Imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-8-amine core for the design of new adenosine receptor antagonists: Structural exploration to target the A3 and A2A subtypes.

The imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine ring system has been chosen as a new decorable core skeleton for the design of novel adenosine receptor (AR) antagonists targeting either the human (h) A3 or the hA2A receptor subtype. The N8-(hetero)arylcarboxyamido substituted compounds 4-14 and 21-30, bearing a 6-phenyl moiety or not, respectively, show good hA3 receptor affinity and selectivity versus the other ARs. In contrast, the 8-amino-6-(hetero)aryl substituted derivatives designed for targeting the hA2A receptor subtype (compounds 31-38) and also the 6-phenyl analogues 18-20 do not bind the hA2A AR, or show hA1 or balanced hA1/hA2A AR affinity in the micromolar range. Molecular docking of the new hA3 antagonists was carried out to depict their hypothetical binding mode to our refined model of the hA3 receptor. Some derivatives were evaluated for their fluorescent potentiality and showed some fluorescent emission properties. One of the most active hA3 antagonists herein reported, i.e. the 2,6-diphenyl-8-(3-pyridoylamino)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine 29, tested in a rat model of cerebral ischemia, delayed the occurrence of anoxic depolarization caused by oxygen and glucose deprivation in the hippocampus and allowed disrupted synaptic activity to recover.

Overview on Radiolabel-Free in vitro Assays for GPCRs.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent important targets for drug discovery because they participate in a wide range of cellular signalling pathways that play a role in a variety of pathological conditions. The characterization of the patho-physiological profile and functional roles of new receptors is highly dependent on the availability of potent and selective ligands and new screening assays. The study of the pharmacological profile of new chemical entities is very important in order to predict the activity of drugs and their clinical adverse effect in humans. In the last decade, a large number of new in vitro radiolabel-free assays were developed and relevant information on diseases was upgraded. In particular, radiolabel-free assays led significant easy to handle and safer tools for operators. The aim of this review is to analyze these assays in terms of new drug activity and toxicology prediction and translation of non-clinical findings to humans in order to provide a powerful tool to aid drug development.

2',3'-O-Substituted ATP derivatives as potent antagonists of purinergic P2X3 receptors and potential analgesic agents.

Blocking membrane currents evoked by the activation of purinergic P2X3 receptors localized on nociceptive neurons represents a promising strategy for the development of agents useful for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. Among compounds endowed with such antagonistic action, 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-ATP (TNP-ATP) is an ATP analogue, whose inhibitory activity on P2X receptors has been previously reported. Based on the results of molecular modelling studies performed with homology models of the P2X3 receptor, novel adenosine nucleotide analogues bearing cycloalkyl or arylalkyl substituents replacing the trinitrophenyl moiety of TNP-ATP were designed and synthesized. These new compounds were functionally evaluated on native P2X3 receptors from mouse trigeminal ganglion (TG) sensory neurons using patch clamp recordings under voltage clamp configuration. Our data show that some of these molecules are potent (nanomolar range) and reversible inhibitors of P2X3 receptors, without any apparent effect on trigeminal GABAA and 5-HT3 receptors, whose membrane currents were unaffected by the tested compounds.

The G†Protein-Coupled Receptor GPR17: Overview and Update.

The GPR17 receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that seems to respond to two unrelated families of endogenous ligands: nucleotide sugars (UDP, UDP-galactose, and UDP-glucose) and cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTD4 , LTC4 , and LTE4 ), with significant affinity at micromolar and nanomolar concentrations, respectively. This receptor has a broad distribution at the level of the central nervous system (CNS) and is found in neurons and in a subset of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Unfortunately, disparate results emerging from different laboratories have resulted in a lack of clarity with regard to the role of GPR17-targeting ligands in OPC differentiation and in myelination. GPR17 is also highly expressed in organs typically undergoing ischemic damage and has various roles in specific phases of adaptations that follow a stroke. Under such conditions, GPR17 plays a crucial role; in fact, its inhibition decreases the progression of ischemic damage. This review summarizes some important features of this receptor that could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of demyelinating diseases and for repairing traumatic injury.

Simulation and Comparative Analysis of Different Binding Modes of Non-nucleoside Agonists at the A2A Adenosine Receptor.

Non-nucleoside agonists of adenosine receptors were analysed at the A2A adenosine receptor to simulate and compare their possible binding modes. The docking studies were performed by using different arrangements of the binding cavity and various docking tools. Mutagenesis results reported in literature were used as reference data for the assessment of the different ligand arrangements observed in this study. The results suggest four possible binding modes, two of which appear compatible with an agonist activity and in agreement with the mutagenesis data. This study provides useful information for the design of new simplified compounds presenting agonist activity at the A2A adenosine receptor.

The Length and Flexibility of the 2-Substituent of 9-Ethyladenine Derivatives Modulate Affinity and Selectivity for the Human A2A Adenosine Receptor.

The A2A adenosine receptor (A2A AR) is a key target for the development of pharmacological tools for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. Previous works have demonstrated that the insertion of substituents at various positions on adenine leads to A2A AR antagonists with affinity in the micromolar to nanomolar range. In this work, a series of 9-ethyladenine derivatives bearing phenylalkylamino, phenylakyloxy or phenylakylthio groups of different lengths at the 2-position were synthesised and tested against the human adenosine receptors. The derivatives showed sub-micromolar affinity for these membrane proteins. The further introduction of a bromine atom at the 8-position has the effect of improving the affinity and selectivity for all ARs and led to compounds that are able bind to the A2A AR subtype at low nanomolar levels. Functional studies confirmed that the new adenine derivatives behave as A2A AR antagonists with half-maximal inhibitory concentration values in the nanomolar range. Molecular modelling studies provide a description of the possible binding mode of these compounds at the A2A AR and an interpretation of the affinity data at this AR subtype.

A Novel Class of Dopamine D4 Receptor Ligands Bearing an Imidazoline Nucleus.

Over the years, the 2-substituted imidazoline nucleus has been demonstrated to be a bioversatile structural motif. In this study, novel imidazoline derivatives bearing a 3- and/or 4-hydroxy- or methoxy-substituted phenyl ring, linked by an ethylene bridge to position 2 of an N-benzyl- or N-phenethyl-substituted imidazoline nucleus, were prepared and studied against D2 -like receptor subtypes. Binding studies highlighted that a set of N-phenethylimidazoline compounds are selective for D4 over D2 and D3 receptors. In functional assays, the 3-methoxy-substituted derivative, endowed with the highest D4 affinity value, and its 3-hydroxy analogue behaved as partial agonists with low intrinsic efficacy and as competitive D4 antagonists when tested in the presence of the D2 -like receptor agonist quinpirole. Molecular docking analysis, performed using a homology model of the human D4 receptor developed using the X-ray crystal structure of the antagonist-bound human D3 receptor as a template, was in accordance with the binding results and provided useful information for the design of novel imidazoline D4 receptor ligands based on this new scaffold.

Exploring the 7-oxo-thiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine core for the design of new human adenosine A3 receptor antagonists. Synthesis, molecular modeling studies and pharmacological evaluation.

A new series of 5-methyl-thiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-7-ones bearing different substituents at position 2 (aryl, heteroaryl and arylamino groups) was synthesized and evaluated in radioligand binding assays to determine their affinities at the human (h) A1, A2A, and A3 adenosine receptors (ARs). Efficacy at the hA(2B) and antagonism of selected ligands at the hA3 were also assessed through cAMP experiments. Some of the new derivatives exhibited good to high hA3AR affinity and selectivity versus all the other AR subtypes. Compound 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-methyl-thiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-7-one 4 was found to be the most potent and selective ligand of the series (K(I) hA3 = 18 nM). Molecular docking studies of the reported derivatives were carried out to depict their hypothetical binding mode in our hA3 receptor model.

Purinergic P2X receptors: structural models and analysis of ligand-target interaction.

The purinergic P2X receptors are ligand-gated cation channels activated by the endogenous ligand ATP. They assemble as homo- or heterotrimers from seven cloned subtypes (P2X1-7) and all trimer subunits present a common topology consisting in intracellular N- and C- termini, two transmembrane domains and a large extracellular domain. These membrane proteins are present in virtually all mammalian tissues and regulate a large variety of responses in physio- and pathological conditions. The development of ligands that selectively activate or block specific P2X receptor subtypes hence represents a promising strategy to obtain novel pharmacological tools for the treatment of pain, cancer, inflammation, and neurological, cardiovascular, and endocrine diseases. The publication of the crystal structures of zebrafish P2X4 receptor in inactive and ATP-bound active forms provided structural data for the analysis of the receptor structure, the interpretation of mutagenesis data, and the depiction of ligand binding and receptor activation mechanism. In addition, the availability of ATP-competitive ligands presenting selectivity for P2X receptor subtypes supports the design of new potent and selective ligands with possibly improved pharmacokinetic profiles, with the final aim to obtain new drugs. This study describes molecular modelling studies performed to develop structural models of the human and rat P2X receptors in inactive and active states. These models allowed to analyse the role of some non-conserved residues at ATP binding site and to study the receptor interaction with some non-specific or subtype selective agonists and antagonists.

1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline derivatives and their simplified analogues as adenosine A3 receptor antagonists. Synthesis, structure-affinity relationships and molecular modeling studies.

The 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline (TQX) scaffold was extensively investigated in our previously reported studies and recently, our attention was focused at position 5 of the tricyclic nucleus where different acyl and carboxylate moieties were introduced (compounds 2-15). This study produced some interesting compounds endowed with good hA3 receptor affinity and selectivity. In addition, to find new insights about the structural requirements for hA3 receptor-ligand interaction, the tricyclic TQX ring was destroyed yielding some 1,2,4-triazole derivatives (compounds 16-23). These simplified compounds, though maintaining the crucial structural requirements for adenosine receptor-ligand interaction, have a very low hA3 adenosine receptor affinity, the only exception being compound 23 (1-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl]-3-phenylurea) endowed with a Ki value in the micro-molar range and high hA3 selectivity versus both hA1 and hA2A AR subtypes. Evaluation of the side products obtained in the herein reported synthetic pathways led to the identification of some new triazolo[1,5-a]quinoxalines as hA3AR antagonists (compounds 24-27). These derivatives, though lacking the classical structural requirements for the anchoring at the hA3 receptor site, show high hA3 affinity and in some case selectivity versus hA1 and hA2A subtypes. Molecular docking of the herein reported tricyclic and simplified derivatives was carried out to depict their hypothetical binding mode to our model of hA3 receptor.

Medicinal chemistry of P2X receptors: agonists and orthosteric antagonists.

In this work, we have highlighted data reported in the literature trying to draw a complete picture of the structures and biological activity of agonists and orthosteric antagonists of P2X receptors. Actually, only few P2X receptor agonists have been found and most of them are derived from modification of the natural ligand ATP and they are P2X receptor subtype unselective. In particular, BzATP (9) is one of the most potent P2X receptor agonists with EC50 value in the nanomolar range at some subtypes. Differently from agonists, P2X receptor antagonists belong to different chemical classes such as high molecular weight aryl polysulfonate molecules like suramin and its simplified derivatives and anthraquinone compounds. All these molecules proved to be non selective at P2X receptors, and they are endowed with micromolar activity and not favourable pharmacokinetic properties due to the presence of several charged groups. Also modification of the natural ligand ATP led to the discovery of P2X receptor antagonists like TNP-ATP (29), which, although not selective, showed high potency at P2X1, P2X3 (IC50 of 0.006 µM and 0.001 µM, respectively), and heteromeric P2X2/3 receptors. Also the dinucleotide inosine polyphosphate Ip5I (33) was found to be a potent and selective antagonist at P2X1 vs P2X3 receptors with IC50 = 0.003 µM. A significant improvement has been gained from the interest of pharmaceutical companies that in the last years discovered, through the use of high-throughput screening, potent and selective antagonists endowed with novel structures, some of which are currently in clinical trials for several therapeutic applications.

Antiproliferative evaluation of isofuranodiene on breast and prostate cancer cell lines.

The anticancer activity of isofuranodiene, extracted from Smyrnium olusatrum, was evaluated in human breast adenocarcinomas MDA-MB 231 and BT 474, and Caucasian prostate adenocarcinoma PC 3 cell lines by MTS assay. MTS assay showed a dose-dependent growth inhibition in the tumor cell lines after isofuranodiene treatment. The best antiproliferative activity of the isofuranodiene was found on PC 3 cells with an IC50 value of 29 µM, which was slightly less than the inhibition against the two breast adenocarcinoma cell lines with IC50 values of 59 and 55 µM on MDA-MB 231 and BT 474, respectively. Hoechst 33258 assay was performed in order to study the growth inhibition mechanism in prostate cancer cell line; the results indicate that isofuranodiene induces apoptosis. Overall, the understudy compound has a good anticancer activity especially towards the PC 3. On the contrary, it is less active on Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) appearing as a good candidate as a potential natural anticancer drug with low side effects.

Different efficacy of adenosine and NECA derivatives at the human A3 adenosine receptor: insight into the receptor activation switch.

A3 Adenosine receptors are promising drug targets for a number of diseases and intense efforts are dedicated to develop selective agonists and antagonists of these receptors. A series of adenosine derivatives with 2-(ar)-alkynyl chains, with high affinity and different degrees of selectivity for human A3 adenosine receptors was tested for the ability to inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase. All these derivatives are partial agonists at A3 adenosine receptors; their efficacy is not significantly modified by the introduction of small alkyl substituents in the N(6)-position. In contrast, the adenosine-5'-N-ethyluronamide (NECA) analogs of 2-(ar)-alkynyladenosine derivatives are full A3 agonists. Molecular modeling analyses were performed considering both the conformational behavior of the ligands and the impact of 2- and 5'-substituents on ligand-target interaction. The results suggest an explanation for the different agonistic behavior of adenosine and NECA derivatives, respectively. A sub-pocket of the binding site was analyzed as a crucial interaction domain for receptor activation.

8-(2-Furyl)adenine derivatives as A2A adenosine receptor ligands.

Selective adenosine receptor modulators are potential tools for numerous therapeutic applications, including cardiovascular, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, the synthesis and biological evaluation at the four human adenosine receptor subtypes of a series of 9-substituted 8-(2-furyl)adenine derivatives are reported. Results show that 8-(2-furyl)-9-methyladenine is endowed with high affinity at the A2A subtype. Further modification of this compound with introduction of arylacetyl or arylcarbamoyl groups in N(6)-position takes to different effects on the A2A affinity and in particular on the selectivity versus the other three adenosine receptor subtypes. A molecular modelling analysis at three different A2A receptor crystal structures provides an interpretation of the obtained biological results.

Evaluation of adenine as scaffold for the development of novel P2X3 receptor antagonists.

Ligands that selectively block P2X3 receptors localized on nociceptive sensory fibres may be useful for the treatment of chronic pain conditions including neuropathic pain, migraine, and inflammatory pain. With the aim at exploring the suitability of adenine moiety as a scaffold for the development of antagonists of this receptor, a series of 9-benzyl-2-aminoadenine derivatives were designed and synthesized. These new compounds were functionally evaluated at rat or human P2X3 receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and on native P2X3 receptors from mouse trigeminal ganglion sensory neurons using patch clamp recording under voltage clamp configuration. The new molecules behaved as P2X3 antagonists, as they rapidly and reversibly inhibited (IC50 in the low micromolar range) the membrane currents induced via P2X3 receptor activation by the full agonist α,ß-methyleneATP. Introduction of a small lipophilic methyl substituent at the 6-amino group enhanced the activity, in comparison to the corresponding unsubstituted derivative, resulting in the 9-(5-iodo-2-isopropyl-4-methoxybenzyl)-N(6)-methyl-9H-purine-2,6-diamine (24), which appears to be a good antagonist on recombinant and native P2X3 receptors with IC50 = 1.74 ± 0.21 µM.

Simulation and comparative analysis of binding modes of nucleoside and non-nucleoside agonists at the A2B adenosine receptor.

PURPOSE: A2B receptor agonists are studied as possible therapeutic tools for a variety of pathological conditions. Unfortunately, medicinal chemistry efforts have led to the development of a limited number of potent agonists of this receptor, in most cases with a low or no selectivity versus the other adenosine receptor subtypes. Among the developed molecules, two structural families of compounds have been identified based on nucleoside and non-nucleoside (pyridine) scaffolds. The aim of this work is to analyse the binding mode of these molecules at 3D models of the human A2B receptor to identify possible common interaction features and the key receptor residues involved in ligand interaction. METHODS: The A2B receptor models are built by using two recently published crystal structures of the human A2A receptor in complex with two different agonists. The developed models are used as targets for molecular docking studies of nucleoside and non-nucleoside agonists. The generated docking conformations are subjected to energy minimization and rescoring by using three different scoring functions. Further analysis of top-score conformations are performed with a tool evaluating the interaction energy between the ligand and the binding site residues. RESULTS: Results suggest a set of common interaction points between the two structural families of agonists and the receptor binding site, as evidenced by the superimposition of docking conformations and by analysis of interaction energy with the receptor residues. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results show that there is a conserved pattern of interaction between the A2B receptor and its agonists. These information and can provide useful data to support the design and the development of A2B receptor agonists belonging to nucleoside or non-nucleoside structural families.

Innovative functional cAMP assay for studying G protein-coupled receptors: application to the pharmacological characterization of GPR17.

In this work, an innovative and non-radioactive functional cAMP assay was validated at the GPR17 receptor. This assay provides a simple and powerful new system to monitor G protein-coupled receptor activity through change in the intracellular cAMP concentration by using a mutant form of Photinus pyralis luciferase into which a cAMP-binding protein moiety has been inserted. Results, expressed as EC(50) or IC(50) values for agonists and antagonists, respectively, showed a strong correlation with those obtained with [(35)S]GTPγS binding assay, thus confirming the validity of this approach in the study of new ligands for GPR17. Moreover, this method allowed confirming that GPR17 is coupled with a G(αi).

Neuropeptide†S receptor: recent updates on nonpeptide antagonist discovery.

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a 20-amino acid peptide of great interest due to its possible involvement in several biological processes, including food intake, locomotion, wakefulness, arousal, and anxiety. Structure-activity relationship studies of NPS have identified key points for structural modifications with the goal of modulating NPS receptor (NPSR) agonist activity or achieving antagonism at the same receptor. Only limited information is available for nonpeptide NPSR antagonists. In the last year, several studies have been reported in literature which present various series of small molecules as antagonists of this receptor. The results allow a comparison of the structures and activities of these molecules, leading to the design of new ligands with increased potency and improved pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles. This work presents a brief overview of the available information regarding structural features and pharmacological characterization of published nonpeptide NPSR antagonists.

Evidence for the existence of a specific g†protein-coupled receptor activated by guanosine.

Guanosine, released extracellularly from neurons and glial cells, plays important roles in the central nervous system, including neuroprotection. The innovative DELFIA Eu-GTP binding assay was optimized for characterization of the putative guanosine receptor binding site at rat brain membranes by using a series of novel and known guanosine derivatives. These nucleosides were prepared by modifying the purine and sugar moieties of guanosine at the 6- and 5'-positions, respectively. Results of these experiments prove that guanosine, 6-thioguanosine, and their derivatives activate a G protein-coupled receptor that is different from the well-characterized adenosine receptors.

Molecular modeling study on potent and selective adenosine A(3) receptor agonists.

Adenosine A(3) receptor (A(3)AR) is involved in a variety of key physio-pathological processes and its agonists are potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, dry eye disorders, asthma, as anti-inflammatory agents, and in cancer therapy. Recently reported MECA (5'-N-methylcarboxamidoadenosine) derivatives bearing a methyl group in N(6)-position and an arylethynyl substituent in 2-position demonstrated to possess sub-nanomolar affinity and remarkable selectivity for the human A(3)AR, behaving as full agonists of this receptor. In this study, we made an attempt to get a rationalization of the high affinities and selectivities of these molecules for the human A(3)AR, by using adenosine receptor (AR) structural models based on the A(2A)AR crystal structure and molecular docking analysis. Post-docking analysis allowed to evaluate the ability of modeling tools in predicting AA(3)R affinity and in providing interpretation of compound substituents effect on the A(3)AR affinity and selectivity.