Triacsin C is a potent inhibitor

Enzyme inhibitor

An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to enzymes and decreases their activity. Since blocking an enzyme's activity can kill a pathogen or correct a metabolic imbalance, many drugs are enzyme inhibitors. They are also used as herbicides and pesticides...

 of long fatty acyl CoA synthetase

Long fatty acyl CoA synthetase

The Long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase enzyme is a member of the ligase family that activates the breakdown of complex fatty acids. Long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase plays a crucial role in intermediary metabolism by catalyzing the formation of fatty acyl-CoA by a two-step process proceeding...

. It blocks β-cell apoptosis

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation...

, induced by fatty acids (lipoapoptosis) in a rat model of obesity

Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...

. In addition, it blocks the de novo synthesis of triglycerides, diglycerides, and cholesterol

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...

 esters, thus interfering with lipid

Lipid

Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...

 metabolism

Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...

.

In addition, triacsin C is a potent vasodilator.

Inhibition of lipid metabolism

Lipid metabolism

Lipid metabolism refers to the processes that involve the intercourse and degradation of lipids.The types of lipids involved include:* Bile salts* Cholesterols* Eicosanoids* Glycolipids* Ketone bodies* Fatty acids - see also fatty acid metabolism...

 reduces/removes lipid droplets from HuH7 cells. In hepatitis C

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...

 infected HuH7 cells, this reduction/removal of lipid droplets significantly reduces virion formation and release.

General chemical description

Triacsin C belongs to a family of fungal metabolites all having an 11-carbon alkenyl chain with a common N-hydroxytriazene moiety at the terminus. Due to the N-hydroxytriazene group, triacsin C has acidic properties and may be considered a polyunsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acid

In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...

 analog

Analog (chemistry)

In chemistry, a structural analog , also known as chemical analog or simply analog, is a compound having a structure similar to that of another one, but differing from it in respect of a certain component. It can differ in one or more atoms, functional groups, or substructures, which are replaced...

.

Triacsin C was discovered by Yoshida K, and other Japanese scientists, in 1982, in a culture of the microbe Streptomyces

Streptomyces

Streptomyces is the largest genus of Actinobacteria and the type genus of the family Streptomycetaceae. Over 500 species of Streptomyces bacteria have been described. As with the other Actinobacteria, streptomycetes are gram-positive, and have genomes with high guanine and cytosine content...

 aureofaciens. They identified it as a vasodilator.

See also

• Fatty acid degradation#Activation and transport into mitochondria
• Fatty acyl CoA synthetase
  Long fatty acyl CoA synthetase
  The Long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase enzyme is a member of the ligase family that activates the breakdown of complex fatty acids. Long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase plays a crucial role in intermediary metabolism by catalyzing the formation of fatty acyl-CoA by a two-step process proceeding...
  
  

External links

• The original publication about the discovery of Triacsin

• Triacsin C from Fermentek
  Fermentek
  Fermentek Ltd. is a biotechnological company, located in Atarot industrial zone, Jerusalem, Israel, specializing in the research, development and manufacture of biologically active, natural products isolated from microorganisms as well as from other natural sources such as plants and algae.The main...
  
  , a vendor's product page