In vitro stability and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies of a model opioid peptide, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH (DADLE), and its cyclic prodrugs

Peptidomimetics and Their Applications for Opioid Peptide Drug Discovery

Despite various advantages, opioid peptides have been limited in their therapeutic uses due to the main drawbacks in metabolic stability, blood-brain barrier permeability, and bioavailability. Therefore, extensive studies have focused on overcoming the problems and optimizing the therapeutic potential. Currently, numerous peptide-based drugs are being marketed thanks to new synthetic strategies for optimizing metabolism and alternative routes of administration. This tutorial review briefly introduces the history and role of natural opioid peptides and highlights the key findings on their structure-activity relationships for the opioid receptors. It discusses details on opioid peptidomimetics applied to develop therapeutic candidates for the treatment of pain from the pharmacological and structural points of view. The main focus is the current status of various mimetic tools and the successful applications summarized in tables and figures.

Peptide-Based Inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV

The COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease) global pandemic, caused by the spread of the SARS‐CoV‐2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) virus, currently has limited treatment options which include vaccines, anti‐virals, and repurposed therapeutics. With their high specificity, tunability, and biocompatibility, small molecules like peptides are positioned to act as key players in combating SARS‐CoV‐2, and can be readily modified to match viral mutation rate. A recent expansion of the understanding of the viral structure and entry mechanisms has led to the proliferation of therapeutic viral entry inhibitors. In this comprehensive review, inhibitors of SARS and SARS‐CoV‐2 are investigated and discussed based on therapeutic design, inhibitory mechanistic approaches, and common targets. Peptide therapeutics are highlighted, which have demonstrated in vitro or in vivo efficacy, discuss advantages of peptide therapeutics, and common strategies in identifying targets for viral inhibition.

Amino acid conjugated chitosan nanoparticles for the brain targeting of a model dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor

Saxagliptin (SAX) is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 enzyme inhibitor molecule now explored for its activity in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease. Being extremely hydrophilic, it is unable to permeate the blood-brain barrier by the conventional therapy modalities. Further repurposing the drug, SAX is associated with a reduction in the blood sugar level in the periphery. In the present study, the chitosan-l-valine conjugate was synthesized by carbodiimide chemistry. The conjugate was then used to prepare nanoparticles encapsulating SAX. The nanoparticles were characterized by particle size, surface morphology, and entrapment efficiency. The stability of the formulations was determined by incubation with rat plasma and brain homogenate. The blood brain barrier permeability of the nanoparticles was successfully demonstrated by the incorporation of fluorescent dye, Rhodamine B in the nanoparticles. In vivo studies were conducted in rats and the results showed that the nanoparticles were highly stable in the plasma releasing only a minute amount of SAX (2.5 ng/mL) which was less than the C_max of the pure SAX (51 ng/mL). The brain uptake studies showed an accumulation of 53 ng/mL SAX from the nanoparticles whereas the pure SAX showed no detectable amount of the drug after 24 h. The pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that nanoparticles had an (AUC_0-t) of 3.42 times lower than the pure SAX, indicating the stability of the prepared formulation in the plasma.

Cyclic Opioid Peptides

For decades the opioid receptors have been an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of pain. Since the first discovery of enkephalin, approximately a dozen endogenous opioid peptides have been known to produce opioid activity and analgesia, but their therapeutics have been limited mainly due to low blood brain barrier penetration and poor resistance to proteolytic degradation. One versatile approach to overcome these drawbacks is the cyclization of linear peptides to cyclic peptides with constrained topographical structure. Compared to their linear parents, cyclic analogs exhibit better metabolic stability, lower offtarget toxicity, and improved bioavailability. Extensive structure-activity relationship studies have uncovered promising compounds for the treatment of pain as well as further elucidate structural elements required for selective opioid receptor activity. The benefits that come with employing cyclization can be further enhanced through the generation of polycyclic derivatives. Opioid ligands generally have a short peptide chain and thus the realm of polycyclic peptides has yet to be explored. In this review, a brief history of designing ligands for the opioid receptors, including classic linear and cyclic ligands, is discussed along with recent approaches and successes of cyclic peptide ligands for the receptors. Various scaffolds and approaches to improve bioavailability are elaborated and concluded with a discourse towards polycyclic peptides.

Amphipathic tail-anchoring peptide is a promising therapeutic agent for prostate cancer treatment

Amphipathic tail-anchoring peptide (ATAP) derived from the human anti-apoptotic protein Bfl-1 is a potent inducer of apoptosis by targeting mitochondria permeability transition. By linking ATAP to an internalizing RGD peptide (iRGD), selective targeting for ATAP to tumor cell was achieved. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that ATAP-iRGD could penetrate into cancer cells and distribute along the mitochondria network. ATAP-iRGD triggered mitochondria-dependent cell death through release of cytochrome c. In an effort to promote ATAP-iRGD physiochemical properties to approach clinic application, amino acid substitution and chemical modification were made with ATAP-iRGD to improve its bioactivity. One of these modified peptides, ATAP-iRGD-M8, was with improved stability and aqueous solubility without compromising in vitro cytotoxicity in cultured cancer cells. In vivo xenograft studies with multiple prostate cancer cell lines showed that intravenous administration of ATAP-iRGD-M8 suppressed tumor growth. Toxicological studies revealed that repetitive intravenous administration of ATAP-iRGD-M8 did not produce significant toxicity in the SV129 mice. Our data suggest that ATAP-iRGD-M8 is a promising agent with high selectivity and limited systemic toxicity for prostate cancer treatment.

Protection of rat intestinal epithelial cells from ischemia/reperfusion injury by (D-Ala2, D-Leu5)-enkephalin through inhibition of the MKK7-JNK signaling pathway

Previous studies have demonstrated that (D‑Ala2, D‑Leu5)‑enkephalin (DADLE) protects rats from hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. In the present study, DADLE was also observed to alleviate IR‑induced intestinal epithelial cell injury in rats by inhibiting mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7)‑c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) pathway signaling. To investigate the protective effect of DADLE on hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in rat intestinal epithelial cells, rat intestinal epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of DADLE, following which the cell survival rate was determined using a tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay, and apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry. To confirm whether the protective effect of DADLE was due to its effect on MKK7‑JNK signaling, the phosphorylation levels of MKK7 and JNK were analyzed using western blot analysis following treatment with different concentrations of DADLE. The results demonstrated that, following treatment with DADLE, the survival rate of the rat intestinal cells subjected to I/R‑induced injury increased significantly and the apoptotic rate decreased in a concentration‑dependent manner. In addition, the levels of phosphorylated MKK7 and JNK decreased in a concentration‑dependent manner following treatment with DADLE. Silencing the gene expression of MKK7 using small interfering RNA prior to DADLE treatment resulted in a reduction in the protective effects of DADLE on the rat intestinal epithelial cells subjected to I/R injury. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrated that the protective effects of DADLE in I/R injury in rat intestinal cells occurred through inhibition of the MKK7‑JNK pathway.

[D-Ala2,D-Leu5]-enkephalin (DADLE) and morphine-induced postconditioning by inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore, in human myocardium

The aim of the study was to examine the cardioprotective effect of morphine and Delta 2 opioid D-Ala2-Leu5 enkephalin(DADLE) administered, at early reoxygenation, in isolated human myocardium exposed to hypoxia–reoxygenation. Then,we tested the involvement of mitochondrial permeability transition pore in morphine and DADLE-induced postconditioning.Human right atrial trabeculae were obtained during cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass and aortic valve replacement).Isometrically contracting isolated human right atrial trabeculae were exposed to 30-min hypoxia and 60-min reoxygenation(control group). In treatment groups, morphine 0.5 mmol, DADLE 10 nmol, DADLE 50 nmol and DADLE 100 nmol were administered during the first 15 min of reoxygenation. In two additional groups, morphine and DADLE 100 nmol were administered in the presence of atractyloside 50 mmol, the mitochondrial permeability transition pore opener. The force of contraction at the end of 60-min reoxygenation period (FoC60 expressed as % of baseline) was compared (mean+standard deviation) between the groups by an analysis of variance. Morphine (FoC60: 81+9% of baseline), DADLE50 nmol (FoC60: 76+11% of baseline) and DADLE 100 nmol (FoC60: 81+4% of baseline) increased significantly (P,0.001) the FoC60 as compared with the control group (FoC60: 53+3% of baseline). DADLE 10 nmol did not modify the FoC60 (50+9% of baseline; P ¼ 0.60 versus control group). The enhanced recovery of FoC60 induced by morphine and DADLE 100 nmol were abolished in the presence of atractyloside (FoC60: respectively 57+6% and 44+7% of baseline;P, 0.001). In conclusion, the administration of morphine and DADLE, in early reoxygenation period, protected human myocardium, in vitro, against hypoxia–reoxygenation injury, at least in part, by the inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening.

Enhanced brain delivery of the opioid peptide DAMGO in glutathione pegylated liposomes: a microdialysis study

Glutathione PEGylated (GSH-PEG) liposomes were evaluated for their ability to enhance and prolong blood-to-brain drug delivery of the opioid peptide DAMGO (H-Tyr-d-Ala-Gly-MePhe-Gly-ol). An intravenous loading dose of DAMGO followed by a 2 h constant rate infusion was administered to rats, and after a washout period of 1 h, GSH-PEG liposomal DAMGO was administered using a similar dosing regimen. DAMGO and GSH-PEG liposomal DAMGO were also administered as a 10 min infusion to compare the disposition of the two formulations. Microdialysis made it possible to determine free DAMGO in brain and plasma, while the GSH-PEG liposomal encapsulated DAMGO was measured with regular plasma sampling. The antinociceptive effect of DAMGO was determined with the tail-flick method. All samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The short infusion of DAMGO resulted in a fast decline of the peptide concentration in plasma with a half-life of 9.2 ± 2.1 min. Encapsulation in GSH-PEG liposomes prolonged the half-life to 6.9 ± 2.3 h. Free DAMGO entered the brain to a limited extent with a steady state ratio between unbound drug concentrations in brain interstitial fluid and in blood (Kp,uu) of 0.09 ± 0.04. GSH-PEG liposomes significantly increased the brain exposure of DAMGO to a Kp,uu of 0.21 ± 0.17 (p < 0.05). By monitoring the released, active substance in both blood and brain interstitial fluid over time, we were able to demonstrate that GSH-PEG liposomes offer a promising platform for enhancing and prolonging the delivery of drugs to the brain.

Prodrugs for improving tumor targetability and efficiency

As the mainstay in the treatment of various cancers for several decades, chemotherapy is successful but still faces challenges including non-selectivity and high toxicity. Improving the selectivity is therefore a critical step to improve the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy. Prodrug is one of the most promising approaches to increase the selectivity and efficacy of a chemotherapy drug. The classical prodrug approach is to improve the pharmaceutical properties (solubility, stability, permeability, irritation, distribution, etc.) via a simple chemical modification. This review will focus on various targeted prodrug designs that have been developed to increase the selectivity of chemotherapy drugs. Various tumor-targeting ligands, transporter-associated ligands, and polymers can be incorporated in a prodrug to enhance the tumor uptake. Prodrugs can also be activated by enzymes that are specifically expressed at a higher level in tumors, leading to a selective anti-tumor effect. This can be achieved by conjugating the enzyme to a tumor-specific antibody, or delivering a vector expressing the enzyme into tumor cells.

Effect of therapeutic hypothermia vs δ-opioid receptor agonist on post resuscitation myocardial function in a rat model of CPR

AIM

This study is to compare the effect of the δ-opioid receptor agonist, D-Ala(2)-D-Leu(5) enkephalin (DADLE) with normothermic control and therapeutic hypothermia on post resuscitation myocardial function and 72-h survival in a rat model of cardiac arrest and resuscitation.

METHODS

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced in 15 male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 8 min of untreated VF, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed for 8 min before defibrillation. Animals were randomized to three groups of five: (a) normothermia; (b) hypothermia (32 °C); and (c) normothermia with DADLE intravenous infusion (1 mg/kg h(-1)). Hypothermia and drug infusion were started after successful defibrillation. Myocardial functions, including cardiac output (CO), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and myocardial performance index (MPI) were measured echocardiographically together with duration of survival.

RESULTS

The 72-h survival was significantly greater in the hypothermic group than in both DADLE and normothermic group (p = 0.02). However, the survival time of the DADLE treated animals was significantly longer than that of the normothermia group (51.8 ± 18.9 vs 18.8 ± 10.1h, p < 0.01). DADLE group showed significantly better CO (PR 60 min, p = 0.049), better LVEF (PR 60 min, p = 0.044; PR 240 min, p < 0.001) and lower MPI (PR 60 min, p = 0.043; PR 240 min, p = 0.045) than normothermic group. Hypothermia group also showed significantly better CO (PR 60m in, p = 0.044; PR 240 min, p = 0.007), better LVEF (PR 60 min, p = 0.001; PR 240 min, p < 0.001) and lower MPI (PR 60 min, p = 0.003; PR 240 min, p = 0.012) than the normothermic group.

CONCLUSIONS

DADLE attenuated post resuscitation myocardial dysfunction and increased short term survival time. However, the 72-h survival in the DADLE group was less than that in the hypothermia group.

Critical topics in ensuring data quality in bioanalytical LC–MS method development

The use of LC–MS for bioanalysis of pharmaceuticals is entering its third decade and may be considered to be a mature technology. In many respects this is true, considering the advances made in such areas as instrument performance, electronics, software and automation of use. However, there remain instrumental and noninstrumental areas that require significant attention to ensure data quality. Increasing regulatory focus on analytical method performance and unaddressed method issues require the bioanalyst to understand those areas that most greatly impact data quality. This review will focus on instrumental and noninstrumental areas that can influence data quality, including reference standard and internal standard quality and physicochemical properties, matrix effects, stability in matrix, sample preparation, LC and MS.

Effective screening approach to select esterase inhibitors used for stabilizing ester-containing prodrugs analyzed by LC–MS/MS

Background: Analysis of prodrugs, with their short half-lives, especially ester-containing ones, poses a unique challenge in developing and validating bioanalytical assays for nonclinical and clinical studies. A screening approach is needed to expeditiously select esterase inhibitors for stabilizing them during sample collection and processing. Results: The screening process consisted of three steps. Initially, nine different esterase inhibitors were screened at three different plasma concentrations against an ester prodrug. Four inhibitors were chosen for the next step, in which plasma pH and processing temperature were optimized. Finally, whole-blood stability of the prodrug was evaluated. Three inhibitors with optimized plasma pH and processing temperature were selected for further bioanalytical assay development. Conclusion: An effective approach was successfully developed to promptly select suitable esterase inhibitors for stabilizing ester-containing prodrugs.

A comparison of the effects of p-glycoprotein inhibitors on the blood-brain barrier permeation of cyclic prodrugs of an opioid peptide (DADLE)

The objective of this study was to elucidate the role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in restricting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeation of cyclic prodrugs of the opioid peptide DADLE (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH). The BBB permeation characteristics of these prodrugs and DADLE were determined using an in situ perfused rat brain model and in vitro cell culture model (MDCK-MDR1 cells) of the BBB. The activities of P-gp in these models were characterized using a known substrate (quinidine) and known inhibitors [cyclosporine A (CyA), GF-120918, PSC-833] of P-gp. Cyclic peptide prodrugs exhibited very poor permeation in both models. Inclusion of GF-120918, CyA, or PSC-833 in the brain perfusion medium or the cell culture medium significantly increased the permeation of these cyclic prodrugs. The order of potency of these P-gp inhibitors, as measured using the cyclic prodrugs as substrates, was, by in vitro MDCK-MDR1 cells: GF-120918 = CyA >or= PSC-833; and by in situ rat brain perfusion: GF-120918 > CyA = PSC-833. In conclusion, P-gp in the BBB is the major factor restricting the brain permeation of these cyclic prodrugs. MDCK-MDR1 cells can predict the order of potencies of the investigated P-gp inhibitors to enhance the rat BBB permeation of quinidine and the cyclic prodrugs.

Cyclization-activated prodrugs

Many drugs suffer from an extensive first-pass metabolism leading to drug inactivation and/or production of toxic metabolites, which makes them attractive targets for prodrug design. The classical prodrug approach, which involves enzyme-sensitive covalent linkage between the parent drug and a carrier moiety, is a well established strategy to overcome bioavailability/toxicity issues. However, the development of prodrugs that can regenerate the parent drug through non-enzymatic pathways has emerged as an alternative approach in which prodrug activation is not influenced by inter- and intraindividual variability that affects enzymatic activity. Cyclization-activated prodrugs have been capturing the attention of medicinal chemists since the middle-1980s, and reached maturity in prodrug design in the late 1990 s. Many different strategies have been exploited in recent years concerning the development of intramoleculary-activated prodrugs spanning from analgesics to anti-HIV therapeutic agents. Intramolecular pathways have also a key role in two-step prodrug activation, where an initial enzymatic cleavage step is followed by a cyclization-elimination reaction that releases the active drug. This work is a brief overview of research on cyclization-activated prodrugs from the last two decades.

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry assay for quantification of Gluten Exorphin B5 in cerebrospinal fluid

A sensitive, precise and accurate method for the quantification of the alimentary opioid peptide Gluten Exorphin B5 (GE-B5, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Trp-Leu) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was developed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Aliquots (10 microL) of sheep CSF were injected into a LC-MS instrument equipped with a reversed-phase C12 column at a flow rate of 250 microL/min. The mobile phase consisted of Eluent A water with 0.01% acetic acid as an ion-pairing reagent, and Eluent B acetonitrile. The LC-MS system was programmed to divert column flow to waste for 3.5 min after injection, after which time flow was directed into the mass spectrometer that operated in positive ion mode. DADLE (Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu) was used as Internal Standard. No significant interfering peaks were detected at the retention times of GE-B5 in CSF blanks. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.39-78.00 ng/mL. The lower limit of detection and the lower limit of quantitation values for GE-B5 in CSF were established at 0.30 and 0.78 ng/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precision values were <12% relative standard deviation. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy were 99.46-100.86% and 98.95-100.02%, respectively. Recovery of GE-B5 in CSF samples was greater than 80%. Stability studies indicate that GE-B5 in CSF undergoes significant degradation (>55% after 600 min), which is reduced by the addition of protease inhibitors. This is the first reported method for the quantification of GE-B5 in CSF.

Simultaneous determination of a selective adenosine 2A agonist, BMS-068645, and its acid metabolite in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry—Evaluation of the esterase inhibitor, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, in the stabilization of a labile ester-containing drug

BMS-068645 is a selective adenosine 2A agonist that contains a methyl ester group which undergoes esterase hydrolysis to its acid metabolite. To permit accurate determinations of circulating BMS-068645 and its acid metabolite, blood samples must be rapidly stabilized at the time of collection. A sensitive, rapid and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantitation of BMS-068645 and its acid metabolite in human plasma has been developed and validated using diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) as the esterase inhibitor to prevent BMS-068645 from converting to its acid metabolite. The D(5)-stable isotope labeled analogs of BMS-068645 and its metabolite were used as the internal standards (IS). Analytes and IS in plasma containing 20 mM DFP were acidified and extracted into methyl tert-butyl ether. The liquid-liquid extraction effectively eliminated the strong matrix effect caused by the esterase inhibitor. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters Atlantis C18 column with a run time of 4 min. Detection was performed on a Sciex API 4000 with positive ion electrospray mode (ESI/MS/MS), monitoring the ion transitions m/z 487>314 and 473>300 for BMS-068645 and its acid metabolite, respectively. The method was validated over the range from 0.020 to 10.0 ng/mL for BMS-068645 and 0.050 to 10.0 ng/mL for its acid metabolite. Inter- and intra-run precision for the quality control samples during validation were less than 8.7% and 4.0%, respectively, for the two analytes. The assay accuracy was within +/-5.4% of the nominal values. The esterase inhibitor effectively stabilized BMS-068645 during blood collection and storage. Blood collection tubes containing DFP were easily prepared and used at the clinical sites and could be stored at -30 degrees C for 3 months. This method demonstrated adequate sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, stability and ruggedness to support the analysis of human plasma samples in pharmacokinetic studies.

Glycosylated neuropeptides: a new vista for neuropsychopharmacology?

The application of endogenous neuropeptides (e.g., enkephalins) as analgesics has been retarded by their poor stability in vivo and by their inability to effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Effective BBB transport of glycosylated enkephalins has been demonstrated in several labs now. Analgesia (antinociception) levels greater than morphine, and with reduced side effects have been observed for several glycopeptides related to enkephalin. Somewhat paradoxically, enhanced BBB transport across this lipophilic barrier is achieved by attaching water-soluble carbohydrate groups to the peptide moieties to produce biousian glycopeptides that can be either water-soluble or membrane bound. Transport is believed to rely on an endocytotic mechanism (transcytosis), and allows for systemic delivery and transport of the water-soluble glycopeptides. Much larger endorphin/dynorphin glycopeptide analogs bearing amphipathic helix address regions also have been shown to penetrate the BBB in mice. This holds forth the possibility of transporting much larger neuropeptides across the BBB, which may encompass a wide variety of receptors beyond the opioid receptors.

Enzymes involved in the bioconversion of ester-based prodrugs

Enzymes are essential for the activation of many prodrugs. In this review, the most important enzymes (e.g., paraoxonase, carboxylesterase, acetylcholinesterase, cholinesterase) involved in the bioconversion of ester-based prodrugs will be discussed in terms of their biology and biochemistry. Most of these enzymes fall into the category of hydrolytic enzymes. However, nonhydrolytic enzymes, including cytochrome P450s, can also catalyze the bioconversion of ester prodrugs and thus will be discussed here. Other factors influencing the ability of these enzymes to catalyze the bioconversion of ester-based prodrugs, particularly species and interindividual differences and stereochemical and structural features of the prodrugs, will be discussed.

Significant differences in the disposition of cyclic prodrugs of opioid peptides in rats and guinea pigs following IV administration

The stabilities of DADLE ([D-Ala2,D-Leu5]-Enk, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH), the capped derivative Ac-DADLE-NH2, and the oxymethyl-coumarinic acid (OMCA)-based cyclic prodrug of DADLE and [D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-Leu-OH) were determined at 37 degrees C in rat and guinea pig liver microsomes in the presence and absence of paraoxon, an esterase B inhibitor, and ketoconazole, a CYP3A4 inhibitor. These studies showed that the order of stability in microsomes was: DADLE >> Ac-DADLE-NH2 > OMCA-DADLE = OMCA-[D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk. While paraoxon produced no significant effect on the stability of the studied compounds in liver microsomes, ketoconazole inhibited the metabolism, suggesting that the capped peptide and the cyclic prodrugs are substrates for cytochrome P450 enzymes. For pharmacokinetic studies, the cyclic prodrugs of DADLE and [D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk were administered i.v. to rats and guinea pigs. Various biological fluids and tissue (brain, bile, and blood) were collected and analyzed for the free peptide and the prodrugs by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS-MS). These studies showed that the conversion of the cyclic prodrugs to the respective linear peptides (i.e., DADLE and [D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk) was rapid in rat and guinea pig. In terms of drug elimination, only trace amounts of OMCA-DADLE and OMCA-[D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk were recovered in guinea pig bile (3.3% and 0.82%, respectively), while significant amounts were recovered in rat bile (38.1% and 51.7%, respectively). Brain uptake of the cyclic prodrugs in guinea pigs compared to previously determined brain uptake of OMCA-DADLE in rats was also significantly different. For OMCA-DADLE, the brain levels of the cyclic prodrug and DADLE in guinea pigs were approximately 80 and 8.5 times greater, respectively, than the levels observed in rat brain. The brain-to-plasma prodrug concentration ratios in guinea pigs (>or= 0.6) were significantly higher than the ratio observed in rats (0.01). These species differences are most likely due to the different substrate specificities of the efflux transporters that facilitate liver clearance of these prodrugs and limit their permeation into the brain.

Stability of oxymethyl-modified coumarinic acid cyclic prodrugs of diastereomeric opioid peptides in biological media from various animal species including human

In vitro stability studies of oxymethyl-modified coumarinic acid (OMCA) cyclic prodrugs of the diastereomeric opioid peptides DADLE ([D-Ala2,D-Leu5]-Enk, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH), [Ala2,D-Leu5]-Enk (H-Tyr-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH), [D-Ala2,Leu5]-Enk (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-Leu-OH), and [Ala2,Leu5]-Enk (H-Tyr-Ala-Gly-Phe-Leu-OH) were conducted to evaluate how the chirality of specific amino acid residues (Ala2 and Leu5) in the peptide portion affects their bioconversion by esterases. The stability studies were conducted at 37 degrees C in plasma and tissue homogenates (liver and brain) from five animal species (rat, mouse, canine, guinea pig, and hamster) and human in an attempt to identify an animal species that had a "prodrug bioconversion profile" comparable to that of humans. Initially, the total esterase activity in these biological media was measured using p-nitrophenyl butyrate (PNPB) as a substrate. By repeating this activity assay in the presence of paraoxon, a potent esterase B inhibitor, it was possible to estimate the relative amounts of esterases B and esterases A/C in a biological sample. Stability studies of the cyclic prodrugs were carried out under identical conditions, that is, in the presence and absence of paraoxon. Significant differences in the rates of hydrolysis of the cyclic prodrugs were observed, particularly between cyclic prodrugs with differences in the chirality of the amino acid on the C-terminus of the peptide portion, for example, L-amino acids at the C-terminus hydrolyzed more rapidly than D-amino acids. This stereoselective hydrolysis was independent of the animal species but tended to be more pronounced in brain and liver homogenates compared to plasma. Increased esterase specific activity, as measured by PNPB, in the biological media did not necessarily correlate with increased bioconversion rates of the cyclic prodrugs. The enzymatic stability profiles of the cyclic prodrugs in biological media from canine and guinea pig most closely resembled the profiles from human biological media. Therefore, canine and guinea pig appear to be the most relevant animal models for conducting pharmacokinetic studies on these cyclic prodrugs of opioid peptides.

Design, synthesis, and bioavailability evaluation of coumarin-based prodrug of meptazinol

Based on the known coumarin-based prodrug system, a new meptazinol (Z)-3-[2-(propionyloxy) phenyl]-2-propenoic ester (3) was designed and synthesized as prodrug to minimize the first-pass effect of meptazinol (1) and improve the oral bioavailability. The prodrug (3) showed a 4-fold increase in oral bioavailability over the parent drug meptazinol in rats.

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2002

This paper is the twenty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning over a quarter-century of research. It summarizes papers published during 2002 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).

Evaluation of the permeation characteristics of a model opioid peptide, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH (DADLE), and its cyclic prodrugs across the blood-brain barrier using an in situ perfused rat brain model

The permeation characteristics of a model opioid peptide, H-Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu-OH (DADLE), and its cyclic prodrugs [acyloxyalkoxy-based cyclic prodrug of DADLE (AOA-DADLE), coumarinic acid-based cyclic prodrug of DADLE (CA-DALE), and oxymethyl-modified coumarinic acid-based cyclic prodrug of DADLE (OMCA-DADLE)] across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) were determined using an in situ perfused rat brain model. The rat brains were perfused with Krebs-bicarbonate buffer containing test compounds in the absence or presence of a specific P-glycoprotein inhibitor (GF-120918). Brain samples were collected after perfusion and processed by a capillary depletion method. After liquid phase extraction with acetonitrile, samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. Linear uptake kinetics of DADLE and its cyclic prodrugs was observed within the range of 60 to 240 s of perfusion. The apparent permeability coefficient (P(app)) of DADLE across the BBB was very low (<10(-7) cm/s), probably due to its unfavorable physicochemical properties (e.g., charge, hydrophilicity, and high hydrogen-bonding potential). All three cyclic prodrugs, however, also exhibited low membrane permeation (P(app) <10(-7) cm/s) in spite of their more favorable physicochemical properties (e.g., no charge, high hydrophobicity, and low hydrogen-bonding potential). Inclusion of GF-120918 (10 microM) in the perfusates fully inhibited the P-gp activity in the BBB and dramatically increased the P(app) values of AOA-DADLE, CA-DADLE, and OMCA-DADLE by approximately 50-, 460-, and 170-fold, respectively. In contrast, GF-120918 had no effect on the P(app) value of DADLE. In addition, the observed bioconversions of the prodrugs to DADLE in the rat brains after 240-s perfusion were very low (5.1% from AOA-DADLE, 0.6% from CA-DADLE, and 0.2% from OMCA-DADLE), which was consistent with the in vitro bioconversion rates determined previously in rat brain homogenates.

Effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide on cyclic AMP production and relaxation of longitudinal muscle of guinea pig ileum

The effects of rat calcitonin gene-related peptide (rCGRP) on the content of cyclic nucleotides in the cells of plexus-free longitudinal muscle (LM) of guinea pig ileum relative to smooth muscle relaxation were investigated. In the absence of isobutyl-methyl-xanthine (IBMX), a nonspecific inhibitor of phosphodiesterases, rCGRP significantly increased cyclic 3'5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content that correlated temporally to the relaxation of the muscle. Cyclic 3'5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) content was not affected by this peptide. IBMX potentiated both the increase in cAMP content and the muscle relaxation induced by rCGRP. rCGRP increased cAMP content in a concentration-dependent manner, with an ED50 value of 7.5 x 10(-9) M. Both the rCGRP-stimulated increase in cAMP content and the rCGRP-induced muscle relaxation were blocked by hCGRP(8-37), a selective antagonist of CGRP receptors. The pA2 value of hCGRP(8-37) for rCGRP-induced inhibition of tension was calculated to be 6.48. These results suggest that CGRP relaxes the LM through its specific receptors and involves the generation of cAMP, but not the generation of cGMP.