Saroglitazar suppresses the hepatocellular carcinoma induced by intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine in C57BL/6 mice fed on choline deficient, l-amino acid- defined, high-fat diet.

BACKGROUND: Saroglitazar is a novel PPAR-α/γ agonist with predominant PPAR-α activity. In various preclinical models, saroglitazar has been shown to prevent & reverse symptoms of NASH. In view of these observations, and the fact that NASH is a progressive disease leading to HCC, we hypothesized that saroglitazar may prevent the development of HCC in rodents. METHODS: HCC was induced in C57BL/6 mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg/kg diethylnitrosamine (DEN) at the age of 4 weeks and then feeding the animal a choline-deficient, L-amino acid- defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) for the entire study duration. Eight weeks after initiation of CDAHFD, saroglitazar (1 and 3 mg/kg) treatment was started and continued for another 27 weeks. RESULTS: Saroglitazar treatment significantly reduced the liver injury markers (serum ALT and AST), reversed hepatic steatosis and decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α in liver. It also resulted in a marked increase in serum adiponectin and osteopontin levels. All disease control animals showed hepatic tumors, which was absent in saroglitazar (3 mg/kg)- treatment group indicating 100% prevention of hepatic tumorigenesis. This is the first study demonstrating a potent PPARα agonist causing suppression of liver tumors in rodents, perhaps due to a strong anti-NASH activity of Saroglitazar that overrides its rodent-specific peroxisome proliferation activity. CONCLUSION: The data reveals potential of saroglitazar for chemoprevention of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with NAFLD/NASH.

Discovery of a potent G-protein-coupled receptor 119 agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The ever-growing prevalence of Type-2 diabetes in the world has an urgent need for multiple orally effective agents that can regulate glucose homeostasis. G-Protein coupled receptor 119 (GPR 119) agonists have demonstrated the glucose-dependent insulin secretion and showed beneficial effects on glycemic control in humans and/or relevant animal models. Herein, we describe our efforts towards identification of a potent and oral GPR 119 agonist 13c (ZY-G19), which showed in vitro potency in the cell-based assay and in vivo efficacy without exerting any significant signs of toxicity in relevant animal models.

Dual PPARα/γ agonist saroglitazar improves liver histopathology and biochemistry in experimental NASH models.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are common clinico-pathological conditions that affect millions of patients worldwide. In this study, the efficacy of saroglitazar, a novel PPARα/γ agonist, was assessed in models of NAFLD/NASH. METHODS & RESULTS: HepG2 cells treated with palmitic acid (PA;0.75 mM) showed decreased expression of various antioxidant biomarkers (SOD1, SOD2, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) and increased expression of inflammatory markers (TNFα, IL1ß and IL6). These effects were blocked by saroglitazar, pioglitazone and fenofibrate (all tested at 10µM concentration). Furthermore, these agents reversed PA-mediated changes in mitochondrial dysfunction, ATP production, NFkB phosphorylation and stellate cell activation in HepG2 and HepG2-LX2 Coculture studies. In mice with choline-deficient high-fat diet-induced NASH, saroglitazar reduced hepatic steatosis, inflammation, ballooning and prevented development of fibrosis. It also reduced serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and expression of inflammatory and fibrosis biomarkers. In this model, the reduction in the overall NAFLD activity score by saroglitazar (3 mg/kg) was significantly more prominent than pioglitazone (25 mg/kg) and fenofibrate (100 mg/kg). Pioglitazone and fenofibrate did not show any improvement in steatosis, but partially improved inflammation and liver function. Antifibrotic effect of saroglitazar (4 mg/kg) was also observed in carbon tetrachloride-induced fibrosis model. CONCLUSIONS: Saroglitazar, a dual PPARα/γ agonist with predominant PPARα activity, shows an overall improvement in NASH. The effects of saroglitazar appear better than pure PPARα agonist, fenofibrate and PPARγ agonist pioglitazone.

Discovery of inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: structure-activity study of 5-nitro-2-phenoxybenzoic acid derivatives.

Two novel series of 5-nitro-2-phenoxybenzoic acid derivatives are designed as potent PAI-1 inhibitors using hybridization and conformational restriction strategy in the tiplaxtinin and piperazine chemo types. The lead compounds 5a, 6c, and 6e exhibited potent PAI-1 inhibitory activity and favorable oral bioavailability in the rodents.

Saroglitazar, a novel PPARα/γ agonist with predominant PPARα activity, shows lipid-lowering and insulin-sensitizing effects in preclinical models.

Saroglitazar is a novel nonthiazolidinediones (TZD) and nonfibric acid derivative designed to act as dual regulator of lipids and glucose metabolism by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR). These studies evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of Saroglitazar in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. The EC50 values of Saroglitazar assessed in HepG2 cells using PPAR transactivation assay for hPPARα and hPPARγ were 0.65 pmol/L and 3 nmol/L, respectively. In db/db mice, 12-day treatment with Saroglitazar (0.01-3 mg/kg per day, orally) caused dose-dependent reductions in serum triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), and glucose. The ED50 for these effects was found to be 0.05, 0.19, and 0.19 mg/kg, respectively with highly significant (91%) reduction in serum insulin and AUC-glucose following oral glucose administration (59%) at 1 mg/kg dose. Significant reduction in serum TG (upto 90%) was also observed in Zucker fa/fa rats, Swiss albino mice, and in high fat -high cholesterol (HF-HC)-fed Golden Syrian hamsters. LDL cholesterol was significantly lowered in hApoB100/hCETP double transgenic mice and HF-HC diet fed Golden Syrian Hamsters. Hyperinsulinemic-Euglycemic clamp study in Zucker fa/fa rats demonstrated potent insulin-sensitizing activity. Saroglitazar also showed a significant decrease in SBP (22 mmHg) and increase (62.1%) in serum adiponectin levels in Zucker fa/fa rats. A 90-day repeated dose comparative study in Wistar rats and marmosets confirmed efficacy (TG lowering) potential of Saroglitazar and has indicated low risk of PPAR-associated side effects in humans. Based on efficacy and safety profile, Saroglitazar appears to have good potential as novel therapeutic agent for treatment of dyslipidemia and diabetes.

Effects of combination of aliskiren and pentoxyfylline on renal function in the rat remnant kidney model of chronic renal failure.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the nephroprotective effect of combination of aliskiren (ASK), a direct renin inhibitor and pentoxifylline (PTX), inhibitor of tumor necrotic factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), in rat remnant kidney model of chronic kidney disease (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nephrectomized (NPX) rats were treated with ASK (10 mg/kg, p.o.), PTX (100 mg/kg, p.o.), and combination of PTX + ASK once daily for 28 days. We have performed analysis of various renal injury parameters after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Treatment with PTX, ASK and combination showed significant improvement in urea, creatinine and total protein in plasma when compared with vehicle treated group in NPX rats. ASK and combination of PTX + ASK elicited significant reduction in blood pressure but PTX alone did not produce blood pressure reduction. ASK treatment showed significant elevation in TNF-alpha, whereas PTX and ASK + PTX showed significant reduction in TNF-alpha in plasma. Histopathologically, the extent of the kidney injury was similar in NPX + vehicle and NPX + ASK-treated rats. PTX and ASK + PTX-treated group showed lesser extent of kidney injury. There was good correlation of mRNA expression levels of kidney injury molecule-1 and bradykinin B1 receptor data with histopathological findings in kidney samples and elevated TNF-alpha levels in plasma. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that combination of PTX + ASK may be better therapeutic intervention for nephroprotection in CKD patients.

Use of Aspirin in normalization of recombinant human erythropoietin-mediated hyper-reactivity of platelets in rats.

OBJECTIVES: The cytokine erythropoietin is the primary stimulator of erythropoiesis and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), which is widely used in the treatment of anemia associated with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Adverse cardiovascular outcomes have been observed during clinical trials of anemia correction with rHuEPO in CKD patients. We investigated the effects of short-term, high-dose treatment with rHuEPO on platelet reactivity and effects of aspirin on platelet reactivity in healthy rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals received three daily dose of rHuEPO (25 µg/kg s.c.). Platelets were isolated after 48 h of last dose of rHuEPO to study the arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation. Aspirin (75 mg/kg p.o.) was given to animals just before 1 h of isolation of platelets. RESULTS: In rats, treatment with rHuEPO increased platelet reactivity and platelet count. The increased platelet reactivity was paralleled by decreased time-to-occlusion (TTO) in arterial thrombosis model, and decreased bleeding time after tail transection in rats. Treatment with rHuEPO followed by single dose of aspirin showed significant reduction in TTO and bleeding time as compared with aspirin-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that rHuEPO increases platelet reactivity and aspirin normalizes the hyper-reactive platelet and may reduce the cardiovascular events associated with rHuEPO in CKD patients.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of potent, selective and orally active anthranilamide-based factor Xa inhibitors: application of weakly basic sulfoximine group as novel S4 binding element.

A novel series of potent and efficacious factor Xa inhibitors which possesses sulfoximine moiety as novel S4 binding element in anthranilamide chemotype has been identified. Lead optimization at this novel P4 group led to many potent factor Xa inhibitors with excellent anticoagulant activity in human plasma. Selected compounds were dosed orally in rats and checked for their ex vivo prothrombin time prolonging activity, which resulted in identification of compound 5-chloro-N-(5-chloropyridin-2-yl)-2-(4-(N-(2-(diethylamino)acetyl)-S-methylsulfonimidoyl)benzamido)benzamide (18f). The detailed pharmacokinetic evaluation and subsequent metabolism study of 18f suggested the presence of an active metabolite. The compound 18f and its active metabolite 18b demonstrated excellent in vivo efficacy in both arterial and venous thrombosis model in rats and were found to be highly selective against related serine proteases. Based on this promising profile, compound 18f was selected for further evaluation.

Cardioprotective effect with carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 (CORM-2) in isolated perfused rat heart: Role of coronary endothelium and underlying mechanism.

Although the cardioprotective role of carbon monoxide (CO) has been studied against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, the role of coronary endothelium and underlying mechanism in carbon monoxide-induced cardioprotection is not well understood in isolated heart. The present study was designed to determine the role of coronary endothelium in CORM-2-mediated cardioprotection during I/R injury in isolated rat heart. Preconditioning with 30microM/l and 50microM/l of CORM-2 for 10min markedly reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatinin kinase (CK) levels in coronary effluent after global ischemia. There was also a significant improvement in coronary flow rate, heart rate, cardiodynamic parameters and marked attenuation in infarct size. However, protective effect was abolished when hearts were pretreated with 100microM CORM-2. We observed that pretreatment with L-NAME (100microM/l), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor did not affect protection by CORM-2 (50microM/l). On the other hand pretreatment with Triton X-100 (0.05% for 20s) to denude endothelium before CORM-2 treatment followed by I/R injury showed similar cardioprotection. Moreover, pretreatment with K(ATP) channel inhibitor, glibenclamide almost completely reversed the cardioprotective effect of CORM-2 in endothelium-denuded hearts. These results indicate that cardioprotection by CORM-2 is highly concentration-dependent, independent of coronary endothelium and cardioprotective effect might be attributed to the activation of K(ATP) channel present on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC).