Aegeline

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2019 Feb 1;29(3):454-460.

Aegeline, a natural product from the plant Aegle marmelos, mimics the yeast SNARE protein Sec22p in suppressing α-synuclein and Bax toxicity in yeast.[Pubmed: 30579794 ]

Herein, we have identified yeast Sec22p (ySec22p), a SNARE protein essential for endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi trafficking, as a suppressor of Bax-induced yeast apoptosis and corroborated published observations that ySec22p suppresses α-synuclein's toxicity in yeast. It has been suggested that compounds which enhance expression, in neurons, of human homologues of ySec22p (Sec22Bp/Sec22p/Sec22A) would prevent synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
With the aim of finding a small molecule that would mimic ySec22p, a library of natural products consisting of 394-compounds was screened using yeast cells that express either human α-synuclein or human Bax. The antioxidant Aegeline, an alkaloid-amide occurring in the leaves of the plant Aegle marmelos Correa, was the only molecule that overcame apoptosis induced by both α-synuclein and Bax in yeast. Besides, Aegeline also prevented growth block in cells expressing the more toxic A53T α-synuclein mutant. Restoration of cell growth occurred through inhibition of increased ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential loss and nuclear DNA fragmentation, characteristics of apoptosis manifested in α-synuclein or Bax-expressing cells.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results highlight the importance of yeast systems to identify rapidly molecules that may prevent the onset of apoptosis that occurs in Parkinson's disease.

Eur J Med Chem. 2018 Jan 1;143:780-791.

Aegeline inspired synthesis of novel amino alcohol and thiazolidinedione hybrids with antiadipogenic activity in 3T3-L1 cells.[Pubmed: 29220798 ]

Excess adiposity is a hallmark of obesity, which is caused due to an imbalance between energy intake and energy consumed. Obesity is often associated with several metabolic disorders like dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Earlier, our group had reported natural product Aegeline (amino-alcohol) isolated from the plant Aegle marmelos as an anti-diabetic and anti-dyslipidemic compound.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
With this background, we synthesized a series of novel amino alcohol and thiazolidinedione hybrid molecules and studied their antiadipogenic activity. As a result, we have identified a potent hybrid compound 12c as an inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation. The compound 12c inhibits lipid accumulation and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell line. Exposure of compound 12c blocks mitotic clonal expansion and arrests cells in S-phase of cell cycle. Detailed analysis showed that compound 12c decreases expression of two major transcription factors that are involved in adipocyte differentiation, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and other adipogenesis associated genes like aP2 and FAS.
CONCLUSIONS:
Thus, we concluded that compound 12c shows potential ability to inhibit adipocyte differentiation which can be used therapeutically for the treatment of obesity and its associated metabolic disorders.

Metabolism. 2018 Aug;85:1-13.

Aegeline inspired synthesis of novel β3-AR agonist improves insulin sensitivity in vitro and in vivo models of insulin resistance.[Pubmed: 29524448 ]

In our drug discovery program of natural product, earlier we have reported Aegeline that is N-acylated-1-amino-2- alcohol, which was isolated from the leaves of Aeglemarmelos showed anti-hyperlipidemic activity for which the QSAR studies predicted the compound to be the β3-AR agonist, but the mechanism of its action was not elucidated. In our present study, we have evaluated the β3-AR activity of novel N-acyl-1-amino-3-arylopropanol synthetic mimics of Aegeline and its beneficial effect in insulin resistance. In this study, we have proposed the novel pharmacophore model using reported molecules for antihyperlipidemic activity. The reported pharmacophore features were also compared with the newly developed pharmacophore model for the observed biological activity.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Based on 3D pharmacophore modeling of known β3AR agonist, we screened 20 synthetic derivatives of Aegeline from the literature. From these, the top scoring compound 10C was used for further studies. The in-slico result was further validated in HEK293T cells co-trransfected with human β3-AR and CRE-Luciferase reporter plasmid for β3-AR activity.The most active compound was selected and β3-AR activity was further validated in white and brown adipocytes differentiated from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Insulin resistance model developed in hMSC derived adipocytes was used to study the insulin sensitizing property. 8 week HFD fed C57BL6 mice was given 50 mg/Kg of the selected compound and metabolic phenotyping was done to evaluate its anti-diabetic effect. As predicted by in-silico 3D pharmacophore modeling, the compound 10C was found to be the most active and specific β3-AR agonist with EC50 value of 447 nM. The compound 10C activated β3AR pathway, induced lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation and increased oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in human adipocytes. Compound 10C induced expression of brown adipocytes specific markers and reverted chronic insulin induced insulin resistance in white adipocytes. The compound 10C also improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in 8 week HFD fed C57BL6 mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study enlightens the use of in vitro insulin resistance model close to human physiology to elucidates the insulin sensitizing activity of the compound 10C and edifies the use of β3AR agonist as therapeutic interventions for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.