Inhibition of E-selectin-, ICAM-1-, and VCAM-1-mediated cell adhesion by benzo[b]thiophene-, benzofuran-, indole-, and naphthalene-2-carboxamides: identification of PD 144795 as an antiinflammatory agent.

It was previously reported that 3-alkoxybenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamides exemplified by 1, 5-methoxy-3-(1-methylethoxy)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide, decreased the adherence of neutrophils to activated endothelial cells by inhibiting the upregulation of the adhesion molecules E-selectin and ICAM-1 on the surface of the endothelium. This finding is extended here to a series of 3-thiobenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamides and also heterocyclic analogs of 1, including benzofurans, indoles, and napthalenes. The compounds that inhibited the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 had the same effect on the expression of VCAM-1. PD 144795, 5-methoxy-3-(1-methylethoxy)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide 1-oxide (44), the sulfoxide analog of 1, was orally active in several models of inflammation. The in vitro and in vivo activity of PD 144795 resided predominately in the S-enantiomer.

Stimulus-dependent effects of CI-986 on arachidonic acid metabolism by human neutrophils.

CI-986 (5-[3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-1,3, 4-thiadizole-2(3H)-thione, choline salt) was evaluated for its effect on arachidonic acid metabolism by human neutrophils in response to different stimuli. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) release in response to calcium ionophore A23187 was 15 to 35 fold greater than the responses to N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or serum-opsonized zymosan (SOZ), respectively, while the thromboxane B2 (TXB2) release response was similar for the three stimuli tested. CI-986 inhibited the release of LTB4 and TXB2 in response to A23187 with IC50s of 63.4 and 1.6 microM, respectively. In comparison, the compound inhibited SOZ-stimulated LTB4 release with an IC50 of 11.2 microM, while having no effect on TXB2 at concentrations up to 100 microM. Conversely, CI-986 inhibited FMLP-stimulated LTB4 release by 42% at 100 microM, while inhibiting TXB2 release with an IC50 of 0.13 microM. These results demonstrate a stimulus-dependent inhibitory effect of CI-986 on human neutrophil eicosanoid metabolism.

Selective regulation of human neutrophil functions by the cell activation inhibitor CI-959.

The cell activation inhibitor CI-959 [5-methoxy-3-(1-methylethoxy)-N-1H-tetrazol-5-ylbenzo[ b]thiophene-2- carboxamide, monosodium salt] was evaluated for its effects on human neutrophil functions. CI-959 inhibited spontaneous migration and chemotaxis toward N-formyl-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (fMLP) with 50% inhibition (IC50) values of 3.6 and 3.1 microM, respectively. CI-959 also inhibited superoxide anion generation in response to C5a, fMLP, serum-opsonized zymosan (SOZ), concanavalin A (Con A), and calcium ionophore A23187 with IC50 values of 2.5, 4.7, 14.5, 5.4, and 14.8 microM, respectively. In comparison, CI-959 inhibited myeloperoxidase microM, respectively. In comparison, CI-959 inhibited myeloperoxidase release in response to C5a, fMLP, SOZ, and Con A with IC50 values of 11.6, 16.1, 7.5, and < 1.0 microM, respectively, while inhibiting the response to A23187 by only 5.5% at 100 microM. At concentrations up to 100 microM, CI-959 had no effect on the respiratory burst or degranulation in response to L-alpha-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DiC8) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). In addition, the compound inhibited leukotriene B4 release stimulated by fMLP and SOZ (IC50 values 4.0 and 2.5 microM, respectively), while having less activity against the A23187-stimulated response (IC50 > 100 microM). These results demonstrate that CI-959 inhibits cellular responses to stimuli that mobilize intracellular calcium. For cellular responses to inophore-mediated calcium influx, only oxygen radical production was inhibited by CI-959. CI-959 was further evaluated for its effects on neutrophil stimulus-response coupling. At 100 microM, CI-959 had no effect on human neutrophil phospholipase C or protein kinase C. CI-959 inhibited fMLP-stimulated intracellular calcium mobilization and calcium influx with IC50 values of 16.7 and 3.1 microM, respectively, and exhibited less potent calmodulin antagonist activity (IC50 = 90.5 microM). These results indicate that CI-959 may exert its stimulus- and response-specific inhibitory effects on neutrophil functions, in part, through inhibition of calcium-regulated signalling mechanisms.

The effects of (R)-N-(1-methyl-2-phenylethyl) adenosine (L-PIA), a standard A1-selective adenosine agonist on rat acute models of inflammation and neutrophil function.

L-PIA, a standard A1-selective adenosine agonist, was evaluated orally in carrageenan (CRG)- and reverse passive arthus-pleurisy. White blood cell (WBC) and exudate accumulation were assessed four hours after induction of the inflammatory response. L-PIA inhibited WBC accumulation in both models with ID50's of 4.37 and 4.42 mg/kg, respectively. In contrast, exudate was inhibited by L-PIA only in the CRG pleurisy model (ID50 = 1.01 mg/kg). In mechanistic studies, L-PIA reversed the drop in circulating neutrophil count which occurred within 15 minutes after CRG injection, suggesting that L-PIA may inhibit adhesion of the cells to the endothelium. The effects of L-PIA on several parameters of rat neutrophil function were determined. Enzyme release, O2-, TXB2, and LTB4 production were monitored in response to FMLP and opsonized zymosan (SOZ) stimulation. At high concentrations, L-PIA had a mild inhibitory effect on O2- release in response to FMLP and had a moderate effect on arachidonic acid metabolite production in response to both stimuli. The other response were unaffected. These results suggest that L-PIA may prevent diapedisis or neutrophil adhesion to the endothelium, but has a minimal effect on enzyme release, O2-, LTB4 and TXB2 production.

Use of a mammalian cell culture benzo(a)pyrene metabolism assay for the detection of potential anticarcinogens from natural products: inhibition of metabolism by biochanin A, an isoflavone from Trifolium pratense L.

Based on the epidemiological evidence for a relationship between consumption of certain foods and decreased cancer incidence in humans, an assay was developed to screen and fractionate plant extracts for chemopreventive potential. This assay measures effects on the metabolism of [3H]benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] in hamster embryo cell cultures. Screening of several plant extracts has generated a number of activity leads. The 95% ethyl alcohol extract of one of these actives, Trifolium pratense L. Leguminosae, red clover, significantly inhibited the metabolism of B(a)P and decreased the level of binding of B(a)P to DNA by 30 to 40%. Using activity-directed fractionation by solvent partitioning and then silica gel chromatography, a major active compound was isolated and identified as the isoflavone, biochanin A. The pure compound decreased the metabolism of B(a)P by 54% in comparison to control cultures and decreased B(a)P-DNA binding by 37 to 50% at a dose of 25 micrograms/ml. These studies demonstrate that the hydrocarbon metabolism assay can detect and guide the fractionation of potential anticarcinogens from plants. The ability of the isoflavone biochanin A to inhibit carcinogen activation in cells in culture suggests that in vivo studies of this compound as a potential chemopreventive agent are warranted.