A High-Throughput Cell-Based Luciferase Reporter Assay for Identifying Inhibitors of ASGR1.

The asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 (ASGR1) represents a highly promising target for drug development, with its expression regulation closely linked to various diseases. Consequently, research concentrating on targeted therapies against ASGR1 holds significant importance in devising effective treatment strategies. In this study, we utilized the CRISPR-Knockin technology to insert a firely luciferase reporter gene downstream of exon 9 of the ASGR1 gene in HepG2 cell line. This modification enables the expression level of luciferase to be directly proportional to the activity intensity of the ASGR1 protein. We successfully established a drug screening and evaluation model for ASGR1 and employed it for high-throughput screening of potential inhibitors from a microbial molecular metabolite library. After our screening process, several promising candidates were identified as potential ASGR1 inhibitors. Western blotting experiment was conducted to validate the efficacy of our drug screening model, thereby providing a solid experimental foundation for the development of novel targeted therapeutics targeting ASGR1.