Structure-activity studies for a novel series of bicyclic substituted hexahydrobenz[e]isoindole alpha1A adrenoceptor antagonists as potential agents for the symptomatic treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In search of a uroselective alpha1A subtype selective antagonist, a novel series of 6-OMe hexahydrobenz[e]isoindoles attached to a bicyclic heterocyclic moiety via a two-carbon linker was synthesized. It was found that in contrast to the previously described series of tricyclic heterocycles,(1) this bicyclic series has very specific requirements for the heterocyclic attachments. The most important structural features contributing to the alpha1A/alpha1B selectivity of these compounds were identified. In vitro functional assays for the alpha1 adrenoceptor subtypes were used to further characterize the most selective compounds, and in vivo models of vascular vs prostatic tone were used to assess uroselectivity. Compound 48 showed the highest degree of selectivity in the radioligand binding assays (56-fold), in the in vitro functional tests (80-fold), and for in vivo prostate selectivity (960-fold).

Structure-activity studies for a novel series of tricyclic substituted hexahydrobenz[e]isoindole alpha(1A) adrenoceptor antagonists as potential agents for the symptomatic treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

In search of a uroselective agent that exhibits a high level of selectivity for the alpha(1A) receptor, a novel series of tricyclic hexahydrobenz[e]isoindoles was synthesized. A generic pharmacophoric model was developed requiring the presence of a basic amine core and a fused heterocyclic side chain separated by an alkyl chain. It was shown that the 6-OMe substitution with R, R stereochemistry of the ring junction of the benz[e]isoindole and a two-carbon spacer chain were optimal. In contrast to the highly specific requirements for the benz[e]isoindole portion and linker chain, a wide variety of tricyclic fused heterocyclic attachments were tolerated with retention of potency and selectivity. In vitro functional assays for the alpha(1) adrenoceptor subtypes were used to further characterize these compounds, and in vivo models of vascular vs prostatic tone were used to assess uroselectivity.

Isolation and functional characterization of the chick M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor gene.

The chick is a widely used system for study of the actions of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the cardiovascular, visual, and nervous systems. We report the isolation and functional analysis of the gene encoding the chick M5 muscarinic receptor. RT-PCR analysis indicates that the M5 receptor is expressed at low levels in embryonic chick brain and heart. When expressed in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells, the M5 receptor exhibits high-affinity binding to muscarinic antagonists and mediates robust activation of phospholipase C activity.

Structure-activity studies for a novel series of N-(arylethyl)-N-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-ylmethyl)-N-methylamine s possessing dual 5-HT uptake inhibiting and alpha2-antagonistic activities.

In search of an alpha2-antagonist/5-HT uptake inhibitor as a potential new class of antidepressant with a more rapid onset of action, compound 3 was prepared and observed to possess high affinity for the alpha2-receptor (K(i) = 6.71 nM) and the 5-HT uptake site (20.6 nM). A series of tertiary amine analogs of 3 were synthesized and assayed for their affinity at both the alpha2-receptor and the 5-HT uptake site. The structure-activity relationship reveals that a variety of structural modifications to the arylethyl fragment are possible with retention of this dual activity. On the tetralin portion, 5-OMe substitution and the (R) stereochemistry at C-1 are optimal with alternate substitutions producing compounds retaining high affinity for the alpha2-receptor but lacking affinity for the 5-HT uptake site. Data for several rigidified 5-O-alkyl analogs suggests that the favored orientation of the oxygen lone pairs may be away from the 6-position of the tetralin.

lola encodes a putative transcription factor required for axon growth and guidance in Drosophila.

Mutations in the gene longitudinals lacking (lola) lead to defects in the development of axon tracts in the Drosophila embryonic central nervous system. We now show that lola mutations also cause defects of axon growth and guidance in the peripheral nervous system, and causes a particular cluster of embryonic sense organs (lch5) to be oriented improperly. Axonal aberrations caused by lola are similar to those caused by mutations of three other genes, logo, Notch and Delta, raising the possibility that lola works in the same genetic pathway as do these other molecules. The lola gene encodes at least two nuclear protein products, apparently by differential RNA splicing. The predicted proteins contain an amino-terminal motif similar to that recently described for a family of transcription factors, including the products of the Drosophila genes tramtrack and the Broad Complex. Like Ttk and BR-C, one of the two characterized products of the lola locus bears sequences similar to the zinc-finger motif, but the other (neuronal) form of the protein has no recognizable DNA-binding motif.

Regulation of expression and function of muscarinic receptors.

The regulation of expression and function of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor has been studied using several different systems. The role of glycosylation of the m2 receptor was examined by removal of glycosylation sites using site-directed mutagenesis followed by expression in stably transfected cells. The results demonstrated that glycosylation was not required for the synthesis and appearance of the receptors on the cell surface or for the coupling of the receptors to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. Site-directed mutagenesis also was used to demonstrate that the single cysteine in the carboxy terminal domain of the m2 receptor was not required for receptor function, thus rendering unlikely a model suggesting a requirement for palmitoylation of this cysteine in receptor function. The muscarinic receptors expressed in embryonic chick heart were identified by molecular cloning. Two genes were initially identified which are expressed in chick heart and correspond to the chick m2 and m4 receptors. Experiments using the polymerase chain reaction to identify low abundance mRNAs indicate that at least one addition receptor gene is expressed in chick heart. In cell culture, activation of the muscarinic receptors decreases the levels of mRNA encoding the cm2 and cm4 receptors. This probably results from decreased gene transcription due to both mAChR-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and mAChR-mediated stimulation of phospholipase C. The elucidation of the factors which regulate the expression and function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) is of obvious importance in understanding the mechanisms underlying cholinergic transmission. In this chapter, we will describe studies on the expression and function of wild type and mutant muscarinic receptors, the molecular characterization of mAChR expressed in chick heart, and the regulation of mAChR gene expression in response to muscarinic receptor activation.

Embryonic chick heart expresses multiple muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes. Isolation and characterization of a gene encoding a novel m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor with high affinity for pirenzepine.

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) are G protein-coupled receptors which are highly conserved across mammalian species. Chick cardiac mAChR, however, have been shown to be pharmacologically, immunologically, and biochemically distinct from m2 mAChR expressed in mammalian heart. We previously reported the isolation and characterization of a novel chicken mAChR, cm4, which is expressed in chick heart and brain. We report here the isolation of an additional chicken mAChR gene whose deduced amino acid sequence is most homologous to the mammalian m2 receptor. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that this chicken m2 gene is also expressed in chick heart and brain. When stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and Y1 adrenal carcinoma cells, the chicken m2 gene expresses a receptor protein which exhibits high affinity binding for the muscarinic antagonist quinuclidinyl benzilate and atropine, as well as the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine and the M2-selective antagonist AF-DX 116. Therefore, when expressed in two heterologous cell lines, the chick m2 receptor has pharmacological properties that are similar to the chick m4 receptor as well as those reported for endogenous mAChR in chick cardiac cells. Consistent with the properties of the chick m4, as well as mammalian m2 and m4 receptors, the chick m2 receptor was able to functionally couple to both the inhibition of adenylate cyclase and the stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism when expressed in CHO cells, but only the inhibition of adenylate cyclase when expressed in Y1 cells. We conclude from this study that the embryonic chick heart expresses multiple subtypes of mAChR which are highly conserved with their mammalian counterparts. Furthermore, the high degree of conservation between the mammalian m2 and the chick m2 muscarinic receptors suggests that the pharmacological differences that exist between these receptors are due to a relatively small number of specific amino acid changes rather than larger changes in receptor sequence or structure.

Cloning and functional analysis of a gene encoding a novel muscarinic acetylcholine receptor expressed in chick heart and brain.

Previous studies have demonstrated that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) expressed in chick heart are pharmacologically, immunologically, and biochemically distinct from mAChR expressed in mammalian heart. A chicken genomic clone encoding a mAChR whose deduced amino acid sequence is most homologous to the mammalian m4 receptor has been isolated. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that this gene is expressed in both chick heart and brain. The receptor encoded by this gene was expressed in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and Y1 adrenal carcinoma cells in order to examine its ligand binding and functional properties. The receptor expressed in CHO and Y1 cells exhibits high affinity binding for the muscarinic antagonists quinuclidinyl benzilate and atropine, as well as the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine and the M2-selective antagonist AF-DX 116. Therefore, when expressed in two heterologous cell lines, the cloned chick m4 receptor exhibits pharmacological properties similar to those previously reported for the chick cardiac receptor. This m4 receptor was able to mediate both agonist-dependent inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and agonist-dependent stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism when expressed in CHO cells. In contrast, when expressed in Y1 cells, the chick m4 receptor mediated agonist-dependent inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, but not stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism. Thus, as with the mammalian cardiac (m2) receptor, the functional specificity of the chick cardiac receptor appears to be dependent on the cell type in which it is expressed.

Regulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor function in cardiac cells and in cells expressing cloned receptor genes.

The regulation of the number and function of the muscarinic receptors has been investigated in cultured chick cardiac cells and in cells expressing cloned genes encoding mammalian, Drosophila, and chick muscarinic receptors. A serum-free defined medium for the culture of chick embryonic heart cells has been used to study the regulation of mAChR number and function by serum lipoproteins. Addition of rooster high density lipoprotein to the culture medium results in an attenuation of muscarinic receptor-mediated inhibition of cAMP accumulation without a change in the number of receptors or inhibitory G proteins. Clones encoding the mouse m1 receptor and a homologous receptor from Drosophila have been isolated. When expressed in Y1 adrenal cells, both receptors stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis but do not inhibit cAMP accumulation. Deletion of 123 out of the 156 amino acids in the third cytoplasmic loop of the mouse m1 receptor does not impair its ability to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis. A genomic clone encoding a muscarinic receptor expressed in chick heart has been isolated. When expressed in Y1 cells, it causes inhibition of cAMP accumulation but does not stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Differential tissue expression and developmental regulation of guanine nucleotide binding regulatory proteins and their messenger RNAs in rat heart.

The expression and developmental regulation of the alpha and beta subunits of the guanine nucleotide binding regulatory proteins, Gi and Go, were examined in rat atria and ventricles. Protein levels were determined by quantitative immunoblot analysis using affinity purified monospecific antibodies. Northern blot and dot blot analyses were used to characterize and quantitate relative amounts of mRNA encoding these G protein subunits. The concentrations of Go alpha, Gi alpha, and beta subunit protein were found to be greater in adult atrial than in adult ventricular membranes (5.2-, 1.5-, and 2.8-fold, respectively). A corresponding 3.4-fold difference in Go alpha mRNA level was also observed, as well as a 1.3-fold difference in Gi alpha-3 mRNA level. No difference was seen between the amount of beta, Gi alpha-1, Gi alpha-2 mRNA in adult atria and adult ventricles. Comparison of neonatal and adult tissues revealed a developmental decrease in ventricular Gi alpha protein and Gi alpha-2 mRNA levels (70 and 47%, respectively). Developmental decreases were also observed in the amount of mRNA encoding beta and Go alpha in ventricles (47 and 61%, respectively), and beta and Gi alpha-2 in atria (40 and 36%, respectively), while a developmental increase in atrial Gi alpha-3 mRNA levels was observed (57%). These results demonstrate differences in the expression of G protein subunits in rat atria and ventricles, as well as regulation of the levels of these subunits during cardiac development.

[Cellular immunity in breast cancer patients]. / Untersuchungen zur zellulären Immunität bei Mammakarzinompatientinnen.

84 breast cancer patients were examined prior to surgery regarding cellular immunity. 47 patients were free from secondary tumors, 37 already had axillary lymph node metastases, but no other secondary growth. 37 healthy women formed a control group. With reference to the total leukocyte count and to the percentage of T cells in the total lymphocyte count, there was no difference between the control group and the cancer patients. The latter, however, showed a significantly increased lymphocyte count compared with that of the control group. Despite an increase in the number of lymphocytes in cancer patients, there was a significant decrease in their ability to be stimulated by concanavalin A. In breast cancer patients with regional metastases the ability to be stimulated by phytohemagglutinin was decreased, too.

Modification of the 5' position of purine nucleosides. 2. Synthesis and some cardiovascular properties of adenosine-5'-(N-substituted)carboxamides.

We have shown previously that the esters of adenosine-5'-carboxylic acid (10) represent a new class of potent nontoxic coronary vasodilators. For example, the ethyl ester (12), which is active by an intraduodenal or intravenous route in dogs, causes a large increase in coronary sinus PO2 and coronary blood flow. Because of the pronounced vasoactive properties of the esters of adenosine-5'-carboxylic acid, a systematic study of the corresponding amides (14--50) was undertaken. In addition, several other analogues containing the N1-oxide function (51--52) or 2',3' substituents (3--9, 53--54) were studied.

Modification of the 5' position of purine nucleosides. 1. Synthesis and biological properties of alkyladenosine-5'-carboxylates.

A series of esters of adenosine-5'-carboxylic acid has been prepared. Most of the compounds were nontoxic, causing prolonged increases in coronary sinus PO2 when administered to anesthetized dogs; the ethyl ester was most active. Nitrosation and oxidation of the ethyl ester 12 gave respectively inactive inosine ethyl ester 30 and the fairly active N1-oxide ethyl ester 29.