Pyridazinone derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory agents: synthesis and biological evaluation as PDE4 inhibitors

Diverse Pharmacological Potential of Pyridazine Analogs against Various Diseases

Pyridazinone analogs possess diverse types of pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihypertensive, antisecretory, antiulcer, and other useful pharmacological activities. They also possess cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase inhibitors, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, glutamate transporter activators, adenosine receptor antagonists, serotonin receptors antagonists, lipooxygenase, cholinesterase, vasodilator, and anesthetics. Pyridazine rings are the essential structure for some marketed drugs, such as pimobendan, levosimendan as a cardiotonic drug, and emorfozan as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) agent. So, researchers all over the world have paid attention to synthesizing various pyridazinone compounds mainly due to the ease of design and synthesis of different analogs and variables in the pharmacological responses. This review article focuses on the pharmacological activities of different pyridazine analogs.

One-Pot Synthesis of Polycyclic 4,5-Dihydropyridazine-3(2H)-ones by Inverse Electron-Demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) Reactions from Alkenes

In the classical Inverse Electron-Demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reactions between alkenes and tetrazines, 4,5-dihydropyridazines are formed. 4,5-Dihydropyridazines are rapidly converted to the more energetically stable 1,4-dihydropyridazines by 1,3-prototropic isomerization. In this study, instead of 1,4-dihydropyridazines, 4,5-dihydropyridazine-3(2H)-ones were obtained as a result of IEDDA reactions between tetrazines with leaving groups at the 3,6-positions, and norbornene and barrelene-derived polycyclic alkenes in the presence of moisture in air or solvent. To show that this new method works not only on strained polycyclic alkenes but also on monocyclic and linear alkenes, the corresponding 4,5-dihydropyridazine-3(2H)-ones were obtained in high yields from the reactions performed with styrene and cyclopentene as well. The chemical structures of the polycyclic 4,5-dihydropyridazine-3(2H)-ones were determined by NMR and HRMS analyses. In addition, the exact structures of the polycyclic 4,5-dihydropyridazine-3(2H)-ones were also experimentally proven by converting them to pyridazine-3(2H)-ones known in the literature.

PDE4 Inhibitors: Profiling Hits through the Multitude of Structural Classes

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases 4 (PDE4) are a family of enzymes which specifically promote the hydrolysis and degradation of cAMP. The inhibition of PDE4 enzymes has been widely investigated as a possible alternative strategy for the treatment of a variety of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, as well as psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders. In this context, the identification of new molecules as PDE4 inhibitors continues to be an active field of investigation within drug discovery. This review summarizes the medicinal chemistry journey in the design and development of effective PDE4 inhibitors, analyzed through chemical classes and taking into consideration structural aspects and binding properties, as well as inhibitory efficacy, PDE4 selectivity and the potential as therapeutic agents.

PDE4 inhibitors for disease therapy: advances and future perspective

The PDE4 enzyme family is specifically responsible for hydrolyzing cAMP and plays a vital role in regulating the balance of second messengers. As a crucial regulator in signal transduction, PDE4 has displayed promising pharmacological targets in a variety of diseases, for which its inhibitors have been used as a therapeutic strategy. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the development of PDE4 inhibitors in the past few years, along with the structure, clinical and research progress of multiple inhibitors of PDE4, focusing on the research and development strategies of PDE4 inhibitors. We hope our analysis will provide a significant reference for the future development of new PDE4 inhibitors.

Revisiting the Sweet Taste Receptor T1R2-T1R3 through Molecular Dynamics Simulations Coupled with a Noncovalent Interactions Analysis

It is nowadays widely accepted that sweet taste perception is elicited by the activation of the heterodimeric complex T1R2-T1R3, customarily known as sweet taste receptor (STR). However, the interplay between STR and sweeteners has not yet been fully clarified. Here through a methodology coupling molecular dynamics and the independent gradient model (igm) approach we determine the main interacting signatures of the closed (active) conformation of the T1R2 Venus flytrap domain (VFD) toward aspartame. The igm methodology provides a rapid and reliable quantification of noncovalent interactions through a score (Δg^inter) based on the attenuation of the electronic density gradient when two molecular fragments approach each other. Herein, this approach is coupled to a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation (MD-igm) to explore the ligand-cavity contacts on a per-residue basis as well as a series of key inter-residue interactions that stabilize the closed form of VFD. We also apply an atomic decomposition scheme of noncovalent interactions to quantify the contribution of the ligand segments to the noncovalent interplay. Finally, a series of structural modification on aspartame are conducted in order to obtain guidelines for the rational design of novel sweeteners. Given that innovative methodologies to reliably quantify the extent of ligand-protein coupling are strongly demanded, this approach combining a noncovalent analysis and MD simulations represents a valuable contribution, that can be easily applied to other relevant biomolecular systems.

The regulatory role of PDE4B in the progression of inflammatory function study

Inflammation is a response of the body to external stimuli (eg. chemical irritants, bacteria, viruses, etc.), and when the stimuli are persistent, they tend to trigger chronic inflammation. The presence of chronic inflammation is an important component of the tumor microenvironment produced by a variety of inflammatory cells (eg. macrophages, neutrophils, leukocytes, etc.). The relationship between chronic inflammation and cancer development has been widely accepted, and chronic inflammation has been associated with the development of many cancers, including chronic bronchitis and lung cancer, cystitis inducing bladder cancer. Moreover, chronic colorectitis is more likely to develop into colorectal cancer. Therefore, the specific relationship and cellular mechanisms between inflammation and cancer are a hot topic of research. Recent studies have identified phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B), a member of the phosphodiesterase (PDEs) protein family, as a major cyclic AMP (cAMP) metabolizing enzyme in inflammatory cells, and the therapeutic role of PDE4B as chronic inflammation, cancer. In this review, we will present the tumors associated with chronic inflammation, and PDE4B potential clinical application.

Inhibition of Recruitment and Activation of Neutrophils by Pyridazinone-Scaffold-Based Compounds

In inflammatory diseases, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are known to produce elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteases. To limit ensuing exacerbated cell responses and tissue damage, novel therapeutic agents are sought. 4aa and 4ba, two pyridazinone-scaffold-based phosphodiesterase-IV inhibitors are compared in vitro to zardaverine for their ability to: (1) modulate production of pro-inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and phagocytosis; (2) modulate degranulation by PMNs after transepithelial lung migration. Compound 4ba and zardaverine were tested in vivo for their ability to limit tissue recruitment of PMNs in a murine air pouch model. In vitro treatment of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated PMNs with compounds 4aa and 4ba inhibited the release of interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, and matrix metalloproteinase-9. PMNs phagocytic ability, but not ROS production, was reduced following treatment. Using a lung inflammation model, we proved that PMNs transmigration led to reduced expression of the CD16 phagocytic receptor, which was significantly blunted after treatment with compound 4ba or zardaverine. Using the murine air pouch model, LPS-induced PMNs recruitment was significantly decreased upon addition of compound 4ba or zardaverine. Our data suggest that new pyridazinone derivatives have therapeutic potential in inflammatory diseases by limiting tissue recruitment and activation of PMNs.

Pyridazinones and Structurally Related Derivatives with Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Persistent inflammation contributes to a number of diseases; therefore, control of the inflammatory response is an important therapeutic goal. In an effort to identify novel anti-inflammatory compounds, we screened a library of pyridazinones and structurally related derivatives that were used previously to identify N-formyl peptide receptor (FPR) agonists. Screening of the compounds for their ability to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity in human THP1-Blue monocytic cells identified 48 compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. Interestingly, 34 compounds were FPR agonists, whereas 14 inhibitors of LPS-induced NF-κB activity were not FPR agonists, indicating that they inhibited different signaling pathways. Further analysis of the most potent inhibitors showed that they also inhibited LPS-induced production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) by human MonoMac-6 monocytic cells, again verifying their anti-inflammatory properties. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) classification models based on atom pair descriptors and physicochemical ADME parameters were developed to achieve better insight into the relationships between chemical structures of the compounds and their biological activities, and we found that there was little correlation between FPR agonist activity and inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB activity. Indeed, Cmpd43, a well-known pyrazolone-based FPR agonist, as well as FPR1 and FPR2 peptide agonists had no effect on the LPS-induced NF-κB activity in THP1-Blue cells. Thus, some FPR agonists reported to have anti-inflammatory activity may actually mediate their effects through FPR-independent pathways, as it is suggested by our results with this series of compounds. This could explain how treatment with some agonists known to be inflammatory (i.e., FPR1 agonists) could result in anti-inflammatory effects. Further research is clearly needed to define the molecular targets of pyridazinones and structurally related compounds with anti-inflammatory activity and to define their relationships (if any) to FPR signaling events.

Autoxidation of 4-Hydrazinylquinolin-2(1H)-one; Synthesis of Pyridazino[4,3-c:5,6-c']diquinoline-6,7(5H,8H)-diones

An efficient synthesis of a series of pyridazino[4,3-c:5,6-c']diquinolines was achieved via the autoxidation of 4-hydrazinylquinolin-2(1H)-ones. IR, NMR (¹H and ¹³C), mass spectral data, and elemental analysis were used to fit and elucidate the structures of the newly synthesized compounds. X-ray structure analysis and theoretical calculations unequivocally proved the formation of the structure. The possible mechanism for the reaction is also discussed.

Pyridazinone Derivatives Limit Osteosarcoma-Cells Growth In Vitro and In Vivo

Simple Summary

There is a dire need for novel therapeutic interventions to treat osteosarcoma. Pyridazinone derivatives have proven some efficacy in several cancer models, but their effect on osteosarcoma is yet to be evaluated. Our goal was to synthesize and evaluate, both in vitro and in vivo, some pyridazinone derivatives to provide a proof of concept of their potential as anti-osteosarcoma molecules. We demonstrated that our newly synthesized pyridazinone scaffold-based molecules might be hit-candidates to develop new therapeutic avenues for multi-therapy purposes.

Abstract

Osteosarcoma is a rare primary bone cancer that mostly affects children and young adults. Current therapeutic approaches consist of combining surgery and chemotherapy but remain unfortunately insufficient to avoid relapse and metastases. Progress in terms of patient survival has remained the same for 30 years. In this study, novel pyridazinone derivatives have been evaluated as potential anti-osteosarcoma therapeutics because of their anti-type 4 phosphodiesterase activity, which modulates the survival of several other cancer cells. By using five—four human and one murine osteosarcoma—cell lines, we demonstrated differential cytotoxic effects of four pyridazinone scaffold-based compounds (mitochondrial activity and DNA quantification). Proapoptotic (annexin V positive cells and caspase-3 activity), anti-proliferative (EdU integration) and anti-migratory effects (scratch test assay) were also observed. Owing to their cytotoxic activity in in vitro conditions and their ability to limit tumor growth in a murine orthotopic osteosarcoma model, our data suggest that these pyridazinone derivatives might be hit-candidates to develop new therapeutic strategies against osteosarcoma.