diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, usually called diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time. The most common types are Type I and Type II. Type I diabetes (T1D), also called juvenile onset diabetes mellitus or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, is characterized by destruction of the β-cells of the pancreas and insulin is not produced, whereas type II diabetes (T2D), also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, is characterized by a progressive impairment of insulin secretion and relative decreased sensitivity of target tissues to the action of this hormone. Type 2 diabetes accounts for the vast majority of all diabetes mellitus. Diabetes of all types can lead to complications in many parts of the body and can increase the overall risk of dying prematurely. Possible complications include kidney failure, leg amputation, vision loss and nerve damage.

The pathogenesis of diabetes is complicated, and development of the safe and effective drugs against diabetes is full of challenge. Increasing studies have confirmed that the pathogenesis of diabetes is related to various signaling pathways, such as insulin signaling pathway, AMPK pathway, PPAR regulation and chromatin modification pathways. These signaling pathways have thus become the major source of the promising novel drug targets to treat metabolic diseases and diabetes.

MCE Anti-diabetic Compound Library owns a unique collection of 915 compounds, which mainly target SGLT, PPAR, DPP-4, AMPK, Dipeptidyl Peptidase, Glucagon Receptor, etc. This library is a useful tool for discovery anti-diabetes drugs.

Nuclear receptors (NR) are proteins found in cells that sense androgen and thyroid hormones and certain other molecules. They are ligand-activated transcription factors that participate in many aspects of human physiology and pathology, and regulate the expression of various important genes.

Nuclear receptors have become one of the main targets in the development of new drug strategies, providing a unique type of receptors for studying a variety of human diseases, such as breast cancers, skin disorders and diabetes. 13% of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs target nuclear receptors.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 874 nuclear receptor inhibitors and activators, all of which have the identified inhibitory or activated effect on nuclear receptor. MCE Nuclear Receptor Library is a useful tool for drugs research related to cancer, skin disease and diabetes.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels which include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, etc. CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally. Smoking, unhealthy nutrition, aging population, lack of physical activity, arterial hypertension, or diabetes can promote cardiovascular disease like myocardial infarction or stroke. It is multifactorial and encompasses a multitude of mechanisms, such as eNOS uncoupling, reactive oxygen species formation, chronic inflammatory disorders and abnormal calcium homeostasis. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetes agents may reduce the cardiovascular disease risk.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 1,946 compounds with confirmed anti-cardiovascular activity. These compounds mainly target metabolic enzyme, membrane transporter, ion channel, inflammation related signaling pathways. MCE Anti-Cardiovascular Disease Compound Library can be used for cardiovascular diseases related research and high throughput and high content screening for new drugs.

Potassium channels are the most widely distributed type of ion channel and are found in virtually all living organisms. There are four major classes of K channels: voltage-gated potassium channel, calcium-activated potassium channel, inwardly rectifying potassium channel and tandem pore domain potassium channel. There is growing evidence that dysfunction in potassium channels correlates with several diseases, such as chronic hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, etc.

MCE Potassium Channel Compound Library consists of 277 potassium channel inhibitor and activators, which is a useful tool to discover drugs for cardiovascular diseases and potassium channel research.

Mitochondria, as the main place of energy supply in life, is essential to maintain normal life activities. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with common diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and cancer. The heart, brain and liver rely heavily on mitochondrial function as the main organs for drug metabolism. In addition, mitochondria is also a target of many drugs, some of which induce organotoxicity by inducing mitochondrial toxicity.

MCE contains 508 mitochondrial toxic compounds, which can be used as tool compounds for drug development and disease mechanism research.

Peptides are a group of biologically active substances that are involved in various cellular functions of organisms. Peptides are often used in functional analysis, vaccine research and especially in the field of drug research and development. At present, more than 80 peptide drugs have reached the market for a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, HIV infection and chronic pain.

MedChemExpress (MCE) offers a comprehensive collection of 1,964 peptides, including bioactive peptides, amino acid derivatives, and blocking peptides. MCE Peptide Library can be used for peptide library screening, peptide drug discovery, vaccine development, target verification, structural activity research, etc.

Glucose homeostasis is tightly regulated to meet the energy requirements of the vital organs and maintain an individual’s health. Glucose metabolism includes glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, oxidative phosphorylation and other metabolic pathways. Glucose is the major carbon source that provides the main energy for life. Glucose metabolism dysregulation is also implicated in many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and even cancer.

MCE offers a unique collection of 1,324 compounds related to glucose metabolism, which target glucose metabolism related targets, such as GLUT, Hexokinase, Pyruvate Kinase, IDH, etc. MCE glucose metabolism library is a powerful tool for studying glucose metabolism and drug discovery of diseases related to glucose metabolism.

Fatty acids (FAs) are the main components of lipids. The synthesis of fatty acids mainly involves the Triglyceride (TG) cycle and De Novo Lipogenesis (DNL). Fatty acids which exist widely in organisms are components of cell membranes and play an indispensable role in cell signaling. In addition, FFAs can be taken up from circulating plasma by all mitochondria-containing cells, and they are metabolized by β-oxidation and the citric acid cycle to release large amounts of energy in the form of ATP. Abnormal fatty acid metabolism is associated with the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, fatty liver, hyperthyroidism, and other diseases.

MCE offers a unique collection of fatty acid compounds. Fatty Acids Compound Library is an important tool for the study of energy metabolism and drug development of metabolism-related diseases.

Metabolism is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms that maintain cell homeostasis. Metabolic pathways are enzyme-mediated biochemical reactions that lead to biosynthesis (anabolism) or breakdown (catabolism) of molecules including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid or protein metabolism within a cell or tissue. As catalysts, enzymes are crucial to metabolism as they allow a reaction to proceed more rapidly and tregulate the rate of a metabolic reaction. Due to the importance of metabolic balance in the organism, the abnormal function of metabolic enzymes often leads to the occurrence of a variety of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.

MCE designs a unique collection of 3,452 metabolic enzymes related small molecules, which is an important tool for studying the metabolic activities of organisms and developing drugs for metabolic diseases.

Transcription is the essential first step in the conversion of the genetic information in the DNA into protein and the major point at which gene expression is controlled. Transcription of protein-coding genes is accomplished by the multi-subunit enzyme RNA polymerase II and an ensemble of ancillary proteins, called transcription factors (TFs). Transcription factors play an important role in the long-term regulation of cell growth, differentiation and responses to environmental cues. Deregulated transcription factors contribute to the pathogenesis of a plethora of human diseases, ranging from diabetes, inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease to many cancers, and thus these proteins hold great therapeutic potential.

MCE offers a unique collection of 1,874 compounds with validated transcription factor targets modulating properties. MCE transcription factor-targeted compound library is an effective tool for researching transcription factors as drug targets as well as modulation of TFs for different therapeutic applications.

Inflammation promotes physiological and pathological processes by the activation of the immune system, local vascular system, and various cells within the damaged tissue. Accumulating epidemiological and clinical evidence shows that chronic inflammation is causally linked to various human diseases, including cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, joint, cutaneous, pulmonary, blood, liver, and intestinal diseases as well as diabetes.

Various natural products from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been shown to safely suppress proinflammatory pathways and control inflammation-associated disease. MCE designs a unique collection of 1,332 Traditional Chinese Medicine active compounds with anti-inflammatory activity, which are derived from Coptis chinensis, Radix isatidis, Flos Lonicerae, Forsythia suspensa, etc. MCE Anti-inflammatory Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery anti-inflammatory drugs from TCM.

The health benefits deriving from the consumption of certain foods have been common knowledge. All foods are made up of chemical substances. Chemicals in foods are largely harmless and often desirable. At present, numerous researchers have been focused on the beneficial role played by certain food components in the close relationship between food intake and health status. For example, polyphenols, a common class of compounds among foods, are well-known antioxidants, which may play a role in the prevention of several diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 1,967 compounds from variety of foods. All compounds are with specific food source(s). MCE Food-Sourced Compound Library is the useful tool to discover molecules with pharmaceutical activity from foods.

Accumulating evidence has revealed that intestinal microbiota play an important role in human health and disease, including cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and depression, etc. Changes in the composition of gut microbiota associated with disease, referred to as dysbiosis, have been linked to pathologies. Indeed, the gut microbiome functions like an endocrine organ, generating bioactive metabolites which play important roles in human metabolism, health, and disease. Gut microbiome has become a novel therapeutic target for many diseases. Analysis and identification of gut microbial metabolite will contribute to the development of therapeutic methods.

In order to meet the need of gut microbiome research, MCE carefully selected a unique collection of 500 gut microbial metabolites. MCE gut microbial metabolite library is a powerful tool for gut microbiome research and gut microbiome -related drug discovery.

Human metabolism is an integral part of cellular function that reflects individual differences in health, disease, diet, and lifestyle. Many health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer are associated with abnormal metabolic states. In the pathological state of the human body, metabolic pathways are significantly altered, resulting in aberrant levels of intermediates or end-products that can be viewed as potential diagnostic biomarkers or even therapeutic targets. Therefore, detection, identification and quantification of human metabolites are very important for drug metabolism research in drug development.

MCE offers a unique collection of 6,266 human metabolites, including endogenous metabolites and exogenous metabolites, covering multiple structure types, such as lipids, amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, organic acids, biogenic amines, vitamins,. MCE Human Metabolites Library is a helpful tool for studying the relationship between diseases and metabolism.

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are key signaling molecules and important drug targets. Two classes of PTKs are present in cells: the transmembrane receptor PTKs (RTKs) and the nonreceptor PTKs. The RTK family includes the receptors for insulin and for many growth factors, such as EGFR, FGFR, PDGFR, VEGFR, and NGFR. RTKs are transmembrane glycoproteins that are activated by the binding of their ligands, and they transduce the extracellular signal to the cytoplasm by phosphorylating tyrosine residues on the receptors themselves (autophosphorylation) and on downstream signaling proteins. Their principal functions of PTKs involve the regulation of multicellular aspects of the organism. Cell to cell signals concerning growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and death are frequently transmitted through tyrosine kinases. In humans, tyrosine kinases have been demonstrated to play significant roles in the development of many disease states, including diabetes and cancers.

MCE designs a unique collection of 1,330 compounds that act as a useful tool for PTKs-related drug screening and disease research.

Hormones are a class of biologically active substances secreted by endocrine gland cells, which are transported through the circulatory system to various parts of the body, and precisely act on specific target organs or cells, playing a crucial role in regulating the growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction of organisms. The mechanisms of hormone action are diverse and complex. Some hormones (such as corticosteroids, vitamin D, and thyroid hormones) can enter the cell interior and interact with receptors in the nucleus, thereby regulating gene expression and affecting cell function. Other hormones (such as growth hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone) bind directly to receptors on the cell surface, exerting their effects by regulating enzyme activity or influencing the state of ion channels. Additionally, hormones play a key role in the study of endocrine and metabolic diseases, and are closely related to the development of diseases such as diabetes and thyroid diseases.

MCE has included 85 human hormone compounds, which is of great significance for the study of human metabolic pathways, and can also be used to build a metabonomics database.

Obesity is widely recognized as the largest and fastest growing public health problem and is associated with numerous chronic disorders including osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, gallstones, fatty liver disease, reproductive and gastrointestinal cancers, dyslipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, etc. Although obesity has long been associated with serious health issues, it has only recently been regarded as a disease in the sense of being a specific target for medical therapy. Obesity may be viewed as the dysregulation of two physiological functions, appetite regulation and energy metabolism, which combine to create disordered energy balance. Consequently, developing obesity treatments that target novel pathways is a growing focus for both biopharmaceutical industries.

MCE Anti-Obesity Compound Library owns a unique collection of 2,952 compounds, which mainly target signaling pathway of controlling appetite, fatty acid metabolism and energy expenditure, etc. This library is a useful tool for discovery anti-obesity drugs.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contributes to the production and folding of approximately one third of cellular proteins, and is thus inextricably linked to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and the fine balance between health and disease. However, some adverse factors negatively impact ER functions and protein synthesis, resulting in the activation of Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress, ERS) and unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathways. The UPR is triggered when ER protein folding capacity is overwhelmed by cellular demand and the UPR initially aims to restore ER homeostasis and normal cellular functions. However, if this fails, then the UPR triggers cell death. Chronic ER stress and defects in UPR signaling are emerging as key contributors to a growing list of human diseases, including diabetes, neurodegeneration and cancer.

MCE Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Compound Library contains 299 ER stress-related compounds that mainly target PERK, IRE1, ATF6, etc. MCE ER stress library is a useful tool for researching ER stress and related diseases.

Cytokines are a kind of low molecular soluble proteins synthesized and secreted by immunogen, mitogen or other factors. They have functions of regulating innate and adaptive immune responses, promoting hematopoiesis, stimulating cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. The process of releasing a large number of cytokines is also called “Cytokine storm”, which can cause damage to many tissues and organs in the body. Cytokine is involved in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, chronic inflammatory diseases and so on. Cytokine inhibitors are a class of essential compounds that act by directly inhibiting the synthesis and release of cytokine or blocking the binding of cytokine to their receptors. Cytokine inhibitors are important compounds for the study of tumor and autoimmune diseases.

MCE designs a unique collection of 1,076 cytokine inhibitors, mainly targeting the receptor interleukin (IL), colony-stimulating factor (CSF), interferon (IFN), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), growth factor (GF) and chemokine, which is an effective tool for development and research of anti-cancer, anti-chronic inflammatory diseases and anti-autoimmune diseases compounds.

From target identification to clinical research, traditional drug discovery and development is a time-consuming and costly process, which also bears high risk. Compared with traditional drug discovery, drug repositioning or repurposing, also known as old drugs for new uses can greatly shorten the development cycle and reduce development cost, which has become a new trend of drug development. After undergoing clinical trials, approved drugs have identified bioactivities, good pharmacokinetic characteristics and safety, which can greatly improve the success rate of drug discovery. A number of successes have been achieved, such as metformin for type 2 diabetes and thalidomide for leprosy and multiple myeloma, etc.

MCE provides a unique collection of 1,397 China NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) approved compounds, which have undergone extensive preclinical and clinical studies and have well-characterized bioactivities, safety and bioavailability properties. MCE NMPA-Approved Drug Library is a good tool for drug repurposing which could dramatically accelerate drug development.

Bile acids are a class of amphiphilic molecules derived from the metabolic breakdown of cholesterol, primarily synthesized in the liver, and play a crucial role in the intestines. Based on their structural characteristics, bile acids are mainly divided into two categories: free bile acids (including Cholic acid, Deoxycholic acid, Chenodeoxycholic acid) and conjugated bile acids (including Glycocholic acid, Glycochenodeoxycholic acid, Taurocholic acid, etc.). Bile acids play a significant role in the pathophysiological research of liver and gastrointestinal diseases and are closely associated with the occurrence of metabolic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. Bile acids maintain metabolic balance within the body by regulating sugar metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, and they influence the activity of metabolism-related enzymes and transporters. In addition, Bile acids can also be used to construct a bile acid metabolism research platform, which helps to delve into the metabolic pathways and dynamic changes of bile acids in living organisms and aids in identifying new biomarkers for certain diseases.

MCE included 58 bile acids, including Cholic acid, Deoxycholic acid, Glycocholic acid, etc., which are effective tools for the study of liver and gallbladder diseases.

Aging is a complex biological process characterized by functional decline of tissues and organs, structural degeneration, and reduced adaptability and resistance, all of which contribute to an increase in morbidity and mortality caused by multiple chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and diabetes. Many theories, which fall into two main categories: programmed and error theories, have been proposed to explain the process of aging, but neither of them appears to be fully satisfactory. The programmed theories imply that aging relies on specific gene regulation, and the error theories emphasize the internal and environmental damages accumulated to living organisms. The damage theories proposed the nine hallmarks that were generally considered to contribute to the aging process: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient-sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication.

MCE Anti-Aging Compound Library contains 5,981 compounds, mainly targeting Sirtuin, mTOR, IGF-1R, AMPK, p53, Telomerase, Mitophagy, Mitochondrial Metabolism, COX, Cytochrome P450, Oxidase, etc. This library is a useful tool for anti-aging research.

Heat-clearing and detoxification is a specific treatment method in the research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is clinically used to treat infectious diseases with remarkable effect. Over the past decades, the research of heat-clearing and detoxification treatment has been one of the most active fields of combining traditional Chinese and western medicines, and has made remarkable achievements. Nowadays, the application field of heat-clearing and detoxification traditional Chinese medicine is not only limited to antibacterial and antiviral, but also has made progress in the research fields of anti-inflammatory reaction, anti-endotoxin, anti-peroxidative damage, anti-inflammatory cytokines, enhancement of immune function, protection of cellular organelles, and maintenance of calcium homeostasis. In addition to this, clearing heat and removing toxins has also made significant research progress in non-infectious diseases, for example, in tumors, cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases, blood diseases, geriatrics, and diabetes, all of which have shown good curative effect.

MCE can supply 1,287 monomer component from more than a hundred sources of heat-clearing and detoxification TCM, which can be used in TCM studies, drug development and mechanism-based studies.