title: Development of A Cell-Based Assay to Identify Small Molecule Inhibitors of FGF23 Signaling.
abstract: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a bone-derived endocrine key regulator of phosphate homeostasis. It inhibits renal tubular phosphate reabsorption by activating receptor complexes composed of FGF receptor 1c (FGFR1c) and the co-receptor Klotho. As a major signaling pathway mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is employed. In this study, we established an FGF23-inducible cell model by stably expressing human Klotho in HEK293 cells (HEK293-KL cells) containing endogenous FGF receptors. To identify novel small molecule compounds that modulate FGF23/FGFR1c/Klotho signaling, we developed and optimized a cell-based assay that is suited for high-throughput screening. The assay monitors the phosphorylation of endogenous extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 in cellular lysates of HEK293-KL cells after induction with FGF23. This cell-based assay was highly robust (Z' factor >0.5) and the induction of the system is strictly dependent on the presence of FGF23. The inhibitor response curves generated using two known MAPK pathway inhibitors correlate well with data obtained by another assay format. This assay was further used to identify small molecule modulators of the FGF23 signaling cascade by screening the 1,280 food and drug administration-approved small molecule library of Prestwick Chemical. The primary hit rate was 2% and false positives were efficiently identified by retesting the hits in primary and secondary validation screening assays and in western blot analysis. Intriguingly, by using a basic FGF (bFGF)/FGFR counterscreening approach, one validated hit compound retained specificity toward FGF23 signaling, while bFGF signaling was not affected. Since increased plasma concentrations of FGF23 are the main cause of many hypophosphatemic disorders, a modulation of its effect could be a potential novel strategy for therapeutic intervention. Moreover, this strategy may be valuable for other disorders affecting phosphate homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: 1 German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Human Genetics , HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany .
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diener
authors.affiliation: 2 Assay Development and Screening Platform, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Molecular Toxicology and Pharmacology , HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany .
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schorpp
authors.affiliation: 1 German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Human Genetics , HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany .|3 Institute of Human Genetics, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München , Munich, Bavaria, Germany .
authors.forename: Tim-Matthias
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Strom
authors.affiliation: 2 Assay Development and Screening Platform, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Molecular Toxicology and Pharmacology , HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany .
authors.forename: Kamyar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hadian
authors.affiliation: 1 German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Human Genetics , HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany .
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorenz-Depiereux
mesh_terms: D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C000717427:FGF23 protein, human; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23