Abstract
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys-LTs) are lipid mediators of inflammation. The enzyme catalyzing synthesis of cys-LTs, leukotriene C4 synthase (LTC4S), is considered an important drug target. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of three tandem benzophenone amino pyridines as inhibitors of LTC4S in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitors were characterized in vitro using recombinant human LTC4S, MonoMac 6 cells, and a panel of peripheral human immune cells. In vivo, the compounds were tested in the Zymosan A-induced peritonitis mouse model. The molecules, denoted TK04, TK04a, and TK05, were potent and selective inhibitors of LTC4S with IC50 values of 116, 124, and 95 nM, respectively. Molecular docking revealed binding in a hydrophobic crevice between two enzyme monomers and interaction with two catalytic residues, Arg104 and Arg31. The TK compounds potently inhibited cys-LT biosynthesis in immune cells. In coincubations of platelets and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, inhibition of LTC4S led to shunting of LTA4 toward anti-inflammatory lipoxin A4, which was significantly enhanced by simultaneous inhibition of LTA4H. Finally, we found that TK05 (6 mg⋅kg−1⋅body weight) reduces LTE4 levels in peritoneal lavage fluid by 88% and significantly decreases vascular permeability in vivo. Our findings indicate that the TK compounds are valuable experimental tools in eicosanoid research in vitro and in vivo. Their chemical structures may serve as leads for further inhibitor design. Novel drugs depleting cys-LT production could be beneficial for treatment of inflammatory diseases associated with overexpression of LTC4S.
Footnotes
- Received July 7, 2015.
- Accepted August 12, 2015.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Graduiertenkolleg funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius Stiftung, the LOEWE initiative Anwendungsorientierte Arzneimittelforschung, and Fraunhofer IME-TMP, as well as the Lars Hierta Memorial foundation. This study was supported by the Swedish Research Council [10350, 20854 Linneus Grant CERIC], the Cardiovascular Program, and Thematic Center for Inflammation. J.Z.H. is supported by a Distinguished Professor Award from Karolinska Institutet.
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- Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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