Quinoline-Glycomimetic Conjugates Reducing Lipogenesis and Lipid Accumulation in Hepatocytes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is characterized by excess accumulation of triglyceride in hepatocytes, is the major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and no approved drug is available. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes has been implicated in promoting lipogenesis and fat accumulation in the liver, and thus, serve as attractive drug targets. The generation of non- or low cytotoxic mTOR inhibitors is required because existing cytotoxic mTOR inhibitors are not useful for NAFLD therapy. New compounds based on the privileged adenosine triphosphate (ATP) site binder quinoline scaffold conjugated to glucose and galactosamine derivatives, which have significantly low cytotoxicity, but strong mTORC1 inhibitory activity at low micromolar concentrations, have been synthesized. These compounds also effectively inhibit the rate of lipogenesis and lipid accumulation in cultured hepatocytes. This is the first report of glycomimetic-quinoline derivatives that reduce lipid load in hepatocytes.