A pyridone derivative activates SERCA2a by attenuating the inhibitory effect of phospholamban.

The cardiac sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-dependent ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) plays a central role in Ca2+ handling within cardiomyocytes and is negatively regulated by phospholamban (PLN), a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane protein. The activation of SERCA2a, which has been reported to improve cardiac dysfunction in heart failure, is a potential therapeutic approach for heart failure. Therefore, we developed a novel small molecule, compound A and characterized it both in vitro and in vivo. Compound A activated the Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity of cardiac SR vesicles but not that of skeletal muscle SR vesicles that lack PLN. The surface plasmon resonance assay revealed a direct interaction between compound A and PLN, suggesting that the binding of compound A to PLN attenuates its inhibition of SERCA2a, resulting in SERCA2a activation. This was substantiated by inhibition of the compound A-mediated increase in Ca2+ levels within the SR of HL-1 cells by thapsigargin, a SERCA inhibitor. Compound A also increased the Ca2+ transients and contraction and relaxation of isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes. In isolated perfused rat hearts, the compound A enhanced systolic and diastolic functions. Further, an infusion of compound A (30mg/kg, i.v. bolus followed by 2mg/kg/min, i.v. infusion) significantly enhanced the diastolic function in anesthetized normal rats. These results indicate that compound A is a novel SERCA2a activator, which attenuates PLN inhibition and enhances the systolic and diastolic functions of the heart in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, compound A might be a novel therapeutic lead for heart failure.

Optimization of a novel series of N-phenylindoline-5-sulfonamide-based acyl CoA:monoacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 inhibitors: Mitigation of CYP3A4 time-dependent inhibition and phototoxic liabilities.

Acyl CoA:monoacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (MGAT2) has emerged as a potential peripheral target for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders. We previously identified a novel series of N-phenylindoline-5-sulfonamide derivatives exemplified by 2 as potent and orally bioavailable MGAT2 inhibitors. Despite its attractive potency, further assessment revealed that this compound exhibited time-dependent inhibition (TDI) of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). To remove the undesirable CYP3A4 TDI activity, structural modification was focused on the 2,4-difluoroaniline moiety on the basis of the assumption that this moiety would be involved in mechanism-based inhibition of CYP3A4 via oxidative metabolism. This led to the finding that the introduction of 4-chloro-2,6-difluoroaniline significantly improved CYP3A4 TDI risk. Further optimization resulted in the discovery of N-(4-chloro-2,6-difluorophenyl)-1-{5-[1-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]pyrimidin-2-yl}-7-(2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indole-5-sulfonamide (27c) with potent MGAT2 inhibitory activity (IC50=7.8 nM) and excellent ADME-Tox profiles including metabolic stability, oral bioavailability, and CYP3A4 TDI. In a mouse oral fat tolerance test, compound 27c effectively and dose-dependently suppressed the elevation of plasma triacylglycerol levels after oral administration at doses of 1 and 3mg/kg. We also discuss mitigation of the phototoxic liability of biaryl derivatives on the basis of the HOMO-LUMO gap hypothesis during the course of optimization efforts.

Discovery of a Novel Series of N-Phenylindoline-5-sulfonamide Derivatives as Potent, Selective, and Orally Bioavailable Acyl CoA:Monoacylglycerol Acyltransferase-2 Inhibitors.

Acyl CoA:monoacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (MGAT2) has attracted interest as a novel target for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases. Starting from N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide derivative 1 with moderate potency for MGAT2 inhibition, we explored an effective location of the hydrophobic group at the 1-position to enhance MGAT2 inhibitory activity. Shifting the hydrophobic group to the adjacent position followed by introduction of a bicyclic central core to restrict the substituent orientation produced N-phenylindoline-5-sulfonamide derivative 10b, which displayed much improved potency, with an IC50 value of 1.0 nM. This compound also exhibited excellent selectivity (greater than 30,000-fold) against related acyltransferases (MGAT3, DGAT1, DGAT2, and ACAT1). Subsequent optimization efforts were directed toward improving pharmacokinetic profiles, which resulted in the identification of 5-[(2,4-difluorophenyl)sulfamoyl]-7-(2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-indole-1-carboxamide (24d) endowed with potent MGAT2 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 3.4 nM) and high oral bioavailability (F = 52%, mouse). In a mouse oral fat tolerance test, oral administration of this compound effectively suppressed the elevation of plasma triacylglycerol levels.

Enhancement of host-guest interactions using rationally designed macrocyclic boronic esters with a naphthalene core.

Efficient inclusion of electron-deficient aromatic guest molecules in an organic solvent utilizing π-stacking interactions was achieved by using two kinds of macrocyclic boronic esters, 1,4-naph-[2+2] and 1,5-naph-[2+2], which were easily prepared by self-assembly of 1,4-naphthalenediboronic acid (3) or 1,5-naphthalenediboronic acid (4) and racemic tetrol 1 with an indacene framework in a protic solvent. The X-ray crystallographic analyses revealed that the tilt angles of the two naphthalene rings are different: that of 1,4-naph-[2+2] is about 15° and that of 1,5-naph-[2+2] is about 0°. Owing to the parallel alignment of two aromatic rings, 1,5-naph-[2+2] has a much higher binding ability than 1,4-naph-[2+2]. This knowledge could be useful for the design of the new host molecules in organic solvents.

Guest-induced self-assembly of a macrocyclic boronic ester containing diarylethene units: enhancement of photoresponsivity.

Guest-induced self-assembly of a macrocyclic boronic ester containing photochromic diarylethene units is realized and this macrocycle showed high quantum yield of photoisomerization due to favourable conformational constraint.

Crystallization-controlled dynamic self-assembly and an on/off switch for equilibration using boronic ester formation.

Macrocyclic boronic esters of different sizes can be prepared selectively from the same starting diboronic acid and 1,2-diol by means of an interesting dynamic self-assembly phenomena. More specifically, two kinds of macrocyclic boronic esters could be formed diastereoselectively and nearly quantitatively under neutral conditions by the addition of an appropriate guest molecule that acts as a template. Although a mixture of tetrol 1 and di(boronic acid) 2 in methanol gave only insoluble polymeric boronic esters, a soluble macrocyclic boronic ester, homo-[2+2], was obtained selectively in the presence of toluene as a guest molecule. Furthermore, when benzene was employed as a guest molecule, the selective formation of another macrocyclic boronic ester, hetero-[3+3], occurred. Interestingly, each of these macrocycles could be converted into the other in the presence of methanol and the appropriate guest molecule; however, under aprotic conditions, guest molecules encaged by the macrocyclic boronic ester could be exchanged without affecting its structure. Thus the presence or absence of a protic solvent could be used as a regulator to switch on or off the dynamic equilibrium of the system. In addition, investigation of the effect of reaction time, direct observation of the reaction mixture by NMR spectroscopy, and carrying out the reaction using optically active tetrol suggested that precipitation plays an essentially important role in the selective formation of the macrocyclic boronic esters. Thus, although both of [2+2] and [3+3] were present as solutes in the reaction mixture, the type of added guest molecule induced the selective precipitation of only one form of macrocyclic boronic ester, hence displacing the equilibrium of the system.