CC-401 Promotes β-Cell Replication via Pleiotropic Consequences of DYRK1A/B Inhibition

Endocrinology. 2018 Sep 1;159(9):3143-3157. doi: 10.1210/en.2018-00083.

Abstract

Pharmacologic expansion of endogenous β cells is a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetes. To elucidate the molecular pathways that control β-cell growth we screened ∼2400 bioactive compounds for rat β-cell replication-modulating activity. Numerous hit compounds impaired or promoted rat β-cell replication, including CC-401, an advanced clinical candidate previously characterized as a c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor. Surprisingly, CC-401 induced rodent (in vitro and in vivo) and human (in vitro) β-cell replication via dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase (DYRK) 1A and 1B inhibition. In contrast to rat β cells, which were broadly growth responsive to compound treatment, human β-cell replication was only consistently induced by DYRK1A/B inhibitors. This effect was enhanced by simultaneous glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) or activin A receptor type II-like kinase/transforming growth factor-β (ALK5/TGF-β) inhibition. Prior work emphasized DYRK1A/B inhibition-dependent activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) as the primary mechanism of human β-cell-replication induction. However, inhibition of NFAT activity had limited effect on CC-401-induced β-cell replication. Consequently, we investigated additional effects of CC-401-dependent DYRK1A/B inhibition. Indeed, CC-401 inhibited DYRK1A-dependent phosphorylation/stabilization of the β-cell-replication inhibitor p27Kip1. Additionally, CC-401 increased expression of numerous replication-promoting genes normally suppressed by the dimerization partner, RB-like, E2F and multivulval class B (DREAM) complex, which depends upon DYRK1A/B activity for integrity, including MYBL2 and FOXM1. In summary, we present a compendium of compounds as a valuable resource for manipulating the signaling pathways that control β-cell replication and leverage a DYRK1A/B inhibitor (CC-401) to expand our understanding of the molecular pathways that control β-cell growth.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / drug effects
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / metabolism
  • Dyrk Kinases
  • Female
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1 / drug effects
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1 / metabolism
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects*
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins / drug effects
  • Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / drug effects
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Pyrazolones / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Repressor Proteins / drug effects
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / drug effects
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / drug effects
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • CC 401
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1
  • KCNIP3 protein, human
  • Kcnip3 protein, rat
  • Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins
  • MYBL2 protein, human
  • Mybl2 protein, rat
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Pyrazolones
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I