前 言
非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)是一种与肥胖、血脂异常、2型糖尿病和代谢综合征密切相关的疾病,可能会发展为肝硬化、终末期肝病甚至肝癌。据美国肝脏基金会统计数据显示,截至2023年8月,美国成年人中有5%的NASH患者(而NAFLD患者高达25%),且FDA尚未批准任何用于NASH临床治疗的药物。由于NASH发病机制复杂,药物研发道路曲折漫长,主要集中FASN、THR-β、NR1H4/FXR、GLP-1R、PPARA、FGF19、FGF21、ACLY等靶点。
01 NASH基本概念
非酒精性脂肪性肝病(NAFLD)是指除酒精和其他明确损肝因素外,肝细胞内脂肪过度沉积或代谢紊乱引起的慢性肝病,包括单纯性脂肪肝(NAFL)、非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)、肝纤维化及肝硬化。2022年9月,柳叶刀子刊发表的一项针对全球NAFLD流行病学系统性回顾和荟萃分析显示,全球成人NAFLD患病率约为32.4%。换句话说,全球平均每3个人中就有1人罹患NAFLD。
非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)是以脂肪在肝脏的过度积累和炎症为特征,可由多种因素导致。大约有15%-25%的NAFLD患者会发展为NASH。NASH一旦发展为晚期,就会引起肝细胞增殖丧失及再生能力下降,进而引发炎症和肝纤维化,并最终可能导致肝硬化、肝功能衰竭,甚至发展为肝癌。
02 NASH治疗靶点研究
对NASH生理和病理机制进行全面的研究,寻找潜在的治疗靶点和生物标志物,对开发有效的干预措施和治疗方案具有重要意义。目前研究表明,FASN、THR-β、NR1H4/FXR、GLP-1R、PPARA、FGF19、FGF21、ACLY等靶点的在体内的失衡与NASH紧密相关。
根据Evaluate Pharm和Frost & Sullivan的评估,到2025年全球NASH药物市场预计将达到350-400亿美元。Madrigal公司的THR-β激动剂(Resmetirom)治疗NASH的III期临床达到主要终点和关键次要终点,可能会成为首款获FDA批准上市的NASH药物。Akero公布的FGF21类似物(Efruxifermin)结果显示,在IIb期临床试验中可改善41%受试者肝纤维化程度,刷新了NASH新药有效性数据。还有今年在减肥领域大火的Retatrutide(GIP/GLP-1/GCG三受体激动剂)在NASH方面的II期临床数据让人感到惊讶,在98名NAFLD患者中肝脏脂肪显著减少,且NASH相关生物标志物显著改善。
NASH相关治疗靶点与在研药物 | |||
靶点 | 作用机制 | 在研药物 | 药理机制 |
FASN | 失调导致脂肪变性,影响脂代谢,是NASH发生病变的一个重要标志 | FASN抑制剂 | 减少肝脏脂肪积累并减轻炎症 |
THR-β | 信号传导失调破坏代谢平衡,导致脂肪积累和发生炎症 | THR-β激动剂(Resmetirom) | 调控代谢稳态并改善脂肪变性 |
NR1H4/FXR | 失调导致胆汁酸介导的肝损伤及炎症反应 | NR1H4/FXR激动剂(Tropifexor、Nidufexor) | 调节胆汁酸代谢和炎症反应 |
GLP-1R | 功能障碍可能导致胰岛素抗性及脂肪变性 | GLP-1R激动剂(Semaglutide、Liraglutide) | 提高胰岛素敏感性和减少肝脏脂肪变性 |
PPARA | 信号传导改变导致脂肪代谢受损和加剧炎症 | PPARA激动剂 | 改善脂质代谢和炎症 |
FGF19、FGF21 | 参与NASH病变肝胆汁酸调节和能量代谢 | FGF19类似物(Aldafermin)、FGF21类似物(Efruxifermin)、FGF21受体激动剂(Pegbelfermin) | 减少脂肪变性和改善肝酶活性 |
ACLY | 促进脂肪积累 | ACLY抑制剂(Bempedoic) | 预防脂肪肝变性 |
来源:参考文献1-15
03 NASH靶点在研究中的应用
重组靶点蛋白已用于NASH及其他疾病的药物发现和开发研究。Guo团队利用重组人GLP-1受体蛋白(货号:13944-H02H,义翘神州)发现并表征了一种新型GLP-1类似物Ecnoglutide。Qiao团队使用FGF19重组蛋白(货号:12226-HNAE,义翘神州)处理HepG2细胞,证实FGFR4介导FRS2α-ERK通路,为靶向FGFR4治疗肝细胞癌提供理论证据。Hu团队利用FGF19重组蛋白(义翘神州)进行细胞增殖和侵袭实验,发现在晚期浆液性卵巢癌中,发现FGF19-FGFR4信号通路可促进卵巢癌增殖和侵袭。[a1] Lee团队将人FGF21重组蛋白(义翘神州)注射到高血糖小鼠模型,发现FOXO1抑制剂和FGF21联合治疗可提高胰岛素敏感性。
用于表面等离子体共振SPR检测
结果显示GLP-1肽类似物(M2和M4)与人GLP-1R重组蛋白(货号:13944-H02H,义翘神州)的结合亲和力比GLP-1R激动剂(Semaglutide)的高10-30倍。(doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101762)
用于免疫印迹WB检测
利用FGF19重组蛋白(货号:12226-HNAE,义翘神州)或PD(FGFR4抑制剂)处理HepG2细胞,结果发现FGF19提高P-FRS2α、P-ERK、cyclin E和CDK2表达水平,而PD降低这些蛋白的表达,表明PD能阻断FGFR介导的FRS2α-ERK信号通路,影响肝细胞癌的增殖。(doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234708)
用于细胞增殖和侵袭检测
FGF19通过刺激FGFR4促进卵巢癌的进展。(C)rFGF19重组蛋白(购自义翘神州)促进卵巢癌OVCAR3细胞增殖,而FGFR4基因敲除会抑制FGF19诱导的OVCAR3细胞增殖。(D)rFGF19重组蛋白诱导的OVCAR3细胞侵袭需要FGFR4。(doi: 10.3892/or.2015.4212)
用于小鼠模型静脉注射检测
STZ诱导的糖尿病小鼠模型分别接受空白对照组、Compound 10、FGF21重组蛋白(购自义翘神州)及联合治疗(Compound 10和FGF21),(A)用药1小时后测量自由血糖浓度,(B)11天后通过口服葡萄糖耐量试验(OGTT)测定血糖水平。(doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101187.)
✦义翘神州NASH靶点明星产品
高纯度:
THR-β Protein, Human, Recombinant (His Tag), HPLC-verified, Cat: 15737-H07E
Purity ≥ 95 % as determined by SDS-PAGE,
≥ 90 % as determined by SEC-HPLC.
GLP-1R Protein, Human, Recombinant (His & AVI Tag), HPLC-verified,Cat: 13944-H49H-B
Purity ≥ 95 % as determined by SDS-PAGE,
≥ 95 % as determined by SEC-HPLC.
更多NASH靶点明星产品 | |||
货号 | 靶点 | 种属 | 纯度/标签 |
ACLY | Human | >85%、His | |
GLP-1R | Human | >95%、hFc | |
FASN | Human | >95%、His | |
FASN | Mouse | >95%、His | |
NR1H4 | Mouse | >95%、His | |
PPARA | Human | >90%、His | |
PPARA | Mouse | >90%、His | |
FGF19 | Human | >90% | |
FGF21 | Human | >95%、His | |
FGF21 | Mouse | >85%、His | |
FGF21 | Human | >95% | |
FGF21 | Hamster | >95%、His |
注:蛋白纯度均为SDS-PAGE检测结果
【参考文献】
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19. Guo, W. et al. Discovery of ecnoglutide – A novel, long-acting, cAMP-biased glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog. Mol Metab 101762 (2023) doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101762.