Abstract P3202: The Branched Chain α-Ketoacid Dehydrogenase Kinase (BCKDK) Inhibitor BT2 Is A Mitochondrial Uncoupler

Elevated levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disease including heart failure, diabetes, and obesity. BCAAs are first transaminated into their respective branched-chain α-ketoacids (BCKAs) by the mitochondrial branched-chain amino-transaminase (BCAT m ). The pharmacological agent BT2 (dichloropheno[b]thiophene-2-carboxylic-acid) was designed to induce catabolism of BCAAs by inhibiting the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK). The function of BCKDK is to phosphorylate and therefore deactivate the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH), an enzymatic complex that converts the BCKAs into their respective R-CoAs. Although it has been shown that BT2 protects from heart failure and metabolic disease in animal models, recent studies have suggested that its protective effects may originate from a mechanism independent of targeting BCAA oxidation. The objective of this study was to investigate alternative molecular mechanisms by which BT2 may confer cardioprotection and protect from metabolic disease. We hypothesized that BT2 is a mitochondrial uncoupler based on its chemical structure as a lipophilic weak acid. We demonstrate BT2 is a mitochondrial uncoupler using a combination of respirometry, membrane potential, and patch-clamp electrophysiology. BT2 has 20% of the potency of the chemical uncoupler 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). The data suggest BT2 may exert some of its cardioprotective effects and protection from metabolic disease via mitochondrial uncoupling.