Rational design and synthesis of 4-substituted 2-pyridin-2-ylamides with inhibitory effects on SH2 domain-containing inositol 5′-phosphatase 2 (SHIP2)

Novel 4-substituted 2-pyridin-2-ylamides were developed using in-silico ligand-based drug design (LBDD) in an attempt to identify inhibitors of SH2-containing 5′-inositol phosphatase 2 (SHIP2), which is implicated in insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes. Among the compounds synthesized, N-[4-(4-chlorobenzyloxy)pyridin-2-yl]-2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)- acetamide (CPDA, 4a) was identified as a potent SHIP2 inhibitor. CPDA was found to enhance in vitro insulin signaling through the Akt pathway more efficiently than the previously reported SHIP2 inhibitor AS1949490, and ameliorated abnormal glucose metabolism in diabetic (db/db) mice.

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► Rational design of novel SHIP2 inhibitors using in-silico LBDD was reported.
► CPDA (4a) was found to enhance in vitro insulin signaling.
► CPDA (4a) was also found to improve the abnormal glucose metabolism in db/db mice.