NS-1: A novel partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist to improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic profile

Identification of Selective PPAR-γ Modulators by Combining Pharmacophore Modeling, Molecular Docking, and Adipogenesis Assay

The clinically used glitazones (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) for type 2 diabetes mellitus therapy have been linked to serious side effects such as fluid retention, congestive heart failure, weight gain, bone loss, and an increased risk of bladder cancer. The complete activation of PPAR-γ receptors in target tissues is linked to these effects. Many studies have demonstrated that partial PPAR-γ activators (GW0072, PAT5A, GQ16) give equivalent therapeutic benefits to full PPAR-γ agonists without the associated side effects. These breakthroughs cleared the path for the development of partial agonists or selective PPAR-γ modulators (SPPARγMs). This study combined pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and an adipogenesis experiment to identify thiazolidine analogs as SPPARMs/partial agonists. A custom library of 220 molecules was created and virtual screened to discover 90 compounds as SPPARγMs/ partial agonists. The chosen eight compounds were synthesized and tested for adipogenesis using 3T3L1 cell lines. These compounds' partial agonistic activity was evaluated in 3T3L1 cell lines by comparing their capacity to stimulate PPAR-γ mediated adipogenesis to that of a full agonist, rosiglitazone. The findings of the adipogenesis experiment demonstrate that all eight compounds examined had a partial potential to stimulate adipogenesis when compared to the full agonist, rosiglitazone. The current investigation identified eight possible PPAR-γ partial agonists or SPPARγMs that may be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Role of Transcription Factors in the Management of Preterm Birth: Impact on Future Treatment Strategies

Preterm birth is defined as the birth of a neonate before 37 weeks of gestation and is considered as a leading cause of the under five deaths of neonates. Neonates born preterm are known to have higher perinatal mortality and morbidity with associated risks of low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, gastrointestinal, immunologic, central nervous system, hearing, and vision problems, cerebral palsy, and delayed development. India leads the list of countries with the greatest number of preterm births. The studies focusing on the molecular mechanisms related to the etiology of preterm birth have described the role of different transcription factors. With respect to this, transcription factors like peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR), nuclear factor kappa β (NF-kβ), nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and progesterone receptor (PR) are known to be associated with preterm labor. All these transcription factors are linked together with a common cascade involving inflammatory processes. Thus, the current review describes the possible cross-talk between these transcription factors and their therapeutic potential to prevent or manage preterm labor.

A step ahead of PPARγ full agonists to PPARγ partial agonists: therapeutic perspectives in the management of diabetic insulin resistance

Described since long as a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) regulate the gene expression of proteins involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. PPARs indeed regulate several physiologic processes, including lipid homeostasis, adipogenesis, inflammation, and wound healing. PPARs bind natural or synthetic PPAR ligands can function as cellular sensors to regulate the gene transcription. Dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with insulin resistance are treated using agonists of PPARα and PPARγ, respectively. The PPARγ is a key regulator of insulin sensitization and glucose metabolism, and therefore is considered as an imperative pharmacological target to combat diabetic metabolic disease and insulin resistance. Of note, currently available PPARγ full agonists like rosiglitazone display serious adverse effects such as fluid retention/oedema, weight gain, and increased incidence of cardiovascular events. On the other hand, PPARγ partial agonists are being suggested to devoid or having less incidence of these undesirable events, and are under developmental stages. Current research is on the way for the development of novel PPARγ partial agonists with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced adverse effects. This review sheds lights on the current status of development of PPARγ partial agonists, for the management of T2DM, having comparatively less or no adverse effects to that of PPARγ full agonists.

PPAR-γ -- a possible drug target for complicated pregnancies

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors expressed in trophoblasts, which regulate both cell differentiation and proliferation. In recent years, evidence has linked PPARs to playing an integral role in pregnancy; specifically, PPAR-β and PPAR-γ have been shown to play an integral role in placentation, with PPAR-γ additionally serving to regulate trophoblast differentiation. Recent evidence has shown that PPAR-γ expression is altered in many complications of pregnancy such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth, pre-clampsia and gestational diabetes. Thus, at present, accumulating evidence from the literature suggests both a pivotal role for PPAR-γ in the progression of a healthy pregnancy and the possibility that PPAR-γ may act as a therapeutic target in complicated pregnancies. This review aims to provide a succinct and comprehensive assessment of the role of PPAR-γ in normal pregnancy and pregnancy complications, and finally its potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment and/or prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Targeting adipose tissue

Two different types of adipose tissues can be found in humans enabling them to respond to starvation and cold: white adipose tissue (WAT) is generally known and stores excess energy in the form of triacylglycerol (TG), insulates against cold, and serves as a mechanical cushion. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) helps newborns to cope with cold. BAT has the capacity to uncouple the mitochondrial respiratory chain, thereby generating heat rather than adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The previously widely held view was that BAT disappears rapidly after birth and is no longer present in adult humans. Using positron emission tomography (PET), however, it was recently shown that metabolically active BAT occurs in defined regions and scattered in WAT of the adult and possibly has an influence on whole-body energy homeostasis. In obese individuals adipose tissue is at the center of metabolic syndrome. Targeting of WAT by thiazolidinediones (TZDs), activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) a 'master' regulator of fat cell biology, is a current therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Since its unique capacity to increase energy consumption of the body and to dissipate surplus energy as heat, BAT offers new perspectives as a therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Recent discoveries of new signaling pathways of BAT development give rise to new therapeutic possibilities in order to influence BAT content and activity.