Metabolic Disease

Cholesterol (from animal) is the major sterol in mammals. It is making up 20-25% of structural component of the plasma membrane. Plasma membranes are highly permeable to water but relatively impermeable to ions and protons. Cholesterol (from animal) plays an important role in determining the fluidity and permeability characteristics of the membrane as well as the function of both the transporters and signaling proteins. Cholesterol (from animal) is also an endogenous estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) agonist.

Deferoxamine mesylate (Deferoxamine B mesylate) is an iron chelator (binds to Fe(III) and many other metal cations), is widely used to reduce iron accumulation and deposition in tissues. Deferoxamine mesylate upregulates HIF-1α levels with good antioxidant activity. Deferoxamine mesylate also shows anti-proliferative activity, can induce apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells. Deferoxamine mesylate can be used in studies of diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases as well as anti-cancer and anti-COVID-19.

Mito-TEMPO is a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. Mito-TEMPO induces mitophagy by activating the PINK1/Parkin pathway, inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation, restores mitochondrial membrane potential, and improves renal function and podocyte injury. Mito-TEMPO regulates Ca²⁺ homeostasis, inhibits Bnip3 overexpression, shortens action potential duration, and exerts antiarrhythmic effects. Mito-TEMPO reverses premature senescence, reduces trabecular bone loss, and decreases cell apoptosis. Mito-TEMPO can be used in studies of chronic kidney disease, age-related cardiac dysfunction, postmenopausal osteoporosis, and ischemic stroke.

Disulfiram (Tetraethylthiuram disulfide) is a specific inhibitor of aldehyde-dehydrogenase (ALDH1), used for the treatment of chronic alcoholism by producing an acute sensitivity to alcohol. Disulfiram inhibits gasdermin D (GSDMD) pore formation in liposomes and inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion in human and mouse cells. Disulfiram, a copper ion carrier, with Cu²⁺ increases intracellular ROS levels and induces cuproptosis.

Resatorvid (TAK-242) is a selective Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) inhibitor. Resatorvid inhibits NO, TNF-α and IL-6 production with IC_50s of 1.8 nM, 1.9 nM and 1.3 nM, respectively. Resatorvid downregulates expression of TLR4 downstream signaling molecules MyD88 and TRIF. Resatorvid inhibits autophagy and plays pivotal role in various inflammatory diseases.

Resveratrol (trans-Resveratrol; SRT501) is a CNS-penetrant natural polyphenolic phytoalexin that possesses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anti-cancer properties. Resveratrol (SRT 501) has a wide spectrum of targets including mTOR, JAK, β-amyloid, Adenylyl cyclase, IKKβ, DNA polymerase. Resveratrol also is a specific SIRT1 activator. Resveratrol is a potent pregnane X receptor (PXR) inhibitor. Resveratrol is an Nrf2 activator, ameliorates aging-related progressive renal injury in mice model. Resveratrol increases production of NO in endothelial cells.

Biotin, vitamin B7 and serves as a coenzyme for five carboxylases in humans, involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, isoleucine, and valine, and in gluconeogenesis. Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids.

Oleic acid (9-cis-Octadecenoic acid) is an abundant monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid is a Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activator.

Neomycin sulfate, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, exerts antibacterial activity through irreversible binding of the nuclear 30S ribosomal subunit, thereby blocking bacterial protein synthesis. Neomycin sulfate is a known phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. Neomycin sulfate potently inhibits both the nuclear translocation of angiogenin and angiogenin-induced cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Neomycin sulfate inhibits IP3-mediated Ca²⁺ release, MgATP-dependent Ca²⁺ uptake, and electrical excitation-evoked skeletal muscle Ca²⁺ transients. Neomycin sulfate depletes gut microbiota in specific mouse models, causes hearing impairment, and kidney damage with prolonged exposure. Neomycin sulfate can be used for the research of cancer.

Corticosterone (17-Deoxycortisol) is an orally active and adrenal cortex-produced glucocorticoid, which plays an important role in regulating neuronal functions of the limbic system (including hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala). Corticosterone increases the Rab-mediated AMPAR membrane traffic via SGK-induced phosphorylation of GDI. Corticosterone also interferes with the maturation of dendritic cells and shows a good immunosuppressive effect.

Atorvastatin is an orally active HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has the ability to effectively decrease blood lipids. Atorvastatin inhibits human SV-SMC proliferation and invasion with IC₅₀s of 0.39 μM and 2.39 μM, respectively.

Tofacitinib (Tasocitinib) is an orally active, blood-brain barrier permeable selective inhibitor of JAK1/JAK3. Tofacitinib blocks the JAK-STAT/NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibits cytokine signal transduction, phosphorylation of STAT1/STAT5, and suppresses innate and adaptive immune responses. Tofacitinib can be used in research related to major depressive disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, and immune-mediated liver injury.

Gefitinib (ZD1839) is a potent, selective and orally active EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with an IC₅₀ of 33 nM. Gefitinib selectively inhibits EGF-stimulated tumor cell growth (IC₅₀ of 54 nM) and that blocks EGF-stimulated EGFR autophosphorylation in tumor cells. Gefitinib also induces autophagy and cell apoptosis, which can be used for cancer related research, such as Lung cancer and breast cancer .

Everolimus (RAD001) is a Rapamycin (HY-10219) derivative and a potent, selective, orally active, blood-brain barrier-permeable mTOR1 inhibitor. Everolimus binds to FKBP-12 to generate an immunosuppressive complex. Everolimus inhibits tumor cells proliferation and induces cell apoptosis and autophagy. Everolimus has potent immunosuppressive and anticancer activities.

Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane), a natural phenolic compound, is a p300/CREB-binding protein-specific inhibitor of acetyltransferase, represses the acetylation of histone/nonhistone proteins and histone acetyltransferase-dependent chromatin transcription. Curcumin is a photosensitizer against microorganisms. Curcumin shows inhibitory effects on NF-κB and MAPKs, and has diverse pharmacologic effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. Curcumin induces stabilization of Nrf2 protein through Keap1 cysteine modification.

DHEA (Prasterone) is one of the most abundant steroid hormones. DHEA (Prasterone) mediates its action via multiple signaling pathways involving specific membrane receptors and via transformation into androgen and estrogen derivatives (e.g., androgens, estrogens, 7α and 7β DHEA, and 7α and 7β epiandrosterone derivatives) acting through their specific receptors.

Alpelisib (BYL-719) is an orally active PI3Kα-selective inhibitor that blocks the conversion of PIP2 to PIP3, thereby inhibiting pathways including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, Notch and JAK-STAT. Alpelisib also induces apoptosis, G0/G1 phase arrest and senescence; it significantly inhibits the proliferation, self-renewal, stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells, reduces cancer stem cell populations and decreases the expression of stem cell markers. Alpelisib not only enhances the sensitivity to Eribulin (HY-13442) and exerts a synergistic effect with Paclitaxel (HY-B0015), but may also induce drug resistance by upregulating the SGK3/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Alpelisib can be applied to research related to breast cancer, gastric cancer and lipomas associated with PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.

Valproic acid (VPA) is an orally active HDAC inhibitor, with IC₅₀ in the range of 0.5 and 2 mM. Valproic acid inhibits HDAC1 (IC₅₀, 400 μM), and induces proteasomal degradation of HDAC2. Valproic acid activates Notch1 signaling and inhibits proliferation in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. Valproic acid is used in the epilepsy, bipolar disorder, metabolic disease, HIV infection and prevention of migraine headaches.

Norepinephrine (Levarterenol; L-Noradrenaline) is a potent adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist. Norepinephrine activates α₁, α₂, β₁ receptors.

Empagliflozin (BI 107730 is a selective sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor with an IC₅₀ of 3.1 nM for human SGLT-2.