SS-1-148

SS-1-148 is a novel, small molecule inactivator of ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) developed by the Richard B. Silverman laboratory at Northwestern University. OAT is a key enzyme that links amino acid metabolism, specifically glutamine and proline, to polyamine biosynthesis and cancer cell proliferation. SS-1-148 is being investigated as a therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where OAT is frequently overexpressed. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that SS-1-148 inhibits OAT activity and suppresses tumor growth in Huh-7 xenograft models, although its efficacy appears to be cell line-dependent. Metabolomic analyses suggest that SS-1-148 may have a distinct mechanism of action compared to earlier OAT inactivators like LHJ-2-79, particularly in its effects on proline and putrescine levels.