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Biomedical subjects

M Garbarg

Publications and source records attributed to M Garbarg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Synthesis, absolute configuration, stereoselectivity, and receptor selectivity of (alpha R, beta S)-alpha,beta-dimethylhistamine, a novel high potent histamine H3 receptor agonist.

Depending on the selected synthetic pathway, structural variations of the neurotransmitter histamine led to mixtures of alpha,beta-dimethylhistamines as well as to the corresponding pure optical isomers. One of these isomers, namely (alpha R,beta S)-alpha,beta-dimethylhistamine, proved to be a highly potent H3 receptor agonist with exceptional receptor selectivity. The absolute configuration of the compound was determined by X-ray structure analysis of its dihydrobromide using the anomalous dispersion of bromine. The optical purity of both enantiomers of erythro-alpha,beta-dimethylhistamine was checked by 1HNMR investigations after acylation of the amines with (R)-2-methoxy-2-phenylacetyl chloride. As expected H3 receptors distinguish in a very strong way between the title compound and its alpha S,beta R-configured enantiomer. The agonistic potency of the latter is 2 orders of magnitude lower than the potency of (alpha R,beta S)-alpha,beta-dimethylhistamine.

Animals

Design of an affinity matrix for purification of the histamine H1 receptor from guinea pig cerebellum.

H1 receptors from guinea pig cerebellum were solubilized using digitonin, and [125I]iodobolpyramine was used as a probe. [125I]Iodobolpyramine binding to this solubilized preparation occurred with a KD of 0.1 nM and a Bmax of 220 fmol/mg of protein and was inhibited by various H1 ligands with the expected potencies. Using a gel filtration procedure, a very sensitive radioassay was set up for detecting H1 activity in the solubilized preparation: 0.1 nM [125I]iodobolpyramine specific binding represented greater than 90% of total binding. Moreover, the synthesis is described of potent H1 antagonists that are mepyramine derivatives with an amino alkyl acylamido alkyl spacer arm. One of them, UCL 1057 (Ki = 0.5 nM), has been coupled to a Sepharose epoxy-activated resin. The resulting affinity matrix adsorbed selectively [125I]iodobolpyramine binding sites from the guinea pig cerebellum soluble preparation. In contrast, a Sepharose-glycine matrix was not able to adsorb these sites.

Adsorption

S-[2-(4-imidazolyl)ethyl]isothiourea, a highly specific and potent histamine H3 receptor agonist.

The effects of a new agonist of histamine (HA) H3 receptors, Imetit (S-[2-(4-(imidazolyl)ethyl]isothiourea) were investigated in vitro and in vivo and compared to those of (R)-alpha-methylhistamine [(R)-alpha-MeHA], a prototypic drug. Imetit inhibited the binding of [3H](R-alpha-MeHA to rat brain membranes with a Ki value of 0.1 +/- 0.01 nM. The release of endogenously synthesized [3H]HA induced by K(+)-depolarization from rat brain slices and synaptosomes was inhibited by Imetit with EC50 values of 1.0 +/- 0.3 and 2.8 +/- 0.7 nM, respectively. Imetit behaved as a full agonist and was about 4 times more potent than (R)-alpha-MeHA and 60 times more potent than HA. Thioperamide, a selective H3 receptor antagonist, elicited a parallel rightward shift of the concentration-response curve for Imetit with an apparent Ki value of 5.6 +/- 1.4 nM. Imetit potencies relative to HA were less than 0.1% and only 0.6% at HA H1 and H2 receptor reference systems, respectively. Imetit was found not to be a substrate or an inhibitor of HMT. After p.o. administration to mice or rats, Imetit decreased (by approximately 50%) the tele-MeHA level in the cerebral cortex with ED50 values of 1.0 +/- 0.3 and 1.6 +/- 0.3 mg/kg, respectively. This effect was still maximal after 6 hr. The in vivo potency and duration of action of Imetit were in the same range as those of (R)-alpha-MeHA. It is therefore concluded that Imetit represents a new potent and selective HA H3 receptor agonist.

Animals

Novel chiral H3-receptor agonists.

Several alkyl-substituted histamine derivatives have been synthesized and investigated for their agonistic potency on three classes of histamine receptors. While all investigated compounds are full agonists at H3-receptors their relative potency vs. histamine is strongly varying and culminates in alpha R, beta S-dimethylhistamine which is a highly potent and selective H3-receptor agonist.

Animals

The histamine H3-receptor: pharmacology, roles and clinical implications studied with agonists.

Among a series of methylated histamine derivatives, (R) alpha, (S) beta,-dimethylhistamine has been identified as a novel potent and selective H3-receptor agonist, even slightly more potent than (R) alpha-methylhistamine and displaying similar properties in vivo. Several studies suggesting that (R) alpha-methylhistamine might find various clinical applications, it was submitted to toxicological studies and initial clinical trials. The drug seems to display a very low animal toxicity, and, in humans, is well absorbed orally and metabolized via ring methylation before urinary excretion.

Animals

Involvement of histaminergic neurons in arousal mechanisms demonstrated with H3-receptor ligands in the cat.

The effects of histamine H3-receptor ligands on sleep-waking parameters were studied in freely moving cats. Oral administration of (R)alpha-methylhistamine (alpha MHA), a H3-agonist, caused a significant increase in deep slow wave sleep while that of thioperamide, a H3-antagonist, enhanced wakefulness in a marked and dose-dependent manner. The arousal effects of thioperamide were prevented by pretreatment with alpha MHA or mepyramine, a H1-receptor antagonist. The findings support the hypothesis that the histaminergic neurons are critically involved in arousal mechanisms and suggest that H3-receptors play an active part in these mechanisms by regulating histamine transmission.

Animals

Hypersensitivity to histamine in the guinea-pig brain: microiontophoretic and biochemical studies.

Electrolytic lesions of the medial forebrain bundle induce a fall in histidine decarboxylase activity (the specific synthetic enzyme of brain histamine) in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the guinea pig brain; these results suggest the presence of an ascending histaminergic pathway in the guinea pig brain similar to that described in the rat. Possible alterations in the sensitivity of histaminergic receptors present in the target areas were studied following this type of lesion by combining electrophysiological and biochemical approaches. Microiontophoretic applications of histamine or noradrenaline reveal a hypersensitivity (lower ejecting currents for threshold and maximal responses) in cortical neurons ipsilateral but not contralateral to the lesion, whereas responses to iontophoretically applied GABA are not modified. In contrast the responsiveness of histamine-sensitive cyclic AMP generating systems is not modified, neither in the cerebral cortex nor in the hippocampus after this type of lesion. Similar conclusions are reached from the data obtained with specific agonists of the two classes of histaminergic receptors and measurements in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Several hypotheses are discussed in order to reconcile the finding of a denervation hypersensitivity revealed by iontophoresis contrasting with an unaltered responsiveness of the histaminergic receptors linked to the adenylate cyclase.

Action Potentials

Histamine synthesizing afferents within the amygdaloid complex and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the rat.

The regional distribution of histidine decarboxylase (HD) activity has been studied in the amygdaloid complex and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) of the rat. The central and medial nuclei of the amygdala had 2-fold higher HD activity levels than the remaining nuclei of the complex. HD activity was exceptionally high in the BST, particularly in its ventral part. A lesion of the stria terminalis had no effect on this distribution whereas a combined lesion of the stria terminalis and the so-called ventral pathway induced a decrease of approximately 60% in all the amygdaloid nuclei, but not in the BST. On the other hand, a lesion of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) induced a similar decrease in both the amygdaloid nuclei and the BST. These results confirm that HD-containing fibres are present in the MFB. On the one hand these project massively to the BST and on the other penetrate in the amygdala ventromedially along the ansa peduncularis and preferentially innervate the more medially located nuclei.

Afferent Pathways