A covalent antagonist for the human adenosine A2A receptor

Structural Modification and Biological Evaluation of 2,8-Disubstituted Adenine and Its Nucleosides as A2A Adenosine Receptor Antagonists: Exploring the Roles of Ribose at Adenosine Receptors

Building on the preceding structural analysis and a structure-activity relationship (SAR) of 8-aryl-2-hexynyl nucleoside hA2AAR antagonist 2a, we strategically inverted C2/C8 substituents and eliminated the ribose moiety. These modifications aimed to mitigate potential steric interactions between ribose and adenosine receptors. The SAR findings indicated that such inversions significantly modulated hA3AR binding affinities depending on the type of ribose, whereas removal of ribose altered the functional efficacy via hA2AAR. Among the synthesized derivatives, 2-aryl-8-hexynyl adenine 4a demonstrated the highest selectivity for hA2AAR (Ki,hA2A = 5.0 ± 0.5 nM, Ki,hA3/Ki,hA2A = 86) and effectively blocked cAMP production and restored IL-2 secretion in PBMCs. Favorable pharmacokinetic properties and a notable enhancement of anticancer effects in combination with an mAb immune checkpoint blockade were observed upon oral administration of 4a. These findings establish 4a as a viable immune-oncology therapeutic candidate.

5-Aza-adenine Derivatives for Crop-Protection: Multicomponent Synthesis, Experimental and Theoretical Structural Analysis

A microwave-assisted synthesis of 7-amino-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazine-2-propanamides was developed using a three-component, catalyst-free reaction of cyanamide and trimethyl orthoformate with 3-(5-amino-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)propanamides (3). The reaction tolerated structurally diverse substrates and proceeded chemo- and regio-selectively, affording the target compounds in high purity in 5-10 minutes. The convenient chromatography-free isolation and purification of the products add practicality to this method. The structural features of the prepared compounds were investigated using dynamic NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and computational chemistry calculations. X-ray crystallography performed on a representative compound, 3-(7-amino-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazin-2-yl)-N-(4-benzyl)propanamide (4 l), showed the overall molecular conformation to adopt the shape of the letter C. Notable localisation of π-electron density is found within the 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazine system; a relatively short C-NH2 bond is consistent with restricted rotation about this bond. This study also presents a detailed analysis of the molecular interactions in 4 l using DFT and QTAIM methods with a focus on the hydrogen-bonding and π-stacking interactions that influence the molecular packing of 4 l. The findings reveal the significant roles of N-H⋅O, N-H⋅N and C-H⋅N interactions, along with electrostatically enhanced π⋅π contacts. A broad screening for insecticidal, fungicidal and herbicidal properties identified several compounds with potent herbicidal activity against Matricaria inodora.

Development of Putative Bivalent Dicovalent Ligands for the Adenosine A1 Receptor

Accumulating evidence suggests that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can exist and function in homodimer and heterodimer forms. The adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) has been shown to form both homodimers and heterodimers, but there is a lack of chemical tools to study these dimeric receptor populations. This work describes the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a novel class of bivalent GPCR chemical tools, where each ligand moiety of the bivalent compound contains a sulfonyl fluoride covalent warhead designed to be capable of simultaneously reacting with each A1R of an A1R homodimer. The novel compounds were characterised using radioligand binding assays, including washout assays, and functionally in cAMP assays. The bivalent dicovalent compounds were competitive A1R antagonists and showed evidence of covalent binding and simultaneous binding across an A1R homodimer. Greater selectivity for A1R over the adenosine A3 receptor was observed for bivalent dicovalent over the equivalent monovalent compounds, indicating subtype selectivity can be achieved with dual occupation by a bivalent dicovalent ligand.

Development of subtype-selective covalent ligands for the adenosine A2B receptor by tuning the reactive group

Signalling through the adenosine receptors (ARs), in particular through the adenosine A2B receptor (A2BAR), has been shown to play a role in a variety of pathological conditions, ranging from immune disorders to cancer. Covalent ligands for the A2BAR have the potential to irreversibly block the receptor, as well as inhibit all A2BAR-induced signalling pathways. This will allow a thorough investigation of the pathophysiological role of the receptor. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated a set of potential covalent ligands for the A2BAR. The ligands all contain a core scaffold consisting of a substituted xanthine, varying in type and orientation of electrophilic group (warhead). Here, we find that the right combination of these variables is necessary for a high affinity, irreversible mode of binding and selectivity towards the A2BAR. Altogether, this is the case for sulfonyl fluoride 24 (LUF7982), a covalent ligand that allows for novel ways to interrogate the A2BAR.

Irreversible Antagonists for the Adenosine A2B Receptor

Blockade of the adenosine A2B receptor (A2BAR) represents a potential novel strategy for the immunotherapy of cancer. In the present study, we designed, synthesized, and characterized irreversible A2BAR antagonists based on an 8-p-sulfophenylxanthine scaffold. Irreversible binding was confirmed in radioligand binding and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer(BRET)-based Gα15 protein activation assays by performing ligand wash-out and kinetic experiments. p-(1-Propylxanthin-8-yl)benzene sulfonyl fluoride (6a, PSB-21500) was the most potent and selective irreversible A2BAR antagonist of the present series with an apparent Ki value of 10.6 nM at the human A2BAR and >38-fold selectivity versus the other AR subtypes. The corresponding 3-cyclopropyl-substituted xanthine derivative 6c (PSB-21502) was similarly potent, but was non-selective versus A1- and A2AARs. Attachment of a reactive sulfonyl fluoride group to an elongated xanthine 8-substituent (12, Ki 7.37 nM) resulted in a potent, selective, reversibly binding antagonist. Based on previous docking studies, the lysine residue K2697.32 was proposed to react with the covalent antagonists. However, the mutant K269L behaved similarly to the wildtype A2BAR, indicating that 6a and related irreversible A2BAR antagonists do not interact with K2697.32. The new irreversible A2BAR antagonists will be useful tools and have the potential to be further developed as therapeutic drugs.

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. CXII: Adenosine Receptors: A Further Update

Our previous International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology report on the nomenclature and classification of adenosine receptors (2011) contained a number of emerging developments with respect to this G protein-coupled receptor subfamily, including protein structure, protein oligomerization, protein diversity, and allosteric modulation by small molecules. Since then, a wealth of new data and results has been added, allowing us to explore novel concepts such as target binding kinetics and biased signaling of adenosine receptors, to examine a multitude of receptor structures and novel ligands, to gauge new pharmacology, and to evaluate clinical trials with adenosine receptor ligands. This review should therefore be considered a further update of our previous reports from 2001 and 2011. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Adenosine receptors (ARs) are of continuing interest for future treatment of chronic and acute disease conditions, including inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative afflictions, and cancer. The design of AR agonists ("biased" or not) and antagonists is largely structure based now, thanks to the tremendous progress in AR structural biology. The A2A- and A2BAR appear to modulate the immune response in tumor biology. Many clinical trials for this indication are ongoing, whereas an A2AAR antagonist (istradefylline) has been approved as an anti-Parkinson agent.

Identification of V6.51L as a selectivity hotspot in stereoselective A2B adenosine receptor antagonist recognition

The four adenosine receptors (ARs) A₁AR, A_2AAR, A_2BAR_, and A₃AR are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for which an exceptional amount of experimental and structural data is available. Still, limited success has been achieved in getting new chemical modulators on the market. As such, there is a clear interest in the design of novel selective chemical entities for this family of receptors. In this work, we investigate the selective recognition of ISAM-140, a recently reported A_2BAR reference antagonist. A combination of semipreparative chiral HPLC, circular dichroism and X-ray crystallography was used to separate and unequivocally assign the configuration of each enantiomer. Subsequently affinity evaluation for both A_2A and A_2B receptors demonstrate the stereospecific and selective recognition of (S)-ISAM140 to the A_2BAR. The molecular modeling suggested that the structural determinants of this selectivity profile would be residue V250^6.51 in A_2BAR, which is a leucine in all other ARs including the closely related A_2AAR. This was herein confirmed by radioligand binding assays and rigorous free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations performed on the L249V^6.51 mutant A_2AAR receptor. Taken together, this study provides further insights in the binding mode of these A_2BAR antagonists, paving the way for future ligand optimization.

Exploration of chalcones and related heterocycle compounds as ligands of adenosine receptors: therapeutics development

Adenosine receptors (ARs) are ubiquitously distributed throughout the mammalian body where they are involved in an extensive list of physiological and pathological processes that scientists have only begun to decipher. Resultantly, AR agonists and antagonists have been the focus of multiple drug design and development programmes within the past few decades. Considered to be a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry, the chalcone framework has attracted a substantial amount of interest in this regard. Due to the potential liabilities associated with its structure, however, it has become necessary to explore other potentially promising compounds, such as heterocycles, which have successfully been obtained from chalcone precursors in the past. This review aims to summarise the emerging therapeutic importance of adenosine receptors and their ligands, especially in the central nervous system (CNS), while highlighting chalcone and heterocyclic derivatives as promising AR ligand lead compounds.

Molecular probes for the human adenosine receptors

Adenosine receptors, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are activated by the endogenous ligand adenosine, have been considered potential therapeutic targets in several disorders. To date however, only very few adenosine receptor modulators have made it to the market. Increased understanding of these receptors is required to improve the success rate of adenosine receptor drug discovery. To improve our understanding of receptor structure and function, over the past decades, a diverse array of molecular probes has been developed and applied. These probes, including radioactive or fluorescent moieties, have proven invaluable in GPCR research in general. Specifically for adenosine receptors, the development and application of covalent or reversible probes, whether radiolabeled or fluorescent, have been instrumental in the discovery of new chemical entities, the characterization and interrogation of adenosine receptor subtypes, and the study of adenosine receptor behavior in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. This review summarizes these applications, and also serves as an invitation to walk another mile to further improve probe characteristics and develop additional tags that allow the investigation of adenosine receptors and other GPCRs in even finer detail.

Design and Characterization of an Intracellular Covalent Ligand for CC Chemokine Receptor 2

Covalently acting inhibitors constitute a large and growing fraction of approved small-molecule therapeutics as well as useful tools for a variety of in vitro and in vivo applications. Here, we aimed to develop a covalent antagonist of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a class A GPCR that has been pursued as a therapeutic target in inflammation and immuno-oncology. Based on a known intracellularly binding CCR2 antagonist, several covalent derivatives were synthesized and characterized by radioligand binding and functional assays. These studies revealed compound 14 as an intracellular covalent ligand for CCR2. In silico modeling followed by site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that 14 forms a covalent bond with one of three proximal cysteine residues, which can be engaged interchangeably. To our knowledge, compound 14 represents the first covalent ligand reported for CCR2. Due to its unique properties, it may represent a promising tool for ongoing and future studies of CCR2 pharmacology.

Design and pharmacological profile of a novel covalent partial agonist for the adenosine A1 receptor

Partial agonists for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) provide opportunities for novel pharmacotherapies with enhanced on-target safety compared to full agonists. For the human adenosine A₁ receptor (hA₁AR) this has led to the discovery of capadenoson, which has been in phase IIa clinical trials for heart failure. Accordingly, the design and profiling of novel hA₁AR partial agonists has become an important research focus. In this study, we report on LUF7746, a capadenoson derivative bearing an electrophilic fluorosulfonyl moiety, as an irreversibly binding hA₁AR modulator. Meanwhile, a nonreactive ligand bearing a methylsulfonyl moiety, LUF7747, was designed as a control probe in our study. In a radioligand binding assay, LUF7746's apparent affinity increased to nanomolar range with longer pre-incubation time, suggesting an increasing level of covalent binding over time. Moreover, compared to the reference full agonist CPA, LUF7746 was a partial agonist in a hA₁AR-mediated G protein activation assay and resistant to blockade with an antagonist/inverse agonist. An in silico structure-based docking study combined with site-directed mutagenesis of the hA₁AR demonstrated that amino acid Y271^7.36 was the primary anchor point for the covalent interaction. Additionally, a label-free whole-cell assay was set up to identify LUF7746's irreversible activation of an A₁ receptor-mediated cell morphological response. These results led us to conclude that LUF7746 is a novel covalent hA₁AR partial agonist and a valuable chemical probe for further mapping the receptor activation process. It may also serve as a prototype for a therapeutic approach in which a covalent partial agonist may cause less on-target side effects, conferring enhanced safety compared to a full agonist.

Covalent Inhibition of the Histamine H3 Receptor

Covalent binding of G protein-coupled receptors by small molecules is a useful approach for better understanding of the structure and function of these proteins. We designed, synthesized and characterized a series of 6 potential covalent ligands for the histamine H₃ receptor (H₃R). Starting from a 2-amino-pyrimidine scaffold, optimization of anchor moiety and warhead followed by fine-tuning of the required reactivity via scaffold hopping resulted in the isothiocyanate H₃R ligand 44. It shows high reactivity toward glutathione combined with appropriate stability in water and reacts selectively with the cysteine sidechain in a model nonapeptide equipped with nucleophilic residues. The covalent interaction of 44 with H₃R was validated with washout experiments and leads to inverse agonism on H₃R. Irreversible binder 44 (VUF15662) may serve as a useful tool compound to stabilize the inactive H₃R conformation and to study the consequences of prolonged inhibition of the H₃R.

Chemical Probes for the Adenosine Receptors

Research on the adenosine receptors has been supported by the continuous discovery of new chemical probes characterized by more and more affinity and selectivity for the single adenosine receptor subtypes (A₁, A_2A, A_2B and A₃ adenosine receptors). Furthermore, the development of new techniques for the detection of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) requires new specific probes. In fact, if in the past radioligands were the most important GPCR probes for detection, compound screening and diagnostic purposes, nowadays, increasing importance is given to fluorescent and covalent ligands. In fact, advances in techniques such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescent polarization, as well as new applications in flow cytometry and different fluorescence-based microscopic techniques, are at the origin of the extensive research of new fluorescent ligands for these receptors. The resurgence of covalent ligands is due in part to a change in the common thinking in the medicinal chemistry community that a covalent drug is necessarily more toxic than a reversible one, and in part to the useful application of covalent ligands in GPCR structural biology. In this review, an updated collection of available chemical probes targeting adenosine receptors is reported.

Development of Covalent Ligands for G Protein-Coupled Receptors: A Case for the Human Adenosine A3 Receptor

The development of covalent ligands for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is not a trivial process. Here, we report a streamlined workflow thereto from synthesis to validation, exemplified by the discovery of a covalent antagonist for the human adenosine A₃ receptor (hA₃AR). Based on the 1 H,3 H-pyrido[2,1- f]purine-2,4-dione scaffold, a series of ligands bearing a fluorosulfonyl warhead and a varying linker was synthesized. This series was subjected to an affinity screen, revealing compound 17b as the most potent antagonist. In addition, a nonreactive methylsulfonyl derivative 19 was developed as a reversible control compound. A series of assays, comprising time-dependent affinity determination, washout experiments, and [³⁵S]GTPγS binding assays, then validated 17b as the covalent antagonist. A combined in silico hA₃AR-homology model and site-directed mutagenesis study was performed to demonstrate that amino acid residue Y265^7.36 was the unique anchor point of the covalent interaction. This workflow might be applied to other GPCRs to guide the discovery of covalent ligands.

Emerging and Re-Emerging Warheads for Targeted Covalent Inhibitors: Applications in Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs) are designed to bind poorly conserved amino acids by means of reactive groups, the so-called warheads. Currently, targeting noncatalytic cysteine residues with acrylamides and other α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is the predominant strategy in TCI development. The recent ascent of covalent drugs has stimulated considerable efforts to characterize alternative warheads for the covalent-reversible and irreversible engagement of noncatalytic cysteine residues as well as other amino acids. This Perspective article provides an overview of warheads-beyond α,β-unsaturated amides-recently used in the design of targeted covalent ligands. Promising reactive groups that have not yet demonstrated their utility in TCI development are also highlighted. Special emphasis is placed on the discussion of reactivity and of case studies illustrating applications in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology.

The integration of pharmacophore-based 3D QSAR modeling and virtual screening in safety profiling: A case study to identify antagonistic activities against adenosine receptor, A2A, using 1,897 known drugs

Safety pharmacology screening against a wide range of unintended vital targets using in vitro assays is crucial to understand off-target interactions with drug candidates. With the increasing demand for in vitro assays, ligand- and structure-based virtual screening approaches have been evaluated for potential utilization in safety profiling. Although ligand based approaches have been actively applied in retrospective analysis or prospectively within well-defined chemical space during the early discovery stage (i.e., HTS screening and lead optimization), virtual screening is rarely implemented in later stage of drug discovery (i.e., safety). Here we present a case study to evaluate ligand-based 3D QSAR models built based on in vitro antagonistic activity data against adenosine receptor 2A (A2A). The resulting models, obtained from 268 chemically diverse compounds, were used to test a set of 1,897 chemically distinct drugs, simulating the real-world challenge of safety screening when presented with novel chemistry and a limited training set. Due to the unique requirements of safety screening versus discovery screening, the limitations of 3D QSAR methods (i.e., chemotypes, dependence on large training set, and prone to false positives) are less critical than early discovery screen. We demonstrated that 3D QSAR modeling can be effectively applied in safety assessment prior to in vitro assays, even with chemotypes that are drastically different from training compounds. It is also worth noting that our model is able to adequately make the mechanistic distinction between agonists and antagonists, which is important to inform subsequent in vivo studies. Overall, we present an in-depth analysis of the appropriate utilization and interpretation of pharmacophore-based 3D QSAR models for safety screening.

An Affinity-Based Probe for the Human Adenosine A2A Receptor

Using activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), functional proteins can be interrogated in their native environment. Despite their pharmaceutical relevance, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been difficult to address through ABPP. In the current study, we took the prototypical human adenosine A_2A receptor (hA_2AR) as the starting point for the construction of a chemical toolbox allowing two-step affinity-based labeling of GPCRs. First, we equipped an irreversibly binding hA_2AR ligand with a terminal alkyne to serve as probe. We showed that our probe irreversibly and concentration-dependently labeled purified hA_2AR. Click-ligation with a sulfonated cyanine-3 fluorophore allowed us to visualize the receptor on SDS-PAGE. We further demonstrated that labeling of the purified hA_2AR by our probe could be inhibited by selective antagonists. Lastly, we showed successful labeling of the receptor in cell membranes overexpressing hA_2AR, making our probe a promising affinity-based tool compound that sets the stage for the further development of probes for GPCRs.

Covalent Allosteric Probe for the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 2: Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Characterization

Covalent labeling of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by small molecules is a powerful approach to understand binding modes, mechanism of action, pharmacology, and even facilitate structure elucidation. We report the first covalent positive allosteric modulator (PAM) for a class C GPCR, the mGlu₂ receptor. Three putatively covalent mGlu₂ PAMs were designed and synthesized. Pharmacological characterization identified 2 to bind the receptor covalently. Computational modeling combined with receptor mutagenesis revealed T791^7.29×30 as the likely position of covalent interaction. We show how this covalent ligand can be used to characterize the PAM binding mode and that it is a valuable tool compound in studying receptor function and binding kinetics. Our findings advance the understanding of the mGlu₂ PAM interaction and suggest that 2 is a valuable probe for further structural and chemical biology approaches.

Kinetics of human cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor antagonists: Structure-kinetics relationships (SKR) and implications for insurmountable antagonism

While equilibrium binding affinities and in vitro functional antagonism of CB1 receptor antagonists have been studied in detail, little is known on the kinetics of their receptor interaction. In this study, we therefore conducted kinetic assays for nine 1-(4,5-diarylthiophene-2-carbonyl)-4-phenylpiperidine-4-carboxamide derivatives and included the CB1 antagonist rimonabant as a comparison. For this we newly developed a dual-point competition association assay with [³H]CP55940 as the radioligand. This assay yielded Kinetic Rate Index (KRI) values from which structure-kinetics relationships (SKR) of hCB1 receptor antagonists could be established. The fast dissociating antagonist 6 had a similar receptor residence time (RT) as rimonabant, i.e. 19 and 14 min, respectively, while the slowest dissociating antagonist (9) had a very long RT of 2222 min, i.e. pseudo-irreversible dissociation kinetics. In functional assays, 9 displayed insurmountable antagonism, while the effects of the shortest RT antagonist 6 and rimonabant were surmountable. Taken together, this study shows that hCB1 receptor antagonists can have very divergent RTs, which are not correlated to their equilibrium affinities. Furthermore, their RTs appear to define their mode of functional antagonism, i.e. surmountable vs. insurmountable. Finally, based on the recently resolved hCB1 receptor crystal structure, we propose that the differences in RT can be explained by a different binding mode of antagonist 9 from short RT antagonists that is able to displace unfavorable water molecules. Taken together, these findings are of importance for future design and evaluation of potent and safe hCB1 receptor antagonists.