PluriSln 1 is an N-acyl phenylhydrazine derivative that inhibits stearoyl-CoA desaturase, a key enzyme for lipid metabolism that is expressed in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). PluriSln 1 can selectively induce ER stress, attenuate protein synthesis, and induce apoptosis in hPSCs (EC50 = 2 μM) while sparing progenitor and differentiated cells. Because PluriSln 1 can selectively eliminate undifferentiated hPSCs, it was developed as a strategy to prevent tumorigenic risk from residual undifferentiated cells used during stem cell therapy. In immunocompromised mice, PluriSln 1 has been shown to effectively prevent teratoma formation from undifferentiated hPSCs.
