New opiate-receptor model

Influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the electronic structure of oxymorphone

Approximate ab initio molecular orbital methods are used to examine the structural and electronic properties of oxymorphone. The most stable conformation of the molecule is found to include an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the C-14 hydroxyl group and the nitrogen atom in agreement with available experimental data. The total molecular electron density is transformed to a set of localized molecular orbitals, one of which corresponds to the lone electron pair on nitrogen. The hydrogen bond is shown to produce substantial bending and stretching of the lone pair when compared to its shape when such hydrogen bonding is precluded.

The Agonist Paradox: Agonists and Antagonists of Acetylcholine Receptors and Opioid Receptors

In contrast to antagonists, agonists tend to induce considerable conformational changes in their receptors, resulting in opening of ion channels, either directly or via secondary messengers. These conformational transformations require great energy expenses. However, the experimentally determined free energies of complexation between agonists and receptors are often relatively smaller than those for the corresponding antagonists. To rationalize this so-called 'agonist paradox', which has not been clarified in the literature, we have developed an alternative model. Our model may help to discriminate between agonists and antagonists of the acetylcholine (ACh) and mu-opioid receptors. For this purpose, a series of ligands (1-18) have been analyzed both in structural terms and with respect to complexation geometry within the anionic binding sites of these two receptor types.

Phenyl-substituted normethadones: synthesis and pharmacology

Phenyl-substituted normethadone derivatives were synthesized and their affinity (IC50) for opioid receptors was determined by displacement of the specific binding sites of [3H]sufentanyl on rat brain preparations. Substitution resulted in a decrease of affinity in-vitro. These results suggest that normethadone-like compounds may interact with the P subsite of the mu-opioid receptor and that the P subsite has a well-defined cavity shape of stringent dimensions.

A potential probe for examining opiate-receptor interactions: model compound study of dynamic effects on 15N INEPT enhancements

Model systems were chosen in an attempt to mimic the proton exchange environment of an agonist nitrogen in an opiate-receptor interaction. The two model systems studied were an ammonium: 18-crown-6 ether complex and a quinuclidine-trifluoroacetic acid ion pair. Each system was examined for their effects on 15N NMR INEPT enhancements. Both models were found to retard proton exchange dynamics, as observed by increased enhancements relative to free ions in neutral aqueous solutions. These results suggest that the confinement of a protonated nitrogen, such as that expected in receptor binding, may alter exchange dynamics to favor INEPT enhancements, while unbound agonists would remain unenhanced. As a result, 15N NMR INEPT enhancements from a solution of receptor subtypes with an appropriate 15N-labeled agonist may present a means of exploring the dynamics of direct opiate-receptor interactions.

Central actions of AD-1211, an analgesic lacking common opiate features

The site of the analgesic action of AD-1211, the less active stereoisomer, and its pharmacological features were investigated. AD-1211, as well as pentazocine and morphine, blocked the reflex hypertension caused by injection of both bradykinin and bradykinin plus PGE1 into the splenic artery of dogs. In the rat or mouse writhing test, the analgesic activity of AD-1211 after intraperitoneal and intracisternal administration was equal to and more than 40 times, respectively, that after intravenous administration. The analgesic activity of AD-1211, unlike that of pentazocine and morphine, was incompletely reversed by naloxone and was not attenuated even by its repeated administration for 7 days in the mouse writhing and tail pressure test, respectively. AD-1211, unlike pentazocine and/or morphine, lacked some effects on central nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular function in conscious animals. These results demonstrate that AD-1211 produces its analgesic action through a central mechanism but lacks some of the common pharmacological actions shown by morphine-like analgesics.

New insights in the clastic binding hypothesis for opiate-receptor interactions I: Electron-transfer mechanism

A clastic binding hypothesis for opiate-receptor interactions, in which the key step in eliciting the opiate response is an electron transfer from the opiate nitrogen to the receptor, is analyzed from a chemical point of view and is found to be chemically feasible. An extended form of this hypothesis is proposed in order to accommodate recent observations about the N-demethylation of morphines in the brain. An in vitro model system for studying the electron-transfer reactions of morphines is proposed, and the initial experiments in this system are reported.

Angular dependence of the interaction energy between the N lone pair of amines and a proton: relevance to drug-receptor systems

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations with a 4-31G basis set have been performed to study the angular dependence of the interaction energy between a lone electron pair of nitrogen and a proton. In this study ammonia and trimethylamine were used as models of biologically active amines. A proton was used as a model of an electrophilic site at the receptor. Results obtained confirm previous indications that the energy required to bend the proton from the lone pair direction decreases markedly as the two species are further separated from one another. Implications regarding the interactions of drugs and hormones at specific receptors are discussed.

Recognition of opioid agonist and antagonist in the opioid receptor binding site

By treating the rat crude synaptosomal fraction with 5,5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), DTNB, a marked decrease of stereo-specific binding of opioid agonist (dihydromorphine or D-Ala-D-Leu-enkephalin) was observed, but there was no effect in the case of the binding of opioid antagonist (naloxone or diprenorphine). The decrease of the agonist binding in the presence of 500 microM of DTNB was nearly equal to that of 100 mM of NaCl. The ability of opioids to inhibit 3H-naloxone binding in the absence of DTNB was compared to their inhibitory potency in the presence of 500 microM of DTNB to obtain DTNB response ratio. This ratio closely correlated with sodium index of each opioid. Potency of the inactivation of the agonist binding by congeners of DTNB changed with net charge of the reagents, and 2,2'-dithiobis-(5-nitropyridine), bearing a positive charge, was most effective. These results suggest that an aliphatic sulfhydryl group, being sensitive to DTNB is located to the active center of an anionic binding site for the agonist, and controls opioid agonist binding through a proton transfer mechanism.

Analgesic and other pharmacological activities of a new narcotic antagonist analgesic (-)-1-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-4-[2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethyl]-piperazine and its enantiomorph in experimental animals

Of 1-chclohexyl-4-[2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethyl]piperazine (I) and its 1-(3-methyl-2-butenyl) derivative (II), the S(+)-isomers were analgesically more active than either their +(-)-isomers or their racemates, having 15 to 44 times the potency of morphine in mice and rats. R(-)-I had comparable analgesic activity to morphine R(-)-II to pentazocine in mice, rats and dogs and they were nearly equipotent with pentazocine in reversing some actions of morphine. The S(+)-isomers and racemates lacked this action. R(-)-II required about 10 times more naloxone to reverse its analgesic activity than was needed to antagonise the S(+)-isomers, morphine and pentazocine. The S(+)-isomers and racemates produce a typical Straub tail reaction and increased spontaneous locomotor activity in mice, but the R(-)-isomers did not. R(-)-II had no significant physical dependence liability in mice, rats and monkeys. From these results, it is suggested that the compounds show an uncommon steroselectivity in comparison with morphine and its surrogates, and that R(-)-II is worth investigating further as a narcotic antagonist analgesic.

Long-range substituent effects in morphine-type agonists and antagonists: a possible explanation for some opiate anomalies

Anomalous variations in the pKa values of variously substituted morphine-type agonists and antagonists are interpreted as a reflection of long-range substituent effects operating in these molecules. Based on the operation of long-range effects, a mechanism is proposed by which substitution into the N-normorphine portion of morphine-type agonists and antagonists changes the activity of the parent molecule. Thus, a remote substituent would distort the whole molecule via a conformational transmission effect and thereby (a) change the fit between the opiate and its receptor; (b) change the electron density distribution throughout the molecule and, therefore, at the nitrogen; (c) modify the directionality of the lone electron pair on the nitrogen; and (d) affect the pKa of the drug. The operation of long-range effects as proposed here could account for some of the anomalous changes in opiate activity effected by substitution into the parent molecule.