ICI D7114: a novel selective adrenoceptor agonist of brown fat and thermogenesis.

Increasing energy expenditure by treatment with thermogenic drugs is not new, but available drugs have suffered from the problem of lack of selectivity. In the last decade two key findings have allowed the development of selective thermogenic drugs that have promise in the treatment of obesity. 1) The recognition that brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a role in compensatory increases in energy expenditure has allowed an approach directed at a target organ. 2) The demonstration showing that increases in the activity of BAT may be modulated by an atypical (beta 3) adrenoceptor has led to the development of a new peripherally acting beta-adrenoceptor agonist ICI D7114, which stimulates thermogenesis at doses that have little effect on beta 1 or beta 2 adrenoceptors. Treatment with the compound activates BAT and thermogenesis even in species and situations where the intrinsic capacity is low. 3) The compound has beneficial effects in animal models of obesity and disturbed glucose and lipid homeostasis.

Selective beta 3-adrenergic agonists of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis. 1. [4-[2-[(2-Hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]ethoxy]phenoxy]acetates.

The ester methyl [4-[2-[(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]ethoxy]phenoxy]acetate (8) has been identified as the most interesting member of a series of selective beta 3-adrenergic agonists of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis in the rat. In vivo it acts mainly via the related acid 10. Potency was generally markedly reduced by placing substituents on the phenyl ring of the phenoxypropanolamine unit of 8; only the 2-fluoro analogue 16 had comparable potency to 8. Other structure-activity relationships are discussed. Further testing of 8 (ICI 198157) has shown that in the rat it stimulates the beta 3-adrenergic receptor in brown adipose tissue at doses lower than those at which it affects beta 1 and beta 2 adrenergic receptors in other tissues. It increases metabolic rate, as judged by an increase in oxygen consumption, and in the genetically obese Zucker rat it causes a reduced rate of weight gain. This class of compound may be useful in the treatment of obesity in man.

Selective beta 3-adrenergic agonists of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis. 2. [4-[2-[(2-Hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]ethoxy]phenoxy]acetamides.

The ester methyl [4-[2-[(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]ethoxy]phenoxy]acetate (1) (R1 = OMe) had previously been identified as the most interesting member of a series of selective beta 3-adrenergic agonists of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis in the rat. In vivo it acts mainly via the related acid 1 (R1 = OH). Amides have been examined to determine whether they have advantages over the ester. In particular, in the rat and dog the half-lives of amides of appropriate potency were no longer than those of the ester. The amide (S)-4-[2-[(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]ethoxy]-N-(2- methoxyethyl)phenoxyacetamide [S-27, ICI D7114] was selected as having properties consistent with a sustained-release formulation should that prove necessary. Unlike the ester it is resistant to hydrolysis in the gut lumen. Further testing of ICI D7114 has shown that in the rat, cat, and dog it stimulates the beta 3-adrenergic receptor in brown adipose tissue at doses lower than those at which it affects beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors in other tissues. Slimming effects were observed in the dog. ICI D7114 may be a selective thermogenic agent in man and may be useful in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.

ICI D7114 a novel selective beta-adrenoceptor agonist selectively stimulates brown fat and increases whole-body oxygen consumption.

1. ICI D7114 is a novel, beta-adrenoceptor agonist which stimulates whole body oxygen consumption in conscious rats, cats and dogs and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in conscious rats. Treatment of rats with ICI D7114 stimulated oxygen consumption (ED50, 0.04 mg kg-1, p.o.) and BAT mitochondrial guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-binding (ED50, 0.15 mg kg-1, p.o.) with no chronotropic effects on the heart at these doses. 2. Reference beta-adrenoceptor agonists, isoprenaline and clenbuterol, also stimulated oxygen consumption and BAT activity but were less selective because they also produced effects on heart rate at these doses. 3. Treatment of conscious rats with ICI D7114 did not attenuate the chronotropic effects on the heart of a subsequent isoprenaline challenge. 4. Administration of ICI D7114 or of its acid metabolite had no effect in a cat soleus muscle model of tremor or on blood potassium levels in the conscious dog, indicating lack of effects at beta 2-adrenoceptors. 5. The results indicate that ICI D7114 may have activity at atypical beta-adrenoceptors in brown adipose tissue leading to increased whole body oxygen consumption.

Regulation of UCP gene expression in brown adipocytes differentiated in primary culture. Effects of a new beta-adrenoceptor agonist.

Primary cultures of precursor cells from mouse and rat brown adipose tissue (BAT) were used to study the effect of a new beta-agonist (ICI D7114) on the uncoupling protein (UCP) gene expression. ICI 215001 (the active metabolite of D7114) increased the expression of UCP and its mRNA in brown adipocytes differentiating in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. This stimulating effect was not inhibited by propranolol, a non-specific beta-antagonist, but was partially reduced by bupranolol, a beta 3-antagonist. No expression of UCP mRNA was ever induced by ICI 215001 in white adipocytes differentiated in vitro. It was concluded that the drug could affect the brown adipose cells through a beta 3-pathway. It could clearly modulate the expression of UCP in brown adipocytes differentiated in vitro, but was not able by itself to turn on the gene.

The acid metabolite of ZD7114 is a partial agonist of lipolysis mediated by the rat beta 3-adrenoceptor.

Experiments were performed to characterise the lipolytic effects of the acid metabolite, ZM215001, ((S)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-phenoxy-propylamino-ethoxy] phenoxyacetic acid) of the putative beta 3-adrenoceptor agonist, ZD7114 ((S)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-phenoxy-propylamino-ethoxy]-N-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxyacetamide) on isolated rat white adipocytes. ZM215001 was used for these studies since it is the predominant moiety after in vivo administration of ZD7114. The agonist properties of ZM215001 were assessed in comparison to the standard nonselective beta-adrenoceptor agonist (+/-)-isoprenaline and the beta 3-adrenoceptor-selective agonist BRL 37344. Isoprenaline, BRL 37344 and ZM215001 all stimulated the rate of free fatty acid release from isolated adipocytes with the order of potency being BRL > isoprenaline > ZM215001. The maximum effect of BRL 37344 was equivalent to that of isoprenaline, but ZM215001 achieved only 30% of the maximum isoprenaline response. ZM215001 competitively antagonised the lipolytic response to BRL 37344 (pA2 = 7.26), whereas the agonist effects of BRL 37344 were not antagonised competitively by the selective antagonists ICI 118551 and CGP 20712A, at concentrations which would be expected to block beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors respectively. These results indicate that ZM215001 has low intrinsic activity at the rat adipocyte beta 3-adrenoceptor, and is a partial agonist of lipolysis in rat white adipocytes.

The thermogenic role of adipose tissue in the dog.

Brown adipose tissue was clearly present in neonatal dogs. In the adult the tissue was superseded by a tissue with the gross characteristics of white adipose. However despite their appearance adult adipose tissue depots may contribute to non-shivering thermogenesis. Regional blood flow measurements using injected radioactive microspheres indicated large increases in blood flow to adipose depots during infusion of noradrenaline. Coupled with blood flow estimations, measurement of arteriovenous differences in dissolved oxygen across the bladder fat depot demonstrated a quantitative increase in oxygen extraction by the depot during noradrenaline infusion. Acute activation of non-shivering thermogenesis in the dog was not associated with increased mitochondrial GDP-binding in adipose tissue. However chronic treatment with a beta-stimulant (LY79730) which increased capacity for non-shivering thermogenesis was associated with increased mitochondrial GDP-binding and cytochrome oxidase activity in peri-renal adipose tissue.

Immunological, histological and biochemical assessment of brown adipose tissue activity in neonatal, control and beta-stimulant-treated adult dogs.

Significant levels of mitochondrial uncoupling protein were demonstrated on neonatal dog mitochondria prepared from perirenal, bladder and subcutaneous adipose tissue sites. The protein was not detected in homogenates of adipose tissue samples from the same sites in adult, control dogs. However, chronic treatment of adult dogs with a beta-stimulant (LY 79730) led to the appearance of detectable amounts of uncoupling protein in perirenal and bladder but not subcutaneous adipose tissue depots. Decreases in mean cell diameter, increases in the frequency of multilocular cells and of cytochrome oxidase and creatine kinase were also associated with the effects of treatment on dog adipose tissue. The results demonstrate the age-related decline in dog brown adipose tissue and its reversal by chronic treatment with beta-stimulant.

The effects of thermogenic agents on hindlimb oxygen consumption in the dog: ICI D7114 and noradrenaline.

The thermogenic action of beta-adrenoceptor agonists may be due, in part, to increased metabolism in skeletal muscle. Previous results suggest that vasoconstriction is also necessary, and that the effect can be blocked by vasodilators. Both noradrenaline and the beta-3 agonist, ICI D7114, were studied using two dog hindlimb protocols. During constant perfusion conditions, ICI D7114 caused a significant increase in hindlimb oxygen consumption although it is a vasodilator. Noradrenaline resulted in a smaller rise in oxygen consumption, and produced a marked vasoconstriction. Both noradrenaline and ICI D7114 resulted in decreased oxygen consumption when the blood flow was allowed to vary in response to the drug treatment. The results suggest that changes in tissue oxygen consumption caused by beta-agonists are not related to vasomotion.

A low-cost modular oxygen-consumption device for small animals.

This paper describes a simple apparatus enabling the O2 consumption of small animals to be monitored. The system consists of a sensitive solid-state pressure transducer linked via a relay to a small peristaltic pump. While the animal breathes air in its closed chamber the CO2 expired is removed by an absorber; hence the pressure falls. The signal is sensed by the transducer triggering the pump to deliver a set volume of O2 to the chamber. The number of pump operations per unit time necessary to keep the system equilibrated is a measure of the O2 consumption rate. Each device is built as a module, up to four being mounted in one assembly controlled by a microcomputer. A balance control, priming switch, pump-volume setting, and electromagnetic counter are built into each front panel. Calibration is achieved be removing a known volume of air from the system with no animal present and counting the number of operations to return the chamber to equilibrium.

Isoenzymes of acid phosphatase in germinating peas.

Acid phosphatase activity in pea cotyledons increases during germination. Gel filtration separates three isoenzymes with pH optima of 4.9, 5.6 and 6.0. The relative activities of these isoenzymes change during germination. The increase in activity is confined to two of the three isoenzymes. Density-labelling experiments whow that these are synthesised de novo. Activity of the third isoenzyme, which is present in dry seeds, does not change significantly during germination, and is not affected by cycloheximide but is lost on freezing. The possible localization of each isoenzyme is discussed in the light of these findings and in relation to histochemical studies.

Comparative subcellular fractionation of control and cold-adapted rat brown and white adipose tissue with special reference to peroxisomal and mitochondrial distributions.

A new technique for single-step subcellular fractionation of adipose tissue homogenates by analytical sucrose density gradient centrifugation in a vertical pocket reorientating rotor is described. The density gradient distributions of mitochondrial and peroxisomal marker enzymes in brown and white adipose tissue of control and cold exposed rats are compared. The equilibrium density of brown fat mitochondria was found to be significantly increased compared with white fat mitochondria. GDP binding activity was localized solely to the mitochondria in both control and cold-adapted brown adipose tissue. Brown and white fat mitochondria fractions were isolated by differential centrifugation and the specific activities of various enzymes in the homogenate and mitochondrial preparations determined. The specific activity of creatine kinase in brown adipose tissue was found to be ten-fold higher than in white fat and subcellular fractionation studies showed the activity to have an exclusively cytosolic distribution in both tissues. GDP binding activity and some of the mitochondrial enzymes showed, in brown adipose, a striking increase in total activity in cold adapted rats compared to control animals. For some enzyme activities there was a small increase when expressed per mg tissue or per mg mitochondrial protein. When expressed per mg DNA i.e. per cell, there was a reduced specific activity of the mitochondrial and peroxisomal enzymes in both brown and white adipose tissue on cold adaptation.

Post-natal development of interscapular (brown) adipose tissue in the guinea pig: effect of environmental temperature.

The post-natal development of interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) was studied in the guinea pig by monitoring changes in DNA, triglycerides and mitochondrial protein as well as the activity of cytochrome oxidase and atractyloside insensitive GDP-binding. The results demonstrate that neonatal brown fat develops into a tissue with the gross characteristics of white adipose tissue. In this respect the post-natal development of guinea pig BAT is analogous to that of the tissue in man. Furthermore the apparent transformation is not irreversible since cold exposure (+4 degrees C) of adult guinea pigs for six weeks resulted in restoration of cytochrome oxidase, GDP-binding, etc, to levels characteristic of neonatal BAT. However, the interscapular fat pad temperature response to noradrenaline and the presence of 32 000 mol. wt mitochondrial inner membrane protein indicate that the tissue retains thermogenic activity even in warm acclimated adult guinea pigs.

Beta 3-adrenergic receptor stimulation restores message and expression of brown-fat mitochondrial uncoupling protein in adult dogs.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is present throughout life in rodents and plays an important role in energy balance. However, whereas BAT is clearly recognizable in the neonates of larger mammals (including dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, and humans), it is undetectable or present in only small quantities in adults of these species and is replaced by a tissue with the gross characteristics of white adipose tissue. Here we provide evidence that treatment of adult dogs with a beta 3-adrenergic receptor agonist (ICI D7114) that has thermogenic and antiobesity properties leads to the appearance of BAT at several anatomical sites. The presence of BAT was primarily demonstrated by monitoring the inner mitochondrial membrane uncoupling protein and its mRNA, which are unique to the tissue. Neither message nor protein was detected in adipose tissue samples from control dogs but both were detected in samples from dogs treated with ICI D7114. The data suggest that stimulation of beta 3-adrenergic receptors can reactivate nascent BAT (which has the appearance of white adipose tissue) by increasing expression of the gene coding for uncoupling protein or lead to the recruitment of fully differentiated BAT from preadipocyte precursor cells.

Skeletal muscle myocytes undergo protein loss and reactive oxygen-mediated NF-kappaB activation in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Skeletal muscle atrophy and weakness are thought to be stimulated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in a variety of chronic diseases. However, little is known about the direct effects of TNF-alpha on differentiated skeletal muscle cells or the signaling mechanisms involved. We have tested the effects of TNF-alpha on the mouse-derived C2C12 muscle cell line and on primary cultures from rat skeletal muscle. TNF-alpha treatment of differentiated myotubes stimulated time- and concentration-dependent reductions in total protein content and loss of adult myosin heavy chain (MHCf) content; these changes were evident at low TNF-alpha concentrations (1-3 ng/ml) that did not alter muscle DNA content and were not associated with a decrease in MHCf synthesis. TNF-alpha activated binding of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) to its targeted DNA sequence and stimulated degradation of I-kappaBalpha, an NF-kappaB inhibitory protein. TNF-alpha stimulated total ubiquitin conjugation whereas a 26S proteasome inhibitor (MG132 10-40 microM) blocked TNF-alpha activation of NF-kappaB. Catalase 1 kU/ml inhibited NF-kappaB activation by TNF-alpha; exogenous hydrogen peroxide 200 microM activated NF-kappaB and stimulated I-kappaBalpha degradation. These data demonstrate that TNF-alpha directly induces skeletal muscle protein loss, that NF-kappaB is rapidly activated by TNF-alpha in differentiated skeletal muscle cells, and that TNF-alpha/NF-kappaB signaling in skeletal muscle is regulated by endogenous reactive oxygen species.

Infectious diseases and injuries in child day care. Opportunities for healthier children.

OBJECTIVE: To provide pertinent background information on infectious diseases and injury in child day care and outline measures to address these health care needs. DESIGN: We reviewed published English-language literature identified through a MEDLINE bibliographic search, major literature summaries, and bibliographies from identified articles. SETTING: Child day-care settings reviewed included family child care homes, centers, special facilities for ill children, and facilities for children with special needs. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Primarily children in a variety of day-care settings, often compared with children cared for at home. MAIN OUTCOMES: The occurrence of outbreaks and illness related to infectious disease and injury. RESULTS: Compared with preschool-aged children reared at home, among children in day care the risk of some infectious diseases was two to four times greater. Rates of both intentional and unintentional injuries in day-care settings were somewhat lower than those for children cared for at home. CONCLUSIONS: Because preschool-aged children spend increasing time in structured day-care settings, the risk for some infectious diseases has increased. At the same time, child day-care settings present opportunities for ensuring healthier children through enhanced development, safer environments, better nutrition, increased vaccination coverage, and health promotion.

AZD7545, a novel inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 (PDHK2), activates pyruvate dehydrogenase in vivo and improves blood glucose control in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats.

PDH (pyruvate dehydrogenase) is a key enzyme controlling the rate of glucose oxidation, and the availability of gluconeogenic precursors. Activation of PDH in skeletal muscle and liver may increase glucose uptake and reduce glucose production. This study describes the properties of AZD7545, a novel, small-molecule inhibitor of PDHK (PDH kinase). In the presence of PDHK2, AZD7545 increased PDH activity with an EC(50) value of 5.2 nM. In rat hepatocytes, the rate of pyruvate oxidation was stimulated 2-fold (EC(50) 105 nM). A single dose of AZD7545 to Wistar rats increased the proportion of liver PDH in its active, dephosphorylated form in a dose-related manner from 24.7 to 70.3% at 30 mg/kg; and in skeletal muscle from 21.1 to 53.3%. A single dose of 10 mg/kg also significantly elevated muscle PDH activity in obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats. Obese, insulin-resistant, Zucker rats show elevated postprandial glucose levels compared with their lean counterparts (8.7 versus 6.1 mM at 12 weeks old). AZD7545 (10 mg/kg) twice daily for 7 days markedly improved the 24-h glucose profile, by eliminating the postprandial elevation in blood glucose. These results suggest that PDHK inhibitors may be beneficial agents for improving glucose control in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.