Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 14-heteroaromatic-substituted naltrexone derivatives: pharmacological profile switch from mu opioid receptor selectivity to mu/kappa opioid receptor dual selectivity

J Med Chem. 2013 Nov 27;56(22):9156-69. doi: 10.1021/jm4012214. Epub 2013 Nov 7.

Abstract

On the basis of a mu opioid receptor (MOR) homology model and the isosterism concept, three generations of 14-heteroaromatically substituted naltrexone derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential MOR-selective ligands. The first-generation ligands appeared to be MOR-selective, whereas the second and the third generation ones showed MOR/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) dual selectivity. Docking of ligands 2 (MOR selective) and 10 (MOR/KOR dual selective) to the three opioid receptor crystal structures revealed a nonconserved-residue-facilitated hydrogen-bonding network that could be responsible for their distinctive selectivity profiles. The MOR/KOR dual-selective ligand 10 showed no agonism and acted as a potent antagonist in the tail-flick assay. It also produced less severe opioid withdrawal symptoms than naloxone in morphine-dependent mice. In conclusion, ligand 10 may serve as a novel lead compound to develop MOR/KOR dual-selective ligands, which might possess unique therapeutic value for opioid addiction treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • CHO Cells
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Drug Design*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Naltrexone / chemical synthesis*
  • Naltrexone / chemistry
  • Naltrexone / metabolism*
  • Naltrexone / pharmacology
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa / chemistry
  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / chemistry
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / metabolism*
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Naltrexone