Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Analogues Derived from the PLEV Tetrapeptide as Protein-Protein Interaction Modulators of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel 1.6

The voltage-gated Na⁺ (Na_v) channel is the molecular determinant of excitability. Disruption of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between Na_v1.6 and fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) leads to impaired excitability of neurons in clinically relevant brain areas associated with channelopathies. Here, we designed, synthesized, and pharmacologically characterized new peptidomimetics based on a PLEV tetrapeptide scaffold derived from the FGF14:Na_v1.6 PPI interface. Addition of an N-terminal 1-adamantanecarbonyl pharmacophore significantly improved peptidomimetic inhibitory potency. Surface plasmon resonance studies revealed that while this moiety was sufficient to confer binding to FGF14, altering the C-terminal moiety from methoxy (21a) to π bond-containing (23a and 23b) or cycloalkane substituents (23e) abrogated the binding to Na_v1.6. Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology subsequently revealed that 21a had functionally relevant interactions with both the C-terminal tail of Na_v1.6 and FGF14. Collectively, these findings support that 21a (PW0564) may serve as a promising lead to develop target-selective neurotherapeutics by modulating protein-channel interactions.

Identification of peptidomimetics as novel chemical probes modulating fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) and voltage-gated sodium channel 1.6 (Nav1.6) protein-protein interactions

The voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channel is the molecular determinant of action potential in neurons. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) between the intracellular Nav1.6 C-tail and its regulatory protein fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) provide an ideal and largely untapped opportunity for development of neurochemical probes. Based on a previously identified peptide FLPK, mapped to the FGF14:FGF14 PPI interface, we have designed and synthesized a series of peptidomimetics with the intent of increasing clogP values and improving cell permeability relative to the parental lead peptide. In-cell screening using the split-luciferase complementation (LCA) assay identified ZL0177 (13) as the most potent inhibitor of the FGF14:Nav1.6 channel complex assembly with an apparent IC₅₀ of 11 μM. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings demonstrated that ZL0177 significantly reduced Nav1.6-mediated transient current density and induced a depolarizing shift of the channel voltage-dependence of activation. Docking studies revealed strong interactions between ZL0177 and Nav1.6, mediated by hydrogen bonds, cation-π interactions and hydrophobic contacts. All together these results suggest that ZL0177 retains some key features of FGF14-dependent modulation of Nav1.6 currents. Overall, ZL0177 provides a chemical scaffold for developing Nav channel modulators as pharmacological probes with therapeutic potential of interest for a broad range of CNS and PNS disorders.

Cognitive deficits caused by prefrontal cortical and hippocampal neural disinhibition

We review recent evidence concerning the significance of inhibitory GABA transmission and of neural disinhibition, that is, deficient GABA transmission, within the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, for clinically relevant cognitive functions. Both regions support important cognitive functions, including attention and memory, and their dysfunction has been implicated in cognitive deficits characterizing neuropsychiatric disorders. GABAergic inhibition shapes cortico-hippocampal neural activity, and, recently, prefrontal and hippocampal neural disinhibition has emerged as a pathophysiological feature of major neuropsychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia and age-related cognitive decline. Regional neural disinhibition, disrupting spatio-temporal control of neural activity and causing aberrant drive of projections, may disrupt processing within the disinhibited region and efferent regions. Recent studies in rats showed that prefrontal and hippocampal neural disinhibition (by local GABA antagonist microinfusion) dysregulates burst firing, which has been associated with important aspects of neural information processing. Using translational tests of clinically relevant cognitive functions, these studies showed that prefrontal and hippocampal neural disinhibition disrupts regional cognitive functions (including prefrontal attention and hippocampal memory function). Moreover, hippocampal neural disinhibition disrupted attentional performance, which does not require the hippocampus but requires prefrontal-striatal circuits modulated by the hippocampus. However, some prefrontal and hippocampal functions (including inhibitory response control) are spared by regional disinhibition. We consider conceptual implications of these findings, regarding the distinct relationships of distinct cognitive functions to prefrontal and hippocampal GABA tone and neural activity. Moreover, the findings support the proposition that prefrontal and hippocampal neural disinhibition contributes to clinically relevant cognitive deficits, and we consider pharmacological strategies for ameliorating cognitive deficits by rebalancing disinhibition-induced aberrant neural activity. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Pharmacology of Cognition: a Panacea for Neuropsychiatric Disease? To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.19/issuetoc.

Down-Regulation of Hippocampal Genes Regulating Dopaminergic, GABAergic, and Glutamatergic Function Following Combined Neonatal Phencyclidine and Post-Weaning Social Isolation of Rats as a Neurodevelopmental Model for Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Dysfunction of dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic function underlies many core symptoms of schizophrenia. Combined neonatal injection of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP), and post-weaning social isolation of rats produces a behavioral syndrome with translational relevance to several core symptoms of schizophrenia. This study uses DNA microarray to characterize alterations in hippocampal neurotransmitter-related gene expression and examines the ability of the sodium channel blocker, lamotrigine, to reverse behavioral changes in this model.

METHODS

Fifty-four male Lister-hooded rat pups either received phencyclidine (PCP, 10mg/kg, s.c.) on post-natal days (PND) 7, 9, and 11 before being weaned on PND 23 into separate cages (isolation; PCP-SI; n = 31) or received vehicle injection and group-housing (2-4 per cage; V-GH; n = 23) from weaning. The effect of lamotrigine on locomotor activity, novel object recognition, and prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle was examined (PND 60-75) and drug-free hippocampal gene expression on PND 70.

RESULTS

Acute lamotrigine (10-15mg/kg i.p.) reversed the hyperactivity and novel object recognition impairment induced by PCP-SI but had no effect on the prepulse inhibition deficit. Microarray revealed small but significant down-regulation of hippocampal genes involved in glutamate metabolism, dopamine neurotransmission, and GABA receptor signaling and in specific schizophrenia-linked genes, including parvalbumin (PVALB) and GAD67, in PCP-SI rats, which resemble changes reported in schizophrenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that alterations in dopamine neurotransmission, glutamate metabolism, and GABA signaling may contribute to some of the behavioral deficits observed following PCP-SI, and that lamotrigine may have some utility as an adjunctive therapy to improve certain cognitive deficits symptoms in schizophrenia.

Identification of Amino Acid Residues in Fibroblast Growth Factor 14 (FGF14) Required for Structure-Function Interactions with Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Nav1.6

The voltage-gated Na(+) (Nav) channel provides the basis for electrical excitability in the brain. This channel is regulated by a number of accessory proteins including fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14), a member of the intracellular FGF family. In addition to forming homodimers, FGF14 binds directly to the Nav1.6 channel C-tail, regulating channel gating and expression, properties that are required for intrinsic excitability in neurons. Seeking amino acid residues with unique roles at the protein-protein interaction interface (PPI) of FGF14·Nav1.6, we engineered model-guided mutations of FGF14 and validated their impact on the FGF14·Nav1.6 complex and the FGF14:FGF14 dimer formation using a luciferase assay. Divergence was found in the β-9 sheet of FGF14 where an alanine (Ala) mutation of Val-160 impaired binding to Nav1.6 but had no effect on FGF14:FGF14 dimer formation. Additional analysis revealed also a key role of residues Lys-74/Ile-76 at the N-terminal of FGF14 in the FGF14·Nav1.6 complex and FGF14:FGF14 dimer formation. Using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, we demonstrated that either the FGF14(V160A) or the FGF14(K74A/I76A) mutation was sufficient to abolish the FGF14-dependent regulation of peak transient Na(+) currents and the voltage-dependent activation and steady-state inactivation of Nav1.6; but only V160A with a concomitant alanine mutation at Tyr-158 could impede FGF14-dependent modulation of the channel fast inactivation. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy of purified proteins confirmed a stronger binding reduction of FGF14(V160A) to the Nav1.6 C-tail compared with FGF14(K74A/I76A) Altogether these studies indicate that the β-9 sheet and the N terminus of FGF14 are well positioned targets for drug development of PPI-based allosteric modulators of Nav channels.

Analgesic Effects of GpTx-1, PF-04856264 and CNV1014802 in a Mouse Model of NaV1.7-Mediated Pain

Loss-of-function mutations of Na(V)1.7 lead to congenital insensitivity to pain, a rare condition resulting in individuals who are otherwise normal except for the inability to sense pain, making pharmacological inhibition of Na(V)1.7 a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of pain. We characterized a novel mouse model of Na(V)1.7-mediated pain based on intraplantar injection of the scorpion toxin OD1, which is suitable for rapid in vivo profiling of Na(V)1.7 inhibitors. Intraplantar injection of OD1 caused spontaneous pain behaviors, which were reversed by co-injection with Na(V)1.7 inhibitors and significantly reduced in Na(V)1.7(-/-) mice. To validate the use of the model for profiling Na(V)1.7 inhibitors, we determined the Na(V) selectivity and tested the efficacy of the reported Na(V)1.7 inhibitors GpTx-1, PF-04856264 and CNV1014802 (raxatrigine). GpTx-1 selectively inhibited Na(V)1.7 and was effective when co-administered with OD1, but lacked efficacy when delivered systemically. PF-04856264 state-dependently and selectively inhibited Na(V)1.7 and significantly reduced OD1-induced spontaneous pain when delivered locally and systemically. CNV1014802 state-dependently, but non-selectively, inhibited Na(V) channels and was only effective in the OD1 model when delivered systemically. Our novel model of Na(V)1.7-mediated pain based on intraplantar injection of OD1 is thus suitable for the rapid in vivo characterization of the analgesic efficacy of Na(V)1.7 inhibitors.

Correlation-based prediction of tissue-to-plasma partition coefficients using readily available input parameters

1.

RATIONALE

Tissue-to-plasma partition coefficients (Kp) that characterize the tissue distribution of a drug are important input parameters in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. The aim of this study was to develop an empirically derived Kp prediction algorithm using input parameters that are available early in the investigation of a compound. 2.

METHODS

The algorithm development dataset (n = 97 compounds) was divided according to acidic/basic properties. Using multiple stepwise regression, the experimentally derived Kp values were correlated with the rat volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) and one or more physicochemical parameters (e.g. lipophilicity, degree of ionization and protein binding) to account for inter-organ variability of tissue distribution. 3.

RESULTS

Prediction equations for the value of Kp were developed for 11 tissues. Validation of this model using a test dataset (n = 20 compounds) demonstrated that 65% of the predicted Kp values were within a two-fold error deviation from the experimental values. The developed algorithms had greater prediction accuracy compared to an existing empirically derived and a mechanistic tissue-composition algorithm. 4.

CONCLUSIONS

This innovative method uses readily available input parameters with reasonable prediction accuracy and will thus enhance both the usability and the confidence in the outputs of PBPK models.

A novel synthesis of 1-aryl-3-piperidone derivatives

A novel method to construct the 1-aryl-3-piperidone scaffold is described here. Starting from 3,5-dichloroaniline, a seven-step synthesis, without the use of protecting groups, generates the desired 3-piperidone ring in an overall yield of 30% through a key Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction and ring-closing metathesis, providing easy access to diverse and useful heterocycles.

Parallel buprenorphine phMRI responses in conscious rodents and healthy human subjects

Pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) is one method by which a drug's pharmacodynamic effects in the brain can be assessed. Although phMRI has been frequently used in preclinical and clinical settings, the extent to which a phMRI signature for a compound translates between rodents and humans has not been systematically examined. In the current investigation, we aimed to build on recent clinical work in which the functional response to 0.1 and 0.2 mg/70 kg i.v. buprenorphine (partial µ-opioid receptor agonist) was measured in healthy humans. Here, we measured the phMRI response to 0.04 and 0.1 mg/kg i.v. buprenorphine in conscious, naive rats to establish the parallelism of the phMRI signature of buprenorphine across species. PhMRI of 0.04 and 0.1 mg/kg i.v. buprenorphine yielded dose-dependent activation in a brain network composed of the somatosensory cortex, cingulate, insula, striatum, thalamus, periaqueductal gray, and cerebellum. Similar dose-dependent phMRI activation was observed in the human phMRI studies. These observations indicate an overall preservation of pharmacodynamic responses to buprenorphine between conscious, naive rodents and healthy human subjects, particularly in brain regions implicated in pain and analgesia. This investigation further demonstrates the usefulness of phMRI as a translational tool in neuroscience research that can provide mechanistic insight and guide dose selection in drug development.

Excitotoxicity: bridge to various triggers in neurodegenerative disorders

Glutamate is one of the most prominent neurotransmitter in the body, present in over 50% of nervous tissue and plays an important role in neuronal excitation. This neuronal excitation is short-lived and is followed by depression. Multiple abnormal triggers such as energy deficiency, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, calcium overload, etc can lead to aberration in neuronal excitation process. Such an aberration, serves as a common pool or bridge between abnormal triggers and deleterious signaling processes with which central neurons cannot cope up, leading to death. Excitotoxicity is the pathological process by which nerve cells are damaged and killed by excessive stimulation by neurotransmitters such as glutamate and similar substances. Such excitotoxic neuronal death has been implicated in spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, hearing loss and in neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system such as stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, Amyltropic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington disease and alcohol withdrawal. This review mainly emphasizes the triggering events which sustain neuronal excitation, role of calcium, mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS, NO, chloride homeostasis and eicosanoids pathways. Further, a brief introduction about the recent research occurring in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, including a summary of the presumed physiologic mechanisms behind the pharmacology of these disorders.

Neuromapping techniques in drug discovery: pharmacological MRI for the assessment of novel antipsychotics

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases represents a substantial unmet medical need, but the development of novel, effective and safe drugs is proving difficult. While substantial improvement over existing pharmacological agents is expected from new molecular targets emerging in the genomic era, the validation and exploitation of novel mechanisms of action is a lengthy and costly process. The use of neuroimaging techniques, and more specifically of functional and pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has been advocated as a powerful approach to this problem, providing translational biomarkers for the objective assessment of drug activity on brain function, and possibly surrogate markers of clinical response.

AREAS COVERED

The authors review the recent application of functional and pharmacological MRI (phMRI) in the study of novel treatments of psychosis based on glutamatergic mechanisms. Furthermore, they review contribution of functional imaging in the target validation and early assessment of drugs exploiting glutamatergic mechanisms as an example of potentially impactful exploitation of neuroimaging methods in drug discovery.

EXPERT OPINION

While functional neuroimaging methods may provide useful markers of drug activity and response to treatment, their translational potential, that is, their use to bridge animal and human investigations is seldom exploited. The application of phMRI in the study of novel antipsychotics based on glutamatergic mechanisms represents an example of functional neuroimaging as a powerful means to link preclinical and clinical research, thus providing a paradigm that may help expedite progression into the clinical phase of novel mechanisms for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases.