A group of cationic amphiphilic drugs activates MRGPRX2 and induces scratching behavior in mice.

BACKGROUND: Mas gene-related G protein-coupled receptors (MRGPRs) are a G protein-coupled receptor family responsive to various exogenous and endogenous agonists, playing a fundamental role in pain and itch sensation. The primate-specific family member MRGPRX2 and its murine orthologue MRGPRB2 are expressed by mast cells mediating IgE-independent signaling and pseudoallergic drug reactions. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to increase knowledge about the function and regulation of MRGPRX2/MRGPRB2, which is of major importance in prevention of drug hypersensitivity reactions and drug-induced pruritus. METHODS: To identify novel MRGPR (ant)agonists, we screened a library of pharmacologically active compounds by utilizing a high-throughput calcium mobilization assay. The identified hit compounds were analyzed for their pseudoallergic and pruritogenic effects in mice and human. RESULTS: We found a class of commonly used drugs activating MRGPRX2 that, to a large extent, consists of antidepressants, antiallergic drugs, and antipsychotics. Three-dimensional pharmacophore modeling revealed structural similarities of the identified agonists, classifying them as cationic amphiphilic drugs. Mast cell activation was investigated by using the 3 representatively selected antidepressants clomipramine, paroxetine, and desipramine. Indeed, we were able to show a concentration-dependent activation and MRGPRX2-dependent degranulation of the human mast cell line LAD2 (Laboratory of Allergic Diseases-2). Furthermore, clomipramine, paroxetine, and desipramine were able to induce degranulation of human skin and murine peritoneal mast cells. These substances elicited dose-dependent scratching behavior following intradermal injection into C57BL/6 mice but less so in MRGPRB2-mutant mice, as well as wheal-and-flare reactions following intradermal injections in humans. CONCLUSION: Our results contribute to the characterization of structure-activity relationships and functionality of MRGPRX2 ligands and facilitate prediction of adverse reactions such as drug-induced pruritus to prevent severe drug hypersensitivity reactions.

Analysis of the molecular interactions governing the polymorphism of benzamide--a guide to syntheses?

Dispersion-corrected density functional calculations are used to rationalize the subtle differences in the molecular interactions in benzamide crystals. The potential energy of the different polymorph structures is dominated by the interplay between intermolecular attraction and molecular torsion/deformation to accommodate favourable molecular packing. Using suitable proxies arranged in pseudo-crystalline setups we discriminate the contribution of hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions and intra-molecular interactions to the lattice energies of the most relevant (P1 and P3) benzamide polymorphs. Strikingly, these commonly anticipated binding/packing concepts cannot account for the observed ranking of benzamide structures, thus hinting at the importance of the interactions between the benzene rings and the polar amide groups. Moreover, individual structural motifs that account for the competition between the two crystal structure types are elaborated. On the basis of such in-depth understanding of molecular interactions - in terms of both structure and chemistry - we suggest nucleation scenarios as guides to a more controlled synthesis of the stable P1 form or to direct nucleation in favour of the P3 polymorph.

Study and Computational Modeling of Fatty Acid Effects on Drug Solubility in Lipid-Based Systems.

Lipid-based systems have many advantages in formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs but issues of a limited solvent capacity are often encountered in development. One of the possible solubilization approaches of especially basic drugs could be the addition of fatty acids to oils but currently, a systematic study is lacking. Therefore, the present work investigated apparently neutral and basic drugs in medium chain triglycerides (MCT) alone and with added either caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10) or oleic acid (C18:1) at different levels (5 - 20%, w/w). A miniaturized solubility assay was used together with X-ray diffraction to analyze the residual solid and finally, solubility data were modeled using the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS). Some drug bases had an MCT solubility of only a few mg/ml or less but addition of fatty acids provided in some formulations exceptional drug loading of up to about 20% (w/w). The solubility changes were in general more pronounced the shorter the chain length was and the longest oleic acid even displayed a negative effect in mixtures of celecoxib and fenofibrate. The COSMO-RS prediction accuracy was highly specific for the given compounds with root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from an excellent 0.07 to a highest value of 1.12. The latter was obtained with the strongest model base pimozide for which a new solid form was found in some samples. In conclusion, targeting specific molecular interactions with the solute combined with mechanistic modeling provides new tools to advance lipid-based drug delivery.

Benchmarking and optimization of molecular simulation models of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate and calcium sulfonate oil additives.

We present an ab initio based molecular mechanics model for prominent additives used in lubricants to moderate oil-steel interfaces. The force field is created for zinc dialkyldithiophosphate and calcium sulfonate charge neutral ligand-ion-ligand complexes and benchmarked to the widely spread generalized amber force field (GAFF). For the latter, comparison to quantum chemical calculations shows significant errors in terms of complex structure and formation energy. This is corrected by the newly created force field that is commensurate with GAFF but uses tailor-made ion-ligand van der Waals parameters. On this basis, we elucidate the association of additives with oil-hematite interfaces from molecular dynamics simulations.