Dario Masullo

University of Antwerp | UA · Department of Chemistry

A chemoselective and catalytic transamidation for peptide synthesis is described. Transamidation under Zn catalysis is chemoselectively achieved by amino acid amide/peptidic amide derivatization with a tert-butyl nicotinate (tBu nic) directing group. The directing group could be easily introduced on protected amino acid amides via Pd-catalyzed amid...

The G-protein coupled receptor of bile acids GPBAR1 is a bile acid receptor that plays an important role in regulating innate immunity, glucose homeostasis and energy expenditure representing an interesting target for the treatment of metabolic and degenerative diseases. A selective control of its activity over the other bile acid-activated recepto...

Bile acids are extensively investigated for their potential in the treatment of human disorders. The liver X receptors (LXRs), activated by oxysterols and by a secondary bile acid named hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA), have been found essential in the regulation of lipid homeostasis in mammals. Unfortunately, LXRα activates lipogenic enzymes causing acc...

The small heterodimer partner (SHP) is an orphan nuclear receptor that lacks the DNA binding domain while conserves a putative ligand-binding site, thought that endogenous ligands for this receptor are unknown. Previous studies have determined that SHP activation protects against development of liver fibrosis a process driven by trans-differentiati...

Bile acids are signaling molecules interacting with nuclear receptors and membrane G-protein-coupled receptors. Among these receptors, the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and the membrane G-coupled receptor (GPBAR1) have gained increasing consideration as druggable receptors and their exogenous dual regulation represents an attractive strategy in the tr...

Bile acids are the endogenous modulators of the nuclear receptor FXR and the membrane receptor GPBAR1. FXR represents a promising pharmacological target for the treatment of cholestatic liver disorders. Currently available semisynthetic bile acid derivatives cover the same chemical space of bile acids and therefore they are poorly selective toward...

Bile acids are signalling molecules interacting with the nuclear receptor FXR and the G-protein coupled receptor 1 (GP-BAR1/TGR5). GP-BAR1 is promising pharmacological target for the treatment of steato-hepatitis, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Endogenous bile acids and currently available semisynthetic bile acids are poorly selective toward GP-BAR1...