Optical control of muscular nicotinic channels with azocuroniums, photoswitchable azobenzenes bearing two N-methyl-N-carbocyclic quaternary ammonium groups.

By linking two N-methyl-N-carbocyclic quaternary ammonium groups to an azobenzene scaffold in meta- or para-positions we generated a series of photoswitchable neuromuscular ligands for which we coined the term "azocuroniums". These compounds switched between the (E)- and (Z)-isomers by light irradiation at 400-450 nm and 335-340 nm, respectively. Meta-azocuroniums were potent nicotinic ligands with a clear selectivity for the muscular nAChRs compared to neuronal α7 and α4ß2 subtypes, showed good solubility in physiologic media, negligible cell toxicity, and would not reach the CNS. Electrophysiological studies in muscle-type nAChRs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that (E)-isomers were more potent than (Z)-forms. All meta-azocuroniums were neuromuscular blockers, with the exception of the pyrrolidine derivative that was an agonist. These new meta-azocuroniums, which can be modulated ad libitum by light, could be employed as photoswitchable muscle relaxants with fewer side effects for surgical interventions and as tools to better understand the pharmacology of muscle-type nAChRs.

A Half-Century History of Applications of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Medicine, Agriculture and Forestry: We Should Continue the Journey.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), short single-stranded polymers based on DNA or RNA chemistries and synthesized in vitro, regulate gene expression by binding in a sequence-specific manner to an RNA target. The functional activity and selectivity in the action of ASOs largely depends on the combination of nitrogenous bases in a target sequence. This simple and natural property of nucleic acids provides an attractive route by which scientists can create different ASO-based techniques. Over the last 50 years, planned and realized applications in the field of antisense and nucleic acid nanotechnologies have produced astonishing results and posed new challenges for further developments, exemplifying the essence of the post-genomic era. Today the majority of ASOs are chemically modified and/or incorporated within nanoparticles to enhance their stability and cellular uptake. This review critically analyzes some successful cases using the antisense approach in medicine to address severe diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, and suggests some prospective directions for future research. We also examine in detail the elaboration of unmodified insect-specific DNA insecticides and RNA preparations in the areas of agriculture and forestry, a relatively new branch of ASO that allows circumvention of the use of non-selective chemical insecticides. When considering the variety of successful ASO modifications with an efficient signal-to-noise ratio of action, coupled with the affordability of in vitro oligonucleotide synthesis and post-synthesis procedures, we predict that the next half-century will produce a fruitful yield of tools created from effective ASO-based end products.

New trends in the science of botulinum toxin-A as applied in dystonia.

New trends and advances in botulinum toxin neuroscience paved the way to the better understanding of the toxin from its behavior at the bench to the clinics. As details of mechanism of action are clarified, we are ready to dispose of product myths, such as diffusion being related to the product being used. Our directions, more precisely on the important subjects such as dose targeting, will translate the science to robust clinical information. Additionally, aspects such as antibody formation, leading to treatment nonresponse, are now understood after long-term treatment series in a variety of dystonic conditions. Avenues leading to combinations of these areas of knowledge will lead to improved botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) treatment, and further explore the potential of this toxin treatment in association with other treatment modalities, particularly in spasticity and dystonia.

A journey from benzanilides to dithiobenzanilides: Synthesis of selective spasmolytic compounds.

A series of dithiobenzanilide derivatives was synthesized and each compound was evaluated for its ability to reduce KCl-induced contractions of smooth muscle preparations of the guinea pig. Starting from a recent publication describing benzanilide derivatives as antispasmodic agents, structure-activity guided synthesis was performed to obtain compounds with improved spasmolytic activity. First, compounds with two amide bonds were designed and second, both amide oxygens were replaced by two sp² sulfur atoms resulting in dithiobenzanilide derivatives. The most potent antispasmodic dithiobenzanilide 19 showed improved activity with an IC50 value of 0.4 µM. Moreover, the study also demonstrated that these active compounds were able to antagonize the effect of spasmogens like acetylcholine and phenylephrine and that the activity is not mediated by activation of ATP-dependent potassium channels (K(ATP)-channels) or inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).

Synthesis of quaternary ammonium salts of 16E-[4-(2-alkylaminoethoxy)-3-methoxybenzylidene]androstene derivatives as skeletal muscle relaxants.

Synthesis of eighteen new quaternary ammonium salts of 16E-arylidene androstene derivatives as skeletal muscle relaxants is reported in the present study. The effects of possibly extended interonium distances on muscle relaxant activity are discussed. All the quaternary ammonium steroids produced reduction in the twitch responses, when screened for in vitro neuromuscular blocking activity using isolated chick biventer cervicis muscle preparation. However, the variable interonium distance, which is believed to range from 11 to 17 Å in these quaternary compounds and is associated with the built in flexibility of these structures about the single bonds on the moieties linked to ring D of the steroid skeleton, resulted in varied degrees of muscle relaxant activity. Some of the compounds also inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity in low concentrations so that they would not be directly suitable for use as muscle relaxants.

Design, synthesis and in vitro evaluation of (R)-4-(2-(tert-butylamino)-1-hydroxyethyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl hydrogen phenylboronate: a novel salbutamol derivative with high intrinsic efficacy on the ß2 adrenoceptor.

We tested a set of boron containing arylethanolamine derivatives on the human and guinea pig ß(2) adrenoceptor (ß(2)AR) 3-D structures by docking methodology. The compound with the highest affinity based on docking analysis, (R)-4-(2-(tert-butylamino)-1-hydroxyethyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl hydrogen phenylboronate (boronterol) was synthesized, characterized and tested in guinea pig tracheal rings at basal tone and with histamine-induced contractions. Boronterol was at least eightfold more potent than salbutamol as a smooth muscle relaxant drug (judged by the EC(50) values) and showed a similar maximal relaxant effect as isoproterenol. ICI118,551 showed competitive antagonism on the relaxing effect of boronterol. These results suggest the ß(2)AR agonist action of boronterol.

Synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol)-metaxalone conjugates and study of its controlled release in vitro.

Metaxalone (Met), a drug for treatment of pain and stiffness due to muscular injuries, was covalently linked to poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG) via a chloroacetyl chloride spacer. The average weight molecular weights used for PEG are 4000, 6000 and 10,000, respectively, and the procedure of chemical modification for PEGs was conducted by a two-step protocol: (1) synthesis of N-chloroacetyl-metaxalone; (2) synthesis of PEG(4000)-Met, PEG(6000)-Met and PEG(10000)-Met. The controlled drug release studies were performed in buffer solutions with pH values equal to 1.1, 7.4 and 10.0. The results demonstrate that, in the same condition, the rate of hydrolysis for PEG(10000)-Met is the slowest among three prodrugs, and more amount of metaxalone can be detected releasing from prodrug matrices at the presence of alpha-chymotrypsin in a buffer solution with pH 8.0. It was also found that these novel prodrugs can effectively improve the metaxalone's pharmacokinetics, and furthermore can markedly increase its half-life period.

3-demethoxy-3-glycosylaminothiocolchicines: Synthesis of a new class of putative muscle relaxant compounds.

A novel class of 3-demethoxy-3-glycosylaminothiocolchicines (7) was prepared and tested for muscle relaxant activity. The syntheses were performed starting from the new 3-amino-3-demethoxythiocolchicine (5) prepared in good yield from 3-O-demethylthiocolchicine (1c) using the Buchwald-Hartwig reaction. The condensation of 5 with a series of pentose and hexose sugars (6) gave a series of 3-demethoxy-3-glycosylaminothiocolchicines (7). Their preparation was accomplished by adapting and improving a previous procedure for the preparation of N-arylglycosylamines. In particular, replacing traditional heating with microwave irradiation represents the key improvement of the process. The biological activity of the 3-demethoxy-3-glycosylaminothiocolchicines (7) was evaluated on GABA and strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors present in rat brain and spinal cord.

Benzodiazepine receptor ligands. 7. Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new 3-esters of the 8-chloropyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]benzotriazine 5-oxide. 3-(2-Thienylmethoxycarbonyl) derivative: an anxioselective agent in rodents.

The synthesis and binding study of new 8-chloropyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]benzotriazine 5-oxide 3-ester compounds are reported. A pharmacological evaluation of the high-affinity ligands 1-4 belonging to the 3-heteroarylester series is made. The 3-(2-thienylmethoxycarbonyl) derivative 4 stands out from the other heteroarylesters and is found, using nine different behavioral methods, to be a functionally selective ligand in vivo: it shows anxiolytic-like activity in the conflict models (light-dark box and plus maze test) similarly to diazepam, without any sedative and amnesic properties or interference from alcohol.

Modified gamma-cyclodextrins and their rocuronium complexes.

A series of per-6-substituted cyclodextrin derivatives was synthesized as synthetic host molecules for rocuronium, a steroidal muscle relaxant. By forming host-guest complexes with rocuronium, these cyclodextrin derivatives reverse the muscle relaxation induced by rocuronium in vitro and in vivo. The isothermal microcalorimetry data are consistent with the biological data supporting the encapsulation mechanism of action. Binary and biphasic complexes are reported with NMR experiments clearly showing free and bound rocuronium. [structure: see text]

A randomized, double-masked, crossover comparison of the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A produced from the original bulk toxin source and current bulk toxin source for the treatment of cervical dystonia.

In 1997, the US FDA approved a new bulk toxin source (now referred to as current) for the manufacture of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A). The current BTX-A preparation has a lower neurotoxin complex protein load than the original BTX-A preparation, which may reduce antigenic potential. The present double-masked, multicenter study compared the efficacy and safety of BTX-A (BOTOX) produced from both original and current bulk toxin sources for the treatment of cervical dystonia. Patients (N = 133) were injected with BTX-A produced from original and current bulk toxin sources using a crossover design. Adverse events were assessed at each visit. Efficacy was assessed at 2 and 6 weeks post-injection using the severity and pain-disability subscales of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS). Mean BTX-A doses were comparable (original: 155 U, current: 156 U). Both BTX-A preparations produced similar, statistically significant reductions in TWSTRS severity and pain-disability scores at weeks 2 and 6 post-injection. The original and current BTX-A preparations showed no significant differences in adverse events, including both treatment-related (34%, 31%) and treatment-unrelated (27%, 32%), respectively. BTX-A produced from the original and current bulk toxin sources showed comparable efficacy and safety in the treatment of cervical dystonia; both significantly reduced dystonia severity and pain.