Connectivity mapping of glomerular proteins identifies dimethylaminoparthenolide as a new inhibitor of diabetic kidney disease

Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 10;10(1):14898. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71950-7.

Abstract

While blocking the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) has been the main therapeutic strategy to control diabetic kidney disease (DKD) for many years, 25-30% of diabetic patients still develop the disease. In the present work we adopted a systems biology strategy to analyze glomerular protein signatures to identify drugs with potential therapeutic properties in DKD acting through a RAAS-independent mechanism. Glomeruli were isolated from wild type and type 1 diabetic (Ins2Akita) mice treated or not with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) ramipril. Ramipril efficiently reduced the urinary albumin/creatine ratio (ACR) of Ins2Akita mice without modifying DKD-associated renal-injuries. Large scale quantitative proteomics was used to identify the DKD-associated glomerular proteins (DKD-GPs) that were ramipril-insensitive (RI-DKD-GPs). The raw data are publicly available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD018728. We then applied an in silico drug repurposing approach using a pattern-matching algorithm (Connectivity Mapping) to compare the RI-DKD-GPs's signature with a collection of thousands of transcriptional signatures of bioactive compounds. The sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide was identified as one of the top compounds predicted to reverse the RI-DKD-GPs's signature. Oral treatment of 2 months old Ins2Akita mice with dimethylaminoparthenolide (DMAPT, a water-soluble analogue of parthenolide) for two months at 10 mg/kg/d by gavage significantly reduced urinary ACR. However, in contrast to ramipril, DMAPT also significantly reduced glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Using a system biology approach, we identified DMAPT, as a compound with a potential add-on value to standard-of-care ACEi-treatment in DKD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Connectome / methods
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / drug therapy*
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / etiology
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / metabolism
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate
  • Kidney Glomerulus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Renin-Angiotensin System / drug effects
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • LC-1 compound
  • Sesquiterpenes