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Doering SR, Freeman K, Debevec G, Geer P, Santos RG, Lavoi TM, Giulianotti MA, Pinilla C, Appel JR, Houghten RA, Ericson MD, Haskell-Luevano C. Discovery of Nanomolar Melanocortin-3 Receptor (MC3R)-Selective Small Molecule Pyrrolidine Bis-Cyclic Guanidine Agonist Compounds Via a High-Throughput "Unbiased" Screening Campaign. J Med Chem 2021; 64:5577-5592. [PMID: 33886285 PMCID: PMC8552302 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The central melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors (MC3R, MC4R) are key regulators of body weight and energy homeostasis. Herein, the discovery and characterization of first-in-class small molecule melanocortin agonists with selectivity for the melanocortin-3 receptor over the melanocortin-4 receptor are reported. Identified via "unbiased" mixture-based high-throughput screening approaches, pharmacological evaluation of these pyrrolidine bis-cyclic guanidines resulted in nanomolar agonist activity at the melanocortin-3 receptor. The pharmacological profiles at the remaining melanocortin receptor subtypes tested indicated similar agonist potencies at both the melanocortin-1 and melanocortin-5 receptors and antagonist or micromolar agonist activities at the melanocortin-4 receptor. This group of small molecules represents a new area of chemical space for the melanocortin receptors with mixed receptor pharmacology profiles that may serve as novel lead compounds to modulate states of dysregulated energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye R Doering
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Katie Freeman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ginamarie Debevec
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Phaedra Geer
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Radleigh G Santos
- Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314, United States
| | - Travis M Lavoi
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Marc A Giulianotti
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Clemencia Pinilla
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Jon R Appel
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Richard A Houghten
- Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34987, United States
| | - Mark D Ericson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Carrie Haskell-Luevano
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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Palmer D, Gonçalves JPL, V Hansen L, Wu B, Hald H, Schoffelen S, Diness F, Le Quement ST, Nielsen TE, Meldal M. Click-Chemistry-Mediated Synthesis of Selective Melanocortin Receptor 4 Agonists. J Med Chem 2017; 60:8716-8730. [PMID: 28972753 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) subtype of the melanocortin receptor family is a target for therapeutics to ameliorate metabolic dysfunction. Endogenous MC4R agonists possess a critical pharmacophore (HFRW), and cyclization of peptide agonists often enhances potency. Thus, 17 cyclized peptides were synthesized by solid phase click chemistry to develop novel, potent, selective MC4R agonists. Using cAMP measurements and a transcriptional reporter assay, we observed that several constrained agonists generated by a cycloaddition reaction displayed high selectivity (223- to 467-fold) toward MC4R over MC3R and MC5R receptor subtypes without compromising agonist potency. Significant variation was also observed between the EC50 values for the two assays, with robust levels of reporter expression measured at lower concentrations than those effecting appreciable increases in cAMP levels for the majority of the compounds tested. Collectively, we characterized significant elements that modulate the activity of the core pharmacophore for MC4R and provide a rationale for careful assay selection for agonist screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Palmer
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Juliana P L Gonçalves
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise V Hansen
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Boqian Wu
- Aquaporin A/S , Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Helle Hald
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sanne Schoffelen
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Frederik Diness
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Thomas E Nielsen
- Protein & Peptide Chemistry, Novo Nordisk A/S , Novo Nordisk Park, 2760 Måløv, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen , Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University , 60 Nanyang Drive, SG 637551, Singapore
| | - Morten Meldal
- CECB, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ericson MD, Lensing CJ, Fleming KA, Schlasner KN, Doering SR, Haskell-Luevano C. Bench-top to clinical therapies: A review of melanocortin ligands from 1954 to 2016. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1863:2414-2435. [PMID: 28363699 PMCID: PMC5600687 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of the endogenous melanocortin agonists in the 1950s have resulted in sixty years of melanocortin ligand research. Early efforts involved truncations or select modifications of the naturally occurring agonists leading to the development of many potent and selective ligands. With the identification and cloning of the five known melanocortin receptors, many ligands were improved upon through bench-top in vitro assays. Optimization of select properties resulted in ligands adopted as clinical candidates. A summary of every melanocortin ligand is outside the scope of this review. Instead, this review will focus on the following topics: classic melanocortin ligands, selective ligands, small molecule (non-peptide) ligands, ligands with sex-specific effects, bivalent and multivalent ligands, and ligands advanced to clinical trials. Each topic area will be summarized with current references to update the melanocortin field on recent progress. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Melanocortin Receptors - edited by Ya-Xiong Tao.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Ericson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Cody J Lensing
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Katlyn A Fleming
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Katherine N Schlasner
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Skye R Doering
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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