Jong-Moon Hur

β-secretase (BACE1) inhibitors from Pomegranate (Punica granatum) husk

In the course of screening for anti-dementia agents from natural products, two β-secretase (BACE1) inhibitors were isolated from the husk of pomegranate(Punica granatum) by activity-guided purification. They were identified as ellagic acid and punicalagin with IC50 values of 3.9 x10-6 and 4.1x10-7 M andKi values of 2.4x10-5 and 5.9x10-7 M, respectively. The compounds were non-competitive inhibitors with a substrate in the Dixon plot. Ellagic acid and punicalagin were less inhibitory to α-secretase (TACE) and other serine proteases such as chymotrypsin, trypsin, and elastase, thus indicating that they were relatively specific inhibitors of BACE1.

β-Secretase (BACE1) inhibitors from Sanguisorbae Radix

In the course of screening anti-dementia agents from natural products, two β-secretase (BACE1) inhibitors were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Sanguisorbae Radix by the activity-guided purification using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and RP-HPLC. They were identified as 1,2,3-trigalloyl-4,6-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (Tellimagrandin II,1) and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (2) and were shown to non-competitively inhibit β-secretase (BACE1) with the IC50 values of 3.10×10−6 M and 3.76×10−6 M, respectively. TheKi values of1 and2 were 6.84×10−6 M and 5.13×10−6 M. They were less inhibitory to α-secretase (TACE) and other serine proteases such as chymotrypsin, trypsin, and elastase, suggesting that they were relatively specific inhibitors of BACE1.

Beneficial effects of β-sitosterol on glucose and lipid metabolism in L6 myotube cells are mediated by AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy-sensing enzyme that has been implicated as a key factor for controlling intracellular lipids and glucose metabolism. Beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol known to prevent cardiovascular disease was identified from Schizonepeta tenuifolia to an AMPK activator. In L6 myotube cells, beta-sitosterol significantly increased phosphorylation of the AMPKalpha subunit and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) with stimulating glucose uptake. In contrast, beta-sitosterol treatment reduced intracellular levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in L6 cells. These effects were all reversed by pretreatment with AMPK inhibitor Compound C or LKB1 destabilizer radicicol. Similarly, beta-sitosterol-induced phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC was not increased in HeLa cells lacking LKB1. These results together suggest that beta-sitosterol-mediated enhancement of glucose uptake and reduction of triglycerides and cholesterol in L6 cells is predominantly accomplished by LKB1-mediated AMPK activation. Our findings further reveal a molecular mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of beta-sitosterol on glucose and lipid metabolism.