P38 MAP kinase inhibitors as potential therapeutics for the treatment of joint degeneration and pain associated with osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Evaluate the potential role of p38 inhibitors for the treatment of osteoarthritis using an animal model of joint degeneration (iodoacetate-induced arthritis) and a pain model (Hargraeves assay). METHODS: P38 kinase activity was evaluated in a kinase assay by measuring the amount of phosphorylated substrate ATF2 using a phosphoATF2 (Thr71) specific primary antibody and an alkaline phosphate coupled secondary antibody and measuring the OD at 405 nm. TNFalpha and IL-1beta secretion from LPS stimulated THP-1 monocytic cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by ELISA. Rats treated with vehicle or p38 inhibitor were injected intra-articularly in one knee with iodoacetate and damage to the tibial plateau was assessed from digitized images captured using an image analyzer. The effect of p38 inhibitors on hyperalgesia was evaluated in rats given an intraplantar injection of carrageenan and 4 h later the paw withdrawal time to a radiant heat source was measured. RESULTS: SB-203580 and VX-745 are both potent inhibitors of p38 with IC50s of 136 +/- 64 nM and 35 +/- 14 nM (mean +/- S.D.), respectively. Similarly, SB-203580 and VX-745 potently inhibited TNF release from LPS stimulated human THP-1 cells with IC50s of 72 +/- 15 nM; and 29 +/- 14 nM (mean +/- S.D.) respectively. TNF release from LPS stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was inhibited with IC50s 16 +/- 6 nM and 14 +/- 8 nM, (mean +/- S.D.) for SB-203580 and VX-745 and IL-1 was inhibited with IC50s of 20 +/- 8 nM and 15 +/- 4 nM (mean +/- S.D.), respectively. SB-203580 and VX-745 administered orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg resulted in the significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of joint degeneration in the rat iodoacetate model of 45% and 31%, respectively. SB-203580 demonstrated a dose related inhibition of joint degeneration of 30, 25, 12 and 8% at 50, 25, 10 and 5 mg/kg p.o. b.i.d. in the rat iodoacetate model. Similarly, both p38 inhibitors significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated the pain response (paw withdrawal time) in the Hargraeves hyperalgesia assay when administered orally at 30, 10 and 3 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: SB203580 and VX-745 demonstrated attenuation of both cartilage degeneration and pain in animal models and suggest that p38 inhibitors may be a useful approach for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Synthesis and evaluation of unsaturated caprolactams as interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) inhibitors.

Peptidomimetic compounds possessing a caprolactam ring constraint were prepared and evaluated as interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) inhibitors. The caprolactam ring was used to constrain the P3 region of our inhibitors. This strategy proved to be effective for the synthesis of ICE inhibitors, maintaining key hydrogen bond interactions with the enzyme and invoking a preferred conformation for binding. Several compounds exhibited IC(50) values less than 10nM in a caspase-1 enzyme assay and less than 100nM in a THP-1 whole cell assay measuring IL-1beta production. Two compounds, 13c and 13j, were found to have good oral bioavailability (>50%) in rats when administered as prodrugs.

Synthesis, characterization, and solution properties of a novel cross-bridged cyclam manganese(IV) complex having two terminal hydroxo ligands.

A novel monomeric tetravalent manganese complex with the cross-bridged cyclam ligand 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (Me2EBC), [Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2, was synthesized by oxidation of Mn(II)(Me2EBC)Cl2 with H2O2 in the presence of NH4PF6)in aqueous solution. The X-ray crystal structure determination of this manganese(IV) compound revealed that it contains two rare terminal hydroxo ligands. EPR studies in dry acetonitrile at 77 K show two broad resonances at g = 1.96 and 3.41, indicating that the manganese(IV) exists as a high-spin d3 species. Resonance Raman (rR) spectra of this manganese(IV) species reveal that the dihydroxy moiety, Mn(IV)(OH)2, is also the dominant species in aqueous solution (pH < 7). pH titration provides two pK(a) values, 6.86(4) and 10.0(1), associated with stepwise removal of the last two oxygen-bound protons from [Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(OH)2](2+). The cyclic voltammetry of this manganese(IV) complex in dry acetonitrile at 298 K demonstrates two reversible redox processes at +0.756 and -0.696 V (versus SHE) for the Mn4+/Mn3+ and Mn3+/Mn2+ couples, respectively. This manganese(IV) complex is relatively stable in weak acidic aqueous solution but easily degrades in basic solution to manganese(III) derivatives with an 88 +/- 1% yield.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel 8,5-fused bicyclic peptidomimetic compounds as interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) inhibitors.

An 8,5-fused bicyclic peptidomimetic ring system generated by a stereoselective ring metathesis reaction was elaborated into potent inhibitors of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE, caspase-1). Multiple compounds were found that exhibited ICE IC50 values < 10 nM and were selective over caspase-3 and caspase-8. These active analogs generally possessed good activity (IC50 values < 100 nM) in a whole cell assay measuring IL-1beta production. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the ethyl acetal prodrug form of a selected active lead revealed a compound with a reasonable plasma half-life (1.1 h) and good oral bioavailability (30%).

Olefin epoxidation by the hydrogen peroxide adduct of a novel non-heme mangangese(IV) complex: demonstration of oxygen transfer by multiple mechanisms.

Olefin epoxidations are a class of reactions appropriate for the investigation of oxygenation processes in general. Here, we report the catalytic epoxidation of various olefins with a novel, cross-bridged cyclam manganese complex, Mn(Me2EBC)Cl2 (Me2EBC is 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane), using hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant, in acetone/water (ratio 4:1) as the solvent medium. Catalytic epoxidation studies with this system have disclosed reactions that proceed by a nonradical pathway other than the expected oxygen-rebound mechanism that is characteristic of high-valent, late-transition-metal catalysts. Direct treatment of olefins with freshly synthesized [Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2 (pKa = 6.86) in either neutral or basic solution confirms earlier observations that neither the oxo-Mn(IV) nor oxo-Mn(V) species is responsible for olefin epoxidization in this case. Catalytic epoxidation experiments using the 18O labels in an acetone/water (H2(18)O) solvent demonstrate that no 18O from water (H2(18)O) is incorporated into epoxide products even though oxygen exchange was observed between the Mn(IV) species and H2(18)O, which leads to the conclusion that oxygen transfer does not proceed by the well-known oxygen-rebound mechanism. Experiments using labeled dioxygen, (18)O2, and hydrogen peroxide, H2(18)O2, confirm that an oxygen atom is transferred directly from the H2(18)O2 oxidant to the olefin substrate in the predominant pathway. The hydrogen peroxide adduct of this high-oxidation-state manganese complex, Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(O)(OOH)+, was detected by mass spectra in aqueous solutions prepared from Mn(II)(Me2EBC)Cl2 and excess hydrogen peroxide. A Lewis acid pathway, in which oxygen is transferred to the olefin from that adduct, Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(O)(OOH)+, is proposed for epoxidation reactions mediated by this novel, non-heme manganese complex. A minor radical pathway is also apparent in these systems.

Olefin oxygenation by the hydroperoxide adduct of a nonheme manganese(IV) complex: epoxidations by a metallo-peracid produces gentle selective oxidations.

The reactive intermediates and mechanisms of oxygenation of olefins by manganese complexes were investigated by treating olefins with newly synthesized [MnIV(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2 in the presence and absence of peroxide and by studying its catalytic epoxidation reaction in normal aqueous solution and, individually, with isotopically labeled H218O, 18O2, and H218O2. The manganese oxo species is not the reactive intermediate for the oxygen transfer process mediated by this manganese complex. A novel manganese(IV) peroxide intermediate, MnIV(Me2EBC)(O)(OOH)+, was captured by mass spectrometry and is proposed as the intermediate that oxygenates olefins in this catalytic system.