Frontiers in Pharmacology (Mar 2022)

The Discovery of Novel PGK1 Activators as Apoptotic Inhibiting and Neuroprotective Agents

  • Shao-Jia Qiang,
  • Yu-Qi Shi,
  • Tong-Yu Wu,
  • Jing-Quan Wang,
  • Xue-Lian Chen,
  • Jie Su,
  • Xin-Ping Chen,
  • Jia-Zhong Li,
  • Zhe-Sheng Chen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.877706
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of long-term disability that seriously endangers health and quality of human life. Tissue-type fibrinogen activator is currently the only drug approved by FDA for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Neuroprotection is theoretically a common strategy for the treatment of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke; therefore, the development of neuroprotective agent has been the focus of research. However, no ideal neuroprotective drug is clinically available. Phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK1) activator has the effect of inhibiting apoptosis and protecting tissue damage, and therefore could be a potential neuroprotective agent. To obtain effective PGK1 activators, we virtually screened a large chemical database and their evaluated the efficacy by the Drosophila oxidative stress model, PGK1 enzymatic activity assay, and oxygen-glucose stripping reperfusion (OGD/R) model. The results showed that compounds 7979989, Z112553128 and AK-693/21087020 are potential PGK1 activators with protective effects against PQ-induced oxidative stress in the Drosophila model and could effectively ameliorate apoptosis induced by OGD/R-induced neuronal cell injury. Additionally, compounds 7979989 and Z112553128 are effective in alleviating LPS-induced cellular inflammation. This study indicated that these compounds are promising lead compounds that provide theoretical and material basis to the neuroprotective drug discovery.

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