Functionalized Cyclophellitols Are Selective Glucocerebrosidase Inhibitors and Induce a Bona Fide Neuropathic Gaucher Model in Zebrafish

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Mar 13;141(10):4214-4218. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b00056. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Abstract

Gaucher disease is caused by inherited deficiency in glucocerebrosidase (GBA, a retaining β-glucosidase), and deficiency in GBA constitutes the largest known genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease. In the past, animal models of Gaucher disease have been generated by treatment with the mechanism-based GBA inhibitors, conduritol B epoxide (CBE), and cyclophellitol. Both compounds, however, also target other retaining glycosidases, rendering generation and interpretation of such chemical knockout models complicated. Here we demonstrate that cyclophellitol derivatives carrying a bulky hydrophobic substituent at C8 are potent and selective GBA inhibitors and that an unambiguous Gaucher animal model can be readily generated by treatment of zebrafish with these.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cyclohexanols / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Gaucher Disease / chemically induced*
  • Glucosylceramidase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • Zebrafish
  • Zebrafish Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Cyclohexanols
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • cyclophellitol
  • GBA2 protein, human
  • Glucosylceramidase
  • imiglucerase