Engaging a Non-catalytic Cysteine Residue Drives Potent and Selective Inhibition of Caspase-6

J Am Chem Soc. 2023 May 10;145(18):10015-10021. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c12240. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Abstract

Caspases are a family of cysteine-dependent proteases with important cellular functions in inflammation and apoptosis, while also implicated in human diseases. Classical chemical tools to study caspase functions lack selectivity for specific caspase family members due to highly conserved active sites and catalytic machinery. To overcome this limitation, we targeted a non-catalytic cysteine residue (C264) unique to caspase-6 (C6), an enigmatic and understudied caspase isoform. Starting from disulfide ligands identified in a cysteine trapping screen, we used a structure-informed covalent ligand design to produce potent, irreversible inhibitors (3a) and chemoproteomic probes (13-t) of C6 that exhibit unprecedented selectivity over other caspase family members and high proteome selectivity. This approach and the new tools described will enable rigorous interrogation of the role of caspase-6 in developmental biology and in inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Caspase 6
  • Caspases*
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Cysteine*
  • Humans

Substances

  • Caspase 6
  • Cysteine
  • Caspases
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors