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2-Substituted (N)-Methanocarba A3 Adenosine Receptor Agonists: In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Characterization. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024 Jul 12;7(7):2154-2173

Date

07/18/2024

Pubmed ID

39022354

Pubmed Central ID

PMC11249627

DOI

10.1021/acsptsci.4c00223

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85195801024 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

2-Arylethynyl (N)-methanocarba adenosine 5'-methylamides are selective A3 adenosine receptor (AR) agonists containing a preestablished receptor-preferred pseudoribose conformation. Here, we compare analogues having bulky 2-substitution, either containing or lacking an ethynyl spacer between adenine and a cyclic group. 2-Aryl compounds 9-11, 13, 14, 19, 22, 23, 27, 29, 31, and 34, lacking a spacer, had human (h) A3AR K i values of 2-30 nM, and others displayed lower affinity. Mouse (m) A3AR affinity varied, with 2-arylethynyl having a higher affinity than 2-aryl analogues (7, 8 > 3c, 3d > 3b). However, 2-aryl-4'-truncated derivatives had greatly reduced hA3AR affinity, even containing affinity-enhancing N 6-dopamine-derived substituents. Molecular modeling, including molecular dynamics simulation, predicted stable poses in the canonical A3AR agonist binding site, but 2-aryl (ECL2 interactions) and 2-arylethynyl (TM2 interactions) substituents have different conformations and environments. In a hA3AR miniGαi recruitment assay, 31 (MRS8062) was (slightly) more potent compared to a β-arrestin2 recruitment assay, both in engineered HEK293T cells, and its maximal efficacy (E max) was much higher (165%) than reference agonist NECA's. Thus, in the 2-aryl series, A3AR affinity and selectivity were variable and generally reduced compared to the 2-arylethynyl series, with a greater dependence on the specific aryl group present. Selected compounds were studied in vivo in an ischemic model of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Rigidified 2-arylethynyl analogues 3a-3c were protective in this model of skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury/claudication, as previously shown only for moderately A3AR-selective ribosides or (N)-methanocarba derivatives. Thus, we have expanded the A3AR agonist SAR for (N)-methanocarba adenosines.

Author List

Tosh DK, Pavan M, Cronin C, Pottie E, Wan TC, Chen E, Lewicki SA, Campbell RG, Gao ZG, Auchampach JA, Stove CP, Liang BT, Jacobson KA

Authors

John A. Auchampach PhD Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Tina C. Wan PhD Research Scientist II in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin