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Gioiello A, Rosatelli E, Cerra B. Patented Farnesoid X receptor modulators: a review (2019 - present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024; 34:547-564. [PMID: 38308658 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2314296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a key transcription factor that is involved in the bile acid signaling network. The modulation of the FXR activity influences glucose and lipid homeostasis, reduces obesity and insulin resistance, as well as it regulates the pathogenesis of inflammatory and metabolic disorders. FXR ligands have therefore emerged in drug discovery as promising therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal and liver diseases, including cancer. AREAS COVERED Recent advances in the field of FXR modulators are reviewed, with a particular attention on patent applications filed in the past 5 years related to both the discovery and development of FXR targeting drugs. EXPERT OPINION FXR agonists have proven their efficacy and safety in humans and have shown a significant potential as clinical agents to treat metabolic and inflammatory associated conditions. However, several challenges, including adverse events such as pruritus, remain to be solved. Current studies aim to gain insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms by which FXR regulates metabolism and inflammation in terms of tissue/organ/isoform-specificity, post-translational modifications and coregulatory proteins, on the route of novel, improved FXR modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antimo Gioiello
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (Lab MASC), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Bruno Cerra
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Advanced Synthetic Chemistry (Lab MASC), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Xie Y, Jin Y, Wen J, Li G, Huai X, Duan Y, Ni F, Fu J, Li M, Li L, Yan M, Cao L, Xiao W, Yang H, Wang ZZ. A novel Alisma orientale extract alleviates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice via modulation of PPARα signaling pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116908. [PMID: 38850668 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), particularly advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), leads to irreversible liver damage. This study investigated the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of a novel extract from traditional Chinese medicine Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep (AE) on free fatty acid (FFA)-induced HepG2 cell model and high-fat diet (HFD) + carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mouse model of NASH. C57BL/6 J mice were fed a HFD for 10 weeks. Subsequently, the mice were injected with CCl4 to induce NASH and simultaneously treated with AE at daily doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 4 weeks. At the end of the treatment, animals were fasted for 12 h and then sacrificed. Blood samples and liver tissues were collected for analysis. Lipid profiles, oxidative stress, and histopathology were examined. Additionally, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array was used to predict the molecular targets and potential mechanisms involved, which were further validated in vivo and in vitro. The results demonstrated that AE reversed liver damage (plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatocyte ballooning, hepatic steatosis, and NAS score), the accumulation of hepatic lipids (TG and TC), and oxidative stress (MDA and GSH). PCR array analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that AE protects against NASH by regulating the adipocytokine signaling pathway and influencing nuclear receptors such as PPARα. Furthermore, AE increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PPARGC1α) and reversed the decreased expression of PPARα in NASH mice. Moreover, in HepG2 cells, AE reduced FFA-induced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress, which was dependent on PPARα up-regulation. Overall, our findings suggest that AE may serve as a potential therapeutic approach for NASH by inhibiting lipid accumulation and reducing oxidative stress specifically through the PPARα pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xie
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Kanion School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Yimin Jin
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Kanion School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, PR China
| | - Jianhui Wen
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Guiping Li
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Xue Huai
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Yueyang Duan
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Fuyong Ni
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Juan Fu
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Ming Li
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Liang Li
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Ming Yan
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Liang Cao
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Wei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200120, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China
| | - Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200120, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China.
| | - Zhen-Zhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory on Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China; Kanion School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, PR China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222001, PR China.
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Wang Y, Yu H, Cen Z, Zhu Y, Wu W. Drug targets regulate systemic metabolism and provide new horizons to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Metabol Open 2024; 21:100267. [PMID: 38187470 PMCID: PMC10770762 DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2023.100267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is the advanced stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with rapidly rising global prevalence. It is featured with severe hepatocyte apoptosis, inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis. The drugs directly targeting the processes of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis are currently under clinical investigation. Nevertheless, the long-term ineffectiveness and remarkable adverse effects are well documented, and new concepts are required to tackle with the root causes of NASH progression. We critically assess the recently validated drug targets that regulate the systemic metabolism to ameliorate NASH. Thermogenesis promoted by mitochondrial uncouplers restores systemic energy expenditure. Furthermore, regulation of mitochondrial proteases and proteins that are pivotal for intracellular metabolic homeostasis normalize mitochondrial function. Secreted proteins also improve systemic metabolism, and NASH is ameliorated by agonizing receptors of secreted proteins with small molecules. We analyze the drug design, the advantages and shortcomings of these novel drug candidates. Meanwhile, the structural modification of current NASH therapeutics significantly increased their selectivity, efficacy and safety. Furthermore, the arising CRISPR-Cas9 screen strategy on liver organoids has enabled the identification of new genes that mediate lipid metabolism, which may serve as promising drug targets. In summary, this article discusses the in-depth novel mechanisms and the multidisciplinary approaches, and they provide new horizons to treat NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, China
| | - Hanhan Yu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Zhipeng Cen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, 528200, China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
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Sakai T, Takenaka R, Koike Y, Hira A, Mori Y. <i>p</i>-Methoxy- and 2,4-Dimethoxybenzyl <i>N</i>-Acetylcarbamate Potassium Salts: Versatile Reagents for <i>N</i>-Alkylacetamide and <i>p</i>-Methoxy- and 2,4-Dimethoxybenzyl Carbamates. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2022; 70:650-661. [DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c22-00413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yuji Mori
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University
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5
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Tian SY, Chen SM, Pan CX, Li Y. FXR: structures, biology, and drug development for NASH and fibrosis diseases. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:1120-1132. [PMID: 35217809 PMCID: PMC9061771 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-021-00849-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The nuclear receptor farnesoid-X-receptor (FXR) plays an essential role in bile acid, glucose, and lipid homeostasis. In the last two decades, several diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cholestasis, and chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver and intestine, have been revealed to be associated with alterations in FXR functions. FXR has become a promising therapeutic drug target, particularly for enterohepatic diseases. Despite the large number of FXR modulators reported, only obeticholic acid (OCA) has been approved for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) therapy as FXR modulator. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of FXR, the development of FXR modulators, and the structure-activity relationships of FXR modulators. Based on the structural analysis, we discuss potential strategies for developing future therapeutic FXR modulators to overcome current limitations, providing new perspectives for enterohepatic and metabolic diseases treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-yu Tian
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233The State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China
| | - Shu-ming Chen
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233The State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China
| | - Cheng-xi Pan
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233The State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China
| | - Yong Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
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Tang X, Ning M, Ye Y, Gu Y, Yan H, Leng Y, Shen J. Discovery of novel ketoxime ether derivatives with potent FXR agonistic activity, oral effectiveness and high liver/blood ratio. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 43:116280. [PMID: 34256254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a promising therapeutic target for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and other bile acid related diseases because it plays a critical role in fibrosis, inflammation and bile acid homeostasis. Obeticholic acid (OCA), a FXR agonist which was synthesized from chenodeoxycholic acid, showed desirable curative effects in clinical trials. However, the pruritus which was the main side effect of OCA limited its further applications in NASH. Although pruritus was also observed in the clinical trials of non-steroidal FXR agonists, the proportion of patients with pruritus was much smaller than that of OCA. Thus, we decided to develop non-steroidal FXR agonists and discovered a series of novel FXR agonists which were synthesized from GW4064 by replacing the stilbene group with ketoxime ether. Encouragingly, in the following biological tests, our target compounds 13j and 13z not only showed potent FXR agonistic activities in vitro, but also effectively promoted the expression of target genes in vivo. More importantly, in the pharmacokinetic experiments, compounds 13j and 13z displayed high liver/blood ratio characteristics which were helpful to reduce the potential side effects which were caused by prolonged systemic activation of FXR. In summary, our compounds were good choices for the development of non-steroidal FXR agonists and were deserved further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehang Tang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, Jiangxi Province, China; State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Mengmeng Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yangliang Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yipei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongyi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; Nano Science and Technology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ying Leng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jianhua Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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Shen H, Ding L, Baig M, Tian J, Wang Y, Huang W. Improving glucose and lipids metabolism: drug development based on bile acid related targets. Cell Stress 2021; 5:1-18. [PMID: 33447732 PMCID: PMC7784708 DOI: 10.15698/cst2021.01.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective treatment options for severe obesity and its comorbidities. However, it is a major surgery that poses several side effects and risks which impede its clinical use. Therefore, it is urgent to develop alternative safer pharmacological approaches to mimic bariatric surgery. Recent studies suggest that bile acids are key players in mediating the metabolic benefits of bariatric surgery. Bile acids can function as signaling molecules by targeting bile acid nuclear receptors and membrane receptors, like FXR and TGR5 respectively. In addition, the composition of bile acids is regulated by either the hepatic sterol enzymes such as CYP8B1 or the gut microbiome. These bile acid related targets all play important roles in regulating metabolism. Drug development based on these targets could provide new hope for patients without the risks of surgery and at a lower cost. In this review, we summarize the most updated progress on bile acid related targets and development of small molecules as drug candidates based on these targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanchen Shen
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lili Ding
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Complex Prescriptions and MOE Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.,Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Institute of Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Mehdi Baig
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Institute of Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jingyan Tian
- Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wendong Huang
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Institute of Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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Wang Y, Zhu Y, Niu J, Deng Q, Guo S, Jiang H, Peng Z, Xue Y, Peng H, Xuan L, Pan G. A novel bile acid analog, A17, ameliorated non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in high-fat diet-fed hamsters. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 404:115169. [PMID: 32738331 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Being endocrine signaling molecules that regulate lipid metabolism and affect energy balance, bile acids are potential drug candidates for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Obeticholic acid (OCA) could improve NASH accompanied by significant side effects. Therefore, it is worthwhile to develop safer and more effective bile acid analogs. In this study, a new bile acid analog A17 was synthesized and its potential anti-NASH effects were assessed in vitro and in vivo. The impact of A17 on steatosis was investigated in the rat primary hepatocytes challenged with oleic acid. It was found that A17 alleviated lipid accumulation by reducing fatty acid (FA) uptake and promoting FA oxidation. The reduction of FA uptake came from inhibiting fatty acid translocase (Cd36) expression. The promotion of FA oxidation came from stimulating the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα). In addition, A17 reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in Raw264.7 cells by activating Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5). In in vivo study, male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed with high fat (HF) diet and then treated with 50 mg/kg/d A17 for 6 weeks. A17 lowered the lipid profiles and liver enzyme levels in serum and improved liver pathological conditions with less side effects compared with OCA. Further studies confirmed that the molecular mechanisms of A17 in vivo were similar to those in vitro. In conclusion, a novel bile acid analog A17 was identified to ameliorate NASH in HF-fed hamsters. The potential mechanisms could be contributed to reducing FA uptake, stimulating FA oxidation and relieving inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junxing Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiangqiang Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shimeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Haowen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhaoliang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaru Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huige Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lijiang Xuan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Guoyu Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Stefela A, Kaspar M, Drastik M, Holas O, Hroch M, Smutny T, Skoda J, Hutníková M, Pandey AV, Micuda S, Kudova E, Pavek P. 3β-Isoobeticholic acid efficiently activates the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) due to its epimerization to 3α-epimer by hepatic metabolism. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 202:105702. [PMID: 32505574 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2020.105702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bile acids (BAs) are important signaling molecules acting via the farnesoid X nuclear receptor (FXR) and the membrane G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1). Besides deconjugation of BAs, the oxidoreductive enzymes of colonic bacteria and hepatocytes enable the conversion of BAs into their epimers or dehydrogenated forms. Obeticholic acid (OCA) is the first-in-class BA-derived FXR agonist approved for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis. Herein, a library of OCA derivatives, including 7-keto, 6-ethylidene derivatives and 3β-epimers, was synthetized and investigated in terms of interactions with FXR and GPBAR1 in transaction assays and evaluated for FXR target genes expression in human hepatocytes and C57BL/6 mice. The derivatives were further subjected to cell-free analysis employing in silico molecular docking and a TR-FRET assay. The conversion of the 3βhydroxy epimer and its pharmacokinetics in mice were studied using LC-MS. We found that only the 3β-hydroxy epimer of OCA (3β-isoOCA) possesses significant activity to FXR in hepatic cells and mice. However, in a cell-free assay, 3β-isoOCA had about 9-times lower affinity to FXR than did OCA. We observed that 3β-isoOCA readily epimerizes to OCA in hepatocytes and murine liver. This conversion was significantly inhibited by the hydroxy-Δ5-steroid dehydrogenase inhibitor trilostane. In addition, we found that 3,7-dehydroobeticholic acid is a potent GPBAR1 agonist. We conclude that 3β-isoOCA significantly activates FXR due to its epimerization to the more active OCA by hepatic metabolism. Other modifications as well as epimerization on the C3/C7 positions and the introduction of 6-ethylidene in the CDCA scaffold abrogate FXR agonism and alleviate GPBAR1 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzbeta Stefela
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Kaspar
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo Nam. 2, Prague 6 - Dejvice, 166 10, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, Prague 2, 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Drastik
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Holas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Milos Hroch
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Simkova 870/13, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Smutny
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Skoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Miriama Hutníková
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic
| | - Amit V Pandey
- Pediatric Endocrinology, University Children's Hospital, Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stanislav Micuda
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Simkova 870/13, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Kudova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo Nam. 2, Prague 6 - Dejvice, 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pavek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Czech Republic.
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Zhu Y, Xu S, Lu Y, Wei Y, Yao B, Guo F, Zheng X, Wang Y, He Y, Jin L, Li Y. Repositioning an Immunomodulatory Drug Vidofludimus as a Farnesoid X Receptor Modulator With Therapeutic Effects on NAFLD. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:590. [PMID: 32477115 PMCID: PMC7240069 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disorder, and yet with no pharmacological treatment approved worldwide. The repositioning of old drugs provides a safe approach for drug development. Vidofludimus, an inhibitor for dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, is herein uncovered as a novel modulator for farnesoid X receptor (FXR) by biochemical and crystallographic analysis. We further revealed that vidofludimus exerts in vivo therapeutic effects on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in an FXR-dependent manner. Notably, vidofludimus also possesses remarkable beneficial effects in reducing NAFLD by targeting FXR, which may represent a unique approach in developing the treatment for NAFLD. Our findings not only reveal a promising template for the design of novel FXR ligands in treating autoimmune disorders, but also uncover a novel therapeutic effect for vidofludimus on NAFLD based on the newly established relationships among drugs, targets, and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shuangshuang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Xiamen Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, Xiamen Children's Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Yijuan Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Benqiang Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Fusheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying He
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lihua Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, USA
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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11
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Chen X, Lu F, Luo G, Ren Y, Ma J, Zhang Y. Discovery of selective farnesoid X receptor agonists for the treatment of hyperlipidemia from traditional Chinese medicine based on virtual screening and in vitro validation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:4461-4470. [PMID: 31842697 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1695665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a bile acid receptor, has important roles in maintaining bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis, which is an attractive target for hyperlipidemia. Present study aimed to discover potential selective FXR agonists over G-protein coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1, TGR5) from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by using virtual screening, in vitro studies and molecular dynamics simulation (MD). Ligand-based pharmacophore model for FXR was firstly built to screen FXR agonists from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD). Then, 21 FXR crystal structures were clustered in two types and two representative structures (PDB ID: 3OMM and 3P89) were, respectively, used to carry out molecular docking to refine the screened result. Moreover, the pharmacophore model for GPBAR1 was built to screen selective FXR agonists with no activity on GPBAR1. A set of 24 candidate selective FXR agonists which fitvalue of FXR pharmacophore model and docking score of 3OMM and 3P89 were in the top 100 and cannot match the pharmacophore model for GPBAR1 were obtained. By the lipid-lowering activity test in HepG2 cell lines, Arctigenin was identified to be potential selective FXR agonist with the activity of 20 μmol·L-1. After down-regulating FXR, Arctigenin could increase the mRNA of FXR while exerted no effect on the mRNA of GPBAR1. MD was further used to interpret the mechanism of Arctigenin with the representative structures. This research provided a new screening procedure for finding selective candidate compounds and appropriate docking models of a target by considering the structure diversity of PDB structures, which was applied to discovery novel selective FXR agonists to treat hyperlipidemia.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Lu
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ganggang Luo
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Ren
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Ma
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yanling Zhang
- School of Chinese Material Medica, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research Center of TCM-Information Engineering, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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12
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Nakhi A, McDermott CM, Stoltz KL, John K, Hawkinson JE, Ambrose EA, Khoruts A, Sadowsky MJ, Dosa PI. 7-Methylation of Chenodeoxycholic Acid Derivatives Yields a Substantial Increase in TGR5 Receptor Potency. J Med Chem 2019; 62:6824-6830. [PMID: 31268316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
TGR5 agonists are potential therapeutics for a variety of conditions including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. After screening a library of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivatives, it was determined that a range of modifications could be made to the acid moiety of CDCA which significantly increased TGR5 agonist potency. Surprisingly, methylation of the 7-hydroxyl of CDCA led to a further dramatic increase in potency, allowing the identification of 5.6 nM TGR5 agonist 17.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Nakhi
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Connor M McDermott
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Kristen L Stoltz
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Kristen John
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Jon E Hawkinson
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Elizabeth A Ambrose
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
| | - Alexander Khoruts
- Center for Immunology, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States.,BioTechnology Institute, Department of Soil, Water & Climate, and Department of Plant and Microbial Biology , University of Minnesota , St. Paul , Minnesota 55108 , United States
| | - Michael J Sadowsky
- BioTechnology Institute, Department of Soil, Water & Climate, and Department of Plant and Microbial Biology , University of Minnesota , St. Paul , Minnesota 55108 , United States
| | - Peter I Dosa
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 717 Delaware Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55414 , United States
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13
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Ji Y, Chen X, Chen H, Zhang X, Fan Z, Xie L, Ma B, Zhu C. Designing of acyl sulphonamide based quinoxalinones as multifunctional aldose reductase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:1658-1669. [PMID: 30858026 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A series of quinoxalinone scaffold-based acyl sulfonamides were designed as aldose reductase inhibitors and evaluated for aldose reductase (ALR2)/aldehyde reductase (ALR1) inhibition and antioxidation. Compounds 9b-g containing styryl side chains at C3-side exhibited good ALR2 inhibitory activity and selectivity. Of them, 9g demonstrated the most potent inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 0.100 μM, and also exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, even comparable to the typical antioxidant Trolox. Compounds 9 had higher lipid-water partition coefficients relative to the carboxylic acid compounds 8, indicating that they may have better lipophilicity and membrane permeability. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies found that acyl trifluoromethanesulfonamide group at N1 and the C3-dihydroxystyryl side chain were the key structure for improving the aldose reductase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Ji
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- ME Genomics Inc., Software Industry Base, Shenzhen 518061, China
| | - Huan Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Zhenya Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Lina Xie
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Bing Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China.
| | - Changjin Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, No. 5, Zhongguancun South Street, 100081 Beijing, China.
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14
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De Marino S, Festa C, Sepe V, Zampella A. Chemistry and Pharmacology of GPBAR1 and FXR Selective Agonists, Dual Agonists, and Antagonists. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 256:137-165. [PMID: 31201554 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In the recent years, bile acid receptors FXR and GPBAR1 have attracted the interest of scientific community and companies, as they proved promising targets for the treatment of several diseases, ranging from liver cholestatic disorders to metabolic syndrome, inflammatory states, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and diabetes.Consequently, the development of dual FXR/GPBAR1 agonists, as well as selective targeting of one of these receptors, is considered a hopeful possibility in the treatment of these disorders. Because endogenous bile acids and steroidal ligands, which cover the same chemical space of bile acids, often target both receptor families, speculation on nonsteroidal ligands represents a promising and innovative strategy to selectively target GPBAR1 or FXR.In this review, we summarize the most recent acquisition on natural, semisynthetic, and synthetic steroidal and nonsteroidal ligands, able to interact with FXR and GPBAR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona De Marino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Carmen Festa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Sepe
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Zampella
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
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15
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Sepe V, Distrutti E, Fiorucci S, Zampella A. Farnesoid X receptor modulators 2014-present: a patent review. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2018; 28:351-364. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2018.1459569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Sepe
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Fiorucci
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Angela Zampella
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
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