Sucrose: a constitutive elicitor of phytoalexin synthesis.

Extracts of seeds and leaves of the tropical legume Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (the pigeon pea) elicited the accumulation of three phytoalexins when applied as droplets to superficially wounded leaves of the plant. The active component was purified and identified as sucrose. Phytoalexin accumulation was proportional to the logarithm of the concentration of sucrose applied, with maxima ranging from 338 to 455 micrograms per gram (fresh weight) of leaf tissue. The sucrose concentrations required to elicit half these amounts ranged from 20 to 35 micrograms per milliliter, but other sugars had little effect even at 1000 micrograms per milliliter. The elicitor activity of sucrose was abolished by actinomycin D, puromycin, and cycloheximide at a concentration of 10 micrograms per milliliter or greater, suggesting that gene derepression is required for expression of the phytoalexin response.

Mapping the melatonin receptor. 3. Design and synthesis of melatonin agonists and antagonists derived from 2-phenyltryptamines.

Three series of 2-phenyltryptamides were prepared as melatonin analogues to investigate the nature of the binding site of the melatonin receptor in chicken brain and in Xenopus laevis melanophore cells. The 5-methoxy-2-phenyltryptamides (6a-j) have high binding affinities for the chicken brain receptor, in some cases (6a-d) greater than that for melatonin, confirming and extending the work of Spadoni et al., and act as agonists in the Xenopus melanophore assay. Analogues lacking the 5-methoxyl group (2a-n) had a considerably lower affinity for the chicken brain receptor. In the Xenopus melanophore assay the compounds acylated on nitrogen by an alkyl group (2a-d) were agonists whereas the compounds acylated on nitrogen by an alicyclic group (2f-i) were antagonists. Introducing a methyl group at N1 (7) led to an increase in binding affinity in the chicken brain assay, whereas introducing an ethyl group (13) led to a decrease in binding affinity. A methyl substituent at the beta-position of the 3-amidoethane side chain (8, 11) also led to an increase in the binding affinity. The only analogue acylated on nitrogen with an alkyl group (acetyl) which showed antagonist activity was 9, which has a beta-methoxymethyl side chain. In the absence of the 5-methoxyl group the methoxymethyl function may cause the molecule to bind in a different configuration so that it is no longer able to activate the receptor. All of these observations are in agreement with a model of melatonin at the receptor site in which the 3-amidoethane side chain is in a conformation close to the 5-methoxyl group.

Mapping the melatonin receptor. 4. Comparison of the binding affinities of a series of substituted phenylalkyl amides.

A series of 2-, 3-, and 4-substituted phenylalkyl amides were prepared as potential melatonin analogs in order to investigate the nature of the binding site of the melatonin receptor in chicken brain. The length of the alkyl chain was systematically varied from n = 1 to 4, and methoxyl substituents were incorporated into the phenyl ring at the 2-, 3-, and 4-positions. The maximum binding affinity was found to occur when n = 3 and when the methoxyl substituent was in the 3-position, the direct analog of the carbon framework of melatonin in which the 1,2-atoms of the indole ring have been removed. Whereas there was only a relatively small decrease in binding affinity for the corresponding 2-methoxy derivatives, 4-methoxyl substitution led to a large decrease in binding affinity, suggesting that the binding sites for the side chain and methoxyl group could not now be occupied at the same time. As in the indole analogs of melatonin, replacement of the methyl group of the amide by a longer alkyl chain led to an increase in binding affinity for ethyl and propyl with a subsequent decrease in binding affinity for butyl chains. Thus N-propanoyl-3-(3-methoxyphenyl)propanamine (6f) has a binding affinity of 5.6 nM, a remarkably high affinity for so simple a compound. Substitution of halogen for 3-methoxyl in the propanamide series gave a series of compounds with lower, but still substantial, binding affinities, the 3-chloro derivative 7e showing the highest affinity, 113 nM. In the case of the 3-fluoro propanamides, a maximum in the binding affinity was not observed in the series synthesized, and these derivatives will merit further exploration. These results demonstrate the utility of simple, readily modified phenylalkylamines as a "framework" for studying the effect of changes in the nature and position of substituents on the melatonin receptor binding affinity.

Mapping the melatonin receptor. 6. Melatonin agonists and antagonists derived from 6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indoles, 5,6-dihydroindolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines, and 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[c]azepino[2,1-a]indoles.

6H-Isoindolo[2,1-a]indoles (5, 7, 10, 13), 5,6-dihydroindolo[2, 1-a]isoquinolines (20, 21), and 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[c]azepino[2, 1-a]indoles (23, 25, 27, 30) have been prepared as melatonin analogues to investigate the nature of the binding site of the melatonin receptor. The affinity of analogues was determined in a radioligand binding assay using cloned human mt(1) and MT(2) receptor subtypes expressed in NIH 3T3 cells. Agonist and antagonist potency was measured using the pigment aggregation response of a clonal line of Xenopus laevis melanophores. The 2-methoxyisoindolo[2, 1-a]indoles (7a-d) showed much higher binding affinities than the parent isoindoles (5a-e), and whereas 7a-c were agonists in the functional assay, 7d and 5a-e were antagonists. The 2-ethoxyisoindolo[2,1-a]indoles (10a-d) showed reduced binding affinities compared to their methoxy analogues, while the 5-chloro derivative 13 showed a considerable reduction in binding affinity and potency compared to 7a. The 10-methoxy-5,6-dihydroindolo[2, 1-a]isoquinolines (21a-c) had higher binding affinities than the corresponding parent indoloisoquinolines (20a-c) in the human receptor subtypes, and the parent compounds were antagonists whereas the 10-methoxy derivatives were agonists in the functional assay. The N-cyclobutanecarbonyl derivatives of both the parent (20d) and 10-methoxyl (21d) series had similar binding affinities and were both antagonists with similar potencies. The 11-methoxy-6, 7-5H-benzo[c]azepino[2,1-a]indoles (25a-d) had higher binding affinities than the corresponding parent compounds (23a-d) at the MT(2) receptor but similar affinities at the mt(1) site; all of the compounds were antagonists in the functional assay. Changing 11-methoxy for 11-ethoxy decreased the binding affinity slightly, and this was more evident at the MT(2) receptor. All of the derivatives investigated had either the same or a greater affinity for the human MT(2) receptor compared to the mt(1) receptor (range 1:1-1:132). This suggests that the mt(1) and MT(2) receptor pockets differ in their ability to accommodate alkyl groups in the indole nitrogen region of the melatonin molecule. Two compounds (7c and 25c) were tested in functional assays on recombinant mt(1) and MT(2) melatonin receptors. Compound 7c is a potent agonist with some selectivity (44-fold) for the MT(2) receptor, while 25c is an MT(2)-preferring antagonist. Increasing the carbon chain length between N-1 of indole and the 2-phenyl group from n = 1 through n = 3 leads to a fairly regular decrease in the binding affinity, but, remarkably, when n = 3, it converts the methoxy compounds from melatonin agonists to antagonists. The Xenopus melatonin receptor thus cannot accommodate an N-n-alkyl chain attached to a 2-phenyl substituent with n > 2 in the required orientation to induce or stabilize the active receptor conformation.

Mapping the melatonin receptor. 5. Melatonin agonists and antagonists derived from tetrahydrocyclopent[b]indoles, tetrahydrocarbazoles and hexahydrocyclohept[b]indoles.

Tetrahydrocyclopent[b]indoles, tetrahydrocarbazoles, and hexahydrocyclohept[b]indoles have been prepared as melatonin analogues to investigate the nature of the binding site of the melatonin receptor. The affinity of analogues was compared in a radioligand binding assay using chicken brain membranes and agonist and antagonist potency measured in clonal Xenopus laevis melanophore cells. Comparison of the N-acyl-3-amino-6-methoxytetrahydrocarbazoles (2) with N-acyl-4-(aminomethyl)-6-methoxy-9-methyltetrahydrocarbazoles (9) showed that the latter have much higher binding affinities for the chicken brain receptor. Comparison of N-acyl-1-(aminomethyl)-7-methoxy-4-methyltetrahydrocyclopent[b]ind oles (10), 6-methoxytetrahydrocarbazoles (9), and N-acyl-10-(aminomethyl)-2-methoxy-5-methylhexahydrocyclohept[b]ind oles (11) showed that the tetrahydrocarbazoles had the highest binding affinity with the cyclohept[b]indoles and the cyclopent[b]indoles having rather lower affinities. All of these observations are in agreement with our postulated model of melatonin orientation at the binding pocket in which the 3-amidoethane side chain is in a conformation close to the 5-methoxyl group, as is shown in the X-ray crystallographic structure of 9m and in the energy-minimized computed structures. Separation of the enantiomers of members from each of these three systems was accomplished by chiral HPLC. It was found that in all cases the (-)-enantiomer had a higher binding affinity than the (+)-enantiomer. An X-ray crystallographic analysis of the two enantiomers of 9a showed that the (+)-enantiomer had the (R) absolute stereochemistry. Since the sign of the Cotton curves, determined from circular dichroism studies, was the same for all (+)-enantiomers, it is assumed that the absolute stereochemistry at these centers is identical. In the Xenopus melanophore assay, the tetrahydrocarbazoles 2 (R = H) were mainly weak antagonists, while those with R = OMe were agonists. The biological behavior of the tetrahydrocarbazoles 9 (R = H) depended on R1, some being agonists and some antagonists, whereas those with R = OMe were generally agonists. Variation of the R and R1 groups in compounds of type 9 produced both agonists and antagonists. The tetrahydrocylopentaindoles 10 had similar biological properties to the corresponding analogues of 9, but the hexahydrocycloheptaindoles 11 showed a much greater propensity to be antagonists. In all cases the (S)-enantiomers were found to be more potent agonists than the (R)-enantiomers.

Effects of two novel non-peptide antagonists at the rabbit bradykinin B2 receptor.

Large species differences have been previously observed in the pharmacology of bradykinin (BK) B2 receptor antagonists. We investigated the effect of two novel non-peptide antagonists, compound 9 (a benzodiazepine peptidomimetic related to icatibant) and the thiosemicarbazide bradyzide on the rabbit B2 receptor (contractility of the jugular vein, competition of [3H]BK binding to a B2 receptor-green fluorescent protein (B2R-GFP) conjugate, subcellular distribution of B2R-GFP). While compound 9 is about 9000-fold less potent than icatibant, it shares with the latter peptide drug a selective, insurmountable and largely irreversible antagonist behavior against BK and the capacity to translocate B2R-GFP from the membrane into the cells. Bradyzide, reportedly very potent at rodent B2 receptors, was a competitive and reversible antagonist of moderate potency at the rabbit B2 receptor (contractility pA2 6.84, binding competition IC50 5 nM). The C-terminal region of icatibant, reproduced by compound 9, is likely to be important in the non-equilibrium behavior of icatibant. Bradyzide, a non-peptide antagonist developed on different structural grounds, is competitive at the rabbit B2 receptor.

Radioligand binding affinity and biological activity of the enantiomers of a chiral melatonin analogue.

Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, can act on the central circadian oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. It has been proposed that melatonin or its analogues may be useful in restoring disturbed circadian rhythms in jet-lag, shift-work and some blind subjects, and as sleep-promoting agents. In the present study, the (-)- and (+)-enantiomers of N-acetyl-4-aminomethyl-6-methoxy-9-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazole (AMMTC) were separated and tested. The affinity of the enantiomers at the specific 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding site in chick brain membranes was compared in competition assays, and their biological activity in a specific melatonin receptor bioassay, aggregation of pigment granules in Xenopus laevis melanophores. The (-)-enantiomer of AMMTC was 130-fold and 230-fold more potent than the (+)-enantiomer in competition radioligand binding assays and melanophores, respectively. Both enantiomers are melatonin receptor agonists; (-)-AMMTC is slightly more potent than melatonin itself. As the tetrahydrocarbazole nucleus holds the C-3 amido side-chain of AMMTC in a restricted conformation, the analogues will be useful in modelling the melatonin receptor binding site.

Melatonin receptor pharmacology: toward subtype specificity.

The recent cloning of three distinct melatonin receptor subtypes (Mel1a, Mel1b and Mel1c) which are part of a new family of G-protein coupled receptors, and probably mediate the physiological actions of the hormone, has spurred interest in the design of analogues with subtype selectivity. The 5-methoxyl and N-acetyl groups of melatonin are important for binding to and activation of the receptor. The indole nucleus serves to hold these two groups at the correct distance from one another and allows them to adopt the required orientation for interaction with the receptor binding pocket. We have investigated the subtype selectivity of a number of analogues of melatonin in which the structure has systematically been modified in order to probe the similarities and differences in the interaction of ligand and receptor subtype. At all three subtypes 5-methoxyl and N-acetyl groups of melatonin are important for high affinity binding. However, replacing the 5-methoxyl group (eg with 5-H, 5-OH, 5-Me or 5-BzO) reduces affinity much less at the Mel1b receptor subtype than at either Mel1a or Mel1c cloned subtypes. This suggests differences between the Mel1b and Mel1a/1c subtypes in the size and shape of the binding pocket or in the manner in which melatonin interacts with the receptor at this position. Further studies have revealed that analogues with longer N-acyl carbon chains behave similarly at each subtype. These observations suggest that the 'pocket' into which the N-acetyl group fits is very similar for each subtype. Substitutions at the 2-position on the indole ring improved affinity at each receptor subtype but did not give selective analogues. The systematic 'mapping' of the requirements for binding at each receptor subtype should allow the design of more selective agonists and antagonists, which will be valuable tools for the characterization and classification of functional melatonin receptors.

Tyrosinase kinetics: failure of the auto-activation mechanism of monohydric phenol oxidation by rapid formation of a quinomethane intermediate.

When 3,4-dihydroxybenzylcyanide (DBC) is oxidized by mushroom tyrosinase, the first visible product, identified as the corresponding quinomethane, exhibits an absorption maximum at 480 nm. Pulse-radiolysis experiments, in which the o-quinone is formed by disproportionation of semiquinone radicals generated by single-electron oxidation of DBC, showed that the quinomethane (A480 6440 M-1.cm-1) is formed through the intermediacy of the o-quinone with a rate constant at neutral pH of 7.5 s-1. The oxygen stoichiometry of the formation of the quinomethane by tyrosinase-catalysed oxidation of DBC was 0.5:1. On the basis of oxygen utilization rates the calculated Vmax was 4900 nmol.min-1 and the apparent Km was 374 microM. The corresponding monohydric phenol, 4-hydroxybenzylcyanide (HBC), was not oxidized by tyrosinase unless the enzyme was pre-exposed to DBC, the maximum acceleration of HBC oxidation being obtained by approximately equimolar addition of DBC. These results are consistent with tyrosinase auto-activation on the basis of the indirect formation of the dihydric phenol-activating cofactor. The rapid conversion of the o-quinone to the quinomethane prevents the formation of the catechol by reduction of the o-quinone product of monohydric phenol oxidation from occurring in the case of the compounds studied. In the absence of auto-activation, the kinetic parameters for HBC oxidation by tyrosinase were estimated as Vmax 70 nmol.min-1 and Km 309 microM. The quinomethane was found to decay with a rate constant of 2k 38 M-1.s-1, as determined both by pulse-radiolysis and tyrosinase experiments. The second-order kinetics indicate that a dimer is formed. In the presence of tyrosinase, but not in the pulse-radiolysis experiments, the quinomethane decay was accompanied by a steady-state oxygen uptake concurrently with the generation of a melanoid product measured by its A650, which is ascribed to the formation of an oligomer incorporating the oxidized dimer.

The design of non-peptide human bradykinin B2 receptor antagonists employing the benzodiazepine peptidomimetic scaffold.

The Bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist HOE 140 (D-Arg-Arg-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Thi-Ser-D-Tic-Oic-Arg) has been used as a template for the de novo design and synthesis of a small number of non-peptide lead compounds based on the 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one framework. Two of the compounds have been found to exhibit moderate K(i) values of 8.9 and 9.2 microM at the human Bradykinin B2 receptor.

Evidence of the indirect formation of the catecholic intermediate substrate responsible for the autoactivation kinetics of tyrosinase.

Tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1) exhibits unusual kinetic properties in the oxidation of monohydric phenol substrates consisting of a lag period that increases with increasing substrate concentration. The cause of this is an autocatalytic process dependent on the generation of a dihydric phenol substrate, which acts as an activator of the enzyme. Experiments with N-substituted dihydric phenol substrates (N-methyldopamine, N-acetyldopamine) demonstrate that oxygen consumption is retarded in the N-acetyl substituted material due to a diminished rate of cyclization. The oxygen uptake exhibited a similar pattern when N-acetyltyramine was oxidized, and this was reflected by a prolongation of the lag period. N,N-Dipropyldopamine was oxidized with normal kinetics but with an oxygen stoichiometry of 0.5 mol of oxygen/mol of substrate. We show that this is the result of the formation of a stable indoliumolate product with oxidation-reduction properties that prevent the formation of dopaminochrome, thus blocking further stages in the tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation. Evidence that the indoliumolate product is formed by cyclization of the ortho-quinone is presented by pulse radiolysis studies, which demonstrate the formation of the ortho-quinone (by disproportionation of the corresponding semiquinones), which cyclizes to give the indoliumolate. The rate constant for cyclization was shown to be 48 s-1 (at pH 6.0). Tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of the monohydric phenol analogue, N, N-dimethyltyramine, was shown to require the addition of a dihydric phenol. Oxygen utilization then exhibited a stoichiometry of 1.0, indicating that the reactions proceed only as far as the cyclization. The analogous stable cyclic indoliumolate product was shown to be formed, with UV absorption and NMR spectra closely similar to the indoliumolate derived from N,N-dipropyldopamine. This material was methylated by catechol O-methyltransferase but was unreactive to redox reagents. The formation of the cyclic product accounts for the indefinite lag when N,N-dimethyltyramine is used as the substrate for tyrosinase in the absence of a dihydric phenol cofactor.