ABSTRACT
To understand the species selectivity in a series of alpha-methyl-alpha-phenoxy carboxylic acid PPARalpha/gamma dual agonists (1-11), structure-based molecular modeling was carried out in the ligand binding pockets of both human and mouse PPARalpha. This study suggested that interaction of both 4-phenoxy and phenyloxazole substituents of these ligands with F272 and M279 in mouse PPARalpha leads to the species-specific divergence in ligand binding. Insights obtained in the molecular modeling studies of these key interactions resulted in the ability to convert a human-selective PPARalpha agonist to a human and mouse dual agonist within the same platform.
Subject(s)
Cinnamates/chemical synthesis , Models, Molecular , PPAR alpha/agonists , Animals , Cinnamates/chemistry , Cinnamates/pharmacology , Drug Design , Humans , Ligands , Mice , Molecular Structure , Species Specificity , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
The design and synthesis of the dual peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) alpha/gamma agonist (S)-2-methyl-3-[4-[2-(5-methyl-2-thiophen-2-yl-oxazol-4-yl)ethoxy]phenyl]-2-phenoxypropionic acid (2) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and associated dyslipidemia are described. 2 possesses a potent dual hPPAR alpha/gamma agonist profile (IC(50) = 28 and 10 nM; EC(50) = 9 and 4 nM, respectively, for hPPARalpha and hPPARgamma). In preclinical models, 2 substantially improves insulin sensitivity and potently reverses diabetic hyperglycemia while significantly improving overall lipid homeostasis.
