MD001

MD001 is a dual agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and PPARγ.1 It binds to PPARα and PPARγ (Kds = 9.55 and 0.14 μM, respectively) but does not bind to PPARβ/δ at concentrations up to 500 μM. It increases transcriptional activity of PPARα and PPARγ in a cell-based luciferase reporter assay when used at a concentration of 10 μM. MD001 (10 μM) increases expression of PPARα, PPARγ, and retinoid X receptor (RXR), as well as PPARα and PPARγ target genes, in HepG2 cells. It increases glucose consumption as well as expression of GLUT2 and GLUT4 in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells, respectively, in a concentration-dependent manner. MD001 (20 mg/kg) decreases levels of glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, triglycerides, LDL, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in blood and reduces the size and number of hepatic lipid droplets in diabetic db/db mice.