Emma Stutler, “The Discovery of Novel Anti-inflammatory Drugs Targeting Protease-Activated Receptor 1”
Mentor: Alexander Arnold, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Poster #191

Kidney disease is responsible for a rapidly growing number of deaths in the United States each year, and current treatment options are insufficient. Afflicted patients suffer from chronic inflammation, which gradually destroys their kidneys as the disease progresses. The target of this project is protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1), a unique protein that directs blood clotting, immune response, and inflammation. We are developing a new class of drugs called parmodulins that are capable of regulating the signals transmitted by PAR1, thus controlling the inflammatory responses in kidney cells. In this study, specific analogs of prior “hit” compounds were synthesized, aiming to identify examples with increased potency and improved properties for use as a drug. The synthesis of several examples will be highlighted in this poster, along with discussion of their purification and characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and a PAR1-driven cell assay. These compounds may be useful in the future for the treatment of kidney disease and other inflammation-related disorders.