Download MendeleyAI-based discovery and cryoEM structural elucidation of a K ATP channel pharmacochaperone.
Elsheikh, A., Driggers, C.M., Truong, H.H., Yang, Z., Allen, J., Henriksen, N.M., Walczewska-Szewc, K., Shyng, S.L.(2025) Elife 13
- PubMed: 40135739
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.103159
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
9DFX - PubMed Abstract:
Pancreatic K ATP channel trafficking defects underlie congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) cases unresponsive to the K ATP channel opener diazoxide, the mainstay medical therapy for CHI. Current clinically used K ATP channel inhibitors have been shown to act as pharmacochaperones and restore surface expression of trafficking mutants; however, their therapeutic utility for K ATP trafficking-impaired CHI is hindered by high affinity binding, which limits functional recovery of rescued channels. Recent structural studies of K ATP channels employing cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) have revealed a promiscuous pocket where several known K ATP pharmacochaperones bind. The structural knowledge provides a framework for discovering K ATP channel pharmacochaperones with desired reversible inhibitory effects to permit functional recovery of rescued channels. Using an AI-based virtual screening technology AtomNet followed by functional validation, we identified a novel compound, termed Aekatperone, which exhibits chaperoning effects on K ATP channel trafficking mutations. Aekatperone reversibly inhibits K ATP channel activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) ~9 μM. Mutant channels rescued to the cell surface by Aekatperone showed functional recovery upon washout of the compound. CryoEM structure of K ATP bound to Aekatperone revealed distinct binding features compared to known high affinity inhibitor pharmacochaperones. Our findings unveil a K ATP pharmacochaperone enabling functional recovery of rescued channels as a promising therapeutic for CHI caused by K ATP trafficking defects.
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, United States.
Organizational Affiliation:
