Cyclooxygenases (COX) have been implicated in the etiology of a number of diseases, but defining the precise contribution of COXs to these diseases is challenging. Potent COX inhibitors exist, but they display off-target effects. 2′-Desmethyl derivatives of indomethacin and sulindac sulfide were synthesized that demonstrated reduced COX inhibitory activity but were inducers of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-dependent transcription, adipocyte differentiation, or apoptosis of colon cancer cell lines. 2′-Desmethylindomethacin demonstrated gastrointestinal toxicity lower than that of indomethacin in C57BL6 mice, highlighting the importance of COX activity in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis and establishing that COX inhibition contributes to gastrointestinal toxicity by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. These compounds serve as useful probes of COX-dependent biology and may represent leads for antidiabetic and anticancer drugs.

A series of novel derivatives of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) sulindac sulfide were synthesized as potential agonists of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). Nonpolar and aromatic substitutions on the benzylidene ring as well as retention of the carboxylic acid side chain were required for optimal activity. Compound 24 was as potent a compound as any other in the series with an EC50 of 0.1 μM for the induction of peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE)-luciferase activity. Direct binding of compound 24 to PPARγ was demonstrated by the displacement of [3H]troglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, in a scintillation proximity assay. Compound 24 also stimulated the binding of PPARγ to a PPRE-containing oligonucleotide and induced expression of liver fatty-acid binding protein (L-FABP) and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), two established PPARγ target genes. Taken together, these compounds represent potential leads in the development of novel PPARγ agonists.