IPA-3

IPA-3 is a synthetic small molecule that acts as a highly selective, non–ATP competitive allosteric inhibitor of p21–activated kinase 1 (PAK1), a serine/threonine kinase involved in cytoskeletal dynamics, cell motility, proliferation, and survival. It binds covalently to the autoregulatory domain of PAK1 and prevents its activation by upstream GTPases such as Cdc42 and Rac. This mechanism confers high selectivity for group I PAKs (PAK1/2/3), with minimal activity against other kinases. Preclinical studies have shown that IPA-3 can inhibit cancer cell proliferation and motility, induce apoptosis in tumor cells (notably hepatocellular carcinoma), suppress tumor growth in xenograft models, and promote recovery after spinal cord injury by modulating inflammatory mediators. Its redox reactivity limits its use as an experimental tool rather than a clinical candidate[5][6][9].

Other names

1-[(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)disulfanyl]naphthalen-2-ol2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-dinaphthyldisulfide