The biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes of the endocannabinoids tightly regulate endocannabinoid-mediated activation of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Monitoring the activities of these endocannabinoid hydrolases in different brain regions is, therefore, key to gaining insight into spatiotemporal control of CB1 receptor-mediated physiology. We have employed a comparative chemical proteomics approach to quantitatively map the activity profile of endocannabinoid hydrolases in various mouse brain regions at the same time. To this end, we used two different activity-based probes: fluorophosphonate-biotin (FP-biotin), which quantifies FAAH, ABHD6, and MAG-lipase activity, and MB108, which detects DAGL-α, ABHD4, ABHD6, and ABHD12. In total, 32 serine hydrolases were evaluated in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum. Comparison of endocannabinoid hydrolase activity in the four brain regions revealed that FAAH activity was highest in the hippocampus, and MAGL activity was most pronounced in the frontal cortex, whereas DAGL-α was most active in the cerebellum. Comparison of the activity profiles with a global proteomics data set revealed pronounced differences. This could indicate that post-translational modification of the endocannabinoid hydrolases is important to regulate their activity. Next, the effect of genetic deletion of the CB1 receptor was studied. No difference in the enzymatic activity was found in the cerebellum, striatum, frontal cortex, and hippocampus of CB1 receptor knockout animals compared to wild type mice. Our results are in line with previous reports and indicate that the CB1 receptor exerts no regulatory control over the basal production and degradation of endocannabinoids and that genetic deletion of the CB1 receptor does not induce compensatory mechanisms in endocannabinoid hydrolase activity.

Triazole ureas constitute a versatile class of irreversible inhibitors that target serine hydrolases in both cells and animal models. We have previously reported that triazole ureas can act as selective and CNS-active inhibitors for diacylglycerol lipases (DAGLs), enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) that activates cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Here, we report the enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis and structure–activity relationship studies. We found that 2,4-substituted triazole ureas with a biphenylmethanol group provided the most optimal scaffold. Introduction of a chiral ether substituent on the 5-position of the piperidine ring provided ultrapotent inhibitor 38 (DH376) with picomolar activity. Compound 38 temporarily reduces fasting-induced refeeding of mice, thereby emulating the effect of cannabinoid CB1-receptor inverse agonists. This was mirrored by 39 (DO34) but also by the negative control compound 40 (DO53) (which does not inhibit DAGL), which indicates the triazole ureas may affect the energy balance in mice through multiple molecular targets.

Inhibitors of diacylglycerol lipases and α,β-hydrolase domain containing protein 6 (ABHD6) are potential leads for the development of therapeutic agents for metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we report the enantioselective synthesis and structure activity relationships of triazole ureas featuring chiral, hydroxylated 2-benzylpiperidines as dual inhibitors of DAGLα and ABHD6. The chirality of the carbon bearing the C2 substituent, as well as the position of the hydroxyl (tolerated at C5, but not at C3) has profound influence on the inhibitory activity of both DAGLα and ABHD6, as established using biochemical assays and competitive activity-based protein profiling on mouse brain extracts.

2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is an endocannabinoid that activates the cannabinoid receptors type 1 and 2. It also serves as an important lipid precursor for the eicosanoid signaling pathway. Consequently, 2-AG is involved in many physiological functions, including anxiety, food intake, inflammation, memory, pain sensation and neurotransmission. Diacylglycerol lipases (DAGLs) are the main biosynthetic enzymes for 2-AG and their role in several pathophysiological conditions is currently under investigation. In this Digest we review all DAGL inhibitors reported to date and their effects in preclinical models of neurodegeneration and metabolic disorders.

Diacylglycerol lipases (DAGLα and DAGLβ) convert diacylglycerol to the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Our understanding of DAGL function has been hindered by a lack of chemical probes that can perturb these enzymes in vivo. Here, we report a set of centrally active DAGL inhibitors and a structurally related control probe and their use, in combination with chemical proteomics and lipidomics, to determine the impact of acute DAGL blockade on brain lipid networks in mice. Within 2 h, DAGL inhibition produced a striking reorganization of bioactive lipids, including elevations in DAGs and reductions in endocannabinoids and eicosanoids. We also found that DAGLα is a short half-life protein, and the inactivation of DAGLs disrupts cannabinoid receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity and impairs neuroinflammatory responses, including lipopolysaccharide-induced anapyrexia. These findings illuminate the highly interconnected and dynamic nature of lipid signaling pathways in the brain and the central role that DAGL enzymes play in regulating this network.

Diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL)-α and -β are enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Selective and reversible inhibitors are required to study the function of DAGLs in neuronal cells in an acute and temporal fashion, but they are currently lacking. Here, we describe the identification of a highly selective DAGL inhibitor using structure-guided and a chemoproteomics strategy to characterize the selectivity of the inhibitor in complex proteomes. Key to the success of this approach is the use of comparative and competitive activity-based proteome profiling (ABPP), in which broad-spectrum and tailor-made activity-based probes are combined to report on the inhibition of a protein family in its native environment. Competitive ABPP with broad-spectrum fluorophosphonate-based probes and specific β-lactone-based probes led to the discovery of α-ketoheterocycle LEI105 as a potent, highly selective, and reversible dual DAGL-α/DAGL-β inhibitor. LEI105 did not affect other enzymes involved in endocannabinoid metabolism including abhydrolase domain-containing protein 6, abhydrolase domain-containing protein 12, monoacylglycerol lipase, and fatty acid amide hydrolase and did not display affinity for the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Targeted lipidomics revealed that LEI105 concentration-dependently reduced 2-AG levels, but not anandamide levels, in Neuro2A cells. We show that cannabinoid CB1-receptor-mediated short-term synaptic plasticity in a mouse hippocampal slice model can be reduced by LEI105. Thus, we have developed a highly selective DAGL inhibitor and provide new pharmacological evidence to support the hypothesis that “on demand biosynthesis” of 2-AG is responsible for retrograde signaling.

Diacylglycerol lipase α (DAGLα) is responsible for the formation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the central nervous system. DAGLα inhibitors are required to study the physiological role of 2-AG. Previously, we identified the α-ketoheterocycles as potent and highly selective DAGLα inhibitors. Here, we present the first comprehensive structure–activity relationship study of α-ketoheterocycles as DAGLα inhibitors. Our findings indicate that the active site of DAGLα is remarkably sensitive to the type of heterocyclic scaffold with oxazolo-4N-pyridines as the most active framework. We uncovered a fundamental substituent effect in which electron-withdrawing meta-oxazole substituents increased inhibitor potency. (C6–C9)-acyl chains with a distal phenyl group proved to be the most potent inhibitors. The integrated SAR data was consistent with the proposed binding pose in a DAGLα homology model. Altogether, our results may guide the design of future DAGLα inhibitors as leads for molecular therapies to treat neuroinflammation, obesity, and related metabolic disorders.

Ibrutinib is a covalent and irreversible inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and has been approved for the treatment of haematological malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, mantle cell lymphoma and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. The covalent and irreversible nature of its molecular mode of action allows identification and monitoring of its target in an activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) setting. Fluorescent and biotinylated ibrutinib derivatives have appeared in the literature in recent years to monitor BTK in vitro and in situ. The work described here complements this existing methodology and pertains a comparative study on the efficacy of direct and two-step bioorthogonal ABPP of BTK.

A concise and efficient synthesis of cyclopentitols as a scaffold for a two-dimensional compound library for drug discovery is described. Starting from d-mannose, the key steps are Wittig olefination and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) followed by a [3,3]-sigmatropic Overmann rearrangement to form an sp3-rich, natural product-like scaffold from which a focused compound library with different functionalities is prepared.

sn-1-Diacylglycerol lipase α (DAGL-α) is the main enzyme responsible for the production of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the central nervous system. Glycine sulfonamides have recently been identified by a high throughput screening campaign as a novel class of inhibitors for this enzyme. Here, we report on the first structure–activity relationship study of glycine sulfonamide inhibitors and their brain membrane proteome-wide selectivity on serine hydrolases with activity-based protein profiling (ABPP). We found that (i) DAGL-α tolerates a variety of biaryl substituents, (ii) the sulfonamide is required for inducing a specific orientation of the 2,2-dimethylchroman substituent, and (iii) a carboxylic acid is essential for its activity. ABPP revealed that the sulfonamide glycine inhibitors have at least three off-targets, including α/β-hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6). Finally, we identified LEI-106 as a potent, dual DAGL-α/ABHD6 inhibitor, which makes this compound a potential lead for the discovery of new molecular therapies for diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Ibrutinib is a covalent and irreversible inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and has been approved for the treatment of haematological malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, mantle cell lymphoma and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. The covalent and irreversible nature of its molecular mode of action allows identification and monitoring of its target in an activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) setting. Fluorescent and biotinylated ibrutinib derivatives have appeared in the literature in recent years to monitor BTK in vitro and in situ. The work described here complements this existing methodology and pertains a comparative study on the efficacy of direct and two-step bioorthogonal ABPP of BTK.