U. Andersson et al., N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin: A more selective inhibitor of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis than N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, in vitro and in vivo, BIOCH PHARM, 59(7), 2000, pp. 821-829
N-Butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) inhibits the cetamide glucosyltransferase
which catalyses the first step in glycosphingolipid (GSL) biosynthesis. It
has the potential to be used for the treatment of the GSL lysosomal storage
diseases and is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of type 1 G
aucher's disease. However, NB-DNJ is also a potent inhibitor of other enzym
es, including alpha-glucosidase I and II, which could potentially cause sid
e effects in patients receiving life-long therapy. We therefore evaluated a
potentially more selective GSL biosynthesis inhibitor, N-butyldeoxygalacto
nojirimycin (NB-DGJ), in vitro and in vivo. The distribution and degree of
GSL depletion in the liver of mice treated with NB-DGJ or NB-DNJ were equiv
alent. Mice treated with NB-DGJ had normal body weights and lymphoid organ
sizes, whereas NB-DNJ treated mice showed weight loss and partial lymphoid
organ shrinkage. NB-DNJ inhibited glycogen catabolism in the liver, whereas
NB-DGJ did not. NB-DNJ was also a potent inhibitor of sucrase and maltase
in vitro but not of lactase, while NB-DGJ inhibited lactase but not sucrase
or maltase, NB-DGJ is therefore more selective than NB-DNJ, and deserves t
o be evaluated for human therapy. BIOCHEM PHARMACOL 59;7:821-829, 2000. (C)
2000 Elsevier Science Inc.