Pulmonary pharmacology of a novel, smooth muscle-selective muscarinic antagonist in vivo.

The need for a smooth muscle-selective muscarinic antagonist that could provide oral bronchodilator activity with minimal side effects has led to the discovery of 3-(4-benzyl-piperazinyl)-1-cyclobutyl-1-hydroxy-1-phenyl-2-propanone (NPC-14695). Orally administered NPC-14695 was as potent as albuterol in the prevention of aerosolized carbachol-induced collapse in conscious guinea pigs. After s.c. administration in conscious guinea pigs challenged with aerosolized carbachol, NPC-14695 was more potent in the inhibition of collapse than in the inhibition of salivation or the production of mydriasis. Moreover, NPC-14695 exhibited a greater selectivity for the inhibition of collapse over salivary or pupillary effects than either ipratropium or oxybutynin. NPC-14695 was more M3/M2 selective than diphenyl-acetoxy-4-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) in vivo, which was determined from the reversal of bronchoconstriction and bradycardia after i.v. administration in anesthetized guinea pigs infused with methacholine, but was less potent than ipratropium or 4-DAMP. At increasing equieffective bronchodilator doses of aerosolized ipratropium and intraduodenally administered NPC-14695 in anesthetized guinea pigs infused with methacholine, ipratropium reversed the bradycardia and then produced tachycardia whereas NPC-14695 did not alter the heart rate. At doses that produced 50% of the maximum bronchodilation, neither aerosolized ipratropium or intraduodenally administered NPC-14695 affected the pupillary diameter or salivation. At doses that produced a maximum bronchodilation, the two drugs produced an equivalent inhibition of salivation and NPC-14695 produced mydriasis. NPC-14695 did not inhibit the bronchoconstriction induced by three other agonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The role of receptor binding in drug discovery.

Radioligand receptor binding has been used extensively to identify and characterize a host of receptors and enzymes targeting virtually every therapeutic area. Many drug discovery programs have been based on the utilization of radioligand receptor binding technology to identify lead compounds which interact with receptors likely to be important in neuronal, immunological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular function/dysfunction. There are several obvious advantages to using in vitro receptor binding as a first level screen when compared to in vivo pharmacometric screens. Scientifically, the structure activity data generated in binding assays is a direct reflection of the ligand/receptor interaction minus the complications which result from secondary events, bioavailability, and pharmacodynamic issues. Technically, the binding studies require only a small amount of test compound (< or = 1 mg), while whole animal studies routinely need gram quantities. Similarly, only a small amount of tissue is required, compared with the cost of purchase and maintenance of live animals for in vivo screening. Supply and labor costs are drastically reduced due to the limited volume and test tube based technology of receptor binding. For these reasons receptor binding assays have been utilized with considerable success to discover site specific lead compounds in virtually every therapeutic area.

Mechanism for the emetic side effect of xanthine bronchodilators.

The usefulness of xanthine bronchodilators in the treatment of asthma is often limited by the side effects of nausea and vomiting. We investigated the mechanism of emesis induced by xanthines, by examining the roles of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition and adenosine antagonism. Theophylline, enprofylline, 8-phenyltheophylline and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX), as well as vehicle, were given to ferrets at doses ranging from 0.1 to 150 mg/kg i.p. The potencies of these compounds in producing emetic responses were ranked IBMX greater than enprofylline greater than theophylline greater than 8-phenyltheophylline. These results correlate well with the relative potencies of the compounds as nonselective PDE inhibitors but do not correlate with their relative potencies as adenosine A1 or A2 receptor antagonists. The emetic responses also correlate well with the previously reported potencies of these xanthines as bronchodilators in guinea pigs. We conclude that the emetic side effect of xanthine bronchodilators results from the inhibition of one or more forms of PDE rather than from adenosine antagonism.

Muscarinic receptors: relationships among phosphoinositide breakdown, adenylate cyclase inhibition, in vitro detrusor muscle contractions and in vivo cystometrogram studies in guinea pig bladder.

The relationships between activation of muscarinic receptors in guinea pig bladder measured as carbachol-stimulated inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation, oxotremorine-induced adenylate cyclase (AC) inhibition and bladder detrusor smooth muscle contraction determined in vitro as well as in vivo in the slow filling cystometrogram (CMG), were analyzed from the potencies of a number of muscarinic antagonists to block these responses. Significant positive linear correlations were found among the inhibitory potencies of 10 muscarinic antagonists to inhibit phosphoinositide (PI) turnover and both detrusor muscle contraction in vitro, as well as peak intravesical bladder pressure in vivo in the CMG (r = 0.8, P less than .01). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between the potency of antagonists to block the AC inhibitory response and either in vitro or in vivo guinea pig bladder contractions (P greater than .05). Muscarinic agonists inhibited basal AC activity to a maximum of 20% in a GTP-dependent, Na+-sensitive manner and dose dependently stimulated both PI breakdown (3- to 4-fold) and isolated detrusor contractions. Again, a significant correlation (r = 0.9, P less than .01) was calculated among the potencies of seven muscarinic agonists to elicit PI turnover and in vitro muscle contraction, whereas no significant correlation was observed between their potencies to inhibit AC activity and contractile responses in vitro. Collectively, the data suggest that IP accumulation and presumably IP-induced Ca++ release may function as the transducing mechanism for cholinergic contraction of the urinary bladder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Selective agents for muscarinic receptors linked to phosphoinositide breakdown.

We examined the effects of several muscarinic agonists and antagonists on phosphoinositide breakdown (PI) and adenylate cyclase (AC) inhibition in rat cerebral cortex and heart, respectively. Acetylcholine, carbachol and methacholine behaved as full agonists in both systems. In contrast, oxotremorine and arecoline failed to stimulate PI turnover but were potent and efficacious at inhibiting AC. Among the antagonists, pirenzepine, dicyclomine, telenzepine and (R)-QNA were both potent (Ki approximately 0.5-7.5 nM) and selective (90- to 8,500-fold) for the PI-linked (putatively M1) brain receptor. In contrast, the cardioselective and ileal-selective M2 antagonists, AF-DX 116 and hexahydrosiladifenidol, were equipotent, competitive inhibitors of both responses. The selectivity of these drugs in terms of their biochemical responses is described.

Affinity and selectivity of the optical isomers of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate and related muscarinic antagonists.

All of the optical isomers of the muscarinic antagonists 3-(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octyl) alpha-hydroxy-alpha,alpha-diphenylacetate (3-quinuclidinyl benzilate, QNB, 1) 3-(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octyl) xanthene-9-carboxylate (3-quinuclidinyl xanthene-9-carboxylate, QNX, 2), and 3-(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]ocytl) alpha-hydroxy-alpha-phenylpropionate (3-quinuclidinyl atrolactate, QNA, 3) were prepared and studied in binding and functional assays. In all instances the esters of (R)-1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-ol (3-quinuclidinol) had greater affinity for the M1 and M2 subpopulations of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M-AChRs) than did their S counterparts. The enantiomers of QNB (1), QNX (2), and QNA (3) in which the alcoholic portion of the muscarinic antagonists had the S absolute stereochemistry were more selective for the M1-AChRs. This selectivity was modulated by the nature and, in the case of QNA, the chirality of the acid portion. The most potent isomer in the series was (R)-QNB. In the QNA series the diastereoisomer with the absolute R configuration of the alcohol (a) and the R configuration of the acid (b) was the most potent in both binding and functional assays whereas (Sa,Rb)-QNA was the most selective for the M1 subtype of M-AChRs. In fact, the latter diastereomer was as potent and selective as pirenzepine for M1-AChRs.

Heterologous up-regulation of Ni-coupled receptors in cultured neural hybrid cells by a transferable factor, whose expression is inhibited in a cyclic AMP-dependent, cell-specific manner.

Opiate, muscarinic, and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors on NCB-20 and NG108-15 neuroblastoma hybrid cells were up-regulated by treatment of the cells with media (CM) conditioned by previous incubation with either cell type. NG cells treated with CM from both NCB and NG cells (NCB-CM or NG-CM) showed a 2-fold increase in opiate receptor density relative to untreated cells, with no change in ligand affinities. Opiate receptor density on NG cells was also enhanced approximately 2-fold by CM derived from dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dBc)-treated NG cells (NG-dBc-CM) but not by CM from dBc-treated NCB cells, (NCB-dBc-CM). The data suggest that a transferable factor that up-regulates NG opiate receptors is produced by untreated NCB and NG cells, and is either suppressed or inactivated in dBc-treated NCB cells but not in dBc-treated NG cells. Muscarinic and alpha 2-adrenergic receptor site densities on NG cells were also up-regulated approximately 2-fold by NCB-CM but not by NCB-dBc-CM. Thus, the factor induced a heterologous up-regulation of three classes of Ni-coupled receptor sites on NG cells. The up-regulating factor, which accumulates in the media with time in culture, also acts directly upon cells that are synthesizing/secreting the factor (auto-up-regulation). Thus, opiate receptor density increased in untreated NCB and NG cells, as well as in dBc-treated NG cells, as a function of cell growth, but did not increase on dBc-treated NCB cells. Coupling of NG opiate receptors to adenylate cyclase (AC) was not altered by CM. Prostaglandin E1-stimulated AC was maximally inhibited by (approximately 40%) by 1 microM DADLE with the same efficiency and potency in untreated as in CM-treated NG cell membranes. Furthermore, NCB-dBc-CM which does not induce NG opiate receptor up-regulation and NCB-CM, which does induce it, had no effect on inhibition of AC by DADLE. The up-regulating factor is a relatively small molecule (molecular weight = 3000-6000), whose synthesis and/or secretion is suppressed by dBc in NCB but not in the related NG hybrid. This unique cell specificity may be exploited to study the mechanism of opiate, muscarinic, and alpha 2-adrenergic receptor expression and turnover in cultured neural hybrid cells.

Ni-coupled receptors in cultured neural hybrid cells: cell specificity for dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced down-regulation but not morphological differentiation.

Opiate, muscarinic, and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors and the Ni-coupled response of adenylate cyclase (AC) inhibition were examined in neuroblastoma X glioma NG108-15 (108 CC15) and neuroblastoma X Chinese hamster brain NCB-20 clonal hybrid cells, induced to differentiate with 1.0 mM dibutyryl cAMP (dBcAMP). Scatchard analysis of binding of the opiate agonist 3H-(D-Ala2,D-Leu5)enkephalin (DADLE) and the antagonist [3H] diprenorphine to dBcAMP-treated NCB-20 cell membranes indicated an 80% reduction in opiate receptor density relative to untreated cells (Bmax = 47 +/- 11 fmol/mg of protein versus 220 +/- 48 fmol/mg of protein), with no change in ligand affinities. Binding of the muscarinic cholinergic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist [3H]-p-aminoclonidine to dBcAMP-treated NCB-20 membranes was also reduced by 50% and 28%, respectively. In contrast, treatment of NG108-15 cells with dBcAMP did not down-regulate opiate, muscarinic, or alpha 2-adrenergic receptor sites. Opiate and alpha 2-adrenergic receptor sites were not down-regulated in the N18TG2 neuroblastoma clone, the common parent of both the hybrid cells, and the apparent source of these receptors. The C6BU-1 parent of the NG108-15 hybrid showed poor specific binding of all ligands examined. dBcAMP was very potent in inducing opiate receptor site down-regulation of NCB-20 cells, with an ED50 after 4 days treatment of 8 microM. The time course of loss of [3H]DADLE and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate specific binding was similar, and maximum down-regulation was achieved after 2 days. In contrast, neither higher concentrations of dBcAMP (5.0 mM) nor longer treatment times (7 days) resulted in down-regulation of receptor sites on NG108-15 cells. Coupling of opiate receptors to AC was also selectively altered in differentiated NCB-20 cells. Prostaglandin E1-stimulated AC was maximally inhibited by 1 microM DADLE in membranes from undifferentiated cells to different degrees (30% in NCB-20 and 54% in NG108-15). dBcAMP treatment had no effect on opiate inhibition of AC in NG108-15 cells but reduced by 50% the maximum opiate inhibition of AC in NCB-20 cells. These data indicate that the signal for receptor down-regulation which was triggered by dBcAMP in the NCB-20 cell comes uniquely from the Chinese hamster brain cell NCB-20 parent. The differences between NCB-20 and NG108-15 cells in the regulation of Ni-coupled receptors provides an example of dBcAMP-induced heterologous down-regulation with unique cell specificity, which is unrelated to the morphological differentiation process triggered by dBcAMP, which is common to both cells.

Pharmacological profile of adenosine A2 receptor in PC12 cells.

The PC12 cell line, a clone isolated from a pheochromocytoma tumor of rat adrenal medulla, was shown to exclusively contain stimulatory adenosine (A2) receptors linked to adenylate cyclase (AC). AC was stimulated 6-7 fold by several agonists with a rank order of potency of 5'-N-Ethyl carboxamidoadenosine (NECA) greater than 2-Chloroadenosine (2-CADO) greater than (R)-N-Phenylisopropyladenosine (R-(-)-PIA) greater than N6-Cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) greater than N6-Cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) greater than S-(+)-PIA. AC activity was antagonized by a variety of adenosine receptor antagonists with a potency order of 1,3,-Dipropyl-8-(2-amino-4-chlorophenyl)xanthine (PACPX) greater than 1,3,-Diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPX) greater than 8-Phenyltheophylline greater than 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) greater than 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (PST) greater than 7-(beta-chloroethyl)theophylline greater than theophylline = enprofylline = caffeine. Under conditions known to favour receptor-mediated Ni-coupled inhibition of AC, R-(-)-PIA failed to inhibit both basal and forskolin stimulated AC activity in PC12 cells, confirming the absence of an A1 mediated response. On the other hand, adenosine agonists inhibited AC activity in rat cortical membranes with a rank order of potency of CPA greater than R-(-)-PIA greater than CHA greater than NECA greater than S-(+)-PIA greater than 2-CADO. These findings suggest that PC12 cells are functionally deficient in an A1 receptor linked AC response but are efficiently coupled to A2 stimulatory receptors. The cells should prove useful for further study of A2 adenosine receptors and to establish selectivity profiles of compounds acting at both A1 and A2 receptors.

Antagonism of cisplatin-induced emesis by metoclopramide and dazopride through enhancement of gastric motility.

The antiemetic activity, gastric motor activity, and dopamine receptor effects of metoclopramide, dazopride, and sulpiride were assessed to establish if enhancement of gastric motility or antagonism of central dopamine receptors is the predominant action for drug-induced suppression of cisplatin-induced emesis. Emesis produced in dogs by cisplatin is antagonized by metoclopramide and dazopride. The antiemetic actions of metoclopramide and dazopride are associated with their ability to enhance gastric motor activity. Dazopride, unlike metoclopramide, has minimal dopamine receptor antagonist properties. Sulpiride is a potent dopamine receptor antagonist; however, it had no effect on the stomach and was ineffective in suppressing cisplatin-induced emesis.

In vivo phosphorylation of postsynaptic density proteins.

In vivo protein phosphorylation was examined in postsynaptic density-enriched fractions isolated from rat brain. In vivo phosphorylation was carried out by injecting rats intraventricularly with [32P]orthophosphate followed by isolation of postsynaptic densities from pooled cerebral cortices. In vivo 32P-labeled postsynaptic densities were then fractionated by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and stained with Coomassie Blue. The protein banding pattern was typical for postsynaptic densities. The principal polypeptide component occurred in a single band at an apparent molecular weight of 51,000. Autoradiographs of the dried gels showed a major peak of radioactivity associated with the 51,000 molecular weight component for the in vivo labeled postsynaptic density fraction. Additional minor peaks of radioactivity were also observed. These results represent the first demonstration that proteins associated with the postsynaptic density readily incorporate phosphate in vivo and may represent a major and important class of synaptic phosphoproteins.

Neurochemical properties of AHR-9377: a novel inhibitor of norepinephrine reuptake.

A novel potential antidepressant, AHR-9377, was evaluated for its inhibition of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) reuptake in hypothalmic, cortical, and striatal rat synaptosomal preparations. AHR-9377 was found to be a potent, selective, noncompetitive inhibitor of NE reuptake. In addition, repeated injections of AHR-9377 caused a decrease in the density of beta adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex. Little displacement by AHR-9377 at beta, alpha 1 and alpha 2 adrenergic, histaminergic, muscarinic, GABA-ergic, benzodiazepine of imipramine sites was observed. These pharmacological properties indicate that AHR-9377 may have clinical antidepressant activity with few side effects.

Down regulation of dihydroalprenolol and imipramine binding sites in brain of rats repeatedly treated with imipramine.

In rats receiving repeated injections of imipramine, there is a reduction in the number of high affinity binding sites for [3H]imipramine and [3H]dihydroalprenolol present in crude synaptic membrane preparations from various brain structures. The location of the sites that become subsensitive to the two ligands did not coincide; the binding sites to [3H]imipramine became subsensitive in the hippocampus but not in cortex or cerebellum. In contrast the binding sites to [3H]dihydroalprenolol became subsensitive in cortex and cerebellum but not in hippocampus. It can be suggested that in rats repeatedly treated with imipramine the down regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors may not coincide with the down regulation of the high affinity binding sites for imipramine. Such a dissociation is supported further by experiments with rats treated with iprinidol.

Protein phosphorylation in rat caudate homogenate: stimulatory effects of dopamine and enhancement of dopamine response following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.

Dopamine (3-hydroxytyramine) stimulates the incorporation of 32P into proteins endogenous to a homogenate of rat caudate nucleus when 10 microM [gamma-32P]-ATP is used as a substrate following preincubation with 400 microM ATP. The increase in 32P incorporation has pharmacological characteristics similar to caudate tissue. Chronic depletion of striatal dopamine in vivo by stereotaxic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine in the nigrostriatal pathway results in a significant enhancement of the dopamine stimulation of 32 p incorporation in vitro. Cyclic AMP-stimulated phosphorylation of caudate proteins remains unchanged following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.