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L Toll

Publications and source records attributed to L Toll.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The in vitro pharmacological characterization of naloxone benzoylhydrazone.

On the basis of its in vivo activity and binding affinity, naloxone benzoylhydrazone has been characterized as a kappa 3-opioid receptor agonist and a mu-opioid receptor antagonist. This paper continues its pharmacological characterization with the help of isolated tissue preparations. Naloxone benzoylhydrazone was found to have partial agonist activity in the guinea pig ileum longitudinal muscle/myenteric plexus preparation. As an antagonist, naloxone benzoylhydrazone is similar to naloxone, with pA2 values of 8.8, 7.8, and 7.8 for mu-, delta-, and kappa 1-opioid receptors, respectively. Its agonist activity in the guinea pig ileum preparation was not influenced by beta-funaltrexamine treatment but was reversed by the selective kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine and by the irreversible kappa 1-opioid receptor blocker UPHIT (1S,2S)-trans-2-isothiocyanato-4,5-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1- pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl] benzeneacetamide. The presence of kappa 3-opioid receptors could not be demonstrated by [3H]naloxone benzoylhydrazone binding in the guinea pig ileum longitudinal muscle/myenteric plexus preparation. From these studies it is concluded that the partial agonist activity of naloxone benzoylhydrazone in this bioassay is probably due to the activation of the kappa 1-opioid receptors.

Animals↗

Intact cell binding and the relation to opioid activities in SH-SY5Y cells.

Binding studies were conducted with intact SH-SY5Y cells, using the mu-opioid-selective antagonist [3H]D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2. Previous studies had demonstrated equilibrium binding constants generally higher than those found when binding to membrane preparations for most opioid agonists. Studies on various other G protein-coupled receptors had shown that receptor internalization led to low apparent affinities for agonists and that short or low-temperature incubations could reveal high-affinity binding components. In SH-SY5Y cells, short (1-min) and 4 degrees C incubations did not reveal high-affinity binding components. Nonequilibrium binding experiments could also be used to compare binding affinities of opiate agonists with activity at mu receptors in the cells. SH-SY5Y cells have functional mu and delta receptors. mu Receptors can be measured independently of delta receptors if activity is determined in the presence of the delta antagonist ICI 174,864. When both binding and activity, as measured by inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, were conducted for 10 min, the ratio of binding IC50 to activity IC50 could give an indication of the relative efficacy of opioid agonists. These studies indicated that morphine has slightly lower efficacy than etorphine and the peptides DAMGO and DADLE. Each of these compounds has significantly higher efficacy than ethylketocyclazocine and the partial agonist buprenorphine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evidence for an NMDA receptor subunit in human keratinocytes and rat cardiocytes.

Receptor binding studies have demonstrated the presence of an [3H]MK-801 ([3H](+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-im ine maleate) binding site in human keratinocytes. The affinity found in keratinocytes was lower than that found in brain membranes. Northern blots identified mRNA in human keratinocytes and rat cardiocytes, as well as rat brain, that hybridized with high stringency to a probe for NMDAR1, an NMDA receptor subunit. In each tissue, mRNA that hybridized to another glutamate binding protein that might be part of an NMDA receptor complex, was also present. The presence of NMDA or NMDA-like receptors in keratinocytes and rat cardiocytes together with the low affinity [3H]MK-801 binding suggests that this protein may be a general channel forming protein that is present in many tissues, and forms specific receptors by interacting with additional subunits.

Animals↗

Recombinant human retinoic acid receptor beta. Binding of synthetic retinoids and transcriptional activation.

All-trans-retinoic acid mediates cell growth and differentiation by binding to and then activating nuclear retinoid receptor proteins that regulate gene transcription. Recombinant human retinoic acid receptor beta was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein rMBP-RAR beta with maltose-binding protein to facilitate purification. After isolation from bacterial lysates, rMBP-RAR beta was used for binding with selected retinoids. Scatchard analysis with [11,12-3H2]all-trans-retinoic acid gave a Kd of 0.34 nM. Competitive binding studies with a series of conformationally restricted aromatic retinoids indicated that the Ki values for binding to rMBP-RAR beta correlated with the logs of the EC50 values for gene transcriptional activation (p < or = 0.05) and with those for the relative activation compared to that of all-trans-retinoic acid (p < or = 0.01). Inspection of binding-activation correlation diagrams indicates candidate structures for improved retinoid agonists or antagonists.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Comparison of kappa 2-opioid receptors in guinea pig brain and guinea pig ileum membranes.

The presence of kappa-opioid receptor subtypes has been clearly established in guinea pig brain. Using [3H]bremazocine in the presence of reversible blockers of mu, delta and kappa 1 receptors, two additional binding sites can be determined in guinea pig brain membranes. The site with higher affinity for the opioid ligands represents kappa 2, while the other site has low affinity and is poorly characterized. The kappa 2 site has high affinity for ethylketocyclazocine and other benzomorphans, as well as for the dynorphin gene products tested. The dynorphin analogs have no appreciable affinity for the low affinity site, so this site should not be called a kappa receptor. With an appropriate membrane preparation, kappa 2 binding can also be demonstrated in the guinea pig ileum. Binding affinities for selected ligands at kappa 2 in guinea pig ileum membranes are very similar to affinities found in brain membranes.

Analgesics↗

The mu-opioid activity of kappa-opioid receptor agonist compounds in the guinea pig ileum.

On the basis of their in vivo activity and binding affinity, nalorphine and (-)SKF 10,047 were classified as mixed agonist/antagonist compounds. However, in isolated tissue preparations without a selective antagonist to block their agonist effect, the characterization of these compounds and the determination of their antagonist activity were very difficult. Nor-binaltorphimine, a selective kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, was used in the longitudinal muscle preparations of the guinea pig ileum to block the kappa-agonist activity of nalorphine and (-)SKF 10,047. In the absence of their kappa-agonist activity, we were able to determine the mu-antagonist activity using the mu-selective agonist DAMGO ([D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin). The pA2 values for nalorphine and (-)SKF 10,047 were 7.50 and 7.69, respectively.

Animals↗

Comparison of mu opioid receptor binding on intact neuroblastoma cells with guinea pig brain and neuroblastoma cell membranes.

To better understand opioid binding parameters found in situ, binding studies were conducted to mu-opioid receptors on intact SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and compared with binding to SH-SY5Y membrane and guinea pig brain membrane preparations. The mu-selective peptide antagonist [3H]D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP) was used for the binding studies. The fact that CTOP is an antagonist and hydrophilic is important for binding to be achieved using intact cells. In intact cells, using a physiological buffer, there appears to be only a low affinity "agonist" conformation of the receptor. This is in contrast to binding in either brain or SH-SY5Y membranes in Tris buffer, in which high-affinity agonist binding was prevalent. As expected from the binding profiles, pertussis toxin treatment of cells has no effect on binding to intact cells, but significantly decreases affinity of agonists to cell membranes. In intact cells, binding appears to be to a single site and a single state of the mu receptor. Although in membrane preparations inhibition curves are shallow, with slope factors less than 1.0 for many agonists, on intact cells agonist inhibition curves are very steep, with slope factors slightly greater than 1.0.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of a new atrial peptide-degrading enzyme from bovine kidney.

An endopeptidase isolated from bovine kidney displays high affinity and selectivity for the Ser-Phe bond located in the C-terminal region of atrial peptides. Enzymatic activity converts APIII and APII to the less active peptide API. This peptidase is inhibited by both metal chelators and sulfhydryl-reactive agents, suggesting both a tightly bound metal and a cysteine residue are important for enzymatic activity. This enzyme may be important for the processing and/or degradation of atrial peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

L-type cardiac calcium channels in doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in rats morphological, biochemical, and functional correlations.

Doxorubicin (DXR) is an effective antitumor agent in a wide spectrum of neoplasms. Chronic treatment is associated with cardiomyopathy and characteristic myocardial ultrastructural changes, which include swelling of the t tubules. Accordingly, we investigated excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyopathic rat heart resulting from chronic DXR treatment. Using the whole-cell patch clamp technique, we studied the L-type calcium channel in single cells enzymatically isolated from normal (CTRL) and DXR rat hearts. Despite similar cell dimensions, the total membrane capacitance was significantly smaller in the DXR cells (138 +/- 9 pF) than in the CTRL cells (169 +/- 11 pF) (mean +/- SEM, n = 9, P less than 0.05). The mean current and the current density-voltage relationships of the CTRL and the DXR cells were significantly different (n = 9, P less than 0.001) with the maximal peak L-type calcium current (ICa) density increased from 6.4 +/- 0.9 in CTRL cells to 10.5 +/- 2.4 microA/cm2 in the DXR cells (P less than 0.05). There was no shift either in the current-voltage relationship or the steady-state inactivation curve in the two cell groups. However, the fast time constant of inactivation was increased at a membrane voltage of -10 to 10 mV. Calcium channel antagonist equilibrium binding assays using [3H]-PN200-110 revealed no difference in the maximal receptor binding capacity (CTRL, 194 +/- 27 and DXR 211 +/- 24 fmol/mg protein; P greater than 0.05, n = 6) and in receptor affinity (CTRL, 0.15 +/- 0.05 and DXR 0.13 +/- 0.03 nM; P less than 0.05). These data suggest that a decrease in effective capacitance might be associated with t-tubular damage. Despite this decrease, ICa was increased in the DXR cells. Such an increase may result from an alteration in the properties of the calcium channels and/or recruitment of "hibernating" channels in the remaining surface and t-tubular membranes.

Animals↗

Mu-opioid receptor binding in intact SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

In order to determine affinities at the mu opioid receptor binding was conducted to intact SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using the mu-selective ligand [3H][H-D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2] [( 3H]CTOP). Binding appeared to be a single receptor site, and a single state of the mu receptor. Under intact cell conditions, some but not all mu agonists display low affinity binding, while antagonists maintain high affinity for the mu receptor. These studies indicate the usefulness of [3H]CTOP for the determination of affinities at the mu receptor under physiological conditions.

Humans↗

Molecular determinants of benzodiazepine receptor affinities and anticonvulsant activities.

In vivo convulsant activities profiles and receptor binding studies together with the techniques of theoretical chemistry were used to characterize 15 compounds, from five different chemical families, known to bind to the BDZ receptor. The experimental goals of this study were to determine the affinity of these analogs for this receptor, the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid on the affinity, and, in a self-consistent manner, the nature of the activity, agonist (anticonvulsant), antagonist, or inverse agonist (proconvulsant, convulsant), elicited by binding to this receptor. To these ends, in vivo studies were made to determine the proconvulsant, convulsant, and anticonvulsant activities and antagonism to anticonvulsant activities of the 15 analogs. Their receptor affinities at 25 degrees were also determined by competitive inhibition of [3H] flunitrazepam and [3H]Ro 15-1788 in the absence and presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid. The goal of the theoretical studies was to identify and calculate molecular properties that modulate these affinities and types of activities and from them to develop a model of receptor recognition and activation that could consistently explain observed behavior and predict new results. Thus, molecular orbital calculations were carried out for all analogs, using semiempirical quantum mechanical methods. In addition to the optimization of structures, a number of electronic properties, such as polarizations, partition coefficients, and proton and electron affinities were computed and examined for their ability to modulate relative affinities and modes of activation of the receptor. From these studies, a model for receptor recognition involving two anchoring hydrogen bond-acceptor sites and for activation involving interaction of the most lipophilic aromatic region of each compound with the receptor was developed, which could systematically account for the three different types of behavior, agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist, observed for these analogs. Electronic rather than structural properties were found to be the principal modulator of both recognition and activation. A possible mechanism of agonist activation of the receptor involving electron transfer to the agonist, as well as a possible induced conformational change in the receptor, is also suggested by these results. Finally, by complementarity, some steric and electronic characteristics of the receptor binding site could be deduced.

Animals↗

Effects of addition of a 2-methyl group to ethyl nipecotates (beta-meperidines) on receptor affinities and opiate agonist/antagonist activities.

A series of 2-methyl-3-carbethoxy-3-(m-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine opiates (13a-d) with N-substituent variations have been synthesized, and their receptor affinities and in vivo agonist and antagonist activities and energy-conformational profiles have been determined. These are racemates of the alpha-epimer at the C-2 position, with a methyl group cis to the 3-phenyl group. One of the main goals of this study was to compare the conformational and pharmacological behavior of these 2-methyl "beta-meperidine" analogues to their 2-desmethyl racemic counterparts (14a-c) previously reported in the literature. The 2-desmethyl and 2-methyl analogues were found to have very similar phenyl equatorial conformers as their lowest energy forms with the addition of a 2-methyl group diminishing conformational flexibility. The presence of the 2-methyl group appears to diminish affinity at the mu-receptor and also to somewhat diminish already weak antinociceptic agonist activity. Given the similarity in lowest energy conformation, this reduction is most likely caused by the unfavorable interaction of the methyl group itself with a local mu-receptor binding site. Superposition of the phenol OH and protonated amine nitrogen NH of either 2-methyl enantiomer of 13a in its lowest energy conformer with the same OH and NH groups of metazocine, used as a high affinity rigid analogue, leads to reasonable overlap. However, the N-substituents and the piperidine and phenyl rings do not overlap in this proposed pharmacophore, perhaps accounting for the rather poor affinities found for these 3-phenylpiperidines and the lack of N-substituent modulation of affinity and efficacy as in fused ring opioids.

Animals↗

Conformational determinants of high affinity delta receptor binding of opioid peptides.

Detailed conformational analysis of linear and cyclic delta-selective opioid peptides was performed in conjunction with computer-analyzed receptor binding studies with the aim of determining conformational requirements for high affinity binding of peptides to the delta-receptor. The four linear delta-selective hexapeptides included in this study were: DSLET (Tyr-D-Ser-Gly-Phe-Leu-Thr) and its D-Thr2 analog (DTLET) and two t-butyl ether analogs. In one analog an O-t-butyl group replaces the D-Ser2OH and in the other a second O-t-butyl group replaces the D-Thr6OH group as well. This study also includes seven cyclic pentapeptides of the type: Tyr-Cys(Pen-Gly-Phe-Cys(Pen) with various combinations of DL-cysteine and DL-penicillamine (beta-dimethyl cysteine) as the second and fifth residues resulting in varying delta affinities and selectivities. Four (DPLPE, DPDPE, DPLCE, and DCLPE) have both high delta affinity and selectivity; two (DCDCE and DCLCE) have high affinity at both delta- and mu-receptors, and one (LCLCE) has low affinity for both receptors. Our investigation has shown that all analogs that have high affinity at the delta receptor have a unique common low energy conformer. This compact conformer contains intramolecular H-bonds and is very different from the beta II-turn-type structure associated with high affinity mu-receptor binding deduced in our previous work.

Computer Graphics↗

Structure-activity studies of morphine fragments. I. 4-alkyl-4-(m-hydroxy-phenyl)-piperidines.

The 4-(m-OH-phenyl)piperidines are a flexible fragment of the morphine/benzomorphan fused-ring opioids. Analogs in this family were synthesized with varying 4-alkyl substituents increasing in bulk from H through methyl, n-propyl, to t-butyl, each with the three N-substituents methyl, allyl, and phenethyl. These twelve compounds were evaluated for analgetic agonism in mice using two different models for antinociceptive activity, acetic acid writhing and tail-flick, the latter by both subcutaneous and intracerebroventricular routes of administration. Antagonism to morphine analgesia was also measured by the mouse tail-flick procedure. Binding affinities of these new analogs to different opioid receptor subtypes were determined. Energy conformational calculations on these compounds were also carried out using the empirical energy program called MOLMEC, in order to better understand how the 4-R substituents modulate receptor binding affinities and efficacies. The results obtained show that, in general, the compounds studied are mu-selective and vary in agonist potency from weak to morphine-like. Significant differences in rank order of analgetic potencies and their relationship to receptor affinities were obtained from the results of subcutaneous and intracerebroventricular administration. Results of energy-conformational calculations for twelve N-methyl compounds indicate that those with 4-alkyl substituents favor a common, non-morphine-like phenyl axial conformation. The 4-t-butyl compounds are, in fact, the first simple mono-alkyl-substituted 4-phenyl-piperidines predicted to definitely exist in a phenyl axial conformation, as confirmed by X-ray analysis. On the basis of this common phenyl axial conformation, the observed variation in mu receptor affinities and efficacies of the 4-methyl, 4-n-propyl, and 4-t-butyl compounds could be understood and the behavior of 4-ethyl and 4-isopropyl analogs predicted. Two equatorial conformers (rotamers) were found to be the preferred forms of the analogs with 4-R being H or an ester group, or with a 3-methyl group added trans (beta) to the 4-R group. Taking into account the rotational flexibility of these analogs, these two conformers could be used to understand differences in high and low efficacy compounds observed among analogs with preferred phenyl equatorial conformations. None of the analogs exhibit a fused-ring-like N-substituent modulation of efficacy. This result can, perhaps, be understood by their inability in any proposed conformer to totally mimic key receptor interactions of both the phenol-OH and N-substituent portions of the fused compounds.

Analgesics↗