The Medicinal Chemistry and Therapeutic Potential of LRH-1 Modulators

J Med Chem. 2021 Dec 9;64(23):16956-16973. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01663. Epub 2021 Nov 27.

Abstract

The ligand-activated transcription factor liver receptor homologue 1 (LRH-1, NR5A2) is involved in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis, including cholesterol and glucose balance. Preliminary evidence points to therapeutic potential of LRH-1 modulation in diabetes, hepatic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, atherosclerosis, and certain cancers, but because of a lack of suitable ligands, pharmacological control of LRH-1 has been insufficiently studied. Despite the availability of considerable structural knowledge on LRH-1, only a few ligand chemotypes have been developed, and potent, selective, and bioavailable tools to explore LRH-1 modulation in vivo are lacking. In view of the therapeutic potential of LRH-1 in prevalent diseases, improved chemical tools are needed to probe the beneficial and adverse effects of pharmacological LRH-1 modulation in sophisticated preclinical models and to further elucidate the receptor's molecular function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / agonists*

Substances

  • Ligands
  • NR5A2 protein, human
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear