In vitro activity:DMH1 inhibits BMP signaling with IC50 of 100 nM, and selectively inhibits the BMP-induced Smad1/5/8 activation. DMH1 increases cardiomyocyte progenitors and promotes cardiac differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells. In addition, DMH1 as a BMP inhibitor, significantly reduces NSCLC cell growth, migration and invasion.

Kinase Assay: All kinase assays are conducted by Reaction Biology Corp. In brief, compounds are tested at 10 concentrations by 3-fold serial dilutions starting at 30 μM, using nonspecific kinase inhibitor staurosporine as control. In vitro kinase reactions are carried out in the presence of 10 μM (33P)γATP. Five kinases tested are the human BMP type-I receptor activin receptor-like kinase 2 (ALK-2/ACVR1), the human TGFβ type-I receptor activin receptor-like kinase 5 (Alk5/TGFβR1), the human VEGF type-II receptor (KDR/Flk-1/VEGFR2), the human AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK/A1/B1/G1) and the human platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFRβ).

Cell Assay: About 10,000 A549 cells per well are seeded in 96-well plates and incubated for overnight. The culture medium is then changed to fresh medium containing DMSO or DMH1 at various concentrations. The cells are then incubated for 48 hours and 96 hours before treatment termination by replacing the medium with 100 μL of 10% trichloroacetic acid in 1× PBS, followed by incubation at 4°C for at least 1 hour. Subsequently, the plates are washed with water and air dried. The plates are stained with 50 μL 0.4% sulphorhodamine assay in 1% acetic acid for 30 minutes at room temperature. Unbound dye is washed off with 1% acetic acid. After air drying and solubilization of the protein-bound dye in 10 mM Tris solution, absorbance is read in a microplate reader at 565 nm.

ACS Chem Biol. 2010 Feb 19;5(2):245-53; ACS Chem Biol. 2011 Sep 16;6(9):952-61.