Himbacine derived thrombin receptor antagonists: discovery of a new tricyclic core

The synthesis and biological activity of a novel series of thrombin receptor antagonists is described. This series of compounds showed excellent in vitro and in vivo potency. The most potent compound 40 had an IC(50) of 7.6 nM and showed robust inhibition of platelet aggregation in a cynomolgus monkey model after oral administration.     

Spiro-piperidine azetidinones as potent TRPV1 antagonists

A series of spiro-piperidine azetidinone were synthesized and evaluated as potential TRPV1 antagonists. An important issue of plasma stability was investigated and resolved. Further focused SAR study lead to the discovery of a potent antagonist with good oral pharmacokinetic profile in rat.     

Prostate. III--A structural feature characteristic of the rat prostate 5 alpha-reductase active site

To aid in the design of new inhibitors of steroidal 5 alpha-reductase for treatment of prostate cancer, we have studied the topography of the 5 alpha-reductase active site (5 alpha-R) and of the related androgen (RA) and progesterone (RP) receptors in the region complementary to C.6 of progesterone. To this end we have determined the total structures of 17 alpha-acetoxy-6-methylene-4-pregnene-3,20-dione (VII; R = H) and of 17 beta-hydroxy-6,6-ethylene-4-androsten-3-one (VIa) by X-ray crystal structure analysis and, using these data, have developed Newman projections of the 6 alpha-Me, 6 beta-Me, 6-methylene and 6,6-ethylene derivatives of progesterone. From them we have developed a Newman projection of a composite model formed from steroids (V), (VI), (VIIIa) and (VIIIb). This is shown in Fig. 4 and illustrates the relative conformations of these substituents around C.6. From there we proceeded to receptor-binding studies. Our results led to the conclusion that androgen receptor, (RA), takes up preferred but different conformations when bound to testosterone (T) and to 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-3-one (5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, DHT), respectively, and that the resulting steroid-receptor complexes bind preferentially to different chromatin acceptor sites. We have therefore used the convention RT and RDHT in place of RA as appropriate. Working on the assumption that binding affinities reflect spatial contours, we have developed comparative silhouettes for the 5 alpha-R, RP and RDHT protein binding sites complementary to C.6 of the steroidal ligand. These data show that the 5 alpha-reductase active site is characterized by a hydrophobic pocket which specifically accommodates a 6-methylenic moiety and partially accommodates a 6 beta-methyl group. RDHT, in contrast, shows much less specificity and largely accommodates all the above substituents. Progesterone receptor differs in failing to accommodate 6,6-ethylene and 6 beta-methyl, with minimal accommodation of 6-methylene. It possesses a hydrophobic pocket skewed towards the alpha-face of the steroid, thereby allowing optimal binding of the 6 alpha-methyl substituent to the receptor. 6-Methylene-4-pregnene-3,20-dione (V) fails to bind significantly to androgen and progesterone receptors thereby supporting the postulate that its antiprostatic activity stems primarily from 5 alpha-reductase inhibition.     

Priming of the respiratory burst of neutrophils by diacylglycerol. Independence from activation or translocation of protein kinase C

Preincubation of neutrophils with certain agonists may "prime" the cells to cause increased responses to a second stimulus ("primed stimulation"). We used two approaches to examine the role of protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) in priming and stimulation by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP): inhibition of protein kinase C by 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-piperazine (C-I) and measurement of protein kinase C translocation induced by priming and stimulatory concentrations of OAG. C-I had little effect on stimulation or primed stimulation by fMLP, suggesting that fMLP invokes events independent of protein kinase C. C-I equally inhibited stimulation and primed stimulation by PMA. Direct stimulation by OAG was inhibited, but priming and primed stimulation by OAG was unaltered by C-I. OAG concentrations greater than or equal to 100 microM caused translocation of protein kinase C, in correlation with direct stimulation of the respiratory burst. Lower OAG concentrations (10-30 microM) primed to stimulation by fMLP and, conversely, stimulated neutrophils primed with fMLP, yet did not cause translocation of protein kinase C. The data are compatible with previous assumptions that PMA and OAG directly stimulate polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes by translocation and activation of protein kinase C. However, priming and primed stimulation by OAG apparently invoke distinct transduction mechanisms other than protein kinase C translocation.     

Mutations in the PX-SH3A linker of p47phox decouple PI(3,4)P2 binding from NADPH oxidase activation

NADPH oxidase is essential in the human innate immune response. p47 (phox), a cytosolic NADPH oxidase component, plays a regulatory role in the activation of NADPH oxidase. Our manipulation of p47 (phox) by mutation and amino acid deletion shows that the linker region between the PX and N-terminal SH3 domain plays a role in blocking the binding of the phosphoinositide 3,4-bisphosphate [PI(3,4)P2], a lipid second messenger generated upon neutrophil activation. Replacement of linker residues 151-158 with glycine alters NMR-measured spin lattice relaxation rates and sedimentation velocity compared to those of the wild-type protein, suggesting that the PX domain is released from its autoinhibited conformation. Liposome binding and surface plasmon resonance experiments confirm this result, showing that this mutant has a similar binding affinity for the isolated PX domain toward PI(3,4)P2. However, an in vitro NADPH oxidase activity assay reveals that this glycine mutant of the full-length protein greatly reduced NADPH oxidase activity upon activation even though it displayed PI(3,4)P2 binding activity comparable to that of the isolated PX domain. Our results highlight an active role of the PX-SH3 linker region in maintaining p47 (phox) in its fully autoinhibited form and demonstrate that binding of p47 (phox) to membrane phospholipids is mechanistically distinct from NADPH oxidase activation.     

Historical contingency and ecological determinism interact to prime speciation in sticklebacks, Gasterosteus

Historical contingency and determinism are often cast as opposing paradigms under which evolutionary diversification operates. It may be, however, that both factors act together to promote evolutionary divergence, although there are few examples of such interaction in nature. We tested phylogenetic predictions of an explicit historical model of divergence (double invasions of freshwater by marine ancestors) in sympatric species of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) where determinism has been implicated as an important factor driving evolutionary novelty. Microsatellite DNA variation at six loci revealed relatively low genetic variation in freshwater populations, supporting the hypothesis that they were derived by colonization of freshwater by more diverse marine ancestors. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses suggested that pairs of sympatric species have evolved multiple times, further implicating determinism as a factor in speciation. Our data also supported predictions based on the hypothesis that the evolution of sympatric species was contingent upon 'double invasions' of postglacial lakes by ancestral marine sticklebacks. Sympatric sticklebacks, therefore, provide an example of adaptive radiation by determinism contingent upon historical conditions promoting unique ecological interactions, and illustrate how contingency and determinism may interact to generate geographical variation in species diversity     

Conformational considerations in the design of dual antagonists of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and histamine.

Following the discovery of the first dual antagonist of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and histamine, 1-acetyl-4-(8-chloro-5,6-dihydro-11H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin- 11-ylidene)piperidine, Sch 37370, 1, a related series of structures, exemplified by (+/-)-1-acetyl-4-(8-chloro-5,6-dihydro-11H-benzo[5,6]-cyclohepta[1,2-b] pyridin-11-yl)piperazine, Sch 40338, 2, were prepared. Interestingly, the compounds exhibited a parallel structure antiallergy activity relationship, suggesting that the two series may adopt a common conformation at the PAF receptor. Conformational analysis led to a proposal for this bioactive conformation accessible to both series. The synthesis of novel conformationally constrained analogues that might mimic the proposed bioactive conformation of these compounds, and the evaluation of their in vitro antiallergy activity form the subject matter of this report.     

Molecular mechanisms of PI4K regulation and their involvement in viral replication

Lipid phosphoinositides are master signaling molecules in eukaryotic cells and key markers of organelle identity. Because of these important roles, the kinases and phosphatases that generate phosphoinositides must be tightly regulated. Viruses can manipulate this regulation, with the Type III phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases (PI4KA and PI4KB) being hijacked by many RNA viruses to mediate their intracellular replication through the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P)-enriched replication organelles (ROs). Different viruses have evolved unique approaches toward activating PI4K enzymes to form ROs, through both direct binding of PI4Ks and modulation of PI4K accessory proteins. This review will focus on PI4KA and PI4KB and discuss their roles in signaling, functions in membrane trafficking and manipulation by viruses. Our focus will be the molecular basis for how PI4KA and PI4KB are activated by both protein-binding partners and post-translational modifications, with an emphasis on understanding the different molecular mechanisms viruses have evolved to usurp PI4Ks. We will also discuss the chemical tools available to study the role of PI4Ks in viral infection.     

Himbacine derived thrombin receptor (PAR-1) antagonists: structure-activity relationship of the lactone ring

The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the lactone ring of himbacine derived thrombin receptor (PAR-1) antagonists (e.g., 2-5) is described. The effect of the lactone carbonyl group on binding to PAR-1 is dependent on the substitution pattern of the pyridine ring. A stereoselective intramolecular Michael addition reaction to the vinyl pyridine group was observed for these pyridine analogs of himbacine in basic conditions at elevated temperature.