A Gut-Restricted Lithocholic Acid Analog as an Inhibitor of Gut Bacterial Bile Salt Hydrolases

ACS Chem Biol. 2021 Aug 20;16(8):1401-1412. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00192. Epub 2021 Jul 19.

Abstract

Bile acids play crucial roles in host physiology by acting both as detergents that aid in digestion and as signaling molecules that bind to host receptors. Gut bacterial bile salt hydrolase (BSH) enzymes perform the gateway reaction leading to the conversion of host-produced primary bile acids into bacterially modified secondary bile acids. Small molecule probes that target BSHs will help elucidate the causal roles of these metabolites in host physiology. We previously reported the development of a covalent BSH inhibitor with low gut permeability. Here, we build on our previous findings and describe the development of a second-generation gut-restricted BSH inhibitor with enhanced potency, reduced off-target effects, and durable in vivo efficacy. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies focused on the bile acid core identified a compound, AAA-10, containing a C3-sulfonated lithocholic acid scaffold and an alpha-fluoromethyl ketone warhead as a potent pan-BSH inhibitor. This compound inhibits BSH activity in mouse and human fecal slurry, bacterial cultures, and purified BSH proteins and displays reduced toxicity against mammalian cells compared to first generation compounds. Oral administration of AAA-10 to wild-type mice for 5 days resulted in a decrease in the abundance of the secondary bile acids deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA) in the mouse GI tract with low systemic exposure of AAA-10, demonstrating that AAA-10 is an effective tool for inhibiting BSH activity and modulating bile acid pool composition in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amidohydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Animals
  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Bile Acids and Salts / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / toxicity
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Feces / enzymology
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Lithocholic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lithocholic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Lithocholic Acid / toxicity
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Structure
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Lithocholic Acid
  • Amidohydrolases
  • choloylglycine hydrolase