AJS1669, a novel small-molecule muscle glycogen synthase activator, improves glucose metabolism and reduces body fat mass in mice.

Impaired glycogen synthesis and turnover are common in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. As glycogen synthase (GS) is a key enzyme involved in the synthetic process, it presents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we identified a novel, potent and orally available GS activator AJS1669 {sodium 2-[[5-[[4-(4,5-difluoro-2-methylsulfanyl-phenyl)phenoxy] methyl]furan-2-carbonyl]-(2-furylmethyl)amino] acetate}. In vitro, we performed a glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) activation assay for screening GS activators and identified that the activity of AJS1669 was further potentiated in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P). In vivo, we used ob/ob mice to evaluate the novel anti-diabetic effects of AJS1669 by measuring basal blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance and body fat mass index. Repeated administration of AJS1669 over 4 weeks reduced blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in ob/ob mice. AJS1669 also improved glucose tolerance in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased body fat mass. The mRNA levels of genes involved in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis were elevated in skeletal muscle tissue following AJS1669 treatment. Hepatic tissue of treated mice also exhibited elevated expression of genes associated with fatty acid oxidation. In contrast to ob/ob mice, in C57Bl/6 mice AJS1669 administration did not alter body weight or reduce glucose levels. These results demonstrate that pharmacological agents that activate GYS1, the main GS subtype found in skeletal muscle, have potential for use as novel treatments for diabetes that improve glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle.

Synthesis of biantennary complex-type nonasaccharyl asn building blocks for solid-phase glycopeptide synthesis.

The biantennary complex-type N-glycans bearing LacNAc and LacdiNAc as the nonreducing end motif were synthesized in a protected form suitable to use in the Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis studies. Two approaches for the nonasaccharide synthesis were examined by taking advantage of the highly ß-selective glycosylation with GlcNTCA (N-phenyl)trifluoroacetimidate. An earlier approach, which involved the reaction of the trisaccharide donor (Gal-GlcNTCA-Man) and trisaccharide acceptor (Man-GlcNPhth(2)-N(3)), produced a mixture of nonasaccharide isomers. On the other hand, mannosylation of the trisaccharide acceptor (Man-GlcNPhth(2)-N(3)) stereoselectively afforded the known pentasaccharide (Man(3)-GlcNPhth(2)-N(3)), which was reacted with the disaccharyl glycosyl donor (Gal-GlcNTCA or GalNTCA-GlcNTCA) to produce the desired nonasaccharide as a single stereoisomer. Selective dephthaloylation followed by N-acetylation furnished the GlcNAc(2) functionality. The resulting nonasaccharyl azides were condensed with Fmoc-Asp(OPfp)-OBu(t) or Fmoc-Asp(OPfp)-OPac in the presence of Ph(CH(3))(2)P and HOOBt. Finally, the Zn reduction and cleavage of the tert-butyl ester or Zn reduction alone produced the targeted nonasaccharyl Asn building blocks.