Identification of phenylsulfone-substituted quinoxaline (WYE-672) as a tissue selective liver X-receptor (LXR) agonist

J Med Chem. 2010 Apr 22;53(8):3296-304. doi: 10.1021/jm100034x.

Abstract

A series of phenyl sulfone substituted quinoxaline were prepared and the lead compound 13 (WYE-672) was shown to be a tissue selective LXR Agonist. Compound 13 demonstrated partial agonism for LXRbeta in kidney HEK-293 cells but did not activate Gal4 LXRbeta fusion proteins in huh-7 liver cells. Although 13 showed potent binding affinity to LXRbeta (IC(50) = 53 nM), it had little binding affinity for LXRalpha (IC(50) > 1.0 microM) and did not recruit any coactivator/corepressor peptides in the LXRalpha multiplex assay. However, compound 13 showed good agonism in THP-1 cells with respect to increasing ABCA1 gene expression and good potency on cholesterol efflux in THP-1 foam cells. In an eight-week lesion study in LDLR -/- mice, compound 13 showed reduction of aortic arch lesion progression and no plasma or hepatic triglyceride increase. These results suggest quinoxaline 13 may have an improved biological profile for potential use as a therapeutic agent.

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / biosynthesis
  • Animals
  • Area Under Curve
  • Atherosclerosis / drug therapy
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cholesterol / metabolism
  • Duodenum / metabolism
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Models, Molecular
  • Organ Specificity
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors / agonists*
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors / genetics
  • Quinoxalines / chemical synthesis*
  • Quinoxalines / chemistry
  • Quinoxalines / pharmacology
  • Radioligand Assay
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfones / chemical synthesis*
  • Sulfones / chemistry
  • Sulfones / pharmacology
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • 3-methyl-2-(3'-(methylsulfonyl)biphenyl-4-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)quinoxaline
  • ABCA1 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Liver X Receptors
  • NR1H3 protein, human
  • Nr1h3 protein, mouse
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors
  • Quinoxalines
  • Sulfones
  • Triglycerides
  • Cholesterol