Synthesis and characterization of high-affinity 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-labeled fluorescent ligands for human ß-adrenoceptors.

The growing practice of exploiting noninvasive fluorescence-based techniques to study G protein-coupled receptor pharmacology at the single cell and single molecule level demands the availability of high-quality fluorescent ligands. To this end, this study evaluated a new series of red-emitting ligands for the human ß-adrenoceptor family. Upon the basis of the orthosteric ligands propranolol, alprenolol, and pindolol, the synthesized linker-modified congeners were coupled to the commercially available fluorophore BODIPY 630/650-X. This yielded high-affinity ß-adrenoceptor fluorescent ligands for both the propranolol and alprenolol derivatives; however, the pindolol-based products displayed lower affinity. A fluorescent diethylene glycol linked propranolol derivative (18a) had the highest affinity (log K(D) of -9.53 and -8.46 as an antagonist of functional ß2- and ß1-mediated responses, respectively). Imaging studies with this compound further confirmed that it can be employed to selectively label the human ß2-adrenoceptor in single living cells, with receptor-associated binding prevented by preincubation with the nonfluorescent ß2-selective antagonist 3-(isopropylamino)-1-[(7-methyl-4-indanyl)oxy]butan-2-ol (ICI 118551) ( J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol.1983, 5, 430-437. ).

Cell-based beta2-adrenergic receptor-ligand binding assay using synthesized europium-labeled ligands and time-resolved fluorescence.

High-sensitivity, high-throughput, and user-friendly lanthanide-based assays for receptor-ligand interactions provide an attractive alternative to the traditional radioligand displacement assays. In this study, three small-molecule pindolol ligand derivatives were synthesized and their binding properties were tested in a radioligand displacement assay. The ligand derivatives were further labeled with fluorescent europium(III) chelate for beta(2)-adrenergic receptor-ligand binding assay. The europium-labeled pindolol ligands having no spacer (C0) or a 12-carbon spacer (C12) arm bound to the human beta(2)-adrenergic receptors overexpressed in human embryonic kidney HEK293(i) cells. Europium ligand with a 6-carbon spacer arm (C6) showed no binding. Competitive binding assays were developed with the functional labeled ligands. The IC(50) values for beta(2)-adrenergic antagonist propranolol were 60 and 37 nM, the Z' values were 0.51 and 0.77, and the signal-to-background ratios were 5.5 and 16.0 for C0 and C12, respectively. This study shows that functional time-resolved fluorescent assays can be constructed using fluorescent lanthanide chelates conjugated to small-molecule ligands.

Synthesis and evaluation of radiolabeled antagonists for imaging of beta-adrenoceptors in the brain with PET.

Five potent, lipophilic beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (carvedilol, pindolol, toliprolol and fluorinated analogs of bupranolol and penbutolol) were labeled with either carbon-11 or fluorine-18 and evaluated for cerebral beta-adrenoceptor imaging in experimental animals. The standard radioligand for autoradiography of beta-adrenoceptors, [125I]-iodocyanopindolol, was also included in this survey. All compounds showed either very low uptake in rat brain or a regional distribution that was not related to beta-adrenoceptors, whereas some ligands did display specific binding in heart and lungs. Apparently, the criteria of a high affinity and a moderately high lipophilicity were insufficient to predict the suitability of beta-adrenergic antagonists for visualization of beta-adrenoceptors in the central nervous system.

A rapid high yield synthesis of no-carrier-added (-)-[123I]iodocyanopindolol.

A convenient and efficient radiosynthesis of no-carrier-added [123I]labeled (-)iodocyanopindolol, (-)-[123I]ICYP, a high affinity beta adrenergic antagonist, is described. (-)-[123I]ICYP was synthesized by a modified chloramine-T radioiodination of (-)cyanopindolol followed by a novel reversed-phase HPLC purification that provided the radiopharmaceutical as a directly injectable solution. The total synthesis time was typically less than 45 min and provided (-)-[123I]ICYP in a 59% radiochemical yield (not corrected for decay). In view of its high affinity for the beta adrenergic receptor, (-)-[123I]ICYP is a potentially useful probe for SPECT evaluation of cardiac adrenergic receptor density.

Synthesis and beta-adrenergic receptor blocking potency of 1-(substituted amino)-3-(4-indolyloxy)propan-2-ols.

Although (-)-[125I]iodopindolol (IPIN) can be used to label beta-adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system in vivo, use of this ligand for receptor imaging studies in humans may be limited due to its relatively poor penetration into the brain. As a first step toward the development of radioligands for imaging studies, we report the synthesis and measurement of in vitro binding affinity to beta-receptors of a series of 1-(substituted amino)-3-(4-indolyloxy)-propan-2-ol derivatives. The synthesized compounds vary widely in their lipophilicity as measured by their distribution coefficients between phosphate buffer and octanol at pH 7.4. The affinity of these compounds for beta-receptors, as measured by their inhibition of binding of IPIN to rat cortical and cerebellar membranes in vitro, ranges from 2- to 100-fold less potent than pindolol; the most potent compounds have Ki values of 2-5 nM. The radiolabeled analogues of some of these compounds may prove useful for receptor imaging studies.

N-Bromoacetyl-amino-cyanopindolol: a highly potent beta-adrenergic affinity label blocks irreversibly a non-protein component tightly associated with the receptor.

A new chemical affinity label for the beta-adrenergic receptor, based on the structure of pindolol, has been synthesized and iodinated with 125I. The compound, N-bromoacetylamino-cyanopindolol (BAM-CYP), has an apparent dissociation constant of 44 +/- 7 pM towards the turkey erythrocyte membranes. This compound blocks irreversibly both the ability of beta-adrenergic receptors to bind 125I-cyanopindolol and the ability of beta-receptors to activate adenylate cyclase in the presence of beta-agonists. Furthermore, the irreversible binding of BAM-CYP to half of the beta-receptor sites abolishes the ligand binding activity of all the sites. These findings suggest that the beta-receptor is oligomeric in its native state. Although 125I-BAM-CYP blocks irreversibly and specifically the beta-adrenergic receptor, it does so by labeling a non-protein component, most probably a water-soluble lipid. The labeling is stereospecific since it is prevented by l-propranolol and not by d-propranolol. It is suggested that this lipid is tightly associated with the receptor in close proximity to the binding site. It is also suggested that this water-soluble lipid fraction may prove crucial for the optimal interaction between the beta-adrenergic receptor and the components of adenylate cyclase.

Synthesis and characterization of iodoazidobenzylpindolol.

A high affinity beta-adrenergic ligand, iodoazidobenzylpindolol, was synthesized and characterized. The absorption spectrum of this compound changed markedly upon photolysis, consistent with decomposition of the azide group. This compound has a KD of 5--7 x 10(-10) M for the duck erythrocyte ghost beta-adrenergic receptor when measured in a competitive binding assay.