Global food biotechnology regulations and urgency for harmonization

Drugs that can protect against organ damage are urgently needed, especially for diseases such as sepsis and brain stroke. We discovered that ​terazosin (​TZ), a widely marketed α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, alleviated organ damage and improved survival in rodent models of stroke and sepsis. Through combined studies of enzymology and X-ray crystallography, we discovered that ​TZ binds a new target, ​phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (​Pgk1), and activates its enzymatic activity, probably through 2,4-diamino-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinoline′s ability to promote ​ATP release from ​Pgk1. Mechanistically, the ​ATP generated from ​Pgk1 may enhance the chaperone activity of Hsp90, an ATPase known to associate with ​Pgk1. Upon activation, Hsp90 promotes multistress resistance. Our studies demonstrate that ​TZ has a new protein target, ​Pgk1, and reveal its corresponding biological effect. As a clinical drug, ​TZ may be quickly translated into treatments for diseases including stroke and sepsis