Browsing by keyword "Hydrolase"

Now showing items 1-2 of 2

    • The chemical biology of NAD regulation in axon degeneration
      Icso, Janneke; Thompson, Paul R (2022-07-01)
      During axon degeneration, NAD+ levels are largely controlled by two enzymes: nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2 (NMNAT2) and sterile alpha and toll interleukin motif containing protein 1 (SARM1). NMNAT2, which catalyzes the formation of NAD+ from NMN and ATP, is actively degraded leading to decreased NAD+ levels. SARM1 activity further decreases the concentration of NAD+ by catalyzing its hydrolysis to form nicotinamide and a mixture of ADPR and cADPR. Notably, SARM1 knockout mice show decreased neurodegeneration in animal models of axon degeneration, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting this novel NAD+ hydrolase. This review discusses recent advances in the SARM1 field, including SARM1 structure, regulation, and catalysis as well as the identification of the first SARM1 inhibitors.

    • Identification of the first noncompetitive SARM1 inhibitors
      Loring, Heather S.; Parelkar, Sangram; Mondal, Santanu; Thompson, Paul R (2020-09-15)
      Sterile Alpha and Toll Interleukin Receptor Motif-containing protein 1 (SARM1) is a key therapeutic target for diseases that exhibit Wallerian-like degeneration; Wallerian degeneration is characterized by degeneration of the axon distal to the site of injury. These diseases include traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy, and neurodegenerative diseases. SARM1 promotes neurodegeneration by catalyzing the hydrolysis of NAD(+) to form a mixture of ADPR and cADPR. Notably, SARM1 knockdown prevents degeneration, indicating that SARM1 inhibitors will likely be efficacious in treating these diseases. Consistent with this hypothesis is the observation that NAD(+) supplementation is axoprotective. To identify compounds that block the NAD(+) hydrolase activity of SARM1, we developed and performed a high-throughput screen (HTS). This HTS assay exploits an NAD(+) analog, etheno-NAD(+) (ENAD) that fluoresces upon cleavage of the nicotinamide moiety. From this screen, we identified berberine chloride and zinc chloride as the first noncompetitive inhibitors of SARM1. Though modest in potency, the noncompetitive mode of inhibition, suggests the presence of an allosteric binding pocket on SARM1 that can be targeted for future therapeutic development. Additionally, zinc inhibition and site-directed mutagenesis reveals that cysteines 629 and 635 are critical for SARM1 catalysis, highlighting these sites for the design of inhibitors targeting SARM1.