Functionalized cyclophellitols are selective glucocerebrosidase inhibitors and induce a bona fide neuropathic Gaucher model in zebrafish

Abstract

Gaucher disease is caused by inherited deficiency in glucocerebrosidase (GBA, a retaining β-glucosidase), and deficiency in GBA constitutes the largest known genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease. In the past, animal models of Gaucher disease have been generated by treatment with the mechanism-based GBA inhibitors, conduritol B epoxide (CBE) and cyclophellitol. Both compounds however also target other retaining glycosidases, rendering genera-tion and interpretation of such chemical knockout models complicated. Here we demonstrate that cyclophellitol derivatives carrying a bulky hydrophobic substituent at C8 are potent and selective GBA inhibitors and that an unambiguous Gaucher animal model can be readily generated by treatment of zebrafish with these.