Mechanism of Action
Omigapil inhibits programmed cell death (apoptosis) through the enzymes glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and SIAH1. The glycolytic housekeeping enzyme GAPDH is mediated by neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Once activated by nitric oxide, GAPDH binds to the ubiquitin ligase SIAH1, and is transported to the nucleus where it activates the acetyltransferases p300/CBP to enhance acetylation and subsequent transcription. GAPDH's targets proapoptotic genes such as p53, p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), and p21 as well as other related targets. Chemogenetic studies indicate that omigapil inhibits this proapoptotic signaling cascade by preventing GAPDH activation through S-nitrosylation, which in turn prevents the binding of SIAH1 and translocation to the nucleus (see figure). Multiple binding cites on GAPDH have been suggested.
Omigapil was originally developed as a structurally similar molecule to selegiline (L-deprenyl), a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO) blocking the enzyme MAO type B, yet omigapil inhibit neither type of MAO. Selegiline has proven problematic as a treatment for Parkinson's disease because it is metabolized to (meth)amphetamine, which gives rise to adverse effects. Due to omigapil's tricyclic nature, the drug cannot be metabolized to amphetamine derivatives. Omigapil acts as a neuroprotective agent in cellular and rodent models of Parkinson's disease like selegiline, but its neuroprotective action is 100 times more potent than selegiline in both in vivo and in vitro studies.
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