Discovery of Novel Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 Inhibitors for Potential Oral Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

J Med Chem. 2019 Jan 24;62(2):575-588. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01168. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Abstract

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) activation is associated with metabolic diseases including hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, allergies, and cancer. Structural modifications of hit anthraquinone led to the identification of a new series of allosteric PDK4 inhibitors. Among this series, compound 8c showed promising in vitro activity with an IC50 value of 84 nM. Good metabolic stability, pharmacokinetic profiles, and possible metabolites were suggested. Compound 8c improved glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice and ameliorated allergic reactions in a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis mouse model. Additionally, compound 8c exhibited anticancer activity by controlling cell proliferation, transformation, and apoptosis. From the molecular docking studies, compound 8c displayed optimal fitting in the lipoamide binding site (allosteric) with a full fitness, providing a new scaffold for drug development toward PDK4 inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Anthraquinones / chemistry
  • Anthraquinones / metabolism
  • Anthraquinones / therapeutic use
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / metabolism
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Metabolic Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Metabolic Diseases / pathology
  • Metabolic Diseases / veterinary
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Obese
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Obesity / drug therapy
  • Obesity / pathology
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Protein Kinases / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinases
  • pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4