Scalaradial Is a Potent Inhibitor of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 (TRPM2) Ion Channels

TRPM2 is a CA²⁺-permeable, nonselective cation channel that plays a role in oxidant-induced cell death, Insulin secretion, and cytokine release. Few TRPM2 inhibitors have been reported, which hampers the validation of TRPM2 as a drug target. While screening our in-house marine-derived chemical library, we identified scalaradial and 12-deacetylscalaradial as the active components within an extract of an undescribed species of Cacospongia (class Demospongiae, family Thorectidae) that strongly inhibited TRPM2-mediated CA²⁺ influx in TRPM2-overexpressing HEK293 cells. In whole-cell patch-clamp experiments, scalaradial (and similarly 12-deacetylscalaradial) inhibited TRPM2-mediated currents in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (∼20 min to full onset; IC₅₀ 210 nM). Scalaradial inhibited TRPM7 with less potency (IC₅₀ 760 nM) but failed to inhibit CRAC, TRPM4, and TRPV1 currents in whole-cell patch clamp experiments. Scalaradial's effect on TRPM2 channels was shown to be independent of its well-known ability to inhibit secreted Phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) and its reported effects on extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and Akt pathways. In addition, scalaradial was shown to inhibit endogenous TRPM2 currents in a rat insulinoma cell line (IC₅₀ 330 nM). Based on its potency and emerging specificity profile, scalaradial is an important addition to the small number of known TRPM2 inhibitors.