PUGNAc

PUGNAc is a 1,5-hydroximolactone, acting as an inhibitor of a variety of N-acetylhexosaminidases.^[1] It was long thought that increased levels of O-GlcNAc in human cells lead to Type II diabetes. O-GlcNAc levels were artificially raised with PUGNAc, which inhibits O-GlcNAcase, a beta-exo-N-acetylhexosaminidase which cleaves beta-O-linked-N-acetylglucosamine residues from glycoproteins. As a result of this inhibition, a type II diabetic phenotype was observed. Recent pharmacological studies using a more selective O-GlcNAcase inhibitor did not see this effect. However, genetic manipulation of O-GlcNAc levels is consistent with the effects observed by PUGNAc, namely insulin resistance upon elevation of O-GlcNAc levels.^[2]

PUGNAc

Clinical data
Pregnancy category	?
Routes of administration	Oral
Identifiers
IUPAC name O-(2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosylidene)amino N-phenyl carbamate
CAS Number	132489-69-1 Y
PubChem CID	9576811
UNII	AWZ7VE64B6
ChEBI	CHEBI:44601
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID101117756
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C15H19N3O7
Molar mass	353.331 g·mol−1
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Fictional references

PUGNAc was used by Michael Scofield in the television series Prison Break to keep his blood sugar level high to appear diabetic.^[3]