SR1078 is an agonist of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor (ROR)α/γ.

SR1078 is a synthetic RORα/RORγ ligand. SR1078 modulates the conformation of RORγ in a biochemical assay and activates RORα and RORγ driven transcription. Furthermore, SR1078 stimulates expression of endogenous ROR target genes in HepG2 cells that express both RORα and RORγ. In a cell-based chimeric receptor Gal4 DNA-binding domain-NR ligand binding domain cotransfection assay, SR1078 significantly inhibits the constitutive transactivation activity of RORα and RORγ, but has no effect on the activity of FXR, LXRα and LXRβ. In a RORα cotransfection assay, treatment of cells with SR1078 (10 μM) results in a significant increase in transcription. Similarly, in the RORγ cotransfection assay, SR1078 treatment results in a stimulation of RORγ-dependent transcription activity[1].

The pharmacokinetic properties of SR1078 are examined in mice and noted significant exposure. Plasma concentrations reach 3.6 μM 1h after a 10 mg/kg i.p. injection of SR1078 and sustained levels of above 800 nM even 8h after the single injection. These levels are sufficient to perform a proof-of-principle experiment to determine if SR1078 treatment would stimulate ROR target gene expression in an animal model. Mice are treated with SR1078 (10 mg/kg i.p.) and 2h after the injection the livers are harvested and mRNA purified for assessment of?G6Pase?and?FGF21?gene expression.T he expression of both?FGF21?and?G6Pase?is significantly stimulated by SR1078 treatment vs. vehicle control[1].