Neuroinflammation inhibition by small-molecule targeting USP7 noncatalytic domain for neurodegenerative disease therapy
Xiao-Wen Zhang, Na Feng, Yan-Chen Liu, Qiang Guo, Jingkang Wang, Yizhen Bai, Xiaoming Ye, Zhuo Yang, Heng Yang, Yang Liu, Mi-Mi Yang, Yan-Hang Wang, Xiaomeng Shi, Dan Liu, Pengfei Tu, Ke‐Wu Zeng
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a fundamental contributor to progressive neuronal damage, which arouses a heightened interest in neurodegenerative disease therapy. Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) has a crucial role in regulating protein stability in multiple biological processes; however, the potential role of USP7 in neurodegenerative progression is poorly understood. Here, we discover the natural small molecule eupalinolide B (EB), which targets USP7 to inhibit microglia activation. Cocrystal structure reveals a previously undisclosed covalent allosteric site, Cys 576 , in a unique noncatalytic HUBL domain. By selectively modifying Cys 576 , EB allosterically inhibits USP7 to cause a ubiquitination-dependent degradation of Keap1. Keap1 function loss further results in an Nrf2-dependent transcription activation of anti-neuroinflammation genes in microglia. In vivo, pharmacological USP7 inhibition attenuates microglia activation and resultant neuron injury, thereby notably improving behavioral deficits in dementia and Parkinson’s disease mouse models. Collectively, our findings provide an attractive future direction for neurodegenerative disease therapy by inhibiting microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by targeting USP7.