Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Cell Death Publication

PUBLICATION

A potent NLRP3 inhibitor effective against both MCC950-sensitive and -resistant inflammation
Author
Wonyoung Kim#, Soyeon Kim# , Hawon Woo, Renuka Anil Jojare, Raghvendra Mall, Asia Nicotra, Benedicte F Py, Chinh Ngo, Si Ming Man, Chirag N Patel*, Rajendra Karki*
Journal
Cell chemical biology
Status
2025
Vol
32(9)
Page
1125-1139
Year
2025

# These authors contributed equally

Correspondence

Abstract

The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome detects a broad spectrum of pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs), initiating inflammatory responses through caspase-1 activation and interleukin (IL)-1β/IL-18 release. Dysregulated NLRP3 activation is implicated in a range of diseases, including infectious diseases, autoinflammatory disorders, metabolic disorders, and cancer, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we identify ZAP-180013 as a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of NLRP3 through high-throughput chemical screening. Molecular docking predicted that ZAP-180013 interacts with histidine 698 (H698) in NLRP3; this was validated by H698A substitution, which abolished binding and inhibitory activity. ZAP-180013 effectively inhibited inflammasome activation in human myeloid cells, including those carrying MCC950-resistant NLRP3 mutations. In vivo, systemic administration of ZAP-180013 ameliorated psoriasiform skin inflammation and protected against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine responses in mice. These findings establish ZAP-180013 as a potent and selective NLRP3 inhibitor with translational potential in both MCC950-sensitive and -resistant inflammatory disease settings.

Keywords: ASC; GSDMD; HTS; NLRP3 inflammasome; ZAP-180013; caspase-1; cell death; high-throughput screening,; inflammatory cytokines; pyroptosis.