Nirmala Suman-Chauhan

Characterisation of [3H]gabapentin binding to a novel site in rat brain : homogenate binding studies

The binding characteristics of [3H]gabapentin, the radiolabelled analogue of the novel anticonvulsant gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid) were studied using purified synaptic plasma membranes prepared from rat cerebral cortex. In 10 mM HEPES buffer [3H]gabapentin bound to a single population of sites with high affinity (KD = 38 +/- 2.8 nM) with a maximum binding capacity of 4.6 +/- 0.4 pmol/mg protein, reaching equilibrium after 30 min at 20 degrees C. This novel site was unique to the central nervous system with little or no specific [3H]gabapentin being measurable in a range of peripheral tissues. Binding was potently inhibited by a range of gabapentin analogues and 3-alkyl substituted gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivates although GABA itself and the selective GABAB receptor ligand baclofen, were only weakly active. Gabapentin itself (IC50 = 80 nM) and 3-isobutyl GABA (IC50 = 80 nM) which also has anticonvulsant properties, showed the highest affinity for the binding site. Of a wide range of other pharmacologically active compounds only the polyamines spermine and spermidine influenced [3H]gabapentin binding, with both compounds producing a maximum of 50% inhibition of specific binding. Magnesium ions produced a similar pattern of inhibition but the effect of the polyamines and magnesium ions were not additive. The data provide evidence for the existence in brain of a novel binding site that may mediate the anticonvulsant effects of gabapentin and other potential anticonvulsant compounds.

Localization of [3H]gabapentin to a novel site in rat brain: autoradiographic studies

The autoradiographical distribution of [3H]gabapentin, the tritiated analogue of the novel anticonvulsant gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid) was measured in rat brain. Binding to sections was uniformly inhibited by non-radioactive gabapentin and 3-isobutyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid (3-isobutyl-GABA). Specific gabapentin binding sites were unevenly distributed throughout the brain with the highest level being found in the outer layers of the cerebral cortex (38 +/- 7 fmol/mm2; n = 3) and the lowest amounts in the white matter. In the hippocampus, the distribution of the binding site paralleled the excitatory neuronal input with the highest levels of binding being measured in the outer layers of the dentate gyrus and in the dendritic regions of the CA1 pyramidal cell layer. The binding site appeared absent from the cell body region of granule and pyramidal cells. Lesions performed unilaterally in the striatum using quinolinic acid resulted in a marked loss of [3H]gabapentin binding sites as compared with sham-lesioned animals, suggesting the binding site was localized on neuronal cell bodies. These data complement and extend the results of experiments using [3H]gabapentin with homogenates of rat brain and show the discrete localization of this novel binding site in regions associated with excitatory amino acid input. The data do not support previous indications of an association of the gabapentin binding site and NMDA/glycine receptor complex.

Potent and stereospecific anticonvulsant activity of 3-isobutyl GABA relates to in vitro binding at a novel site labeled by tritiated gabapentin.

3-Isobutyl GABA is a derivative of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and is also structurally related to the novel anticonvulsant gabapentin. The S(+) enantiomer of 3-isobutyl GABA blocks maximal electroshock seizures in mice and also potently displaces tritiated gabapentin from a novel high-affinity binding site in rat brain membrane fractions. The R(-) enantiomer is much less active in both assays, suggesting that the gabapentin binding site is involved in the anticonvulsant activity of 3-isobutyl GABA.

Design and biological evaluation of non-peptide analogues of omega-conotoxin MVIIA

Omega-conotoxin MVIIA, a highly potent antagonist of the N-type voltage sensitive calcium channel, has shown utility in several models of pain and ischemia. We report a series of three alkylphenyl ether based analogues which mimic three key amino acids of the toxin. Two of the compounds have been found to exhibit IC50 values of 2.7 and 3.3 microM at the human N-type voltage sensitive calcium channel.

Design and synthesis of novel nonpeptide CCK-B receptor antagonists

Abstract A novel hybrid series of nonpeptide CCK-B receptor antagonists has been designed from two known series derived from asperlicin. An efficient synthesis of 2-aminoquinazolinone, an intermediate for the synthesis of a targeted analog, has been developed.

Characterisation of [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B binding to tachykinin NK3 receptors : evidence for interspecies variance

Human tachykinin NK3 receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells were characterised using the novel radioligand [125I]iodohistidyl,[MePhe7]neurokinin B ([125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B). [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B was shown to label human NK3 binding sites with high affinity in a saturable and reversible manner. The rank order of affinity of a range of tachykinin ligands confirmed that the tachykinin receptor expressed was the NK3 receptor type. An interspecies comparison of NK3 binding sites revealed pharmacological differences between human, guinea pig and rat tachykinin NK3 receptors. The NK2 selective antagonist SR 48968, inhibited binding of [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B to NK3 binding sites with Ki values of 287 nM and 205 nM in human and guinea pig respectively, but was > 30-fold less active in the rat.

The rational development of small molecule tachykinin NK3 receptor selective antagonists - the utilisation of a dipeptide chemical library in drug design

Abstract Boc(S)Phe(S)PheNH2 (1c) was identified from the biological screening of an in-house dipeptide chemical library as a micromolar NK3 receptor selective ligand (IC50=1150nM). This lead structure has subsequently been developed into a series of potent and selective NK3 receptor antagonists an example of which is the urea derivative Boc(S)Phe(R)αMePheNH(CH2)7NHCOHNH2 (11d, PD157672) (IC50=16nM).

Characterization of tachykinin mediated increases in [Ca2+]i in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human tachykinin NK3 receptors

The nature of the senktide response of the human NK3 receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was characterised using the Ca2+ sensitive dye Fura-2 and imaging methods. Application of the NK3 receptor agonist senktide caused an increase in [Ca2+]i in the cells. The profile for NK3 receptor agonists was that senktide was more potent than [beta-Ala8]neurokinin A-(4-10) which was more potent than [Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P. SR 48968 was a poor antagonist of the senktide response in intact cells confirming the weak affinity of this agent for the NK3 receptor (IC50 of approximately 1 microM) shown in binding assays. The NK3 receptor mediated increase in intracellular Ca2+ was independent of [Ca2+]o, blocked by the microsomal Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin and the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 but not by ryanodine. Thus the source of the Ca2+ was probably a ryanodine insensitive, inositol triphosphate sensitive intracellular store.

Cholecystokinin B antagonists. Synthesis and quantitative structure-activity relationships of a series of C-terminal analogues of CI-988☆

A study of structure-activity relationships of a series of dipeptoid CCK-B receptor antagonists was performed in which variations of the phenyl ring were examined while the [(2-adamantyloxy)carbonyl]-alpha-methyl-R)-tryptophan moiety of the potent antagonist CI-988 was kept constant. Since the main focus of this study was phenyl substituent variation, series design techniques were employed to insure an adequate spread of physicochemical properties (lipophilic, steric, electronic), as well as positional substitution. A QSAR analysis on sets of 26 and 16 analogues revealed that CCK-B affinity was related to a combination of the overall size and, marginally, lipophilicity of the phenyl ring substituents (i.e., smaller groups were associated with increased potency with an optimum pi near zero, respectively). Further exploration revealed that the dimensions and electronics of the para-phenyl substituent could be related to CCK-B affinity. Increased affinity was seen with short, bulky (branched) electron withdrawing groups. Analogs with small para-substituents appeared to be about 1000-fold CCK-B selective, indicating that selectivity for CCK-B binding is sensitive to phenyl ring substitution. The 4-F-phenyl dipeptoid, derived from this study, has extraordinary high affinity at the CCK-B receptor (IC50 = 0.08 nM) and was also very selective (940-fold CCK-B selective). Consistent with previous reports, (S)-configuration at the substituted phenethylamide center, a carboxylic acid and the presence of a phenyl ring were found to be associated with increased affinity at both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors.

Conformationally restricted analogues of the potent CCK-B antagonist CI-988

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships (SAR) for a series of conformationally restricted analogues of the selective cholecystokinin (CCK) antagonist CI-988 and some closely related analogues are described. A series of appropriately substituted cis- and trans-amino decalins are prepared that mimic the through bond distances between the functional groups in the parent compound CI-988 whilst restricting bond rotation. This strategy has led to conformationally more rigid derivatives that have increased CCK-B receptor binding affinity.