4-Bromophenylhydrazinyl benzenesulfonylphenylureas as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase inhibitors with in vivo target inhibition and anti-tumor efficacy.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is a heme-containing enzyme implicated in the down regulation of the anti-tumor immune response, and considered a promising anti-cancer drug target. Several pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, are known to be in pursuit of IDO inhibitors, and Incyte recently reported good results in the phase II clinical trial of the IDO inhibitor Epacadostat. In previous work, we developed a series of IDO inhibitors based on a sulfonylhydrazide core structure, and explored how they could serve as potent IDO inhibitors with good drug profiles. Herein, we disclose the development of the 4-bromophenylhydrazinyl benzenesulfonylphenylurea 5k, a potent IDO inhibitor which demonstrated 25% tumor growth inhibition in a murine CT26 syngeneic model on day 18 with 100 mg/kg oral administration twice daily, and a 30% reduction in tumor weight. Pharmacodynamic testing of 5k found it to cause a 25% and 21% reduction in kyn/trp ratio at the plasma and tumor, respectively. In the CT26 tumor model, 5k was found to slightly increase the percentage of CD3+ T cells and lymphocyte responsiveness, indicating that 5k may have potential in modulating anti-tumor immunity. These data suggest 5k to be worthy of further investigation in the development of anti-tumor drugs.

Discovery of Dual MER/AXL Kinase Inhibitors as Bifunctional Small Molecules for Inhibiting Tumor Growth and Enhancing Tumor Immune Microenvironment.

A series of bifunctional compounds have been discovered for their dual functionality as MER/AXL inhibitors and immune modulators. The furanopyrimidine scaffold, renowned for its suitability in kinase inhibitor discovery, offers at least three distinct pharmacophore access points. Insights from molecular modeling studies guided hit-to-lead optimization, which revealed that the 1,3-diketone side chain hybridized with furanopyrimidine scaffold that respectively combined amino-type substituent and 1H-pyrazol-4-yl substituent on the top and bottom of the aryl regions to produce 22 and 33, exhibiting potent antitumor activities in various syngeneic and xenograft models. More importantly, 33 demonstrated remarkable immune-modulating activity by upregulating the expression of total T-cells, cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells, and helper CD4+ T-cells in the spleen. These findings underscored the bifunctional capabilities of 33 (BPR5K230) with excellent oral bioavailability (F = 54.6%), inhibiting both MER and AXL while modulating the tumor microenvironment and highlighting its diverse applicability for further studies to advance its therapeutic potential.

Design and synthesis of novel orally selective and type II pan-TRK inhibitors to overcome mutations by property-driven optimization.

Rare oncogenic NTRK gene fusions result in uncontrolled TRK signaling leading to various adult and pediatric solid tumors. Based on the architecture of our multi-targeted clinical candidate BPR1K871 (10), we designed and synthesized a series of quinazoline compounds as selective and orally bioavailable type II TRK inhibitors. Property-driven and lead optimization strategies informed by structure-activity relationship studies led to the identification of 39, which showed higher (about 15-fold) selectivity for TRKA over AURA and AURB, as well as potent cellular activity (IC50 = 56.4 nM) against the KM12 human colorectal cancer cell line. 39 also displayed good AUC and oral bioavailability (F = 27%), excellent in vivo efficacy (TGI = 64%) in a KM12 xenograft model, and broad-spectrum anti-TRK mutant potency (IC50 = 3.74-151.4 nM), especially in the double-mutant TRKA enzymatic assays. 39 is therefore proposed for further development as a next-generation, selective, and orally-administered type II TRK inhibitor.

Dopaminergic D2 receptors activate PKA to inhibit spinal pelvic-urethra reflex in rats.

To clarify the role of descending dopaminergic innervation in reflexive urethral closure, the impacts of dopaminergic D2 receptor (DR2)-selective agonists and antagonists on repetitive stimulation-induced pelvic-to-urethra spinal reflex potentiation (SRP) were tested using in vivo rat preparations. Pelvic afferent nerve test stimulation (TS; 1 pulse/30 s for 30 min) evoked baseline reflex activity with single spikes in the external urethral sphincter electromyogram (EUSE), whereas, repetitive stimulation (RS; 1 pulse/s for 30 min) induced SRP. Intrathecal application of quinelorane dihydrochloride (Q110; 10, 30, and 100 nM, 10 microl, a selective DR2 agonist) dose dependently inhibited the RS-induced SRP. Pretreatment with L135 (100 nM, 10 microL it, a selective DR2 antagonist) antagonized the Q110-dependent inhibition (100 nM, 10 microl it). Intrathecal AMPA (10 microM, 10 microl, a selective glutamatergic AMPA receptor agonist), and NMDA (10 microM, 10 microl, a selective glutamatergic NMDA receptor agonist) reversed the Q110-dependent inhibition. Intrathecal forskolin (100 nM, 10 microl, a PKA activator) prevented the Q110-dependent inhibition that was reversed by CNQX (10 microM, 10 microl it, a selective glutamate AMPA receptor antagonist) and APV (10 microM, 10 microl it , a selective glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist). Our results suggest that DR2 activation, which inactivates intracellular PKA, may be involved in descending dopaminergic inhibition of NMDA/AMPA receptor-dependent SRP at the lumbosacral spinal cord, which is thought to be involved in reflexive urethral closure.

Estrogen-dependent facilitation on spinal reflex potentiation involves the Cdk5/ERK1/2/NR2B cascade in anesthetized rats.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5), a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase, may alter pain-related neuronal plasticity by regulating extracellular signal-related kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) activation. This study investigated whether Cdk5-dependent ERK activation underlies the estrogen-elicited facilitation on the repetitive stimulation-induced spinal reflex potentiaton (SRP) that is presumed to be involved in postinflammatory/neuropathic hyperalgesia and allodynia. Reflex activity of the external urethra sphincter electromyogram evoked by pelvic afferent nerve test stimulation (TS; 1 stimulation/30 s for 10 min) and repetitive stimulation (RS; 1 stimulation/1 s for 10 min) was recorded in anesthetized rats. TS evoked a baseline reflex activity, whereas RS produced SRP. Intrathecal (it) beta-estradiol facilitated the repetitive stimulation-induced SRP that was reversed by pretreatment with the estrogen receptor anatogonist ICI 182,780 (10 nM, 10 microl it), Cdk5 inhibitor roscovitine (100 nM, 10 microl it), ERK inhibitor (U-0126; 100 microM, 10 microl it) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) NR2B subunit antagonist (Co-101244; 100 nM, 10 microl it). Moreover, ERalpha (propylpyrazoletriol; 100 nM, 10 microl it) and ERbeta (diarylpropionitrile; 100 microM, 10 microl it) agonists both facilitated the SRP, similar to results with a beta-estradiol injection. In association with the facilitated RS-induced SRP, an intrathecal beta-estradiol injection elicited ERK1/2 and NR2B subunit phosphorylation that were both reversed by intrathecal roscovitine and U-0126. These results indicated that the Cdk/ERK cascade, which is activated by ERalpha and ERbeta, may subsequently phosphorylate the NR2B subunit to develop NMDA-dependent postinflammatory hyperalgesia and allodynia to maintain the protective mechanisms of the body.

Evaluation of the antitumor effects of BPR1J-340, a potent and selective FLT3 inhibitor, alone or in combination with an HDAC inhibitor, vorinostat, in AML cancer.

Overexpression or/and activating mutation of FLT3 kinase play a major driving role in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hence, pharmacologic inhibitors of FLT3 are of therapeutic potential for AML treatment. In this study, BPR1J-340 was identified as a novel potent FLT3 inhibitor by biochemical kinase activity (IC50 approximately 25 nM) and cellular proliferation (GC50 approximately 5 nM) assays. BPR1J-340 inhibited the phosphorylation of FLT3 and STAT5 and triggered apoptosis in FLT3-ITD(+) AML cells. The pharmacokinetic parameters of BPR1J-340 in rats were determined. BPR1J-340 also demonstrated pronounced tumor growth inhibition and regression in FLT3-ITD(+) AML murine xenograft models. The combination treatment of the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat (SAHA) with BPR1J-340 synergistically induced apoptosis via Mcl-1 down-regulation in MOLM-13 AML cells, indicating that the combination of selective FLT3 kinase inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors could exhibit clinical benefit in AML therapy. Our results suggest that BPR1J-340 may be further developed in the preclinical and clinical studies as therapeutics in AML treatments.

Colon mustard oil instillation induced cross-organ reflex sensitization on the pelvic-urethra reflex activity in rats.

We investigated the participation of cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5)-mediated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) NR2B subunit phosphorylation in cross-organ reflex sensitization caused by colon irritation. The external urethral sphincter electromyogram (EUSE) reflex activity evoked by the pelvic afferent nerve test stimulation (TS, 1 stimulation/30s) and protein expression in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion tissue (T13-L2 and L6-S2 ipsilateral to the stimulation) in response to colon mustard oil (MO) instillation were tested in anesthetized rats. When compared with a baseline reflex activity with a single action potential evoked by the TS before the administration of test agents, MO instillation into the descending colon sensitized the evoked activity characterized by elongated firing in the reflex activity in association with increased protein levels of Cdk5, PSD95, and phosphorylated NR2B (pNR2B) but not of total NR2B (tNR2B) in the spinal cord tissue. Both cross-organ reflex sensitization and increments in protein expression were reversed by intra-colonic pretreatments with ruthenium red (a non-selective transient receptor potential vanilloid, TRPV, antagonist), capsaizepine (a TRPV1-selective antagonist), lidocaine (a nerve conduction blocker) as well as by the intra-thecal pretreatment with APV (a NRMDR antagonist) Co-101244 (a NR2B-selective antagonist) and roscovitine (a Cdk5 antagonist). Moreover, compared with the control group, both the increase in pNR2B and the cross-organ reflex sensitization were attenuated in the si-RNA of NR2B rats. All these results suggested that Cdk-dependent NMDAR NR2B subunit phosphorylation mediates the development of cross-organ pelvic-urethra reflex sensitization caused by acute colon irritation which could possibly underlie the high concurrence of pelvic pain syndrome with irritable bowel syndrome.

Neuroactive steroids inhibit spinal reflex potentiation by selectively enhancing specific spinal GABA(A) receptor subtypes.

Recently, we demonstrated a spinal GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)R)-dependent inhibition on the induction of repetitive stimulation-induced spinal reflex potentiation. However, it remains unclear whether steroid hormones modulate such an inhibition. Here, we show that progesterone is capable of producing GABA(A)Rs-dependent inhibition of the induction of spinal reflex potentiation by actions through neurosteroid metabolites. Progesterone (5mg/kg, twice daily for 4 days) up-regulates the expression of GABA(A)R alpha2, alpha3, alpha4 and delta subunits, and is associated with attenuated repetitive stimulation-induced spinal reflex activity in ovariectomized rats. These changes were blocked by finasteride (50mg/kg, twice daily), an antagonist of neurosteroid synthesis from progesterone, but not by the progesterone receptor antagonist, RU486 (100mg/kg, twice daily). The induction of spinal reflex potentiation was attenuated after a short (30 min) intrathecal treatment with the neurosteroids, allopregnanolone (ALLOP, 10 microM, 10 microL) and 3 alpha,5 alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC, 10 microM, 10 microL). Acute intrathecal administration of the GABA(A)R antagonist, bicuculline (10 microM, 10 microL) reversed the inhibition produced by progesterone, THDOC and allopregnanolone. These results imply that progesterone-mediated effects on GABA(A)R expression and neural inhibition are regulated by neurosteroids synthesis rather than progesterone receptor activation.

Orexin-A modulates glutamatergic NMDA-dependent spinal reflex potentiation via inhibition of NR2B subunit.

Glucose-sensitive neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area produce orexin-A (OxA) as well as orexin-B (OxB) and send their axons to the spinal dorsal horn, which predominantly expresses orexin receptor-1 (OX-1), showing a higher sensitivity to OxA. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of OxA on the induction of a novel form of activity-dependent reflex potentiation, spinal reflex potentiation (SRP), in the pelvic-urethral reflex activity. External urethra sphincter electromyogram in response to pelvic afferent nerve test stimulation (TS; 1/30 Hz) or repetitive stimulation (RS; 1 Hz) was recorded in anesthetized rats. TS evoked a baseline reflex activity, whereas RS produced SRP, which was abolished by intrathecal OxA (30 nM, 10 mul). Intrathecal SB-408124 (10 muM, 10 mul), an OX-1 antagonist, reversed the abolition on SRP caused by OxA. Although there is, so far, no NR2A- and NR2B-specific agonist available, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) reversed the abolition on the RS-induced SRP caused by the co-administration of OxA and Co-101244 (30 nM, 10 mul; an NMDA NR2B subunit antagonist), but it did not reverse the abolition by the co-administration of OxA and PPPA (300 nM, 10 mul; an NMDA NR2A subunit antagonist). In conclusion, the activation of descending orexinergic fibers may inhibit the repetitive afferent input-induced central sensitization of pelvic-urethral reflex activity and urethra hyperactivity, indicating that spinal orexinergic neural transmission may be a novel target for the treatment of patients with neuropathetic or postinflammatory pain of pelvic origin.

TRPV1 mediates the uterine capsaicin-induced NMDA NR2B-dependent cross-organ reflex sensitization in anesthetized rats.

Spinal cord-mediated cross-organ sensitization between the uterus and the lower urinary tract may underlie the high concurrence of obstetrical/gynecological inflammation and chronic pelvic pain syndrome characterized by urogenital pain. However, the neural pathway and the neurotransmitters involved are still unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the excitation of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent fibers arising from the uterus through the stimulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) induces cross-organ sensitization on the pelvic-urethra reflex activity. Capsaicin (1-1,000 microM, 0.05 ml) was instilled into the uterus to induce cross-organ reflex sensitization. Activation of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent fibers by capsaicin instillation into the uterine horn sensitized the pelvic-urethra reflex activity that was reversed by an intrauterine pretreatment with capsaizepine, a TRPV1-selective antagonist. Intrathecal injection of AP5, a glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, and Co-101244, an NMDA NR2B-selective antagonist, both abolished the cross-organ reflex sensitization caused by capsaicin instillation. These results demonstrated that TRPV1 plays a crucial role in contributing to the capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent fibers mediating the glutamatergic NMDA-dependent cross-organ sensitization between the uterus and the lower urinary tract when there is a tissue injury.