Sugar derivatives as new 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase inhibitors selective for the parasite Trypanosoma brucei Original Research Article

Sugar derivatives mimicking compounds which take part in the catalysed reaction have been assayed as alternative substrates and/or competitive inhibitors of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei and sheep liver. Phosphonate analogues have been synthesised and the new compound 5-deoxy-5-phosphono-d-arabinonate shows good selectivity towards the parasite enzyme. A number of 4-carbon and 5-carbon aldonates are strong inhibitors of the parasite enzyme with Ki values below the substrate Km and some acyl derivatives are also potent inhibitors. At least five of the compounds showing a significant selectivity for the parasite enzyme represent leads for trypanocidal drugs against this recently validated target.