Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 2-(phenoxyaryl)-3-urea derivatives as novel P2Y1 receptor antagonists

Comprehensive insights into potential roles of purinergic P2 receptors on diseases: Signaling pathways involved and potential therapeutics

BACKGROUND

Purinergic P2 receptors, which can be divided into ionotropic P2X receptors and metabotropic P2Y receptors, mediate cellular signal transduction of purine or pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates and diphosphate. Based on the wide expression of purinergic P2 receptors in tissues and organs, their significance in homeostatic maintenance, metabolism, nociceptive transmission, and other physiological processes is becoming increasingly evident, suggesting that targeting purinergic P2 receptors to regulate biological functions and signal transmission holds significant promise for disease treatment.

AIM OF REVIEW

This review highlights the detailed mechanisms by which purinergic P2 receptors engage in physiological and pathological progress, as well as providing prospective strategies for discovering clinical drug candidates.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

The purinergic P2 receptors regulate complex signaling and molecular mechanisms in nervous system, digestive system, immune system and as a result, controlling physical health states and disease progression. There has been a significant rise in research and development focused on purinergic P2 receptors, contributing to an increased number of drug candidates in clinical trials. A few influential pioneers have laid the foundation for advancements in the evaluation, development, and of novel purinergic P2 receptors modulators, including agonists, antagonists, pharmaceutical compositions and combination strategies, despite the different scaffolds of these drug candidates. These advancements hold great potential for improving therapeutic outcomes by specifically targeting purinergic P2 receptors.

Synthesis, structure-activity relationships and biological evaluation of benzimidazole derived sulfonylurea analogues as a new class of antagonists of P2Y1 receptor

The P2Y receptors are responsible for the regulation of various physiological processes including neurotransmission and inflammatory responses. These receptors are also considered as novel potential therapeutic targets for prevention and treatment of thrombosis, neurological disorders, pain, cardiac diseases and cancer. Previously, number of P2Y receptor antagonists has been investigated but they are less potent and non-selective with poor solubility profile. Herein, we present the synthesis of new class of benzimidazole derived sulfonylureas (1a-y) as potent antagonists of P2Y receptors, with the specific aim to explore selective antagonists of P2Y1 receptors. The efficacy and selectivity of the synthesized derivatives 1) against four P2Y receptors i.e., t-P2Y1, h-P2Y2, h-P2Y4, and r-P2Y6Rs was carried out by calcium mobilization assay. The results revealed that except 1b, 1d, 1l, 1m, 1o, 1u, 1v, 1w, and 1y, rest of the synthesized derivatives exhibited moderate to excellent inhibitory potential against P2Y1 receptors. Among the potent antagonists, derivative 1h depicted the maximum inhibition of P2Y1 receptor in calcium signalling assay, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.19 ± 0.04 µM. The potential of inhibition was validated by computational investigations where bonding and non-bonding interactions between ligand and targeted receptor further strengthen the study. The best identified derivative 1h revealed the same binding mechanism as that of already reported selective antagonist of P2Y1 receptor i.e (1-(2- (2-tert-butyl-phenoxy) pyridin-3-yl)-3-4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylurea but the newly synthesized derivative exhibited better solubility profile. Hence, this derivative can be used as lead candidate for the synthesis of more potential antagonist with much better solubility profile and medicinal importance.

Terminal Phenoxy Group as a Privileged Moiety of the Drug Scaffold—A Short Review of Most Recent Studies 2013–2022

The terminal phenoxy group is a moiety of many drugs in use today. Numerous literature reports indicated its crucial importance for biological activity; thus, it is a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry. This review focuses on the latest achievements in the field of novel potential agents bearing a terminal phenoxy group in 2013–2022. The article provided information on neurological, anticancer, potential lymphoma agent, anti-HIV, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, analgesic, anti-diabetic as well as larvicidal, cholesterol esterase inhibitors, and antithrombotic or agonistic activities towards the adrenergic receptor. Additionally, for selected agents, the Structure–Activity–Relationship (SAR) is also discussed. Thus, this study may help the readers to better understand the nature of the phenoxy group, which will translate into rational drug design and the development of a more efficient drug. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review devoted to an in-depth analysis of the various activities of compounds bearing terminal phenoxy moiety.

Purinergic receptors modulators: An emerging pharmacological tool for disease management

Purinergic signaling is mediated through extracellular nucleotides (adenosine 5'-triphosphate, uridine-5'-triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, uridine-5'-diphosphate, and adenosine) that serve as signaling molecules. In the early 1990s, purines and pyrimidine receptors were cloned and characterized drawing the attention of scientists toward this aspect of cellular signaling. This signaling pathway is comprised of four subtypes of adenosine receptors (P1), eight subtypes of G-coupled protein receptors (P2YRs), and seven subtypes of ligand-gated ionotropic receptors (P2XRs). In current studies, the pathophysiology and therapeutic potentials of these receptors have been focused on. Various ligands, modulating the functions of purinergic receptors, are in current clinical practices for the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, several purinergic receptors ligands are in advanced phases of clinical trials as a remedy for depression, epilepsy, autism, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and cancers. In the present study, agonists and antagonists of purinergic receptors have been summarized that may serve as pharmacological tools for drug design and development.

Novel benzothiazole‒urea hybrids: Design, synthesis and biological activity as potent anti-bacterial agents against MRSA

Novel benzothiazole‒urea hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated their anti-bacterial activity. They only exhibited anti-bacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), compounds 5f, 5i, 8e, 8k and 8l exhibited potent activity (MIC = 0.39 and 0.39/0.78 μM against SA and MRSA, respectively). Crystal violet assay showed that compounds 5f, 8e and 8l not only inhibited the formation of biofilms but also eradicated preformed biofilms. Compound 8l had membrane disruption, little propensity to induce resistance, benign safety and in vivo anti-MRSA efficacy in a mouse model of abdominal infection. Therefore, our data demonstrated the potential to advance benzothiazole‒urea hybrids as a new class of antibiotics.

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of indomethacin derived thioureas as purinergic (P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4, and P2Y6) receptor antagonists

G-protein-coupled receptors for extracellular nucleotides are known as P2Y receptors and are made up of eight members that are encoded by distinct genes and can be classified into two classes based on their affinity for specific G-proteins. P2Y receptor modulators have been studied extensively, but only a few small-molecule P2Y receptor antagonists have been discovered so far and approved by drug agencies. Derivatives of indole carboxamide have been identified as P2Y₁₂ and P2X₇ antagonist, as a result, we developed and tested a series of indole derivatives4a-lhaving thiourea moiety as P2Y receptor antagonist by using a fluorescence-based assay to measure the inhibition of intracellular calcium release in 1321N1 astrocytoma cells that had been stably transfected with the P2Y₁, P2Y₂, P2Y₄ and P2Y₆ receptors. Most of the compounds exhibited moderate to excellent inhibition activity against P2Y₁ receptor subtype. The series most potent compound, 4h exhibited an IC₅₀ value of 0.36 ± 0.01 µM selectivity against other subtypes of P2Y receptor. To investigate the ligand-receptor interactions, the molecular docking studies were carried out. Compound 4h is the most potent P2Y₁ receptor antagonist due to interaction with an important amino acid residue Pro105, in addition to Ile108, Phe119, and Leu102.

Diarylureas: Repositioning from Antitumor to Antimicrobials or Multi-Target Agents against New Pandemics

Antimicrobials have allowed medical advancements over several decades. However, the continuous emergence of antimicrobial resistance restricts efficacy in treating infectious diseases. In this context, the drug repositioning of already known biological active compounds to antimicrobials could represent a useful strategy. In 2002 and 2003, the SARS-CoV pandemic immobilized the Far East regions. However, the drug discovery attempts to study the virus have stopped after the crisis declined. Today’s COVID-19 pandemic could probably have been avoided if those efforts against SARS-CoV had continued. Recently, a new coronavirus variant was identified in the UK. Because of this, the search for safe and potent antimicrobials and antivirals is urgent. Apart from antiviral treatment for severe cases of COVID-19, many patients with mild disease without pneumonia or moderate disease with pneumonia have received different classes of antibiotics. Diarylureas are tyrosine kinase inhibitors well known in the art as anticancer agents, which might be useful tools for a reposition as antimicrobials. The first to come onto the market as anticancer was sorafenib, followed by some other active molecules. For this interesting class of organic compounds antimicrobial, antiviral, antithrombotic, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported in the literature. These numerous properties make these compounds interesting for a new possible pandemic considering that, as well as for other viral infections also for CoVID-19, a multitarget therapeutic strategy could be favorable. This review is meant to be an overview on diarylureas, focusing on their biological activities, not dwelling on the already known antitumor activity. Quite a lot of papers present in the literature underline and highlight the importance of these molecules as versatile scaffolds for the development of new and promising antimicrobials and multitarget agents against new pandemic events.

Update of P2Y receptor pharmacology: IUPHAR Review 27

Eight G protein-coupled P2Y receptor subtypes respond to extracellular adenine and uracil mononucleotides and dinucleotides. P2Y receptors belong to the δ group of rhodopsin-like GPCRs and contain two structurally distinct subfamilies: P2Y₁ , P2Y₂ , P2Y₄ , P2Y₆ , and P2Y₁₁ (principally G_q protein-coupled P2Y₁ -like) and P2Y_12-14 (principally G_i protein-coupled P2Y₁₂ -like) receptors. Brain P2Y receptors occur in neurons, glial cells, and vasculature. Endothelial P2Y₁ , P2Y₂ , P2Y₄ , and P2Y₆ receptors induce vasodilation, while smooth muscle P2Y₂ , P2Y₄ , and P2Y₆ receptor activation leads to vasoconstriction. Pancreatic P2Y₁ and P2Y₆ receptors stimulate while P2Y₁₃ receptors inhibits insulin secretion. Antagonists of P2Y₁₂ receptors, and potentially P2Y₁ receptors, are anti-thrombotic agents, and a P2Y₂ /P2Y₄ receptor agonist treats dry eye syndrome in Asia. P2Y receptor agonists are generally pro-inflammatory, and antagonists may eventually treat inflammatory conditions. This article reviews recent developments in P2Y receptor pharmacology (using synthetic agonists and antagonists), structure and biophysical properties (using X-ray crystallography, mutagenesis and modelling), physiological and pathophysiological roles, and present and potentially future therapeutic targeting.

Pharmacology of P2Y receptors

P2Y receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for extracellular nucleotides. There are eight mammalian P2Y receptor subtypes divided into two subgroups (P2Y₁, P2Y₂, P2Y₄, P2Y₆, and P2Y₁₁) and (P2Y₁₂, P2Y₁₃, and P2Y₁₄). The P2Y receptors are expressed in various cell types and play important roles in physiology and pathophysiology including inflammatory responses and neuropathic pain. The antagonism of P2Y₁₂ receptors is used in pharmacotherapy for the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular events. The nucleoside analogue ticagrelor and active metabolites of the thienopyridine compounds ticlopidine, clopidogrel and prasugrel inhibit platelet P2Y₁₂ receptors and reduce thereby platelet aggregation. The P2Y₂ receptor agonist diquafosol is used for the treatment of the dry eye syndrome. The P2Y receptor subtypes differ in their amino acid sequences, their pharmacological profiles and their signaling transduction pathways. Recently, selective receptor ligands have been developed for all subtypes. The published crystal structures of the human P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptors as well as receptor models will facilitate the development of novel drugs for pharmacotherapy.