We applied an improved virtual screening scheme combining ligand-centric and receptor-centric methods for the identification of a new series of PPARgamma agonists known as (beta-carboxyethyl)-rhodanine derivatives which include a thiazolidin-based core structure, 2-thioxo-thiazolidine-4-one. An in vitro assay confirmed the nanomolar binding affinity in one of the (beta-carboxyethyl)-rhodanine derivatives, SP1818. It showed a PPARgamma agonistic activity similar to that of a known PPARgamma drug, pioglitazone, in a cell-based transactivation assay. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationships of the rhodanine derivatives were investigated through comparative molecular field analysis. We also characterized the inconsistency between the in vitro binding affinity and cell-based transactivation ability by using a set of property-based molecular descriptors. The binding mode analysis provided new insight concerning their agonistic effect on PPARgamma.
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