PH-002 is an inhibitor of the interaction between the amino- and carboxy-terminal domains of apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4; IC50 = 116 nM in a FRET reporter assay for domain interaction).1,2 It restores intracellular trafficking of ApoE4 to the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in Neuro-2a cells expressing EGFP-ApoE4 or EGFP-ApoE4-R61T, a mutation that impairs ApoE4 domain interactions, when used at a concentration of 100 nM. PH-002 also prevents impairments in neurite outgrowth and dendritic spine development induced by expression of ApoE4 in Neuro-2a cells. It restores levels of mitochondrial complex IV subunit 1 in Neuro-2a cells expressing ApoE4 (EC50 = 39 nM) and increases mitochondrial motility in PC12 cells expressing ApoE4 (EC50 = <1 nM).1
1.Chen, H.-K., Liu, Z., Meyer-Franke, A., et al.Small molecule structure correctors abolish detrimental effects of apolipoprotein E4 in cultured neuronsJ. Biol. Chem.287(8)5253-5266(2012) 2.Brodbeck, J., McGuire, J., Liu, Z., et al.Structure-dependent impairment of intracellular apolipoprotein E4 trafficking and its detrimental effects are rescued by small-molecule structure correctorsJ. Biol. Chem.286(19)17217-17226(2011)