+Search query
-Structure paper
| Title | The rise and fall of SARM1 base-exchange inhibitors. |
|---|---|
| Journal, issue, pages | Commun Chem, Vol. 9, Issue 1, Year 2026 |
| Publish date | May 19, 2026 |
Authors | Thomas Lundbäck / Vijay Chandrasekar / Chendi Gu / Hyoungseok Ju / Robyn McAdam / Maria Palomero / Kasim Sader / Bradley Peter / Lisa Wissler / Philip Nevin / Edmund Foster / Tanguy Jamier / Pravallika Manjappa / Carina Johansson / Jenny Sandmark / Mei Ding / Anette Persson-Kry / Sanhita Mitra / Tugce Munise Satir / Bilada Bilican / Mirko Messa / Graham Fraser / John Linley / Helen Plant / Rachel Moore / Tina Seifert / Michael Lerche / Carina Raynochek / Ewa Nilsson / Nour Majbour / Richard Lucey / Taiana Maia de Oliveira / Qi Wang / Iain Chessell / Perla Breccia / Rebecca Jarvis / ![]() |
| PubMed Abstract | The sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1) enzyme is a key driver of axonal degeneration in response to injury, making it an attractive target for treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral ...The sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1) enzyme is a key driver of axonal degeneration in response to injury, making it an attractive target for treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and other nervous system diseases. In this study, we identified and optimised a class of base-exchange inhibitors (BEXi) targeting human SARM1 and explored their molecular interactions and conformational effects using cryo-EM, HDX-MS and SAXS. Although BEXi produced robust inhibition across all biochemical and cellular assay formats, application at sub-inhibitory concentrations consistently led to paradoxical SARM1 activation, and in neuronal assays, accelerated neurite degeneration. Further analysis showed that BEXi only delayed, rather than prevented, neurite degeneration when applied to primary neuronal cells, even at exceedingly high inhibitor concentrations. These results prompted us to discontinue BEXi development in favour of alternative strategies, underscoring the complexity of SARM1 as a therapeutic target and the need for comprehensive, mechanistically informed screening cascades. |
External links | Commun Chem / PubMed:42156967 / PubMed Central |
| Methods | EM (single particle) |
| Resolution | 2.94 - 3.3 Å |
| Structure data | EMDB-56477, PDB-9tzw: EMDB-56479, PDB-9tzy: |
| Chemicals | ![]() PDB-1jzx: ![]()
PDB-1jz0: Unknown entry |
| Source |
|
Keywords | HYDROLASE / NAD(+) / SARM1 / TIR / Nad+ |
Movie
Controller
Structure viewers
About Yorodumi Papers



Authors

External links





homo sapiens (human)
Keywords