Inhibition of adenosine kinase and adenosine uptake in guinea-pig CNS tissue by halogenated tubercidin analogues.

Two halogenated analogues of tubercidin (7-deazaadenosine) viz. 5-iodotubercidin and 5'-deoxy-5-iodotubercidin, previously were shown to be potent inhibitors of guinea-pig brain adenosine kinase activity and adenosine uptake in guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices. A further series of halogenated tubercidin analogues have been investigated; of the 9 compounds tested, 5'-deoxy-5-iodotubercidin was the most potent adenosine kinase inhibitor while 5-iodotubercidin was the most potent in inhibiting the facilitated uptake of adenosine. These compounds may be useful for elucidating the involvement of adenosine kinase in adenosine uptake, the maintenance of intracellular adenosine levels and in the neuromodulatory actions of adenosine in the CNS.

New imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine ligands for peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors on mitochondria and monocytes.

Several 6-chloro-2,3-disubstituted imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines, selected from a number of synthetic imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines which lacked significant binding activity at central benzodiazepine receptors, potently inhibit [3H]diazepam, [3H]Ro5-4864 and [3H]PK11195 binding to rat kidney mitochondrial membranes. In membrane preparations from cultures of THP-1 cells, a human monocytic leukaemia cell line, the isoquinoline carboxamide PK11195 is strongly bound but the benzodiazepine ligands, diazepam and Ro5-4864, are much more weakly bound. The imidazopyridazine compounds which bind strongly to mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptors are very potent displacers of [3H]PK11195 bound to the THP-1 membranes. It appears that the binding properties of these new imidazopyridazine ligands at 'peripheral-type' benzodiazepine receptors resemble those of the isoquinoline carboxamides more than those of the benzodiazepines.

Substituted imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines. New compounds with activity at central and peripheral benzodiazepine receptors.

A large range of substituted imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines have been synthesized, and a number of potent ligands at central benzodiazepine (Bz) receptors on rat brain membranes have been identified in initial binding screens using [3H]diazepam. For those tested more extensively, binding studies conducted in the presence and absence of gamma-aminobutyric acid suggest that they were full receptor agonists. Some preliminary evidence was found suggesting some species selectivity, i.e. several of the compounds were more active in in vivo tests in rats than in mice. The agonist activity of these 2-phenyl (and substituted phenyl) imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines is consistent with the model of Bz receptor ligands as proposed by Fryer [Raven Press, 1983, pp. 7-20]. Several compounds were identified which had more selective activity at peripheral-type (mitochondrial) Bz binding sites. Thus, substituted imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines represent yet another class of low molecular mass compounds which have activity at Bz receptor sites.

Kava pyrones and resin: studies on GABAA, GABAB and benzodiazepine binding sites in rodent brain.

Kava, an intoxicating beverage prepared from the pepper plant Piper methysticum, is widely consumed by the indigenous peoples in the islands of the South Pacific. As the first of a series of studies on the neuropharmacological interactions of kava with CNS receptors we tested purified pyrones and kava resin for activity on GABA and benzodiazepine binding sites in rat and mouse brain membranes. Only weak activity was observed on GABAA binding sites in washed synaptosomal membranes prepared from rat brain and this was abolished by extraction of the membranes with Triton X-100, suggesting that lipid soluble components were involved. No effects were observed on GABAB binding sites in rat brain membranes in vitro. Kava resin and pyrones exerted some weak effects on benzodiazepine binding in vitro but this did not correlate with pharmacological activity. In addition, in ex vivo studies, no effects were observed on [3H]diazepam binding to brain membranes prepared from mice in which selected kava constituents were injected intraperitoneally, whereas similarly administered diazepam (5 mg/kg) inhibited [3H]diazepam binding by greater than 95%. Similar lack of activity was observed in in vivo binding studies; injection of kava resin failed to influence the CNS binding of the benzodiazepine-receptor ligand [3H]Ro15-1788 injected into mice prior to sacrifice. The pharmacological activities of kava resin and pyrones do not appear to be explained by any significant interaction with GABA or benzodiazepine binding sites.

Neurochemical studies on quinolone antibiotics: effects on glutamate, GABA and adenosine systems in mammalian CNS.

Quinolone antibiotics, which can be proconvulsant in susceptible patients, were found to inhibit the specific binding of the adenosine receptor ligands L-3H-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (L-3H-PIA) and 3H-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (3H-NECA) to rat brain synaptic membranes. The inhibitions were concentration dependent, and for both ligands the order of potency was rosoxacin greater than nalidixic acid greater than oxolinic acid greater than or equal to ciprofloxacin greater than norfloxacin greater than enoxacin: IC20 values (concentrations causing a 20% inhibition of specific binding) ranged from 30-35 microM to 1-3 mM. Hill coefficients were approximately 0.5, suggesting that the compounds are probably antagonists at these sites. Most of the compounds did not alter 3H-diazepam binding directly, although rosoxacin showed relatively strong, and enoxacin weak, concentration-dependent inhibition. At 50 microM the compounds enhanced the maximal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activation of 3H-diazepam binding to varying degrees, without altering the EC50 of activation, whereas at 200 microM they tended to reduce GABA activation. Most noteworthy was the large increase in GABA-stimulated 3H-diazepam binding caused by 50 microM nalidixic acid. The compounds did not alter the Ca2+/Cl- -dependent binding of 3H-glutamate, nor of the binding of the glutamate site-selective ligands 3H-kainate and alpha-3H-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (3H-AMPA); the uptake of the non-metabolized glutamate analogue D-3H-aspartate by cortical homogenates was also unaffected. The CNS side effects of these antibiotics may result, in part, from interaction with sites which mediate the inhibitory neurotransmission of adenosine and, possibly, GABA.

1-Methylisoguanosine: interaction with central adenosine receptors and lack of antagonism of its in vivo effects by a benzodiazepine antagonist.

1-Methylisoguanosine, a marine natural product analogue of adenosine, with moderate activity as a benzodiazepine receptor ligand, has previously been shown to have muscle-relaxant and hypothermic activity in mice in vivo. The present experiments showed that the benzodiazepine antagonist Ro15-1788 did not block the in vivo muscle-relaxant and hypothermic effects of 1-methylisoguanosine, suggesting that these particular actions are not due to interactions with benzodiazepine receptors. When applied by microiontophoresis near spontaneously-active neurones or neurones activated by ACh, DL-homocysteate or glutamate in the ventrobasal thalamus of anaesthetized rats, 1-methylisoguanosine had a depressant action; it was similar to adenosine in potency and in its ability to be antagonized by 8-(parasulphophenyl)theophylline. The depression was usually longer lasting than that caused by adenosine, consistent with previous neurochemical data showing it to be resistant to adenosine deaminase and a poor substrate for the uptake system for adenosine in the CNS. These results suggest that the major pharmacological/behavioural actions of 1-methylisoguanosine in vivo are more likely to be caused by an interaction with adenosine receptors, rather than with benzodiazepine sites.

Reduced adenosine deaminase activity in the CNS of spontaneously-hypertensive rats.

The activity of adenosine deaminase (ADA) has been measured in the hypothalamus, pons medulla and cerebral cortex from 30-day-old and 100-day-old spontaneously-hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched WKY controls. At 100 days there was a significant reduction in ADA activity in the hypothalamus (18.0%), pons medulla (20.6%) and cerebral cortex (14.7%). In 30-day-old SHR animals (prior to the development of significant hypertension) no significant changes were seen in the cerebral cortex or pons medulla but there was a small but significant reduction in ADA activity in the hypothalamus (9.2%). There was no significant reduction in the ADA activity in heart or kidney. Extracts of 100-day-old pons medulla which had been briefly heated to destroy endogenous ADA activity did not differentially affect the activity of exogenous purified ADA.

Studies on several pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine analogues of adenosine which lack significant agonist activity at A1 and A2 receptors but have potent pharmacological activity in vivo.

5'-Deoxy-5-iodotubercidin was previously reported to cause potent muscle relaxation and hypothermia when injected i.p. into mice. In normotensive rats, i.v. injection reduced blood pressure and heart rate. 5-Iodotubercidin possessed the same in vivo activities whereas tubercidin was pharmacologically almost inactive. None of these compounds interacted significantly with Al adenosine receptors, as determined by their ability to displace 3H-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine or 3H-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine bound to rat brain membranes. Furthermore these compounds were much weaker than adenosine as agonists of adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase in guinea-pig brain slices (A2 receptors). A previous report showed that 5'-deoxy-5-iodotubercidin and 5-iodotubercidin were very potent inhibitors of adenosine kinase from rat or guinea-pig brain and were potent inhibitors of 3H-adenosine uptake into brain slices; relative to the halogenated derivatives, tubercidin was quite weak as an inhibitor of adenosine kinase and of adenosine uptake. We therefore propose that a significant part of the in vivo activity of the two halogenated tubercidin analogues may not be due to a direct agonist action at A1 and/or A2 adenosine sites (as proposed for a number of other metabolically-stable analogues of adenosine) but may result from an inhibition of reuptake of endogenously-released adenosine; the increased extracellular levels of adenosine resulting from this action could then interact directly with membrane receptors. Consistent with this, low concentrations of 5'-deoxy-5-iodotubercidin were shown to significantly potentiate the effects of exogenous adenosine on blood pressure and heart rate in anaesthetized rats and on adenosine-stimulated cAMP generation in guinea-pig brain slices. None of these compounds interacted with central benzodiazepine receptors. The cardiovascular and behavioural effects of 5'-deoxy-5-iodotubercidin and 5-iodotubercidin were blocked by theophylline; results from the cardiovascular studies suggest there may be different adenosine receptors in heart and blood vessels.

Regional distribution of adenosine uptake in guinea-pig brain slices and the effect of some inhibitors: Evidence for nitrobenzylthioinosine-sensitive and insensitive sites?

The accumulation of [2-(3)H]adenosine was measured in slices prepared from 7 regions of the guinea-pig central nervous system. There was a similar level of uptake in forebrain regions (cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus and midbrain), a lower level in the cerebellum, with lowest uptake in the pons-medulla and spinal cord. Uptake in all regions was strongly inhibited by the nucleoside transport inhibitor dipyridamole and by 5-iodotubercidin, an adenosine kinase inhibitor. The activity of adenosine kinase was similar in crude supernatants prepared from 8 regions of the guinea-pig and rat brain, with the exception of the spinal cord (lower activity than other regions in the guinea-pig CNS) and olfactory bulb (higher activity than other regions in the rat CNS). 5-Nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR) and related thiopurines produced about 50% inhibition of adenosine uptake into guinea-pig cerebral cortex slices at 200 nM but increasing the concentration did not produce significant further inhibition. [(3)H]NBMPR has been proposed as a useful tight-binding ligand for nucleoside transport sites in various tissues but it is suggested that the distribution of such binding sites in different regions of the CNS may not directly reflect the adenosine uptake capacity of these regions?. Data suggest that there may be NBMPR-sensitive and -insensitive sites. Results confirm those of previous studies which suggest that intracellular adenosine kinase plays an important part in the uptake of adenosine in guinea-pig brain. The relatively homogeneous distribution of adenosine uptake activity in the brain contrasts with the heterogeneous distribution of A1-adenosine receptors in the CNS.

Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines as adenosine antagonists.

A large number of nitrogen heterocycles structurally related to caffeine and theophylline have been tested for activity as adenosine antagonists. Preliminary screening, utilizing displacement of [3H]N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) binding to rat brain membranes, identified several pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines with potential antagonist activity. These were then tested for their ability to antagonize adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase of guinea-pig slices and to block adenosine receptors which mediate presynaptic inhibition of transmitter release from cholinergic nerves in guinea-pig ileum. Of several compounds found to have antagonist activity, one of these, 4,6-bis-alpha- carbamoylethylthio -1-phenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine ( DJB -KK) was approximately an order of magnitude more potent than theophylline in both tests. GTP greatly reduces the potency of purine agonists, but not antagonists, as inhibitors of [3H] PIA binding; the potency of the pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine compounds was not altered by GTP. The compounds have no significant activity against [3H]adenosine uptake or on the binding of ligands to muscarinic cholinergic, beta-adrenergic, GABA or L-glutamate receptors.

Halogenated pyrrolopyrimidine analogues of adenosine from marine organisms: pharmacological activities and potent inhibition of adenosine kinase.

Two novel halogenated pyrrolopyrimidine analogues of adenosine, isolated from marine sources, have been examined for pharmacological and biochemical activities. 4-Amino-5-bromo-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine, from a sponge of the genus Echinodictyum, had bronchodilator activity at least as potent as theophylline but with a different biochemical profile; unlike theophylline it had no antagonist activity at CNS adenosine receptors and it was quite a potent inhibitor of adenosine uptake and adenosine kinase in brain tissue. 5'-Deoxy-5-iodotubercidin, isolated from the red alga Hypnea valentiae, caused potent muscle relaxation and hypothermia when injected into mice. This compound was a very potent inhibitor of adenosine uptake into rat and guinea-pig brain slices and an extremely potent inhibitor of adenosine kinase from guinea-pig brain and rat brain and liver. Neither of these two pyrrolopyrimidine analogues was a substrate for, or an inhibitor of, adenosine deaminase. Neither compound appeared to have any direct agonist activity on guinea-pig brain adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase (A2 adenosine receptors). 5'-Deoxy-5-iodotubercidin is unique in two respects: it appears to be the first naturally-occurring example of a 5'-deoxyribosyl nucleoside and is the first example of a specifically iodinated nucleoside from natural sources. It may be the most potent adenosine kinase inhibitor yet described and, by virtue of its structure, may prove to be the most specific.

Interaction of purines and related compounds with photoaffinity-labelled benzodiazepine receptors in rat brain membranes.

The interaction of purine-receptor agonists and antagonists with [3H]Ro15-1788 binding sites in rat brain membranes was examined before and after UV-photoaffinity labelling of a proportion of the sites with flunitrazepam. Whereas photoaffinity labelling of the receptors reduced benzodiazepine agonist affinity but not benzodiazepine antagonist affinity, the IC50S of adenosine-receptor agonists, partial agonists and antagonists were unaltered by the conformational changes in the benzodiazepine receptors which are thought to be induced by the photolabelling process. The affinity of dipyridamole, a potent adenosine uptake blocker and potent displacer of [3H]diazepam binding, was drastically reduced by photolabelling.

Effect of some potent adenosine uptake inhibitors on benzodiazepine binding in the CNS.

A series of nucleoside transport inhibitors has been tested for their ability to displace [(3)H]diazepam binding to CNS membranes. No correlation between their potency as [(3)H]adenosine uptake blockers and as inhibitors of [(3)H]diazepam binding was found, either in rat or guinea-pig brain tissue. Dipyridamole, a potent adenosine transport inhibitor interacted strongly (K(i) = 54 nM) with peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding sites ("acceptor sites") and was 4-5 fold weaker in displacing [(3)H]methylclonazepam and [(3)H]Ro15-1788, ligands selective for the specific central benzodiazepine "receptor". Unlike the benzodiazepines, dipyridamole had no anticonvulsant action against metrazole-induced convulsions in mice. Ro5-4864, a benzodiazepine which selectively interacts with the peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding site, was approximately equipotent with diazepam in inhibiting [(3)H]adenosine uptake in brain tissue. These results do not support the idea of a very close link between high-affinity central binding sites for clinically-active benzodiazepines and the adenosine uptake site. The possibility of a connection between benzodiazepine "acceptor" sites and the membrane nucleoside transporter is discussed.

Interactions of the anticonvulsant carbamazepine with adenosine receptors. 1. Neurochemical studies.

At therapeutic concentrations the tricyclic anticonvulsant carbamazepine inhibited the binding of the adenosine analogue [3H]L-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine ([3H]PIA) to rat brain membranes (Ki = 46 microM) in vitro. Carbamazepine interacted much less potently with muscarinic cholinergic, beta-adrenergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid, or L-glutamate binding sites. Carbamazepine was of lower potency (Ki = 112 microM) as an inhibitor of the binding of the putative A2 adenosine agonist [3H]5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine. GTP greatly reduced the potencies of purine agonists, but not antagonists, as inhibitors of [3H]PIA. The potency of carbamazepine, like that of the antagonist theophylline, was not reduced by GTP. Studies on the adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in guinea pig brain slices also revealed theophyllinelike activity of carbamazepine. The possible relevance of agonist and antagonist interactions with adenosine receptors to the anticonvulsant action of carbamazepine is discussed.

Pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidines, a new class of adenosine antagonists.

A variety of nitrogen heterocycles structurally related to caffeine and theophylline have been tested for activity as adenosine receptor antagonists. Preliminary screening, utilizing displacement of [3H]N6-phenylisopropyladenosine binding to rat brain membrane A1-adenosine receptors, identified several pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines with potential antagonist activity. These were then tested for their ability to antagonize the adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase system of guinea-pig brain slices. One of these, 4,6-bis-alpha-carbamoylethylthio-1-phenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (DJB-KK), was over an order of magnitude more potent than theophylline in blocking adenosine-stimulated increases in cyclic AMP levels.

Diazepam inhibition of adenosine uptake in the CNS: lack of effect on adenosine kinase.

1. When tested at concentrations resulting in significant inhibitions of adenosine uptake in brain slices, diazepam and several other benzodiazepines were without effect on brain adenosine kinase. 2. This suggests that the inhibitory effect of the benzodiazepines on adenosine accumulation is at the membrane transport level and not by an inhibition of the intracellular phosphorylation step which facilitates adenosine uptake.

Relationships between ethylenediamine and GABA transport systems in rat brain slices.

[(14)C]EDA was accumulated by slices of adult rat cerebral cortex, although the tissue:medium ratios achieved were very much lower than those for GABA. EDA uptake was temperature dependent and appeared to take place by both sodium dependent and sodium independent mechanisms. Kinetic analysis of the uptake revealed a major low affinity component with an apparent K(m) of 1.11 +/- 0.05 mM and a V(max) of 9.8 +/- 0.2 ?mol/hg wet wt, with a second site of K(m) about 20 ?M but a 50 fold lower V(max). Inhibition studies indicate that EDA may be transported in part by the 'small basic' amino acid transport system and in part by polyamine systems shown to be present in CNS tissue. High levels of displaceable binding of radioactive EDA to glass-fibre filters were observed; studies using [(14)C]EDA may be complicated by binding to tissue macromolecules. Potassium stimulated, calcium dependent release of radioactivity from brain slices labelled with [(14)C]EDA in the presence of sodium ions was observed. Extracellular EDA stimulated the release of [(3)H]GABA and [(3)H]beta-alanine from preloaded slices, although GABA and beta-alanine did not stimulate [(14)C]EDA release. It appears that extracellular EDA can counterexchange with intracellular GABA or beta-alanine, but that EDA which is accumulated by the tissue may then be bound or move to pools not directly accessible to these amino acids. Ouabain released radioactivity from slices labelled by [(14)C]EDA in the presence of sodium but not from slices labelled in the absence of sodium. These results suggests that EDA is not acting simply as a substrate for GABA transport sites.

Purines interact with 'central' but not 'peripheral' benzodiazepine binding sites.

The effects of several purines and the purine uptake inhibitor, dipyridamole, on the binding, to rat brain membranes, of 4 benzodiazepines with different pharmacological specificities were studied. While all purines tested displaced the binding of [3H](+)-3-methyl-clonazepam and [3H]Ro15-1788, selective agonist and antagonist ligands respectively for 'central' benzodiazepine receptors, purines had little or no affinity for [3H]Ro5-4864 'peripheral'-type binding sites in brain, heart or kidney. These results suggest that purines interact with a pharmacologically relevant class of central benzodiazepine 'receptors', and not with central and peripheral 'acceptor' sites labelled by the benzodiazepine Ro5-4864.