An optimized derivative of an endogenous CXCR4 antagonist prevents atopic dermatitis and airway inflammation

Aberrant CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling is involved in many pathophysiological processes such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. A natural fragment of serum albumin, named EPI-X4, has previously been identified as endogenous peptide antagonist and inverse agonist of CXCR4 and is a promising compound for the development of improved analogues for the therapy of CXCR4-associated diseases. To generate optimized EPI-X4 derivatives we here performed molecular docking analysis to identify key interaction motifs of EPI-X4/CXCR4. Subsequent rational drug design allowed to increase the anti-CXCR4 activity of EPI-X4. The EPI-X4 derivative JM#21 bound CXCR4 and suppressed CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection more efficiently than the clinically approved small molecule CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. EPI-X4 JM#21 did not exert toxic effects in zebrafish embryos and suppressed allergen-induced infiltration of eosinophils and other immune cells into the airways of animals in an asthma mouse model. Moreover, topical administration of the optimized EPI-X4 derivative efficiently prevented inflammation of the skin in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Thus, rationally designed EPI-X4 JM#21 is a novel potent antagonist of CXCR4 and the first CXCR4 inhibitor with therapeutic efficacy in atopic dermatitis. Further clinical development of this new class of CXCR4 antagonists for the therapy of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other CXCR4-associated diseases is highly warranted.

Structure-reactivity relationship of piperidine nitroxide: electrochemical, ESR and computational studies.

We have synthesized several nitroxides with different substituents which vary the steric and electronic environment around the N-O moiety and have systematically investigated the role of substituents on the stability of the radicals. Our results demonstrated the reactivity toward ascorbate correlates with the redox potential of the derivatives. Furthermore, ab initio calculations also indicated a correlation between the reduction rate and the computed singly occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap, but not with solvent accessible surface area of the N-O moiety, supporting the experimental results and suggesting that the electronic factors largely determine the radicals' stability. Hence, it is possible to perform virtual screening of nitroxides to optimize their stability, which can help to rationally design novel nitroxides for their potential use in vivo.