Sulfonylureas and glinides exhibit peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ activity: A combined virtual screening and biological assay approach.

Most drugs currently employed in the treatment of type 2 diabetes either target the sulfonylurea receptor stimulating insulin release (sulfonylureas, glinides), or target the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ) improving insulin resistance (thiazolidinediones). Our work shows that sulfonylureas and glinides additionally bind to PPARγ and exhibit PPARγ agonistic activity. This activity was predicted in silico by virtual screening and confirmed in vitro in a binding assay, a transactivation assay, and by measuring the expression of PPARγ target genes. Among the measured compounds, gliquidone and glipizide (two sulfonylureas), as well as nateglinide (a glinide), exhibit PPARγ agonistic activity at concentrations comparable with those reached under pharmacological treatment. The most active of these compounds, gliquidone, is shown to be as potent as pioglitazone at inducing PPARγ target gene expression. This dual mode of action of sulfonylureas and glinides may open new perspectives for the molecular pharmacology of antidiabetic drugs, because it provides evidence that drugs can be designed that target both the sulfonylurea receptor and PPARγ. Targeting both receptors could increase pancreatic insulin secretion and improve insulin resistance. Glinides, sulfonylureas, and other acidified sulfonamides may be promising leads in the development of new PPARγ agonists. In addition, we provide a unified concept of the PPARγ binding ability of seemingly disparate compound classes.