Peter C. Ulrich

An inhibitor of macrophage arginine transport and nitric oxide production (CNI-1493) prevents acute inflammation and endotoxin lethality.

BackgroundNitric oxide (NO), a small effector molecule produced enzymatically from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), is a mediator not only of important homeostatic mechanisms (e.g., blood vessel tone and tissue perfusion), but also of key aspects of local and systemic inflammatory responses. Previous efforts to develop inhibitors of NOS to protect against NO-mediated tissue damage in endotoxin shock have been unsuccessful, largely because such competitive NOS antagonists interfere with critical vasoregulatory NO production in blood vessels and decrease survival in endotoxemic animals. Accordingly, we sought to develop a pharmaceutical approach to selectively inhibit NO production in macrophages while sparing NO responses in blood vessels.Materials and MethodsThe processes of cytokine-inducible L-arginine transport and NO production were studied in the murine macrophage-like cell line (RAW 264.7). A series of multivalent guanylhydrazones were synthesized to inhibit cytokine-inducible L-arginine transport. One such compound (CNI-1493) was studied further in animal models of endothelial-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) activity, carrageenan inflammation, and lethal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge.ResultsUpon activation with cytokines, macrophages increase transport of L-arginine to support the production of NO by NOS. Since endothelial cells do not require this additional arginine transport to produce NO, we reasoned that a competitive inhibitor of cytokine-inducible L-arginine transport would not inhibit EDRF activity in blood vessels, and thus might be effectively employed against endotoxic shock. CNI-1493, a tetravalent guanylhydrazone, proved to be a selective inhibitor of cytokine-inducible arginine transport and NO production, but did not inhibit EDRF activity. In mice, CNI-1493 prevented the development of carrageenan-induced footpad inflammation, and conferred protection against lethal LPS challenge.ConclusionsA selective inhibitor of cytokine-inducible L-arginine transport that does not inhibit vascular EDRF responses is effective against endotoxin lethality and significantly reduces inflammatory responses.

Targeted Suppression of Cytokine Production in Monocytes but Not in T Lymphocytes by a Tetravalent Guanylhydrazone (CNI-1493)

Image analysis was used to study the cytokine-inhibitory effect of the nitric oxide inhibitor tetravalent guanylhydrazone (CNI-1493) in individual immunocytochemically stained human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). CNI-1493 inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 production whether or not LPS stimulation was enhanced by interferon (IFN)-gamma priming. Addition of TNF-alpha to CNI-1493-exposed LPS-stimulated cells partially restored the incidence of IL-1alpha-, IL-1beta-, and IL-8-producing cells. TNF-alpha production induced by costimulation by ligation of CD3 and CD28 was inhibited by CNI-1493 in monocytes but not in T lymphocytes. The prevalence of IL-2-, IFN-gamma-, and TNF-beta-producing T cells was not reduced by CNI-1493. Phorbol ester and ionomycin activation also resulted in a CNI-1493 -induced inhibition of TNF-alpha in monocytes but resistant production of TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IFN-gamma by T cells. Thus, CNI-1493 preferentially inhibited synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines in monocytes.

Novel modifications of Nα-boc-arginine and Nα-CBZ-lysine by methylglyoxal

Two molecules of methylglyoxal react in vitro with one molecule of arginine to form a pyrimidinium adduct or with two molecules of lysine to form an imidazolium-based crosslink.

Structure of lysine adducts with 16α-hydroxyestrone and cortisol

Abstract Recent studies indicate that steroids containing a vicinal hydroxyketone moiety can react with proteins both in vitro and in vivo to form covalent addition products. This reaction is non-enzymatic and occurs via the Heyns rearrangement of an initial Schiff base adduct between the steroid carbonyl and the ϵ-amino group of lysine residues. The present study describes the synthesis, isolation, and structural analysis of model adducts prepared by the incubation of 16α-hydroxyestrone or cortisol with NaCNBH 3 and lysine derivatives blocked in the N α -position. The product formed from the reaction of 16α-hydroxyestrone and lysine was found to have the structure predicted for a reduced Schiff base between these molecules. A stable, cortisol-lysine adduct was similarly synthesized and isolated. This conjugate was found not to be the expected reduced Schiff base but rather a C-20 cyano amine. This compound most likely was formed by the nucleophilic addition of cyanide during the course of the incubation. The observation that the cortisol-lysine Schiff base is not reducible with NaCNBH 3 accounts for the observation that the incorporation rate of glucocorticoids into proteins is not increased by the presence of NaCNBH 3 .

Synthesis of the trypanosomatid metabolites trypanothione, and N1-mono- and N8-mono-glutathionylspermidine

The trypanosomatid metabolite trypanothione [N1,N8-bis(glutathionyl)spermidine] and its biosynthetic co-metabolites the isomeric N1- and N8-mono-glutathionylspermidines have been synthesised by a mild route which involves coupling of glycinyl-spermidine derivatives to a functionally protected γ-glutamylcysteine dipeptide.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for guanylhydrazone compounds

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for a series of aromatic guanylhydrazones that have demonstrated therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory agents. The compounds were separated using octadecyl or diisopropyloctyl reversed-phase columns, with an acetonitrile gradient in water containing heptane sulfonate, tetramethylammonium chloride, and phosphoric acid. The method was used to reliably quantify levels of analyte as low as 785 ng/ml, and the detector response was linear to at least 50 micrograms/ml using a 100 microliters injection volume. The assay system was used to determine the basic pharmacokinetics of a lead compound, CNI-1493, from serum concentrations following a single intravenous injection in rats.

Model studies of the maillard reaction of Arg-Lys with D-ribose

Abstract The condensation of the guanidine and the ϵ-amino functions of an Arg-Lys dipeptide with D-ribose produces a cyclic pentosidine-crosslink.

Studies on the pharmacological properties of novel arylene bis(methylketone) compounds using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A method utilising solid-phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography has been developed to quantify novel arylene bis(methylketone) chemotherapeutics present in biological samples. The samples are extracted over cyanopropylsilane solid-phase extraction cartridges using 10 mM heptanesulfonate-10 mM tetramethylammonium chloride-4.2 mM H3PO4-95% CH3CN as the eluent. Analytical chromatography utilises a diisopropyl-C8 reversed-phase column and a 7.5-45% CH3CN gradient in 10 mM heptanesulfonate-10 mM tetramethylammonium chloride-4.2 mM H3PO4-H2O. Detection was by ultraviolet spectrophotometry at 300 or 240 nm. The linear response of the assay was found to extend from at least 100 microg/ml down to 97.66 ng/ml for a 100 microl injection. The assay system was utilised to determine the plasma kinetics of the compounds in mice, where all the drugs were found to display rapid absorption and elimination following intraperitoneal dosing. In vitro and in vivo studies of metabolism demonstrated that each of the compounds produced several metabolites, and that this conversion could be extensive in vivo.

Synthesis and trypanocidal activity of the bis-carba analogue of pentamidine

Abstract Because toxic metabolites are formed by microsomal oxidative cleavage of the ether methylenes of the antiprotozoal drug, pentamidine, we synthesized the previously unreported analogue of pentamidine in which the ether oxygens are replaced by methylenes. Although this compound was about 20-fold less active than pentamidine against Trypanosoma brucei infection in mice, it did not undergo oxidative cleavage, suggesting a new direction for design of less toxic pentamidine analogues.

Studies on the mechanism of antimalarial action of a novel arylene bis(methylketone)

2-Amino-4-(3,5-diacetylphenyl)amino-1,6-dimethylpyrimidinium chloride (CNI-H0294) is a novel arylene bis(methylketone) compound that displays antimalarial activity against chloroquine- and pyrimethamine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum clones. The compound has been found to be concentrated into infected erythrocytes, with 80-179 microM accumulated when parasites were cultured in the presence of 1.0 microM CNI-H0294. Uninfected erythrocytes, in contrast, only accumulated 2.5-3.4 microM CNI-H0294 under identical conditions. Using postmitochondrial supernatants from a number of parasite clones, the compound was found to inhibit dihydrofolate reductase (EC 1.5.1.3) activity with an IC50 of 243-483 microM. Thus, while CNI-H0294 is not a powerful inhibitor of plasmodial dihydrofolate reductase, the accumulation of the compound into infected erythrocytes, when correlated to the external ED50 concentration against parasite growth in vitro, reaches concentrations sufficient to inhibit the malarial enzyme.