2(1H)-quinolinone derivatives as novel anti-arteriostenotic agents showing anti-thrombotic and anti-hyperplastic activities

Asymmetric Amination of meso-Epoxide with Vegetable Powder as a Low-Toxicity Catalyst

This paper describes the scope and limitation of substrates subjected to asymmetric amination with epoxides catalyzed by a soluble soybean polysaccharide (Soyafibe S-DN), which we recently discovered from the reaction of 1,2-epoxycyclohexane with cyclopropylamine. Various meso-epoxides reacted with various amines afforded the corresponding products with good enantiomeric selectivity. Since it was found that pectin was found to have a catalytic ability after screening commercially available polysaccharides, we studied 33 different vegetable powders having pectic substances, and we found that many vegetable powders showed catalytic ability. These results should guide in using vegetable components as low-toxic catalysts for the production of pharmaceuticals.

Intramolecular cyclization of diarylmethanols and α,β-unsaturated amides promoted by KOt-Bu/DMF: a metal-free approach towards 3,4-disubstituted quinolinones

A facile synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted quinolinones had been developed via KOt-Bu/DMF promoted intramolecular addition of diarylmethanols to α,β-unsaturated amides.

Phosphodiesterases as targets for intermittent claudication

Intermittent claudication (IC) is one of the most frequent forms of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is most commonly caused by arterial atherosclerosis. Its clinical manifestation includes fatigue, discomfort, or pain occurring in limb muscles due to exercise-induced ischemia, thus limiting the ability of IC patients to walk and exercise. In addition to lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and smoking cessation), pharmacological treatments are needed. Pathologically, atherosclerotic lesions cause a mismatch in oxygen supply and metabolic demand in the leg muscles during walking/exercise. This subjects the muscles to repeated ischemia and reperfusion injury that can alter structure and oxidative metabolism, resulting in insufficient utilization of oxygen supply. Despite extensive research efforts, cilostazol and pentoxifylline are the only drugs indicated for relieving the symptoms of IC, with cilostazol demonstrating significant improvement in walking distance and quality of life in these patients. Originally developed as a PDE3 inhibitor, cilostazol was later found to have several other pharmacological actions, and its success has been attributed to its multifactorial actions on platelets, endothelium, smooth muscle, and lipid profiles. Using cilostazol as an example, we discuss the rationales and pitfalls of targeting PDEs in IC, and potential strategies for the development of new and more effective pharmacological treatments.

Design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 6-hydroxy-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one derivatives as inotropic agents

Selective PDE3 inhibitors improve cardiac contractility and may be used in congestive heart failure. However, their proarrhythmic potential is the most important side effect. In this research we designed, synthesized and evaluated the potential cardiotonic activity of thirteen PDE3 inhibitors (4-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-6-quinolinyl)oxy]butanamide analogs) using the spontaneously beating atria model. The design strategy was based on the structure of cilostamide, a selective PDE3 inhibitor. In each experiment, atrium of reserpine-treated rat was isolated and the contractile and chronotropic effects of a synthetic compounds were assessed. All experiments were carried out in comparison with IBMX, amrinone and cilostamide as standard compounds. The results showed that, among the new compounds, the best pharmacological profile was obtained with the compound 6-[4-(4-methylpiperazine-1-yl)-4-oxobutoxy]-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one, 4j, which displayed selectivity for increasing the force of contraction (165 +/- 4% change over the control) rather than the frequency rate (115 +/- 7% change over the control) at 100 microM and potent inhibitory activity of PDE3 with IC(50) = 0.20 microM.

Effects of cilostazol and k-134 on reconstructive surgery using prosthetic grafts in the abdominal aorta of beagle dogs

Problems associated with prosthetic graft replacement are stenosis at the anastomosis site and thrombus formation on the inner surface. Cilostazol is known to have antiplatelet activity and inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointima thickening. A cilostazol derivative, (-)-6-[3-[3-cyclopropyl-3-[(1R,2R)-2-hydroxycyclohexyl]ureido]-propoxy]-2-(1H)-quinolinone (K-134), has more potent anti-platelet activity and anti-neointimal thickening activity than cilostazol in the in-vitro platelet aggregation and in-vivo anti-hyperplastic activity assay. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of cilostazol and K-134 on thrombus formation and neointimal thickening at the site of prosthetic graft replacement. Beagle dogs underwent infrarenal abdominal aortic resection with straight Dacron graft replacement, which were allocated to the control, cilostazol, and K-134 groups. Two dogs were dead without confirming the cause of death. After 6 months, all dogs were necropsied. All prosthetic grafts were patent in each group. Ratios of red thrombus to prosthetic graft area were 0.3+/-6.4%, and 3.3+/-4.5% in the cilostazol and K-134 groups, respectively, which were significant different from that in the control group (24.4+/-16.8%). However, no clear difference was seen among the 3 groups with respect to neointimal thickness (control group, 0.70+/-0.13 mm; cilostazol group, 0.59+/-0.14 mm; K-134 group, 0.67+/-0.14 mm). Cilostazol and K-134 significantly inhibited thrombus formation on the inner surface of the prosthetic graft at 6 months after graft replacement. Neointimal thickening on the inner surface was slight even in control-group animals, and the effects of cilostazol and K-134 on such thickening were unclear.

Investigation of binding proteins for anti-platelet agent K-134 by Drug-Western method

K-134 ((-)-6-[3-[3-cyclopropyl-3-[(1R, 2R)-2-hydroxycyclohexyl]ureido]-propoxy]-2(1H)-quinolinone) is a novel anti-platelet agent with anti-hyperplastic activities. We found previously that K-134 is a potent phosphodiesterase-3 (PDE3) inhibitor. In the present study, we found other K-134-binding proteins by Drug-Western method. We isolated two clones that can bind directly to K-134, cofilin-2, and CD36 in vitro. Comparison of their amino acid sequences showed similarity over a short stretch [KxxxxVxIxWxxE] in part in the collagen-binding region of CD36. K-134 inhibited binding between CD36 and collagen type-I; however, other PDE3 inhibitors, cilostazol, amrinone, and an inactive derivative of K-134, 4S-OH-K-134, showed little or no effect on binding. It was strongly suggested that the direct binding between K-134 and CD36 is a characteristic effect of K-134, and the homologous stretch may be necessary for binding to K-134. These results also suggested that these interactions are involved in the mechanisms of the anti-platelet and anti-hyperplastic effects of K-134.

Resolution of Racemic 2-Aminocyclohexanol Derivatives and Their Application as Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis

A preparatively easy and efficient protocol for the resolution of racemic 2-aminocyclohexanol derivatives is described, delivering both enantiomers with >99% enantiomeric excess (ee) by sequential use of (R)- and (S)-mandelic acid. A simple aqueous workup procedure permits the isolation of the amino alcohols in analytically pure form and the almost quantitative recovery of mandelic acid. Debenzylation of enantiopure trans-2-(N-benzyl)amino-1-cyclohexanol by hydrogenation and subsequent derivatization give access to a broad variety of diversely substituted derivatives. Furthermore, the corresponding cis isomers are readily available. Applications of these optically active aminocyclohexanols in catalyzed asymmetric phenyl transfer reactions to benzaldehydes and transfer hydrogenations of aryl ketones lead to products with up to 96% ee.

Potent effects of novel anti-platelet aggregatory cilostamide analogues on recombinant cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozyme activity

The inhibitory potential of novel anti-platelet aggregatory cilostamide analogues on phosphodiesterase (PDE) isozyme activities was investigated with recombinant PDE isozymes expressed in a baculovirus/ Sf9 expression system. The recombinant enzymes (PDE1-PDE5 and PDE7) showed Km values and sensitivities to selective inhibitors similar to those reported previously for native enzymes purified from tissues. The cyclooctylurea derivative OPC-33540 (6-[3-[3-cyclooctyl-3-[(1R*,2R*)-2-hydroxycyclohexyl]ureido]-propoxy]-2(1H)-quinolinone) inhibited recombinant PDE3A (IC50 = 0.32 nM) more potently and selectively than the classical PDE3 inhibitors cilostamide, cilostazol, milrinone, and amrinone. The cyclopropylurea derivative OPC-33509 [(-)-6-[3-[3-cyclopropyl-3-[(1R,2R)-2-hydroxycyclohexyl]ureido]-propoxy]-2(1H)-quinolinone] was less potent (IC50 = 0.10 microM) than OPC-33540, demonstrating that the cyclooctyl moiety was important for a potent inhibitory effect. In platelets, OPC-33540 potentiated cyclic AMP accumulation concentration-dependently in both the absence and the presence of 3 nM prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (doubling concentrations: 32.5 and 6.2 nM, respectively). OPC-33540 inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation potently (Ic50 = 27.8 nM). The anti-platelet aggregation effect also was stimulated in the presence of 3 nM PGE1 (IC50 = 6.0 nM). There was a good correlation between the IC50 values of PDE3 inhibitors in this study for recombinant PDE3A activity and their IC50 values for thrombin-induced platelet aggregation (r = 0.998). These data demonstrated that OPC-33540 is a highly selective and potent PDE3 inhibitor and a useful probe for identification of the intracellular functions of PDE3.