Pseudoirreversible inhibition elicits persistent efficacy of a sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 antagonist

Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1), a G protein-coupled receptor, is required for lymphocyte trafficking, and is a promising therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases. Here, we synthesize a competitive S1PR1 antagonist, KSI-6666, that effectively suppresses pathogenic inflammation. Metadynamics simulations suggest that the interaction of KSI-6666 with a methionine residue Met124 in the ligand-binding pocket of S1PR1 may inhibit the dissociation of KSI-6666 from S1PR1. Consistently, in vitro functional and mutational analyses reveal that KSI-6666 causes pseudoirreversible inhibition of S1PR1, dependent on the Met124 of the protein and substituents on the distal benzene ring of KSI-6666. Moreover, in vivo study suggests that this pseudoirreversible inhibition is responsible for the persistent activity of KSI-6666.