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St. Onge C, Pagare PP, Zheng Y, Arriaga M, Stevens DL, Mendez RE, Poklis JL, Halquist MS, Selley DE, Dewey WL, Banks ML, Zhang Y. Systematic Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Nalfurafine Analogues toward Development of Potentially Nonaddictive Pain Management Treatments. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9552-9574. [PMID: 38814086 PMCID: PMC11181328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Despite the availability of numerous pain medications, the current array of Food and Drug Administration-approved options falls short in adequately addressing pain states for numerous patients and consequently worsens the opioid crisis. Thus, it is imperative for basic research to develop novel and nonaddictive pain medications. Toward addressing this clinical goal, nalfurafine (NLF) was chosen as a lead and its structure-activity relationship (SAR) systematically studied through design, syntheses, and in vivo characterization of 24 analogues. Two analogues, 21 and 23, showed longer durations of action than NLF in a warm-water tail immersion assay, produced in vivo effects primarily mediated by KOR and DOR, penetrated the blood-brain barrier, and did not function as reinforcers. Additionally, 21 produced fewer sedative effects than NLF. Taken together, these results aid the understanding of NLF SAR and provide insights for future endeavors in developing novel nonaddictive therapeutics to treat pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celsey
M. St. Onge
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 800 E. Leigh
Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States
| | - Piyusha P. Pagare
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 800 E. Leigh
Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States
| | - Yi Zheng
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 800 E. Leigh
Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States
| | - Michelle Arriaga
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - David L. Stevens
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Rolando E. Mendez
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Justin L. Poklis
- Department
of Pharmaceutics, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 410 North
12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Matthew S. Halquist
- Department
of Pharmaceutics, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 410 North
12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Dana E. Selley
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - William L. Dewey
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Matthew L. Banks
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth
University, 800 E. Leigh
Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 410 North 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Institute
for Drug and Alcohol Studies, 203 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
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Huang P, Ho CK, Cao D, Inan S, Rawls SM, Li M, Huang B, Pagare PP, Townsend EA, Poklis JL, Halquist MS, Banks M, Zhang Y, Liu-Chen LY. NCP, a dual kappa and mu opioid receptor agonist, is a potent analgesic against inflammatory pain without reinforcing or aversive properties. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 389:JPET-AR-2023-001870. [PMID: 38409113 PMCID: PMC10949162 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While agonists of mu (MOR) and kappa (KOR) opioid receptors have analgesic effects, they produce euphoria and dysphoria, respectively. Other side effects include respiratory depression and addiction for MOR agonists and sedation for KOR agonists. We reported that 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14β-dihydroxy-4,5α-epoxy-6β-{[4'-(2'-cyanopyridyl)]carboxamido}cmorphinan (NCP) displayed potent KOR full agonist and MOR partial agonist activities (58%) with 6.5x KOR-over-MOR selectivity in vitro Herein, we characterized pharmacological effects of NCP in rodents. In mice, NCP exerted analgesic effects against inflammatory pain in both the formalin test and the acetic acid writhing test, with A50 values of 47.6 and 14.4 microg/kg (s.c.), respectively. The analgesic effects in the acetic acid writhing test were mediated by the KOR. NCP at doses much higher than those effective in reducing inflammatory pain did not produce antinociception in the hot plate and tail flick tests, inhibit compound 48/80-induced scratching, cause conditioned place aversion (CPA) or preference, impair rotarod performance, inhibit locomotor activity, cause respiratory depression, or precipitate morphine withdrawal. However, NCP (10~100 microg/kg) inhibited gastrointestinal transit with a maximum of ~40% inhibition. In MOR knockout mice, NCP caused CPA, demonstrating that its lack of CPA is due to combined actions on the MOR and KOR. Following s.c. injection, NCP penetrated into the mouse brain. In rats trained to self-administer heroin, NCP (1~320 microg/kg/infusion) did not function as a reinforcer. Thus, NCP produces potent analgesic effects via KOR without side effects except constipation. Therefore, dual full KOR/partial MOR agonists with moderate KOR-over-MOR selectivity may be promising as non-addictive analgesics for inflammatory pain. Significance Statement Developing non-addictive analgesics is crucial for reducing opioid overdose deaths, minimizing drug misuse, and promoting safer pain management practices. Herein, pharmacology of a potential non-addictive analgesic, NCP, is reported. NCP has full KOR agonist / partial MOR agonist activities with a 6.5 x selectivity for KOR over MOR. Unlike MOR agonists, analgesic doses of NCP do not lead to self-administration or respiratory depression. Furthermore, NCP does not produce aversion, hypolocomotion, or motor incoordination, side effects typically associated with KOR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Huang
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, United States
| | - Conrad K Ho
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, United States
| | - Danni Cao
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, United States
| | - Saadet Inan
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, United States
| | - Scott M Rawls
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, United States
| | - Mengchu Li
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, United States
| | - Boshi Huang
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, United States
| | - Piyusha P Pagare
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, United States
| | | | | | | | - Matthew Banks
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Yan Zhang
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, United States
| | - Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, United States
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Drakopoulos A, Moianos D, Prifti GM, Zoidis G, Decker M. Opioid ligands addressing unconventional binding sites and more than one opioid receptor subtype. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200169. [PMID: 35560796 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Opioid receptors (ORs) represent one of the most significant groups of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) drug targets and also act as prototypical models for GPCR function. In a constant effort to develop drugs with less side effects, and tools to explore the ORs nature and function, various (poly)pharmacological ligand design approaches have been performed. That is, besides classical ligands, a great number of bivalent ligands (i.e. aiming on two distinct OR subtypes), univalent heteromer-selective ligands and bitopic and allosteric ligands have been synthesized for the ORs. The scope of our review is to present the most important of the aforementioned ligands, highlight their properties and exhibit the current state-of-the-art pallet of promising drug candidates or useful molecular tools for the ORs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Drakopoulos
- University of Gothenburg: Goteborgs Universitet, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Kemigåden 4, 431 45, Göteborg, SWEDEN
| | - Dimitrios Moianos
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: Ethniko kai Kapodistriako Panepistemio Athenon, Department of Pharmacy, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, 15771, Athens, GREECE
| | - Georgia-Myrto Prifti
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: Ethniko kai Kapodistriako Panepistemio Athenon, Department of Pharmacy, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, 15771, Athens, GREECE
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Panepistimioupolis-Zografou, 15771, Athens, GREECE
| | - Michael Decker
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg: Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg, Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, GERMANY
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Root-Bernstein R. Biased, Bitopic, Opioid–Adrenergic Tethered Compounds May Improve Specificity, Lower Dosage and Enhance Agonist or Antagonist Function with Reduced Risk of Tolerance and Addiction. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15020214. [PMID: 35215326 PMCID: PMC8876737 DOI: 10.3390/ph15020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper proposes the design of combination opioid–adrenergic tethered compounds to enhance efficacy and specificity, lower dosage, increase duration of activity, decrease side effects, and reduce risk of developing tolerance and/or addiction. Combinations of adrenergic and opioid drugs are sometimes used to improve analgesia, decrease opioid doses required to achieve analgesia, and to prolong the duration of analgesia. Recent mechanistic research suggests that these enhanced functions result from an allosteric adrenergic binding site on opioid receptors and, conversely, an allosteric opioid binding site on adrenergic receptors. Dual occupancy of the receptors maintains the receptors in their high affinity, most active states; drops the concentration of ligand required for full activity; and prevents downregulation and internalization of the receptors, thus inhibiting tolerance to the drugs. Activation of both opioid and adrenergic receptors also enhances heterodimerization of the receptors, additionally improving each drug’s efficacy. Tethering adrenergic drugs to opioids could produce new drug candidates with highly desirable features. Constraints—such as the locations of the opioid binding sites on adrenergic receptors and adrenergic binding sites on opioid receptors, length of tethers that must govern the design of such novel compounds, and types of tethers—are described and examples of possible structures provided.
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Zaidi SA, Katritch V. Structural Characterization of KOR Inactive and Active States for 3D Pharmacology and Drug Discovery. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:41-64. [PMID: 33945028 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The structure of the human kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in complex with the long-acting antagonist JDTic was solved crystallographically in 2012 and, along with structures of other opioid receptors, revolutionized our understanding of opioid system function and pharmacology. More recently, active state KOR structure was also determined, giving important insights into activation mechanisms of the receptor. In this review, we will discuss how the understanding of atomistic structures of KOR established a key platform for deciphering details of subtype and functional selectivity of KOR-targeting ligands and for discovery of new chemical probes with potentially beneficial pharmacological profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saheem A Zaidi
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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