AICAR (Acadesine)
Identity
AICAR is a purine nucleoside analog and a widely used activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). It is cell-permeable and, once inside the cell, is phosphorylated to its monophosphate form (ZMP), which mimics AMP and activates AMPK.
| Synonyms | Acadesine; AICA riboside; N¹-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide |
| CAS | 2627-69-2 |
| Molecular formula | C₉H₁₄N₄O₅ |
| Molecular weight | 258.23 g/mol |
| Class | Aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleoside; purine analog |
| Appearance | White to light-yellow lyophilized powder |
| Purity | Refer to the batch-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) supplied for the lot received |
| Storage | Store at controlled room temperature, sealed and protected from light. |
Mechanism
AICAR (acadesine) is a cell-permeable nucleoside. Following uptake, it is phosphorylated intracellularly to ZMP (AICAR monophosphate), an AMP mimetic that activates AMPK — the central cellular energy-sensing kinase. This allows AMPK pathway activation to be studied without altering the cell’s actual AMP:ATP ratio, which is the basis of its use as a research tool.
Research applications
- AMPK pathway activation and kinase-mechanism studies
- Cellular metabolism and metabolic flux analysis
- Energy-sensing / low-energy-signal mimicry models
- Reference compound in metabolic signaling assays
- Analytical reference standard (AICAR is WADA-prohibited as a metabolic modulator; relevant to anti-doping method development)
Handling and storage
Keep dry, amber or opaque, tightly closed. Use clean, dry tools for weighing. See lot COA.
Storage guidance is a house recommendation. Analytical documentation is per-lot release testing.
Analytical
Identity and purity established by HPLC-UV with MS confirmation against a CAS 2627-69-2 reference standard. Lot-specific certificate of analysis supplied with every unit.
Selected Research Literature
Peer-reviewed literature indexed on PubMed describing AICAR and the AMPK pathway it is used to probe. Citations are provided for scientific context only and do not constitute a claim about this material.
- Zhou G, Myers R, Li Y, et al. Role of AMP-activated protein kinase in mechanism of metformin action. J Clin Invest. 2001;108(8):1167-1174. doi:10.1172/JCI13505
- Cantó C, Gerhart-Hines Z, Feige JN, et al. AMPK regulates energy expenditure by modulating NAD+ metabolism and SIRT1 activity. Nature. 2009;458(7241):1056-1060. doi:10.1038/nature07813
- Dolinar K, Jan V, Pavlin M, Chibalin AV, Pirkmajer S. Nucleosides block AICAR-stimulated activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle and cancer cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2018;315(6):C803-C817. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00311.2017
Assay note. Dolinar et al. report that adenosine and other nucleosides present in common culture media such as MEMα blunt or abolish AICAR-stimulated AMPK activation. Media formulation should be recorded when designing experiments using this compound.
Related Research Compounds
Other metabolic and energy-sensing reference materials in the Research Compounds catalog:
- O-304 (ATX-304) — direct pan-AMPK activator reference standard
- SLU-PP-332 — ERR pan-agonist used in mitochondrial biogenesis work
- Mildronate — carnitine-pathway modulator for oxidative metabolism studies
- ITPP — allosteric haemoglobin effector used in oxygen-delivery research
Related Research Compounds
Research Use Disclaimer
Research Use Only Disclaimer: This product is developed and distributed strictly as a Research Use Only (RUO) laboratory reference chemical intended exclusively for non-clinical analytical and scientific investigation. It is not an FDA-approved drug, medical treatment, dietary supplement, or food ingredient, and is strictly prohibited for human or animal consumption. Kimera Chems supplies this research material solely to qualified institutions and professional investigators for authorized laboratory research.
