# PUGNAc

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**PUGNAc** is a 1,5-hydroximolactone, acting as an [inhibitor](/source/Enzyme_inhibitor) of a variety of [N-acetylhexosaminidases](/source/N-acetylhexosaminidases).[1] It was long thought that increased levels of [*O*-GlcNAc](/source/O-GlcNAc) in human cells lead to [Type II diabetes](/source/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]

## In popular culture

PUGNAc was used by [Michael Scofield](/source/Michael_Scofield) in the television series *[Prison Break](/source/Prison_Break)* to keep his [blood sugar](/source/Blood_sugar) level high to appear diabetic.[3]

## References

1. Cox NJ, Meister TR, Boyce M (March 2017). ["Chemical biology of O-GlcNAc glycosylation"](https://books.google.com/books?id=WmwoDwAAQBAJ&dq=PUGNAc&pg=PT102). *Chemical biology of glycoproteins*. United Kingdom: Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 94–149. [doi:10.1039/9781782623823-00094](https://doi.org/10.1039/9781782623823-00094). ISBN 978-1-78801-122-8.

1. Cheng SS, Mody AC, Woo CM (2024-11-07). "Opportunities for Therapeutic Modulation of O-GlcNAc". *Chemical Reviews*. **124** (22): 12918–13019. [doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00417](https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00417). [ISSN 0009-2665](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0009-2665). [PMID 39509538](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39509538)

1. Season 1, episode 1

## Further reading

- Vosseller K, Wells L, Lane MD, Hart GW (April 2002). "Elevated nucleocytoplasmic glycosylation by O-GlcNAc results in insulin resistance associated with defects in Akt activation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes". *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America*. **99** (8): 5313–8. [Bibcode:2002PNAS...99.5313V](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002PNAS...99.5313V). [doi:10.1073/pnas.072072399](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.072072399). [PMC 122766](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122766). [PMID 11959983](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11959983)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [PUGNAc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PUGNAc) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PUGNAc?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.