic small mimetics of heparin, labeled as non-saccharide glycosaminoglycan mimetics (NSGMs), would exhibit potent CatG inhibition while being devoid of bleeding risks associated with heparin. Hence, we screened a focused library of 30 NSGMs for CatG inhibition using a chromogenic substrate hydrolysis assay and identified nano- to micro-molar inhibitors with varying levels of efficacy. Of these, a structurally-defined, octasulfated di-quercetin NSGM <b>25</b> inhibited CatG with a potency of ~50 nM. NSGM <b>25</b> binds to CatG in an allosteric site through an approximately equal contribution of ionic and nonionic forces. Octasulfated <b>25</b> exhibits no impact on human plasma clotting, suggesting minimal bleeding risk. Considering that octasulfated <b>25</b> also potently inhibits two other pro-inflammatory proteases, human neutrophil elastase and human plasmin, the current results imply the possibility of a multi-pronged anti-inflammatory approach in which these proteases are likely to simultaneously likely combat important conditions, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, emphysema, or cystic fibrosis, with minimal bleeding risk.