VEL-0230

Cathepsins (CTSs) are lysosomal cysteine proteases that play an important role in the turnover of intracellular proteins and extracellular proteins, such as the degradation of extracellular matrices and the processing of antigenic proteins. A CTS inhibitor, NC-2300, not only suppresses bone erosion by inhibition of cathepsin K (CTSK), but also ameliorates paw swelling at inflamed joints in adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. It has been demonstrated that the amelioration of joint inflammation by NC-2300 is mediated by the downregulation of cytokine expression in dendritic cells, which are essential for Th17 activation. In this work, we studied the role for CTSs in the pathogenesis of psoriasis-like lesion in K5.Stat3C mice, a mouse model of psoriasis, in which Th17 contributes to lesion development similar to psoriasis. Psoriatic lesions expressed increased levels of Ctsk and Ctss mRNA compared with uninvolved skin and normal control skin. Similarly, the epidermis and dermis in K5.Stat3C mice demonstrated increased CTSK activities, which were sensitive to NC-2300. Topical treatment with NC-2300 significantly ameliorated 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate–induced psoriasis-like lesions in K5.Stat3C mice, and downregulated the expression of IL-12, IL-23, and Th17 cytokines. In vitro experiments revealed that TLR7 activation of bone marrow–derived myeloid dendritic cells led to increase in IL-23 at mRNA and protein levels, which were downregulated by NC-2300. These results suggest that CTSK plays a role in development of psoriatic lesions through TLR7-dependent Th17 polarization.

Cathepsin K (Cat K) degrades bone type I collagen and is a target for the pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis. Further roles for Cat K have been recently described, some of which are supported by the use of purportedly selective Cat K inhibitors in human and rodent cell-based assays. Twelve commercial and non-commercial Cat K inhibitors were profiled against a panel of purified human, rat, and mouse cysteine cathepsins and in two cell-based enzyme occupancy assays for activity against Cat K, B, and L. Ten inhibitors, including the carbohydrazide Cat K inhibitor II (Boc-Phe-Leu-NHNH-CO-NHNH-Leu-Z), the non-covalent K4b, and the epoxide NC-2300, have either little Cat K selectivity, or appear poorly cell penetrant. The amino-acetonitrile-containing inhibitors L-873724 and odanacatib show greater than 100-fold human Cat K enzyme selectivity and have similar IC50 values against each cathepsin in cell-based and enzyme assays. The basic inhibitor balicatib has greater cellular potencies than expected on the basis of purified enzyme assays. The accumulation of [14C]-balicatib in fibroblasts is blocked by prior treatment of the cells with NH4Cl, consistent with balicatib having lysosomotropic properties. These results support the use of L-873724 and odanacatib as tools to identify novel roles for Cat K using human cell-based systems, but suggest using caution in the interpretation of studies employing the other compounds.