Protein Assembly Modulation: A New Approach to ALS Therapeutics

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with a complex, multifactorial pathophysiology, most commonly manifest as loss of motor neurons. We introduce a new mechanism of ALS pathogenesis via a novel drug-like small molecule series that targets protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) within a previously unappreciated transient and energy-dependent multi-protein complex. This novel drug was found to have activity in cellular models for both familial and sporadic ALS, as well as in transgenic worms, flies, and mice bearing a diversity of human genes with ALS-associated mutations. These compounds were initially identified as modulators of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) capsid assembly in cell-free protein synthesis and assembly (CFPSA) systems, with demonstrated antiviral activity in cell culture. Their advancement as ALS-therapeutics, and the subsequent separation of activity against HIV and ALS in chemical subseries through structure-activity-relationship optimization, may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms governing pathophysiology of disordered homeostasis relevant to ALS.