László Somsák

New inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase as potential antidiabetic agents.

The protein glycogen phosphorylase has been linked to type 2 diabetes, indicating the importance of this target to human health. Hence, the search for potent and selective inhibitors of this enzyme, which may lead to antihyperglycaemic drugs, has received particular attention. Glycogen phosphorylase is a typical allosteric protein with five different ligand binding sites, thus offering multiple opportunities for modulation of enzyme activity. The present survey is focused on recent new molecules, potential inhibitors of the enzyme. The biological activity can be modified by these molecules through direct binding, allosteric effects or other structural changes. Progress in our understanding of the mechanism of action of these inhibitors has been made by the determination of high-resolution enzyme inhibitor structures (both muscle and liver). The knowledge of the three-dimensional structures of protein-ligand complexes allows analysis of how the ligands interact with the target and has the potential to facilitate structure-based drug design. In this review, the synthesis, structure determination and computational studies of the most recent inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase at the different binding sites are presented and analyzed.

Efficient inhibition of muscle and liver glycogen phosphorylases by a new glucopyranosylidene-spiro-thiohydantoin

Reaction of C-(1-bromo-1-deoxy-beta-glucopyranosyl)formamide 2 with thiocyanate ions was the key step of a short synthesis of D-glucopyanosylidene-spiro-thiohydantoin 7 which proved to be a potent inhibitor of muscle and liver glycogen phosphorylases.

Kinetic and crystallographic studies on 2‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐5‐methyl‐1, 3, 4‐oxadiazole, ‐benzothiazole, and ‐benzimidazole, inhibitors of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b. Evidence for a new binding site

In an attempt to identify leads that would enable the design of inhibitors with enhanced affinity for glycogen phosphorylase (GP), that might control hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes, three new analogs of β‐D‐glucopyranose, 2‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐5‐methyl‐1, 3, 4‐oxadiazole, ‐benzothiazole, and ‐benzimidazole were assessed for their potency to inhibit GPb activity. The compounds showed competitive inhibition (with respect to substrate Glc‐1‐P) with Ki values of 145.2 (±11.6), 76 (±4.8), and 8.6 (±0.7) μM, respectively. In order to establish the mechanism of this inhibition, crystallographic studies were carried out and the structures of GPb in complex with the three analogs were determined at high resolution (GPb‐methyl‐oxadiazole complex, 1.92 Å; GPb‐benzothiazole, 2.10 Å; GPb‐benzimidazole, 1.93 Å). The complex structures revealed that the inhibitors can be accommodated in the catalytic site of T‐state GPb with very little change of the tertiary structure, and provide a rationalization for understanding variations in potency of the inhibitors. In addition, benzimidazole bound at the new allosteric inhibitor or indole binding site, located at the subunit interface, in the region of the central cavity, and also at a novel binding site, located at the protein surface, far removed (∼ 32 Å) from the other binding sites, that is mostly dominated by the nonpolar groups of Phe202, Tyr203, Val221, and Phe252.

Synthesis of 1-(d-glucopyranosyl)-1,2,3-triazoles and their evaluation as glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors

1-(D-Glucopyranosyl)-1,2,3-triazoles were prepared from per-O-acetylated alpha- and beta-D-glucopyranosyl azides as well as per-O-benzoylated (beta-D-gluco-hept-2-ulopyranosylazide)onamide and onic acid methylester by using azide-alkyne cycloaddition catalysed by in situ generated Cu(I) under aqueous conditions. The O-acyl protecting groups were removed by the Zemplén protocol. The test compounds were assayed against rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b to show that the beta-D-glucopyranosyl derivatives were superior inhibitors as compared to the two other series of triazoles.

A new, scalable preparation of a glucopyranosylidene-spiro- thiohydantoin: One of the best inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylases

Abstract Benzobromo-glucose was converted into per- O -benzoylated β- d -glucopyranosyl cyanide by mercury(II) cyanide in nitromethane. Partial hydrolysis of the nitrile with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid gave per- O -benzoylated C -(β- d -glucopyranosyl)formamide. Photobromination using bromine in carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, or dichloromethane gave the corresponding per- O -benzoylated 1-bromo-1-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl cyanide and C -(1-bromo-1-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)formamide. Reaction of the latter with ammonium thiocyanate in nitromethane gave the per- O -benzoylated C-6 S configured glucopyranosylidene-spiro-thiohydantoin together with a small amount of the per- O -benzoylated C -(1-hydroxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)formamide. Debenzoylation of the spiro-thiohydantoin with sodium methoxide in methanol gave gram amounts of the title inhibitor. The described sequence should be suitable for scaling up and the target compound can be prepared in ∼30% overall yield starting from d -glucose.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of C-glycosylated oxadiazoles as inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase

A series of per-O-benzoylated 5-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2-substituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles was prepared by acylation of the corresponding 5-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)tetrazole. As an alternative, oxidation of 2,6-anhydro-aldose benzoylhydrazones by iodobenzene I,I-diacetate afforded the same oxadiazoles. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to per-O-benzoylated beta-D-glucopyranosyl cyanide gave the corresponding 5-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3-substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazoles. The O-benzoyl protecting groups were removed by base-catalyzed transesterification. The 1,3,4-oxadiazoles were practically inefficient as inhibitors of rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b while the 1,2,4-oxadiazoles displayed inhibitory activities in the micromolar range. The best inhibitors were the 5-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3-(4-methylphenyl- and -2-naphthyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazoles (K(i)=8.8 and 11.6 microM, respectively). A detailed analysis of the structure-activity relationships is presented.

Kinetic and crystallographic studies of glucopyranosylidene spirothiohydantoin binding to glycogen phosphorylase B.

Glucopyranosylidene spirothiohydantoin (TH) has been identified as a potential inhibitor of both muscle and liver glycogen phosphorylase b (GPb) and a (GPa) and shown to diminish liver GPa activity in vitro. Kinetic experiments reported here show that TH inhibits muscle GPb competitively with respect to both substrates phosphate (K(i)=2.3 microM) and glycogen (K(i)=2.8 microM). The structure of the GPb-TH complex has been determined at a resolution of 2.26 A and refined to a crystallographic R value of 0.193 (R(free)=0.211). The structure of GPb-TH complex reveals that the inhibitor can be accommodated in the catalytic site of T-state GPb with very little change of the tertiary structure, and provides a basis of understanding potency and specificity of the inhibitor. The glucopyranose moiety makes the standard hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts as observed in the glucose complex, while the rigid thiohydantoin group is in a favourable electrostatic environment and makes additional polar contacts to the protein.

Preparation of acetylated C-(1-bromo-d-glycosyl) heterocycles and 1-bromo-d-glycosyl cyanides☆

Abstract The reaction of acetylated C -( d -glycosyl) heterocycles and d -glycosyl cyanides with either N -bromosuccinimide in hot carbon tetrachloride or bromine under irradiation resulted in bromination at the anomeric carbon atom. The location of the bromine substituent and the conformations of these products were determined by n.m.r. spectroscopy. Absolute configurations of the bromo compounds were established.

Synthesis of variously coupled conjugates of d-glucose, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, and 1,2,3-triazole for inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase

5-(O-Perbenzoylated-β-D-glucopyranosyl)tetrazole was obtained from O-perbenzoylated-β-D-glucopyranosyl cyanide by Bu(3)SnN(3) or Me(3)SiN(3)-Bu(2)SnO. This tetrazole was transformed into 5-ethynyl- as well as 5-chloromethyl-2-(O-perbenzoylated-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles by acylation with propiolic acid-DCC or chloroacetyl chloride, respectively. The chloromethyl oxadiazole gave the corresponding azidomethyl derivative on treatment with NaN(3). These compounds were reacted with several alkynes and azides under Cu(I) catalysed cycloaddition conditions to give, after removal of the protecting groups by the Zemplén protocol, β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl-1,2,3-triazole, β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,2,3-triazolyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole, and β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,3,4-oxadiazolylmethyl-1,2,3-triazole type compounds. 5-Phenyltetrazole was also transformed under the above conditions into a series of aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl-1,2,3-triazoles, aryl-1,2,3-triazolyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles, and aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazolylmethyl-1,2,3-triazoles. The new compounds were assayed against rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b and the best inhibitors had inhibition constants in the upper micromolar range (2-phenyl-5-[1-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]-1,3,4-oxadiazole 36: K(i)=854μM, 2-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-5-[1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]-1,3,4-oxadiazole 47: K(i)=745μM).

Effect of glucopyranosylidene-spiro-thiohydantoin on glycogen metabolism in liver tissues of streptozotocin-induced and obese diabetic rats

The major role of liver glycogen is to supply glucose to the circulation in order to maintain normal blood glucose levels. In the muscle and liver, the accumulation and breakdown of glycogen are regulated by the reciprocal activities of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase. Glycogen phosphorylase catalyses the key step of glycogen degradation and its activity is inhibited by glucose and its analogues. Thus, any readily accessible inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase may serve as a potential therapy for non-insulin-dependent or type 2 diabetes. Hepatic glycogen phosphorylase has been identified as a novel target for drugs that control blood glucose concentration. Glucopyranosylidene-spiro-thiohydantoin (TH) was found to be one of the most potent glucose derivates, inhibiting the catalytic activity of both muscle and liver glycogen phosphorylase. Here, we demonstrated the co-ordinated regulation of glycogen phosphorylase and synthase by 50 µM TH in liver extracts of Wistar rats, resulting in the activation of synthase by a shortening of the latency compared to control animals. TH was also effective in lowering blood glucose levels and restoring hepatic glycogen content in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Furthermore, intravenous administration of TH to Zucker diabetic fatty rats significantly decreased hepatic glycogen phosphorylase a levels, and the activation of synthase was initiated without any delay.