Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602)

Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602) is a direct mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) inhibitor that modulates central carbon metabolism in mice and humans.

Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602) is a modified hiazolidinediones (TZDP) with alterations in the carbon backbone that limit the ability to bind PPARγ, with the IC50 for PPARγ of 18.25 μM. Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602) also shows the affinity for mitochondrial binding, with the IC50 of 1.38 μM. Using a Gal4-PPARγ construct containing the ligand binding domain of mouse PPARγ, MSDC-0602 only minimally activates Gal4-PPARγ in HepG2 cells even at a concentration of 50 μM.^{<a class="sref" href="#s_ref">[1]</a>}^{<a class="sref" href="#s_ref">[2]</a>}

HepG2 hepatoma cells were co-transfected by calcium phosphate coprecipitation with expression vectors for Gal4-PPARγ (ligand binding domain only) or Gal4-PPARα, heterologous firefly luciferase reporter construct driven by five copies of a Gal4 response element, and  SV40-driven renilla luciferase reporter construct. Transfected cells were treated with PPARγ agonists (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone), PPARα agonist (GW7647), or MSDC-0602 for 24 h. Cell lysate firefly and renilla luciferase activity was assessed 48 h later by using the Dual-Glo kit. Firefly luciferase activity was corrected for renilla luciferase activity, and DMSO (vehicle) values were normalized to 1.0.

Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602) corrects plasma glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, and insulin concentrations, which are elevated in ob/ob mice compared with lean controls. Treatment with Azemiglitazone (MSDC-0602) also significantly improved glucose and insulin tolerance in ob/ob mice.^{<a class="sref" href="#s_ref">[2]</a>}