TGF-β receptor-specific NanoBRET Target Engagement in living cells for high-throughput kinase inhibitor screens.

Targeting transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptors is a promising pharmacological approach to normalize aberrant signaling in genetic and non-genetic TGF-β associated diseases including fibrosis, cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders. To identify novel TGF-β receptor kinase inhibitors, methods like in vitro kinase assays, western blot or transcriptional reporter assays are often used for screening purposes. While these methods may have certain advantages, the lack of integration of key features such as receptor specificity, high-throughput capability, and cellular context resemblance remains a major disadvantage.