Publications by authors named "Minori Masago"

Coenzyme A (CoA):diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) is 1 of the 2 known DGAT enzymes that catalyze the final and only committed step in triacylglycerol synthesis; this enzyme is considered to be a potential therapeutic target in metabolic disorders such as obesity and its related lipid abnormalities. Compound-Z, a novel specific small-molecule DGAT1 inhibitor, significantly reduced adipose tissue weight and tended to hepatic lipid accumulation in genetically obese KKAy mice. These actions were shown to almost the same extent in both a high-fat feeding condition in which triacylglycerols are synthesized mainly via exogenous fatty acid and a low-fat, high-carbohydrate feeding condition in which triacylglycerols are synthesized mainly via de novo fatty acid synthesis.

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In a program to discover new small molecule diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT)-1 inhibitors, screening of our in-house chemical library was carried out using recombinant human DGAT-1 enzyme. From this library, the lead compound 1a was identified as a new class of DGAT-1 inhibitor. A series of novel N-(substituted heteroaryl)-4-(substituted phenyl)-4-oxobutanamides 2 was designed from 1a, synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity against DGAT-1 enzyme.

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