Merestinib inhibits cuproptosis by targeting NRF2 to alleviate acute liver injury

The emergence of Cuproptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, is induced by an excess of copper ions and has been associated with the progression of multiple diseases, including liver injury, Cardiovascular Disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. However, there are currently no inhibitors available for targeting specific cuproptosis-related pathways in therapy. Here, the compound merestinib (MTB) has been identified as a strong inhibitor of Cuproptosis through screening of a kinase inhibitor library. The results show that MTB effectively blocks elesclomol-CuCl₂ (ES-Cu) induced Cuproptosis by preventing the aggregation of lipoylated proteins and the destabilization of Fe-S cluster proteins, thereby preventing proteotoxic stress and ultimately cell death. Mechanistically, MTB decreases oxidative stress levels by binding directly to NRF2. Additionally, it boosts the efficiency of the copper homeostasis and facilitates the exocytosis and transportation of copper ions, ultimately inhibiting Cuproptosis. Furthermore, our research showed that MTB has the ability to alleviate cuproptosis-driven acute liver injury in mice. These findings suggest that MTB is a specific inhibitor of Cuproptosis, presenting a hopeful option for therapeutic approaches in cuproptosis-related diseases.

Acute liver injury; Copper homeostasis; Cuproptosis; Merestinib; NRF2.