Bioassay-guided fractionation of the marine alga Dictyochloris fragrans led to the isolation and identification of sulfonoquinovosyl dipalmitoyl glyceride (1). The structure of 1 was determined by a combination of spectroscopic methods. On the basis of P-selectin inhibition assays (i.e., P-selectin-IgG ELISA, cell binding assay of receptor globulin, and platelet:HL60 adhesion, it was demonstrated that 1 selectively blocks the P-selectin-ligand interaction in vitro and could be considered a lead compound for synthetic modification in order to design more potent inhibitors of cell adhesion processes that play important roles in development of inflammatory-mediated disease states.

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) represent one of the most important drug targets in terms of therapeutic applications. The NHR superfamily consists of a family of DNA binding transcription factors whose function can be controlled by small molecules (steroids or organic acids). Therefore, NHRs are suitable protein targets for the therapies of human diseases. Some of the current marketed drugs, including several anticancer and antidiabetic drugs, are known to target NHRs. Examples include the anticancer and retinoid X receptor-targeting Targretin and the antidiabetic and peroxisome proliferative-activated receptor-gamma-targeting thiaozolidinediones. More NHR-targeting drugs are expected in the coming years. Identification of specific NHR modulators, as well as identification of ligands for orphan NHRs, will lead to new therapies for many human diseases. Many pharmaceutical companies are investing in NHR-targeted drugs, which are estimated to be 10-15% of the US dollars 400 billion global pharmaceutical market. This minireview discusses various aspects of NHR drug discovery, with a focus on the application of NHR coactivators in assay design for NHR ligand identification.

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent cause of dementia and is associated with accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), particularly the 42-amino acid Aβ1-42, in the brain. Aβ1-42 levels can be decreased by γ-secretase modulators (GSM), which are small molecules that modulate γ-secretase, an enzyme essential for Aβ production. BMS-869780 is a potent GSM that decreased Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-40 and increased Aβ1-37 and Aβ1-38, without inhibiting overall levels of Aβ peptides or other APP processing intermediates. BMS-869780 also did not inhibit Notch processing by γ-secretase and lowered brain Aβ1-42 without evidence of Notch-related side effects in rats. Human pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were predicted through allometric scaling of PK in rat, dog, and monkey and were combined with the rat pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters to predict the relationship between BMS-869780 dose, exposure and Aβ1-42 levels in human. Off-target and safety margins were then based on comparisons to the predicted exposure required for robust Aβ1-42 lowering. Because of insufficient safety predictions and the relatively high predicted human daily dose of 700 mg, further evaluation of BMS-869780 as a potential clinical candidate was discontinued. Nevertheless, BMS-869780 demonstrates the potential of the GSM approach for robust lowering of brain Aβ1-42 without Notch-related side effects.