Dihydroxythiophenes are novel potent inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus integrase with a diketo acid-like pharmacophore.

We have identified dihydroxythiophenes (DHT) as a novel series of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase inhibitors with broad antiviral activities against different HIV isolates in vitro. DHT were discovered in a biochemical integrase high-throughput screen searching for inhibitors of the strand transfer reaction of HIV-1 integrase. DHT are selective inhibitors of integrase that do not interfere with virus entry, as shown by the inhibition of a vesicular stomatitis virus G-pseudotyped retroviral system. Moreover, in quantitative real-time PCR experiments, no effect on the synthesis of viral cDNA could be detected but rather an increase in the accumulation of 2-long-terminal-repeat cycles was detected. This suggests that the integration of viral cDNA is blocked. Molecular modeling and the structure activity relationship of DHT demonstrate that our compound fits into a two-metal-binding motif that has been suggested as the essential pharmacophore for diketo acid (DKA)-like strand transfer inhibitors (Grobler et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:6661-6666, 2002.). This notion is supported by the profiling of DHT on retroviral vectors carrying published resistance mutations for DKA-like inhibitors where DHT showed partial cross-resistance. This suggests that DHT bind to a common site in the catalytic center of integrase, albeit with an altered binding mode. Taken together, our findings indicate that DHT are novel selective strand transfer inhibitors of integrase with a pharmacophore homologous to DKA-like inhibitors.

Characterization of the aminomethylchroman derivative BAY x 3702 as a highly potent 5-hydroxytryptamine1A receptor agonist.

The aminomethylchroman derivative BAY x 3702 (R-(-)-2-[4-[(chroman-2-ylmethyl)-amino]-butyl]-1,1-dioxo-benzo[d] isothiazolone hydrochloride) is a new high affinity 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A receptor ligand [calf hippocampus: Ki: 0.19 nM; reference compounds 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) and ipsapirone: 0.98 and 2.56, respectively; rat cortex: 0.24 nM; rat hippocampus: 0.58 nM; human cortex and recombinant 5-HT1A receptors: 0.25 and 0.4 nM, respectively]. BAY x 3702 bound also with relatively high to moderate affinity to the following receptors: alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic (Ki: 6 and 7 nM, respectively); 5-HT7- and 5-HT1D (7 and 36 nM); dopamine D2- and D4 (48 and 91 nM); sigma sites (176 nM) and 5-HT2C (310 nM); others: > 10 microM, as obtained in more than 50 different binding assays. In the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase assay in rat hippocampal tissue, a model of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor function, BAY x 3702 was a potent 5-HT1A receptor full agonist (IC50: 1.9 nM; 8-OH-DPAT: 25.3 nM, full agonist; ipsapirone: partial agonist) and its effects could be completely blocked by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohe xan e carboxamide trihydrochloride (WAY-100635). At those receptors where BAY x 3702 bound with lower affinity, the compound appeared to be either an agonist (5-HT1D receptors) or an antagonist (alpha-1, alpha-2 and D2 receptors). In a rat brain slice preparation containing the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), a model of somatodendritic 5-HT1A receptor function, BAY x 3702 inhibited potently (1 nM) neuronal firing. Also in vivo, BAY x 3702 (0.5 microgram/kg, i.v.) was found to suppress 5-HT neuronal firing in the DRN of anesthetized rats. In both electrophysiological assays BAY x 3702 was more potent than 8-OH-DPAT and ipsapirone; the potency difference being about 1 and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively. In rats trained to discriminate 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) in a drug discrimination procedure, complete generalization was obtained with BAY x 3702 (ED50: 0.022 mg/kg, i.p. and 0.38 mg/kg, p.o.; 8-OH-DPAT: 0.028 mg/kg, i.p. and ipsapirone: 0.44 mg/kg, i.p.). In the rat hypothermia model BAY x 3702 induced a WAY-100635-reversible effect and the compound had a higher potency and intrinsic activity than 8-OH-DPAT and ipsapirone (ED50: 0.25 mg/kg, i.p. and 5.4 mg/kg, p.o., respectively; 8-OH-DPAT: 1.1 mg/kg, i.p. and ipsapirone: 6.2 mg/kg, i.p.). BAY x 3702 induced a stimulation of plasma ACTH levels in the rat; the effect being again more pronounced than that of ipsapirone (ED50: 7.5 and 25.3 mg/kg, p.o., respectively). It is concluded that BAY x 3702 is a relatively selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist with high potency and intrinsic activity.

The effect of ethanol and/or food restriction on coenzyme Q in liver in rats.

The individual and combined effects of ethanol and lovastatin on rats and their prevention by supplemental coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) was studied. The ethanol and lovastatin findings are reported elsewhere. This paper focuses on the food restriction which occurred in rats fed 35% of energy as ethanol and those control rats pair-fed to the 35% of energy as ethanol group. Six groups of rats received 35% of energy as ethanol (with or without lovastatin and/or CoQ10 treatment). One group served as a 0% ethanol ad libitum control and one 0% ethanol control group was pair-fed to the 35% ethanol group. Rats receiving 35% of energy as ethanol and their pair-fed controls consumed 83% of the energy/day consumed by the ad libitum controls. This was consistent regardless of lovastatin or CoQ10 treatment. Weight gains were 84% of control. The energy reduction was consistently associated with a substantial (48%+) increase in liver CoQ9 concentrations. Reports by others of associations between food restriction and increased longevity in rodents has focused on a decrease in oxidant damage in tissues of food restricted animals. The increase in CoQ levels in the food restricted animals would result in an increase in antioxidant protection and might explain the observed increases in longevity.

Effects of ethanol, lovastatin and coenzyme Q10 treatment on antioxidants and TBA reactive material in liver of rats.

Alcohol metabolism may result in oxidant stress and free radical injury through a variety of mechanisms. Lovastatin may also produce oxidant stress by reducing levels of an endogenous antioxidant, coenzyme Q (CoQ). The separate and combined effects of ethanol, 20 EN% in a total liquid diet, and lovastatin, 67 mg/kg diet, on alpha-tocopherol, retinol palmitate, CoQ9 and thiobarbituric acid reactive (TBAR) material in liver from rats were determined. The effect of exogenous CoQ10 on these treatment groups was also determined. Food consumption, weight gain, liver lipid and TBAR material were similar between treatment groups. Compared to control animals, ethanol reduced retinol palmitate significantly, from 143 to 90 micrograms/g wet weight. Lovastatin had no effect on retinal palmitate nor did it act additively with ethanol. Ethanol decreased liver alpha-tocopherol from 28 to 12 micrograms/g wet weight and lovastatin diminished it to 12 micrograms; no additive effect was evident. Ethanol had no effect, but lovastatin decreased CoQ9 from 83 to 55 micrograms/g wet weight. Supplementation with CoQ10 did not modulate the effect of ethanol on retinal palmitate, but it did reverse the effect of lovastatin on CoQ9. Supplementary CoQ10 did not alter control levels of alpha-tocopherol, but it appeared to reverse most of the decrease in alpha-tocopherol attributable to ethanol or lovastatin separately. It only partially reversed the effect of ethanol and lovastatin combined on alpha-tocopherol, however. As expected, lovastatin had no effect on CoQ10 levels in supplemented animals. Ethanol, either separately or in combination with lovastatin, diminished liver stores of CoQ10 by almost 40%. We conclude that 20 EN% ethanol given in a liquid diet for 5 weeks is sufficient to lower retinol palmitate and that lovastatin reduces CoQ9. Both diminish alpha-tocopherol, an effect largely overcome by CoQ10 supplementation with either drug alone, but not with the combination. Since many individuals chronically consume the levels of ethanol represented by this experiment, and since a certain number of those also take lovastatin, further research into the possible clinical significance of these observations is warranted.