WZ4003 is a potent and selective inhibitor of NUAK1 and NUAK2 with IC50 values of 20 and 100 nM, respectively [1].
NUAK family SNF1-like kinase-1 (NUAK1) and the related NUAK2 belong to the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family and are activated by liver kinase B1 (LKB1) tumour suppressor protein kinase [1].
WZ4003 is a potent and selective NUAK1/2 inhibitor. In HEK-293 cells, WZ4003 inhibited the phosphorylation of myosin phosphate-targeting subunit 1 (MYPT1), which was phosphorylated by NUAK1 at Ser445. In HEK-293 cells overexpressing inhibitor-resistant NUAK1[A195T], WZ4003 didn’t inhibit the phosphorylation of MYPT1 at Ser445. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), WZ4003 significantly inhibited migration in a wound-healing assay and inhibited MEFs proliferation. In a cell invasion assay, WZ4003 inhibited the invasive potential of U2OS cells [1]. In U2OS cells, WZ4003 (10 μM) inhibited phosphorylation of MYPT1 and reduced the cells in S-phase by 50%. Also, WZ4003 prevented cells from entering into mitosis [2].
References:
[1]. Banerjee S, Buhrlage SJ, Huang HT, et al. Characterization of WZ4003 and HTH-01-015 as selective inhibitors of the LKB1-tumour-suppressor-activated NUAK kinases. Biochem J, 2014, 457(1): 215-225.
[2]. Banerjee S, Zagórska A, Deak M, et al. Interplay between Polo kinase, LKB1-activated NUAK1 kinase, PP1βMYPT1 phosphatase complex and the SCFβTrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase. Biochem J, 2014, 461(2): 233-245.