Expression and characterisation of human and rat CRF2alpha receptors.

Rat and human CRF2alpha receptors were expressed in CHO-pro5 cells and stable cell lines generated. Each receptor was characterised using [125I][tyr0]sauvagine and results compared to CRF1 receptors expressed in the same parental cell line. Under identical assay conditions, [125I][tyr0]sauvagine labelled both CRF1 and CRF2alpha receptors with high affinity. The level of expression varied from 103 fmol/mg membrane protein to 1842 fmol/mg membrane protein (rat CRF1 receptors and rat CRF2 receptors, respectively). It was possible to establish robust scintillation proximity assays (SPA) using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) SPA beads to trap membrane protein. The success of the SPA assay format was dependent on the level of receptor expression observed. The rank order of affinities of a series of peptide CRF receptor agonists and antagonists was similar to that described in the literature for the two receptor subtypes as determined using radioligand binding and cAMP accumulation. No pharmacological differences were apparent between rat and human cloned receptors with the exception of alpha-helical CRF-(9-41). This peptide exhibited 10-fold higher affinity for rat CRF2alpha receptors as compared to human CRF2alpha receptors. PD 173307, PD 173602 and PD 174239 exhibited high affinity and selectivity for human CRF1 receptors, and as such represent useful tools for probing CRF receptor function.

Novel nonpeptide CCK-B antagonists: design and development of quinazolinone derivatives as potent, selective, and orally active CCK-B antagonists.

We have designed a novel series of CCK-B receptor antagonists by combining key pharmacophores, an arylurea moiety of 1 and a quinazolinone ring of 3, from two known series. Our earlier studies showed that compounds with methylene linkers in our "target" produced moderate binding affinity and selectivity for CCK-B receptors, whereas its higher and lower homologues resulted in loss of affinity. Introduction of -NH- as a linker dramatically enhanced binding affinity and selectivity for CCK-B receptors, thus providing several compounds with single-digit nanomolar binding affinity and excellent selectivity. Analogous to the earlier studies of the series of quinazolinone derivatives 3, we also found 3-isopropoxyphenyl as a preferred substitution on the N-3 quinazolinone. Electron-withdrawing substitutions on the urea terminal phenyl ring enhanced the CCK-B potency. Representative compounds of this series were tested in the functional assay and showed pure antagonist profiles. Compounds 51 and 61 were orally active in the elevated rat X-maze test. These compounds were also evaluated for their pharmacokinetic profile. The absolute oral bioavailability of compound 61 was 22% in rats.

Second generation "peptoid" CCK-B receptor antagonists: identification and development of N-(adamantyloxycarbonyl)-alpha-methyl-(R)-tryptophan derivative (CI-1015) with an improved pharmacokinetic profile.

We have previously described the design and development of CI-988, a peptoid analogue of CCK-4 with excellent binding affinity and selectivity for the CCK-B receptor. Due to its anxiolytic profile in animal models of anxiety, this compound was developed as a clinical candidate. However, during its development, it was determined that CI-988 had low bioavailability in both rodent and nonrodent species. In the clinic, it was further established that CI-988 had poor bioavailability. Thus, there was a need to identify an analogue with an improved pharmacokinetic (PK) profile. The poor bioavailability was attributed to poor absorption and efficient hepatic extraction. We envisaged that reducing the molecular weight of the parent compound (5, MW = 614) would lead to better absorption. Thus, we synthesized a series of analogues in which the key alpha-methyltryptophan and adamantyloxycarbonyl moieties, required for receptor binding, were kept intact and the C-terminus was extensively modified. This SAR study led to the identification of tricyclo[3.3.1.1(3,7)]dec-2-yl [1S-[1 alpha(S*)2 beta]-[2-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino]-1-(1H-indol-3- ylmethyl)-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl]carbamate (CI-1015, 31) with binding affinities of 3.0 and 2900 nM for the CCK-B and CCK-A receptors, respectively. The compound showed CCK-B antagonist profile in the rat ventromedial hypothalamus assay with a Ke of 34 nM. It also showed an anxiolytic like profile orally in a standard anxiety paradigm (X-maze) with a minimum effective dose (MED) of 0.1 microgram/kg. Although the compound is less water soluble than CI-988, oral bioavailability in rat was improved nearly 10 times relative to CI-988 when dosed in HP beta CD. The blood-brain permeability of CI-1015 (31) was also enhanced relative to CI-988 (5). On the basis of the overall improved pharmacokinetic profile as well as enhanced brain penetration, CI-1015 (31) was chosen as a development candidate.

Cholecystokinin B antagonists. Synthesis and quantitative structure-activity relationships of a series of C-terminal analogues of CI-988.

A study of structure-activity relationships of a series of 'dipeptoid' CCK-B receptor antagonists was performed in which variations of the phenyl ring were examined while the [(2-adamantyloxy)carbonyl]-alpha-methyl-R)-tryptophan moiety of the potent antagonist CI-988 was kept constant. Since the main focus of this study was phenyl substituent variation, series design techniques were employed to insure an adequate spread of physicochemical properties (lipophilic, steric, electronic), as well as positional substitution. A QSAR analysis on sets of 26 and 16 analogues revealed that CCK-B affinity was related to a combination of the overall size and, marginally, lipophilicity of the phenyl ring substituents (i.e., smaller groups were associated with increased potency with an optimum pi near zero, respectively). Further exploration revealed that the dimensions and electronics of the para-phenyl substituent could be related to CCK-B affinity. Increased affinity was seen with short, bulky (branched) electron withdrawing groups. Analogs with small para-substituents appeared to be about 1000-fold CCK-B selective, indicating that selectivity for CCK-B binding is sensitive to phenyl ring substitution. The 4-F-phenyl dipeptoid, derived from this study, has extraordinary high affinity at the CCK-B receptor (IC50 = 0.08 nM) and was also very selective (940-fold CCK-B selective). Consistent with previous reports, (S)-configuration at the substituted phenethylamide center, a carboxylic acid and the presence of a phenyl ring were found to be associated with increased affinity at both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors.

The influence of guanyl nucleotide on agonist and antagonist affinity at guinea-pig CCK-B/gastrin receptors: binding studies using [3H]PD140376.

The novel radioligand [3H]PD140376 was used to label receptors that bind cholecystokinin (CCK) and related peptides in membranes prepared from guinea-pig brain and gastric glands. Under control conditions, measurements of the apparent affinity of 11 agonist and 16 antagonist ligands in both tissues revealed a strong positive relationship between the affinity of a compound in either tissue (slope of the regression line = 0.89, r2 = 0.908). Agonists consistently showed higher affinity for sites in gastric glands compared to brain. If agonists were excluded from the analysis, the degree of correspondence between affinities measured in each tissue was almost perfect (slope = 0.93, r2 = 0.986). In the presence of the guanyl nucleotide 5'-guanylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp), agonist affinity in gastric glands, but not brain, was reduced such that there was a direct relationship between binding affinity in each tissue. These data are consistent with the notion that the receptor sites in brain and gastric glands, which recognise CCK and gastrin related compounds, are the same and of the CCK-B/gastrin subtype. The receptors in the two respective tissues, however, do appear to differ in the degree of post-receptor coupling. These findings may explain previously reported differences between gastrin and CCK-B receptors that were based upon binding studies using agonist ligands.

Characterization of tachykinin mediated increases in [Ca2+]i in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human tachykinin NK3 receptors.

The nature of the senktide response of the human NK3 receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was characterised using the Ca2+ sensitive dye Fura-2 and imaging methods. Application of the NK3 receptor agonist senktide caused an increase in [Ca2+]i in the cells. The profile for NK3 receptor agonists was that senktide was more potent than [beta-Ala8]neurokinin A-(4-10) which was more potent than [Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P. SR 48968 was a poor antagonist of the senktide response in intact cells confirming the weak affinity of this agent for the NK3 receptor (IC50 of approximately 1 microM) shown in binding assays. The NK3 receptor mediated increase in intracellular Ca2+ was independent of [Ca2+]o, blocked by the microsomal Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin and the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 but not by ryanodine. Thus the source of the Ca2+ was probably a ryanodine insensitive, inositol triphosphate sensitive intracellular store.

Characterisation of [3H]gabapentin binding to a novel site in rat brain: homogenate binding studies.

The binding characteristics of [3H]gabapentin, the radiolabelled analogue of the novel anticonvulsant gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid) were studied using purified synaptic plasma membranes prepared from rat cerebral cortex. In 10 mM HEPES buffer [3H]gabapentin bound to a single population of sites with high affinity (KD = 38 +/- 2.8 nM) with a maximum binding capacity of 4.6 +/- 0.4 pmol/mg protein, reaching equilibrium after 30 min at 20 degrees C. This novel site was unique to the central nervous system with little or no specific [3H]gabapentin being measurable in a range of peripheral tissues. Binding was potently inhibited by a range of gabapentin analogues and 3-alkyl substituted gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivates although GABA itself and the selective GABAB receptor ligand baclofen, were only weakly active. Gabapentin itself (IC50 = 80 nM) and 3-isobutyl GABA (IC50 = 80 nM) which also has anticonvulsant properties, showed the highest affinity for the binding site. Of a wide range of other pharmacologically active compounds only the polyamines spermine and spermidine influenced [3H]gabapentin binding, with both compounds producing a maximum of 50% inhibition of specific binding. Magnesium ions produced a similar pattern of inhibition but the effect of the polyamines and magnesium ions were not additive. The data provide evidence for the existence in brain of a novel binding site that may mediate the anticonvulsant effects of gabapentin and other potential anticonvulsant compounds.