Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characterization of an oral lysophosphatidic acid type 1 receptor-selective antagonist.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid that signals through a family of at least six G protein-coupled receptors designated LPA1₋6. LPA type 1 receptor (LPA1) exhibits widespread tissue distribution and regulates a variety of physiological and pathological cellular functions. Here, we evaluated the in vitro pharmacology, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties of the LPA1-selective antagonist AM095 (sodium, {4'-[3-methyl-4-((R)-1-phenyl-ethoxycarbonylamino)-isoxazol-5-yl]-biphenyl-4-yl}-acetate) and assessed the effects of AM095 in rodent models of lung and kidney fibrosis and dermal wound healing. In vitro, AM095 was a potent LPA1 receptor antagonist because it inhibited GTPγS binding to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell membranes overexpressing recombinant human or mouse LPA1 with IC50 values of 0.98 and 0.73 µM, respectively, and exhibited no LPA1 agonism. In functional assays, AM095 inhibited LPA-driven chemotaxis of CHO cells overexpressing mouse LPA1 (IC50= 778 nM) and human A2058 melanoma cells (IC50 = 233 nM). In vivo, we demonstrated that AM095: 1) had high oral bioavailability and a moderate half-life and was well tolerated at the doses tested in rats and dogs after oral and intravenous dosing, 2) dose-dependently reduced LPA-stimulated histamine release, 3) attenuated bleomycin-induced increases in collagen, protein, and inflammatory cell infiltration in bronchalveolar lavage fluid, and 4) decreased kidney fibrosis in a mouse unilateral ureteral obstruction model. Despite its antifibrotic activity, AM095 had no effect on normal wound healing after incisional and excisional wounding in rats. These data demonstrate that AM095 is an LPA1 receptor antagonist with good oral exposure and antifibrotic activity in rodent models.

Characterization of the high-density lipoprotein and its major apoprotein from human, canine, bovine and chicken plasma.

The high-density lipoproteins (HDL) from canine, bovine, and chicken plasma have been shown to contain almost exclusively the apolipoprotein A-I, while human HDL contains a second major component, the apolipoprotein A-II. Chemical cross-linking demonstrated that dog and chicken HDL contain three apolipoprotein A-I molecules per particle, while bovine HDL contain approximately six apolipoprotein A-I molecules per particle. By this method, the amount of protein in human HDL2 (d = 1.063-1.12) was found to be approximately 120 000 g/mol, while for human HDL3 (d = 1.12-1.21) a value of approximately 90 000 g/mol was obtained, suggesting that the protein complement of HDL2 and HDL3 differ by only one apolipoprotein A-I chain per particle. Comparison of the apolipoprotein A-I from various animal species indicated that the canine and human apolipoprotein A-I proteins were the most similar by fluorescence, self-association properties, and immunoreactivity. Cross-linking of chicken and bovine apolipoprotein A-I yielded patterns distinctly different from that obtained with the human or canine counterpart. It is concluded that the quaternary structure of the various species of HDL is not directly correlated with the degree of self-association found for the protein constituents.

Effects of heparin-induced lipolytic activity on the structure of rat high-density lipoprotein.

Following its secretion into the plasma compartment, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is presumed to be acted upon by both soluble enzymes, such as lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), and membrane-associated enzymes, such as lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase. Rats were injected intravenously with heparin to release membrane-associated lipolytic activities into the circulation and the collected plasma was incubated overnight at 37 degrees C in the presence or absence of an LCAT inhibitor or an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase (1 M NaCl). It was observed that lipoprotein lipase accounted for most of the triglyceride hydrolase activity in the heparin-treated plasma, and that the heparin-releasable activities caused an increase in HDL density but no measurable change in particle size when LCAT was inhibited. Heparin treatment caused about a 60% decrease in plasma triacylglycerol during the interval between injection of heparin and blood collection. Although this caused marked compositional changes in the d less than 1.063 g/ml lipoproteins, no changes were observed in the lipid composition or apoprotein distribution in the HDL. Subsequent incubation for 18 h at 37 degrees C produced marked increases in the apoE content of HDL from heparin-treated plasma even when LCAT was inhibited. Time-course studies showed that in the presence of an LCAT inhibitor there was considerable conversion of phosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidylcholine in heparin-treated plasma, and that this activity was diminished by 1 M NaCl, but that no phospholipolysis was observed in control plasma. By contrast, both heparin-treated and control plasma possessed substantial triglyceride hydrolase activity. The concurrent action of lipases and LCAT was observed to reduce the maximum level of cholesterol esterification which could be achieved in the absence of lipase activity. It is concluded that changes in HDL particle size are mainly attributable to LCAT, but that lipase activities, which are either free in rat plasma or releasable by heparin, play a role in restructuring the phospholipid moiety and altering the protein composition of the HDL, especially with respect to apoE, a potential ligand to cellular receptors.

Hybrid association between human apolipoproteins A-I and A-II in aqueous solution and in phospholipid recombinants.

The formation of hybrid association products between apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein A-II from human high-density lipoprotein was investigated in solutions of these apolipoprotein and in recombinant particles with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC). It was found that these two proteins interact in solution to form hybrid association products, but not to a marked degree. When these two proteins were incubated together with DMPC, it was likewise found that there was little tendency to reside on the same particle, as judged from the absence of hybrid oligomers by chemical cross-linking. By a modified immunoelectrophoretic method it was found that only about 15% of the A-II and 10% of the A-I were precipitated by the heterologous antiserum; from this it is concluded that 80-90% of these proteins do not form hybrid recombinants with the other protein. These results suggest that in the delipidated state, as well as in discoidal recombinants, there do not exist strong protein-protein interactions between A-I and A-II. This implies that even in the high-density lipoprotein, where both proteins coexist in the same particle, the A-II does not stabilize the molecular structure through interactions with A-I, and its role in this molecule remains obscure.

Properties of phosphatidylethanolamine-containing phospholipid-apolipoprotein complexes modified by lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase.

The effect of the inclusion of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), a phospholipid with unusual packing properties, on the substrate properties of protein-lipid complexes toward lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) has been studied. Recombinant particles of apolipoprotein A-I with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), dilauroylphosphatidylethanolamine (DLPE) and cholesterol were prepared at a molar ratio of 1:140:14 (A-I/DMPC/cholesterol) or 1:70:70:14 (A-I/DMPC/DLPE/cholesterol); the efficiency of cholesterol incorporation into complexes containing phosphatidylethanolamine was found to be very pH-dependent, with enhanced cholesterol incorporation at elevated pH values. By incubating the complexes with either purified human LCAT or the d greater than 1.21 g/ml fraction of rat serum as a source of LCAT activity, it was found that a high degree of cholesterol esterification could be achieved with either complex; however, the DLPE-containing complex possessed a much smaller Stokes' diameter than the DMPC-only particle despite compositional similarities between these complexes. With respect to particle diameter the DLPE-containing particles behaved more like complexes prepared with egg yolk lecithin than did complexes prepared with DMPC alone. When human LDL was added to the incubations to provide a source of additional cholesterol, the products were markedly different. Concomitant with an increased cholesteryl ester core was an increase in the protein stoichiometry in both types of particles, from 2 to 3 or 4 apo A-I per particle. The proportion of DLPE to DMPC in the products was reduced from 1:1 to 0.3:1, reflecting a preferential hydrolysis of PE by LCAT, and the Stokes' diameters of the DMPC-only and the DLPE-containing complexes were closely similar. We conclude that the presence of elevated proportions of certain phospholipid species may significantly alter both the physical properties of the particles and their substrate properties with regard to reactions with enzymes of lipid metabolism.

Isolation and lipid-binding properties of rat apolipoprotein A-IV.

Apolipoprotein A-IV was isolated from the d less than 1.21 g/ml fraction of rat serum by gel filtration followed by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography; this method also facilitated the preparation of apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein E. The apolipoprotein A-IV preparation was characterized by SDS-gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, amino acid analysis and immunodiffusion. The lipid-binding properties of this protein were studied. Apolipoprotein A-IV associated with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) to form recombinants which contained two molecules of apolipoprotein A-IV and had a lipid/protein molar ratio of 110. The density of the DMPC/apolipoprotein A-IV particles was determined to be 1.08 g/ml and the particles were visualized by electron microscopy as discs which were 5.8 nm thick and 18.0 nm in diameter. The stability of the DMPC/apolipoprotein A-IV recombinants, as determined by resistance to denaturation, was comparable to the stability of DMPC/apolipoprotein A-I complexes. However, by competition studies it was found that apolipoprotein A-I competed for the binding to DMPC more effectively than did apolipoprotein A-IV. It is concluded that, while rat apolipoprotein A-IV resembles other apolipoproteins in its lipid-binding characteristics, it may be displaced from lipid complexes by apolipoprotein A-I.

Effects of estrogen administration on the lipoproteins and apoproteins of the chicken.

The plasma lipoproteins of estrogen-treated and untreated sexually immature hens have been compared with respect to their concentration in plasma, protein and lipid composition, particle size, and and apoprotein composition. Administration of diethylstilbestrol resulted in a 400-fold rise in the concentration of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), a 70-fold rise in low density lipoprotein (LDL), and a marked reduction in high density lipoprotein (HDL) protein. It also resulted in the production of LDL and HDL which were enriched in triacylglycerol, while the proportion of cholesterol in all three lipoprotein fractions decreased. In contrast to the lipoproteins from untreated birds, lipoproteins of density less than 1.06 g/ml from estrogen-treated birds were not clearly separable into discrete VLDL and LDL fractions, but appeared to be a single ultracentrifugal class. The apoprotein composition of VLDL and LDL from untreated birds differed from each other; however, the apoprotein patterns of VLDL and LDL from estrogen-treated birds were indistinguishable: both contained a large amount of low molecular weight protein in addition to the high molecular weight component that predominates in the untreated state. The apoprotein composition of HDL was also markedly altered by estrogen administration: the 28,000 mol. wt. protein (apo A-I) decreased in amount from 65% to less than 5% of the total, while a low molecular weight (Mr = 14,000) protein and as yet poorly defined high molecular weight components became predominant. These observations indicate that the hyperlipidemia induced by estrogen administration is accompanied by marked alterations, both qualitative and quantitative, in the plasma lipoproteins.

Proteolysis in vitro of low and high density lipoproteins in human plasma by Cerastes cerastes (Egyptian sand viper) venom.

Envenomation by snake venoms would be expected to result in proteolysis of plasma proteins as well as of cellular constituents. Incubation of human serum with crude venom from Cerastes cerastes showed that the plasma lipoproteins were a target of this venom. Fractionation of the crude venom by gel filtration revealed that high density lipoprotein (HDL) was susceptible almost exclusively to the highest mol. wt fraction of venom and that proteolysis was due to a metalloprotease. Although HDL was degraded only by this metalloprotease, the low density lipoprotein (LDL) was proteolyzed by both metalloproteases and serine proteases present in several fractions of the venom. Despite extensive degradation, LDL remained intact, as judged by gradient gel electrophoresis. The selectivity of venom fractions may prove useful in the study of lipoprotein structure.

Membrane cholesterol uptake by recombinant lipoproteins.

Recombinant lipoproteins, prepared with apo A-I isolated from human high density lipoprotein (HDL) and various phospholipids (PLs), were compared with respect to their ability to remove cholesterol (Chol) from labelled erythrocyte ghost membranes. It was found that uptake of Chol was essentially complete following an 8 h incubation at 37 degrees C. Quantitation of the amount of cholesterol taken up showed that recombinants prepared from bovine brain sphingomyelin (BBSM) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) acquired the highest proportion of Chol (80-140 mol/mol protein), whereas shorter chain phospholipids like dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) acquired little or no membrane Chol. Chemical analysis of the incubation products indicated that this latter result was due to loss of PL, presumably to the membrane, with consequent disruption of the recombinant particle. Results with DPPC:A-I recombinants of differing PL/protein ratios and sizes showed that Chol uptake was fairly constant at 0.70 mol Chol/mol PL. It is concluded that discoidal, phospholipid-rich recombinant lipoproteins can effectively take up substantial amounts of Chol from physiological membranes, provided that the PLs utilized form micellar complexes which are capable of retaining their structural integrity during the incubation with the membranes.

Structural modifications of rat serum high density lipoprotein by pancreatic phospholipase A2.

An important and unusual aspect of the high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the rat is its tendency to undergo marked alterations in structure in response to physiological perturbations. In this study, the role of the surface lipids for maintenance of HDL integrity were investigated. Hydrolysis by pancreatic phospholipase A2 of the phospholipids of rat HDL in the presence of the d greater than 1.21 g/ml fraction of rat serum results in an increase in the particle diameter and an uptake of apo-E and apo A-IV from the lipoprotein-free fraction; augmentation of the albumin concentration in the incubation mixture intensified the observed changes, probably due to enhancement of the compositional changes brought about by phospholipase treatment. Phospholipase A2, treatment of the d less than 1.21 g/ml fraction of rat serum produces only minor changes in the properties of the isolated HDL. These data suggest that changes in apoprotein content reflect an uptake of A-IV and E by the rat HDL, rather than a net loss of apo A-I. Likewise, titration of the action of pancreatic phospholipase A2 on HDL apoprotein composition showed that initially a modest increase in apo A-IV content occurred, but with more extensive phospholipolysis there was a considerably greater increase in the apo-E content of the particle. The data suggest that hydrolysis of phospholipids such as occurs physiologically through the action of lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase and hepatic lipase may alter the HDL structure independently from changes effected in the neutral lipid core.

Julian Simon versus the Ehrlichs: an institutionalist perspective.

PIP: The debate between those, like the Ehrlichs, who see population growth as a global problem and those, like Julian Simon, who maintain that population growth acts as a catalyst for development is reviewed. The author maintains that both schools are at fault in focusing on the number of people rather than on their behavior. He concludes that the carrying capacity of the planet is indeed limited, whether an ecological or an economic approach to the problem is employed.^ieng

A novel, orally active LPA(1) receptor antagonist inhibits lung fibrosis in the mouse bleomycin model.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the potential of an antagonist selective for the lysophosphatidic acid receptor, LPA(1), in treating lung fibrosis We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of the high affinity, selective, oral LPA(1)-antagonist (4'-{4-[(R)-1-(2-chloro-phenyl)-ethoxycarbonylamino]-3-methyl-isoxazol-5-yl}-biphenyl-4-yl)-acetic acid (AM966). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The potency and selectivity of AM966 for LPA(1) receptors was determined in vitro by calcium flux and cell chemotaxis assays using recombinant and native cell cultures. The in vivo efficacy of AM966 to reduce tissue injury, vascular leakage, inflammation and fibrosis was assessed at several time points in the mouse bleomycin model. KEY RESULTS: AM966 was a potent antagonist of LPA(1) receptors, with selectivity for this receptor over the other LPA receptors. In vitro, AM966 inhibited LPA-stimulated intracellular calcium release (IC(50)= 17 nM) from Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing human LPA(1) receptors and inhibited LPA-induced chemotaxis (IC(50)= 181 nM) of human IMR-90 lung fibroblasts expressing LPA(1) receptors. AM966 demonstrated a good pharmacokinetic profile following oral dosing in mice. In the mouse, AM966 reduced lung injury, vascular leakage, inflammation and fibrosis at multiple time points following intratracheal bleomycin instillation. AM966 also decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, transforming growth factor beta1, hyaluronan and matrix metalloproteinase-7, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings demonstrate that AM966 is a potent, selective, orally bioavailable LPA(1) receptor antagonist that may be beneficial in treating lung injury and fibrosis, as well as other diseases that are characterized by pathological inflammation, oedema and fibrosis.

Compartmentation of G-protein-coupled receptors and their signalling components in lipid rafts and caveolae.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and post-GPCR signalling components are expressed at low overall abundance in plasma membranes, yet they evoke rapid, high-fidelity responses. Considerable evidence suggests that GPCR signalling components are organized together in membrane microdomains, in particular lipid rafts, enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids, and caveolae, a subset of lipid rafts that also possess the protein caveolin, whose scaffolding domain may serve as an anchor for signalling components. Caveolae were originally identified based on their morphological appearance but their role in compartmentation of GPCR signalling has been primarily studied by biochemical techniques, such as subcellular fractionation and immunoprecipitation. Our recent studies obtained using both microscopic and biochemical methods with adult cardiac myocytes show expression of caveolin not only in surface sarcolemmal domains but also at, or close to, internal regions located at transverse tubules/sarcoplasmic reticulum. Other results show co-localization in lipid rafts/caveolae of AC (adenylyl cyclase), in particular AC6, certain GPCRs, G-proteins and eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase; NOS3), which generates NO, a modulator of AC6. Existence of multiple caveolin-rich microdomains and their expression of multiple modulators of signalling strengthen the evidence that caveolins and lipid rafts/caveolae organize and regulate GPCR signal transduction in eukaryotic cells.

Mechanisms of protein-lipid interaction. Association of apolipoproteins A-I and A-II with binary phospholipid mixtures.

Studies of the recombination of apo A-I and apo A-II the major protein components of human high density lipoprotein, with binary mixtures of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and distearoyl phosphatidyl-choline (DSPC) were performed. Recombination was observed to occur only near the lower bound temperature of the phase transition for each mixture. Similar experiments using binary mixtures of DMPC and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC) demonstrated that recombination occurs in a temperature range which is believed to approximate the lower bound of the phase transition for this mixture as well. The reactivity of both types of mixtures toward recombination with apolipoproteins was found to decrease with decreasing proportions of DMPC, even though the effect of DMPC was to decrease the transition temperature in DMPC/POPC mixtures and to increase the transition temperature in DMPC/DSPC mixtures. A mechanism for insertion of apolipoproteins into lipid bilayers is proposed in which the protein gains entry to the interior of the bilayer through a defect resulting from equilibrium fluctuations of state at the onset temperature of acyl chain melting.

Properties of lipid-apolipoprotein association products. Complexes of human apo AI and binary phospholipid mixtures.

The products resulting from the association of human apo A-I with binary phospholipid mixtures of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and either dipalmitoyl (DPPC) or distearoyl (DSPC) phosphatidylcholine have been isolated and characterized. Effective lipid . protein complex formation was found to occur at the onset temperature for melting of the gel state, and equal incorporation of both lipid components of the binary mixture was observed. Two sizes of products were obtained, one containing 2 A-I molecules per complex and the other containing 3; the proportions of these two products depended upon the initial phospholipid/protein ratio employed. these two product species were found to be resolvable by density gradient centrifugation as well as gel filtration, reflecting substantial differences in composition as well as size. The ratio of DMPC to DPPC or DSPC was the same in the isolated complexes as in the initial mixture, suggesting that th protein does not associate preferentially with the fluid phase lipid, but with lipid domains in which the components are randomly distributed. Electron microscopy of recombinant particles containing a 2:1 ratio (w/w) of DSPC to DMPC revealed stacks of discs whose thickness was proportionately greater than for discs containing DMPC alone. Also of significance was the finding that recombinant discs containing 3 A-I molecules possessed a diameter approximately 1.5 times larger than recombinant discs containing 2 A-I molecules. These data are consistent with the model for the recombinant particles described by Tall et al. (Tall, A.R., Small, D.M., Deckelbau, R.J., and Shipley, G.G. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252; 4701-4711), in which the phospholipid is found as a circular bilayer, the thickness of which is dependent upon the length of the acyl chain, and around which the protein is distributed as an annulus.