Novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as highly potent microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) inhibitors.

Selective inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is implicated as a new therapeutic modality for the development of new-generation anti-inflammatory drugs. Here, we present the discovery of new and potent inhibitors of human mPGES-1, i.e., compounds 13, 15-25, 29-30 with IC values in the range of 5.6-82.3 nM in a cell-free assay of prostaglandin (PG)E formation. We also demonstrate that 20 (TG554, IC = 5.6 nM) suppresses leukotriene (LT) biosynthesis at low µM concentrations, providing a benchmark compound that dually intervenes with inflammatory PGE and LT biosynthesis. Comprehensive lipid mediator (LM) metabololipidomics with activated human monocyte-derived macrophages showed that TG554 selectively inhibits inflammatory PGE formation over all cyclooxygenase (COX)-derived prostanoids, does not cause substrate shunting towards 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) pathway, and does not interfere with the biosynthesis of the specialized pro-resolving mediators as observed with COX inhibitors, providing a new chemotype for effective and safer anti-inflammatory drug development.