Recent Advances in Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier Inhibitors

The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) exists in the mitochondria inner membrane which transports pyruvate to the mitochondrial matrix. Evidence shows that MPC is the breakthrough point to study the regulation of basic energy metabolism, the dysfunction of which may lead to metabolic disturbance. Due to its important metabolic function, MPC has been considered a potential therapeutic target for diabetes, alopecia, cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, and liver metabolic diseases. However, MPC' protein crystal structure is still not clear as the proteins involved were only identified 10 years ago, making it difficult to carry out rational drug design based on receptor structure. In this review, we summarize the latest applications of MPC in different diseases and discuss the recent advances in pharmacochemical strategies of small-molecule inhibitors of MPC, hoping to promote the development of specific MPC inhibitors.