Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2009 May 15; Zhang X, Zhou Z, Yang H, Chen J, Feng Y, Du L, Leng Y, Shen JSelective inhibitors of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) have considerable potential as treatments for type 2 diabetes. Presented herein are the syntheses, structure-activity relationships, and efficacy evaluation of 4-(phenylsulfonamidomethyl)benzamides as 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors. Through modification of our initial lead 5, we have identified potent and selective 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors, such as 11n, which demonstrated improved glycemic control, decreased serum lipids, and enhanced insulin sensitivity when dosed ip in diabetic ob/ob mice.

Arch Biochem Biophys. 2009 Jun 25; Zhou J, He X, Huang KAccumulating evidence suggests that enhanced peroxynitrite formation occurs during diabetes. This report describes the effect of peroxynitrite on insulin receptor (IR) function. Addition of peroxynitrite to purified IR resulted in concentration-dependent tyrosine nitration and thiol oxidation. Interestingly, the basal and insulin-stimulated IR autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity were upregulated at low peroxynitrite concentrations, but downregulated at high peroxynitrite concentrations. Concomitantly, peroxynitrite dramatically reduced (125)I-insulin binding capacity and phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity of IR preparations. Moreover, SIN-1 administration decreased blood glucose levels in normal mice via upregulation of IR/IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. In contrast, SIN-1 markedly increased blood glucose levels in diabetic mice concomitant with downregulation of IR/IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Taken together, these data provide new insights regarding how peroxynitrite influences IR function in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that peroxynitrite plays a dual role in regulation of IR autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity, and SIN-1 has hyperglycemic effect in diabetic mice.