Structural repurposing of SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin for strengthening anti-heart failure activity with lower glycosuria

摘要

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2(SGLT2)inhibitors have been reapproved for heart failure(HF)therapy in patients with and without diabetes.However,the initial glucose-lowering indication of SGLT2i has impeded their uses in cardiovascular clinical practice.A challenge of SGLT2i then becomes how to separate their anti-HF activity from glucose-lowering side-effect.To address this issue,we conducted structural repurposing of EMPA,a representative SGLT2 inhibitor,to strengthen anti-HF activity and reduce the SGLT2-inhibitory activity according to structural basis of inhibition of SGLT2.Compared to EMPA,the optimal derivative JX01,which was produced by methylation of C2—OH of the glucose ring,exhibited weaker SGLT2-inhibitory activity(IC_(50)>100 nmol/L),and lower glycosuria and glucose-lowering side-effect,better NHE1-inhibitory activity and cardioprotective effect in HF mice.Furthermore,JX01 showed good safety profiles in respect of single-dose/repeat-dose toxicity and hERG activity,and good pharmacokinetic properties in both mouse and rat species.Collectively,the present study provided a paradigm of drug repurposing to discover novel anti-HF drugs,and indirectly demonstrated that SGLT2-independent molecular mechanisms play an important role in cardioprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors.