Small molecule inhibitor CRT0066101 inhibits cytokine storm syndrome in a mouse model of lung injury

Pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lungs induced by pathogenic microorganisms, immune damage, physical and chemical factors, and other factors, and the latest outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia is also an acute lung injury (ALI) induced by viral infection. However, there are currently no effective treatments for inflammatory cytokine storms in patients with ALI/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Protein kinase D (PKD) is a highly active kinase that has been shown to be associated with the production of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, small-molecule compounds that inhibit PKD may be potential drugs for the treatment of ALI/ARDS. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of the small-molecule inhibitor CRT0066101 to attenuate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokine production through in vitro cell experiments and a mouse pneumonia model. We found that CRT0066101 significantly reduced the protein and mRNA levels of LPS-induced cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β). CRT0066101 inhibited MyD88 and TLR4 expression and reduced NF-κB, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation. CRT0066101 also reduced NLRP3 activation, inhibited the assembly of the inflammasome complex, and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration and lung tissue damage. Taken together, our data indicate that CRT0066101 exerts anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced inflammation through the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway, suggesting that CRT0066101 may have therapeutic value in acute lung injury and other MyD88-dependent inflammatory diseases.