journal article·2026-02Open access

Discovery of a Novel DNMT1 Inhibitor with Improved Efficacy in Treating β‐Thalassemia

Yijie Shen, Jiale Wei, Shibing Tang, Dongliang Wu, Liangyi Zong, Shuyuan Ma, Qing Xiong, Ruijie Gong, Siyuan Xu, Chuxuan Peng, Qin Feng, Songchen Liu, Qitong Liu, Yuhua Ye, Quan Zhao, Cheng Luo, Peng Huang, Zhihai Li, Xiangqian Kong, Xianjiang Lan

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 11

Abstract

Abstract β‐thalassemia is a recessively inherited blood disorder affecting millions worldwide. Pharmacological induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is an effective therapeutic strategy, yet existing DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors, although effective HbF inducers, currently are not approved for β‐thalassemia treatment. Here, we report that DMT207, a novel non‐nucleoside DNMT1 inhibitor, robustly reactivates HbF in HUDEP‐2 cells and adult primary erythroblasts with minimal toxicity. In a mouse model of β‐thalassemia, DMT207 effectively elevates the levels of mouse fetal‐ and embryonic‐type hemoglobin, promotes the maturation of erythroid cells, and alleviates the splenomegaly. Further multi‐omics analyses expose γ‐globin as one of the most sensitive genes with promoter demethylation and transcriptional activation following DMT207 treatment. Mechanistically, DMT207 traps DNMT1 into a catalytically inactive conformation and concurrently enhances its interaction with UHRF1, which partially contributes to DNMT1 degradation. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of DMT207 for β‐thalassemia and support its further preclinical development.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders · Epigenetics and DNA Methylation · Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University 130 Dong'An Road Shanghai 200032 China

School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences No.1 Xiangshan Road Hangzhou 310024 China

Institute of Drug Discovery China‐New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health Chinese Academy of Sciences 190 Kaiyuan Avenue Guangzhou 510530 China

The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China

GMU‐GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Joint Laboratory for Cell Fate Regulation and Diseases Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 China

Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University Shanghai 200032 China

Innovation Center for Diagnostics and Treatment of Thalassemia, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences Southern Medical University Guangzhou Guangdong 510515 China

State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Sciences 555 Zuchongzhi Road Shanghai 201203 China

Funding

Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau · Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province · National Key Research and Development Program of China · National Natural Science Foundation of China

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