Selective modulation of the androgen receptor AF2 domain rescues degeneration in spinal bulbar muscular atrophy

Nisha M. Badders, Ane Korff, Helen C. Miranda, Pradeep K. Vuppala, Rebecca B. Smith, Brett J. Winborn, Emmanuelle R. Quemin, Bryce L. Sopher, Jennifer Dearman, James Messing, Nam Chul Kim, Jennifer Moore, Brian D. Freibaum, Anderson P. Kanagaraj, Baochang Fan, Heather Tillman, Ping Chung Chen, Yingzhe Wang, Burgess B. Freeman, Yimei LiHong Joo Kim, Albert R. La Spada, J. Paul Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a motor neuron disease caused by toxic gain of function of the androgen receptor (AR). Previously, we found that co-regulator binding through the activation function-2 (AF2) domain of AR is essential for pathogenesis, suggesting that AF2 may be a potential drug target for selective modulation of toxic AR activity. We screened previously identified AF2 modulators for their ability to rescue toxicity in a Drosophila model of SBMA. We identified two compounds, tolfenamic acid (TA) and 1-[2-(4-methylphenoxy)ethyl]-2-[(2-phenoxyethyl)sulfanyl]-1H-benzimidazole (MEPB), as top candidates for rescuing lethality, locomotor function and neuromuscular junction defects in SBMA flies. Pharmacokinetic analyses in mice revealed a more favorable bioavailability and tissue retention of MEPB compared with TA in muscle, brain and spinal cord. In a preclinical trial in a new mouse model of SBMA, MEPB treatment yielded a dose-dependent rescue from loss of body weight, rotarod activity and grip strength. In addition, MEPB ameliorated neuronal loss, neurogenic atrophy and testicular atrophy, validating AF2 modulation as a potent androgen-sparing strategy for SBMA therapy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)427-437
Number of pages11
JournalNature Medicine
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank N. Nedelsky for editorial assistance. We thank the transgenic core facility at St. Jude for production of AR121Q transgenic mice and ARC Technical Services at St. Jude for surgical and animal care assistance. We also thank W. Denney for guidance in use of the 'PKNCA' R package. This work was supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (J.P.T.), the American-Lebanese-Syrian Associated Charities (J.P.T., H.T.), NIH R01 NS053825 (J.P.T.), NIH R01 NS100023 (A.R.L.), the Muscular Dystrophy Association (A.R.L.) and the Kennedy's Disease Association (H.C.M.).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Nature America, Inc., part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.

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