1
|
Rudd MT, Manley PJ, Hanney B, Meng Z, Shu Y, de Leon P, Frie JL, Han Y, Wai JMC, Yang ZQ, Perkins JJ, Hurzy DM, Manikowski JJ, Zhu H, Bungard CJ, Converso A, Meissner RS, Cosden ML, Hayashi I, Ma L, O’Brien J, Uebele VN, Schachter JB, Bhandari N, Ward GJ, Fillgrove KL, Lu B, Liang Y, Dubost DC, Puri V, Eddins DM, Vardigan JD, Drolet RE, Kern JT, Uslaner JM. Discovery of MK-8768, a Potent and Selective mGluR2 Negative Allosteric Modulator. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1088-1094. [PMID: 37583812 PMCID: PMC10424309 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate plays a key role in cognition and mood, and it has been shown that inhibiting ionotropic glutamate receptors disrupts cognition, while enhancing ionotropic receptor activity is pro-cognitive. One approach to elevating glutamatergic tone has been to antagonize presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2). A desire for selectivity over the largely homologous mGluR3 motivated a strategy to achieve selectivity through the identification of mGluR2 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs). Extensive screening and optimization efforts led to the identification of a novel series of 4-arylquinoline-2-carboxamides. This series was optimized for mGluR2 NAM potency, clean off-target activity, and desirable physical properties, which resulted in the identification of improved C4 and C7 substituents. The initial lead compound from this series was Ames-positive in a single strain with metabolic activation, indicating that a reactive metabolite was likely responsible for the genetic toxicity. Metabolic profiling and Ames assessment across multiple analogs identified key structure-activity relationships associated with Ames positivity. Further optimization led to the Ames-negative mGluR2 negative allosteric modulator MK-8768.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael T. Rudd
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Peter J. Manley
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Barbara Hanney
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Zhaoyang Meng
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Youheng Shu
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Pablo de Leon
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jessica L. Frie
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Yongxin Han
- External
Discovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jenny Miu-Chun Wai
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Zhi-Qiang Yang
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - James J. Perkins
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Danielle M. Hurzy
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jesse J. Manikowski
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Hong Zhu
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Christopher J. Bungard
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Antonella Converso
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Robert S. Meissner
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Mali L. Cosden
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Ikuo Hayashi
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Lei Ma
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Julie O’Brien
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Victor N. Uebele
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Joel B. Schachter
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Neetesh Bhandari
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Gwendolyn J. Ward
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Kerry L. Fillgrove
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Bing Lu
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Yuexia Liang
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - David C. Dubost
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Vanita Puri
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Donnie M. Eddins
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Joshua D. Vardigan
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Robert E. Drolet
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jonathan T. Kern
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jason M. Uslaner
- Departments
of Discovery Chemistry, Neuroscience Biology Discovery, Pharmacology, Nonclinical Dug
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences, and In Vivo Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Dogra S, Stansley BJ, Xiang Z, Qian W, Gogliotti RG, Nicoletti F, Lindsley CW, Niswender CM, Joffe ME, Conn PJ. Activating mGlu 3 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Rescues Schizophrenia-like Cognitive Deficits Through Metaplastic Adaptations Within the Hippocampus. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:385-398. [PMID: 33965197 PMCID: PMC8403106 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polymorphisms in GRM3, the gene encoding the mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptor, are associated with impaired cognition and neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Limited availability of selective genetic and molecular tools has hindered progress in developing a clear understanding of the mechanisms through which mGlu3 receptors regulate synaptic plasticity and cognition. METHODS We examined associative learning in mice with trace fear conditioning, a hippocampal-dependent learning task disrupted in patients with schizophrenia. Underlying cellular mechanisms were assessed using ex vivo hippocampal slice preparations with selective pharmacological tools and selective genetic deletion of mGlu3 receptor expression in specific neuronal subpopulations. RESULTS mGlu3 receptor activation enhanced trace fear conditioning and reversed deficits induced by subchronic phencyclidine. Mechanistic studies revealed that mGlu3 receptor activation induced metaplastic changes, biasing afferent stimulation to induce long-term potentiation through an mGlu5 receptor-dependent, endocannabinoid-mediated, disinhibitory mechanism. Selective genetic deletion of either mGlu3 or mGlu5 from hippocampal pyramidal cells eliminated effects of mGlu3 activation, revealing a novel mechanism by which mGlu3 and mGlu5 interact to enhance cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that activation of mGlu3 receptors in hippocampal pyramidal cells enhances hippocampal-dependent cognition in control and impaired mice by inducing a novel form of metaplasticity to regulate circuit function, providing a clear mechanism through which genetic variation in GRM3 can contribute to cognitive deficits. Developing approaches to positively modulate mGlu3 receptor function represents an encouraging new avenue for treating cognitive disruption in schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Dogra
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Branden J. Stansley
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Zixiu Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Weilun Qian
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Rocco G. Gogliotti
- Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience Department, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza of Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Craig W. Lindsley
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA,Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Colleen M. Niswender
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Max E. Joffe
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA,Correspondence to: Max E. Joffe, Ph.D., Research Instructor, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, 12475E MRB4, Nashville, TN 37232-0697, Tel. (615) 322-6730, Fax. (615) 343-3088, , Twitter: @mejoffe; P. Jeffrey Conn, Ph.D., Lee E. Limbird Professor of Pharmacology, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, 1205 Light Hall, Nashville, TN 37232-0697, Tel. (615) 936-2478, Fax. (615) 343-3088,
| | - P. Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Correspondence to: Max E. Joffe, Ph.D., Research Instructor, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, 12475E MRB4, Nashville, TN 37232-0697, Tel. (615) 322-6730, Fax. (615) 343-3088, , Twitter: @mejoffe; P. Jeffrey Conn, Ph.D., Lee E. Limbird Professor of Pharmacology, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, 1205 Light Hall, Nashville, TN 37232-0697, Tel. (615) 936-2478, Fax. (615) 343-3088,
| |
Collapse
|