Novel CRBN-Recruiting Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras as Degraders of Stimulator of Interferon Genes with In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy

J Med Chem. 2022 May 12;65(9):6593-6611. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01948. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Abstract

The activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway has been associated with the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, and small molecules targeting STING have emerged as a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of these diseases. While several STING inhibitors have been identified with potent anti-inflammatory effects, we would like to explore STING degraders based on the proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology as an alternative strategy to target the STING pathway. Thus, we designed and synthesized a series of STING protein degraders based on a small-molecule STING inhibitor (C-170) and pomalidomide (a CRBN ligand). These compounds demonstrated moderate STING-degrading activities. Among them, SP23 achieved the highest degradation potency with a DC50 of 3.2 μM. Importantly, SP23 exerted high anti-inflammatory efficacy in a cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury mouse model by modulating the STING signaling pathway. Taken together, SP23 represents the first PROTAC degrader of STING deserving further investigation as a new anti-inflammatory agent.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury* / chemically induced
  • Acute Kidney Injury* / drug therapy
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cisplatin
  • Interferons
  • Membrane Proteins* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mice
  • Proteolysis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
  • STING Protein

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Cisplatin
  • Interferons
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Crbn protein, mouse
  • Sting1 protein, mouse
  • STING Protein