CK2 inhibition suppresses glial inflammation in the brain

Abstract

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative disorders. Chronic activation of astrocytes and microglia fuels neuronal damage via cytokine secretion, oxidative stress, and proteolysis. However, glial inflammatory regulation remains poorly understood. Using chemoproteomics, we identified CK2, particularly the brain-enriched catalytic subunit CK2α2, as a key driver of astrocytic inflammation. CK2 enhances NF-κB activity by phosphorylating NF-κB S529 and IκBα S32, promoting pro-inflammatory gene expression. CK2 inhibition via genetic or chemical approaches dampens inflammation, including IL-6 and IL-8 expression in an acute neuroinflammation mouse model. CK2α2 is upregulated in AD postmortem tissues and patient-derived astrocytes. AD astrocytes exhibit a hyperinflammatory state that can be attenuated by CK2 inhibition. Overexpression of CK2α2 in cortical organoids mimics AD pathology, whereas CK2 inhibition using the potent, selective, and brain-penetrant probe TAL606 rescues inflammatory markers in transgenic AD mice. These findings position CK2 as a central regulator of neuroinflammation and a promising therapeutic target for AD and related disorders.