In vitro activity: GW0742 shows activity aganist hPPARα, hPPARγ and hPPARδ with EC50 of 1.1 μM, 2 μM and 1 nM, respectively, in cell based transactivation assay. GW0742 (0.2 μM and 1 μM) significant increases in reporter activity of PPARβ/δ in N/TERT-1 keratinocytes. GW0742 (1 μM) results in significant inhibition in the average number of N/TERT-1 keratinocytes. GW0742 (1 μM) results in an increase in the number of cells in the G1 phase and a decrease in the number of cells in the S phase. GW0742 (1 μM) causes a significant increase in the mRNA encoding ADRP, a known PPARβ/δ target gene, in N/TERT-1 keratinocytes as well as mouse primary keratinocytes. GW0742 (1 μM) results in significantly reduced phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (Rb) and a significantly lower level of p42/44 ERK in N/TERT-1 cells. GW0742 (1 μM) leads to an increase in the mRNA encoding a number of known markers of terminal differentiation including TG-I, SPR1A, K10 and involucrin. GW0742 at 100 μM produces a significant reduction in low-KCl-induced neuronal cell death in cerebellar granule neurons. GW0742 at 100 μM induces a pronounced increase in cell death as measured by LDH release after 48 hr of incubation. GW0742 at 100 μM produces a pronounced increase in c-Jun expression at 6 hours in cerebellar granule neuron cultures. GW0742 at 100 μM increases PPARα-mediated transactivation dependent on the presence of 1.5% BSA in MCF-7 cells.

Kinase Assay: GW0742 is a potent PPARβ and PPARδ agonist, with an IC50 of 1 nM for human PPARδ in binding assay, and EC50s of 1 nM, 1.1 μM and 2 μM for human PPARδ, PPARα, and PPARγ, respectively.

Cell Assay: N/TERT-1 keratinocytes are seeded onto 6-well tissue culture dishes at 3×104 cells per well in Ker-SFM. Twenty-four hours later, cell number is measured with a Z1 coulter particle counter to determine plating efficiency (Day 0). For the remaining cells, medium is changed to Ker-SFM/DF-K, and cells are treated in triplicate with 0.1% DMSO, 0.1 μM or 1 μM GW0742. Cell number is determined at daily intervals, and the remaining cells are retreated with fresh media and treatment each day for up to 6 days.