Arthur E. Jacobson

Liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A: a potent adjuvant system for inducing antibodies to heroin hapten analogs.

In order to create an effective immunization approach for a potential vaccine to heroin, liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A [L(MPLA)] were tested as an adjuvant system to induce antibodies to heroin hapten analogs. Four synthetic haptens and two immunization strategies were employed. In the first strategy, a hydrophobic 23 amino acid immunogenic peptide derived from the membrane proximal external region of gp41 from HIV-1 envelope protein was embedded as a carrier in the outer surface of L(MPLA), to which was conjugated a 15 amino acid universal T cell epitope and a terminal heroin hapten analog. In the second strategy, tetanus toxoid (TT) carrier protein was decorated with haptens by conjugation, and the hapten-conjugated protein was mixed with L(MPLA). After immunization of mice, each of the immunization strategies was effective for induction of IgG anti-hapten antibodies. The first immunization strategy induced a mean end-point IgG titer against one of two haptens tested of approximately 12,800; however, no detectable antibodies were induced against the liposome-associated HIV-1 carrier peptide. In the second immunization strategy, depending on the hapten used for decorating the TT, end-point IgG titers ranged from 100,000 to 6,500,000. In this strategy, in which hapten was conjugated to the TT, end-point IgG titers of 400,000 to the TT carrier were observed with each conjugate. However, upon mixing unconjugated TT with L(MPLA), anti-TT titers of 6,500,000 were observed. We conclude that L(MPLA) serves as a potent adjuvant for inducing antibodies to candidate heroin haptens. However, antibodies to the carrier peptide or protein were partly or completed inhibited by the presence of conjugated hapten.

Opioid ligands with mixed properties from substituted enantiomeric N-phenethyl-5-phenylmorphans. Synthesis of a µ-agonist δ-antagonist and δ-inverse agonists

Enantiomeric N-phenethyl-m-hydroxyphenylmorphans with various substituents in the ortho, meta or para positions of the aromatic ring in the phenethylamine side-chain (chloro, hydroxy, methoxy, nitro, methyl), as well as a pyridylethyl and a indolylethyl moiety on the nitrogen atom, were synthesized and their binding affinity to the µ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors was examined. The higher affinity ligands were further examined in the [35S]GTPγS assay to study their function and efficacy. 3-((1R,5S)-(−)-2-(4-Nitrophenethyl)-2-aza-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-5-yl)phenol ((−)-10m) was found to be a µ-agonist and δ-antagonist in that functional assay and was about 50 fold more potent than morphine in vivo. 3-((1R,5S)-(−)-2-(4-Chlorophenethyl)-2-aza-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-5-yl)phenol ((−)-10i) and several other ligands displayed inverse agonist activity at the δ-opioid receptor. The absolute configuration of all of the reported compounds was established by chemical conversion of (−)-6 to 1R,5S-(−)-8b·HBr.

Probes for narcotic receptor mediated phenomena 49. N-substituted rac-cis-4a-arylalkyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridin-6-ols.

Racemic N-substituted -1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridin-6-ols containing cis-4a-aralkyl groups were explored as probes for opioid receptors. Specifically cis-4a-phenylpropyl, -phenylbutyl, and-phenylpentyl groups coupled with widely varied substituents on the nitrogen atom were synthesized and their pharmacological profiles at opioid receptors examined. The study yielded compounds with good affinity and moderate to potent antagonist activity at the μ- and δ-opioid receptors, and agonist activity at the κ-opioid receptor. An N-allyl substituent in the C4a phenylpropyl series induced 6-fold higher affinity at δ-than μ-receptors, while an N-CPM substituent in the C4a (CH2)3Ph series led to a compound with high δ-affinity and potent δ-antagonist activity.