Synthesis and dopamine receptor affinity of (R)-(-)-2-fluoro-N-n-propylnorapomorphine: a highly potent and selective dopamine D2 agonist.
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Publications and source records attributed to N S Kula.
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Presynaptic autoreceptor-mediated modulation of dopamine (DA) synthesis was evaluated as the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase activity by enantiomeric mono- and dihydroxyaporphines with minced striatal tissue from rat brain. The isomers of N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA) both inhibited tyrosine hydroxylase activity [IC50 = 0.3 and 1.0 microM for (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-NPA, respectively; R/S potency = 3.6]. Their effects were fully blocked by the nonselective DA receptor antagonist fluphenazine, as well as by the D2-selective antagonist spiperone, but not by the D1 antagonist SCH-23390. These results suggest a D2-type autoreceptor-mediated inhibition of DA synthesis, with limited enantiomeric selectivity of this catechol-aporphine. The corresponding monohydroxy analogs, (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-11-hydroxy-N-n-propylnoraporphine (11-OH-NPa) were about 100 times less potent (IC50 = 42 and 87 microM, respectively) than the NPA isomers in fully inhibiting the enzyme activity in normal tissue but, after depletion of endogenous DA by acute in vivo pretreatment with reserpine (which did not alter the number of D1 or D2 specific binding sites), (R)-(-)-11-OH-NPa was a highly potent but partial agonist (IC25 = 7 nM). Fluphenazine and spiperone fully antagonized the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase by (R)-(-)-11-OH-NPa in reserpinized tissue, but SCH-23390 was ineffective. Actions mediated by endogenous DA probably contribute to the effect of high concentrations of (R)-(-)-11-Oh-NPa to evoke a full inhibition of DA synthesis, but its high potency partial agonist effects appear to be mediated by D2-autoreceptors. (S)-(+)-11-OH-NPa was a very weak partial agonist in reserpinized tissue, with an IC25 = 30 microM (essentially the same as normal tissue); thus, (R)-(-)-11-OH-NPa was greater than 4,000 times more potent than its S-(+)-enantiomer in the absence of endogenous DA. These results demonstrate that NPA, which contains a catechol moiety, acts as a full agonist to inhibit striatal DA synthesis via a presynaptic autoreceptor of the D2 type, with only slight stereoselectivity, and that its monohydroxy analog is a very potent but partial D2 autoreceptor agonist, with very high stereoselectivity.
3H-SCH-23390, a selective antagonist of D-1 dopamine (DA) receptors, was used in a radioreceptor assay with rat brain striatal tissue, optimized biochemically, and extensively characterized pharmacologically with striatal membranes. Nonspecific binding, defined with excess cis(Z)-flupenthixol (300 nM), averaged 20-25% of total counts bound. Specific binding was linearly dependent on the amount of original striatal tissue (0-4 mg) or protein (0-250 micrograms), temperature dependent, saturable and reversible, and appeared to involve a single site at ligand concentrations limited to less than 10 nM. Binding in rat brain regions ranked as: striatum greater than accumbens greater than prefrontal cortex greater than posterior cerebral cortex greater than cerebellum. Association was virtually complete within 30 min at 30 degrees, and the rate of dissociation at 30 degrees was 0.0377 min-1 (half-time = 18.4 min). Affinity (Ka or Kd) determined from association and dissociation rate constants and from concentration isotherms averaged 0.349 and 0.340 nM respectively. Including Na+ at 150 mM increased apparent maximum specific binding (Bmax) by 19%, with a 29% increase in affinity; other monovalent cations alone had small effects on specific binding; Ca2+ and Mg2+ reduced binding by 42%. Agents (N = 85) were tested for potency (Ki or IC50) in competition with the ligand (at 0.30 nM). Those known to have selective effects at D-1 receptors, generally, were most potent and stereoselective. Na+ (150 mM) had little effect on the affinity of cis-thioxanthenes but decreased that of most other agents tested with high D-1 affinity. For antipsychotic agents, the correlation of typical clinical daily doses versus Ki at D-1 sites (r = 0.06) was much lower than at D-2 sites (r = 0.94). (-)Thioridazine was discovered to be D-1 selective, whereas the (+) enantiomer was selective for D-2 sites labeled with 3H-spiperone. Relatively sedating antidepressants had greater D-1 affinity than their less-sedating, secondary amine congeners.
Rats given cocaine or bromocriptine under conditions of low basal arousal showed dose-dependent increases of locomotor activity for less than or equal to 1 hours, followed by depression of activity that diminished gradually over the next 2 hours. Arousal was related biphasically to dose (maximum at ca. 5 mg/kg) but depression increased monophasically with the dose of either agent. Both behavioral arousal and depression induced by cocaine were antagonized by bromocriptine, even at doses lacking behavioral effects alone (ID50 = 1.0 and 0.36 mg/kg [1.3 and 0.5 mumol/kg], respectively). Bromocriptine blocked depression of locomotion even when given after the initial stimulation by cocaine. Bromocriptine induced very weak stereotypy, and neither increased nor blocked stereotypy induced by cocaine or apomorphine. Cocaine, at maximally effective doses, did not deplete catecholamines or serotonin in brain regions at times of maximum behavioral arousal or depression, nor did bromocriptine after metabolic turnover of dopamine. Bromocriptine antagonized arousal induced by direct injection of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens. The ability of bromocriptine to block both the behavioral arousal and depression induced by cocaine may reflect activity of bromocriptine as a mixed agonist-antagonist with limited intrinsic agonistic activity at central dopaminergic D2 receptors, perhaps with particular reference to limbic mechanisms.
A method for the determination of the neuroactive compound N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA) in biological tissues is described. Isolation of NPA from serum or brain tissue was achieved via liquid-liquid extraction from phosphate-buffered tissue extract (0.25 M, pH 7.2) into ethyl acetate. The NPA, along with a [2H7]NPA analogue serving as internal standard, was converted to the corresponding bis(trifluoroacetyl) ester by treatment with excess trifluoroacetic anhydride at 75 degrees C. The electrophoric derivatives were analyzed by fused-silica capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the negative ion chemical ionization mode. Selected ion monitoring of the [M-CF3CO]- ions of derivatized NPA (m/z 390) and internal standard [2H7]NPA (m/z 397) permitted the quantitation of NPA in serum and brain samples obtained from rats treated with either free NPA or the prodrug methylenedioxy-NPA (MDO-NPA). Calibration was conducted down to a practical limit of assay sensitivity, at 0.50 ng NPA per ml of serum and 0.50 ng NPA per g of brain. The relative standard deviation for replicate serum samples spiked at 20 ng/ml was 4.2% (n = 5) and for brain samples at 10 ng/g, it was 3.6%. This method revealed differences in the free NPA brain/serum ratios in rats treated separately with the stereoisomers R-(-)-MDO-NPA and S-(+)-MDO-NPA.
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The R-(-) and S-(+) enantiomers of 11-hydroxy-N-n-propylnoraporphine, (R)-3 and (S)-3, were synthesized in six steps from 1-(3-methoxy-2-nitrobenzyl)isoquinoline. Neuropharmacological evaluation of the R and S isomers (by affinity to dopamine receptor sites in rat brain tissues, induction of stereotyped behavior, and interaction with motor arousal induced by (R)-apomorphine in the rat) indicated that, similar to the 10,11-dihydroxy congener 2, both enantiomers can bind to dopamine receptors but that only (R)-3 activates them, whereas (S)-3 shows activity as a dopaminergic antagonist.
The 10-11-methylenedioxy (MDO) derivative of S(+)N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA) was prepared and tested as a possible active prodrug to S(+)NPA, which we have recently found to exert in vivo activity suggestive of selective antagonism of dopamine receptors in the limbic forebrain but not the extrapyramidal basal ganglia. Like S(+)NPA, S(+)MDO-NPA inhibited the behavioral arousal induced by dopamine injected into nucleus accumbens of the rat, but not the head-turning response to dopamine injected into the corpus striatum. However, only MDO-NPA was orally active and it was somewhat longer-acting than NPA. The activity of S(+)MDO-NPA was prevented by pretreatment with the oxidase inhibitor SKF-525A. These properties are analogous to those of R(-)MDO-NPA, which we had previously reported as an orally active prodrug of the dopamine agonist R(-)NPA. Thus the methylenedioxy derivatives of the two entantiomers of NPA have properties desirable in a potentially clinically useful dopamine agonist and limbic dopamine antagonist, respectively.
Effects of cations on binding of 0.1-10 nM 3H-ADTN to calf caudate membranes included decreased apparent Bmax by [Na+] greater than or equal to 100 mM, little effect on Kd or on affinity of other dopamine (DA) agonists (DA and apomorphine), decreased slopes of inhibition curves produced by agonists, but increased affinity of the antagonists (+)butaclamol; in contrast, low (10-20 mM) [Na+] did not decrease Bmax, increased ligand and agonist affinity and specific binding, and gave steep monophasic inhibition curves for DA agonists. K+, Li+, and Rb+ had little effect at a wide range of concentrations. Mg++ and Ca++, in physiologic concentrations, moderately increased binding of 3H-ADTN, as did microM Mn++ or Co++; the latter ions inhibited binding at greater than or equal to 10 mM, as did Cu++ (IC50 = 10 microM). The results extend impressions that physiologic [Na+] favors binding of DA antagonists and diminishes binding of agonists, but optimal agonist binding occurred at low [Na+] (10-20 mM), while divalent cations had complex actions.
The neurotoxin N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) can induce degeneration of dopamine (DA) and other central monoamine neurons, leading to Parkinson's disease-like effects in man, monkey, and mouse. MPTP and other substituted phenylpiperidines related to synthetic analgesics including alphaprodine and meperidine were evaluated for potency vs. uptake of 0.1 microM tritiated DA, norepinephrine (NE), or serotonin (5HT) in synaptosomal preparations of mouse striatum or cerebral cortex. The most potent inhibitor of the uptake of 3H-DA was N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+; IC50 = 1 microM, Ki = 0.4 microM), a metabolite of MPTP; its effect was competitive and reversible. Other analogs of MPTP: the N-ethylindole AHR-1709, N,N-dimethyl-MPTP, and N-methyl-4-phenylpiperidine were all more potent than MPTP against 3H-DA uptake. N-dealkylation and N-propyl substitution, as well as pyridine ring substitution, decreased affinity for DA uptake while 3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl substitution increased potency and selectivity for catecholamine uptake, and quarternarization of the pyridine ring also increased potency against DA uptake. Active compounds showed higher potency against the uptake of NE than of DA. MPP+ was also more potent than MPTP in releasing endogenous DA from striatal synaptosomes (EC50 = 3 vs. 30 microM), but did not release the cytoplasmic markers tyrosine hydroxylase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In contrast to MPTP, synthetic phenylpiperidine analgesics, their potential metabolites and the experimental neuroleptic agent AHR-1709 all failed to deplete striatal DA in vivo, even if active in vitro against DA uptake.
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The optical isomers of apomorphine (APO) and N-propylnorapomorphine (NPA) were interacted with three biochemical indices of dopamine (DA) receptors in extrapyramidal and limbic preparations of rat brain tissue. There were consistent isomeric preferences for the R(-) configuration of both DA analogs in stimulating adenylate cyclase (D-1 sites) and in competing for high affinity binding of 3H-spiroperidol (D-2 sites) and of 3H-ADTN (DA agonist binding sites) in striatal tissue, with lesser isomeric differences in the limbic tissue. The S(+) apomorphines did not inhibit stimulation of adenylate cyclase by DA. The tendency for greater activity or higher apparent affinity of R(-) apomorphines in striatum may reflect the evidently greater abundance of receptor sites in that region. There were only small regional differences in interactions of the apomorphine isomers with all three receptor sites, except for a strong preference of (-)NPA for striatal D-2 sites. These results do not parallel our recent observations indicating potent and selective antidopaminergic actions of S(+) apomorphines in the rat limbic system. They suggest caution in assuming close parallels between current biochemical and functional, especially behavioral, methods of evaluating dopamine receptors of mammalian brain.
Rats were treated once with doses of haloperidol or of droperidol below and above the acute ID50 vs the dopamine agonist apomorphine; they were later challenged with an acute dose of apomorphine (0.3 mg/kg, SC) and rated for stereotyped behavioral responses. The two neuroleptics were similar in acute anti-apomorphine potency (ID50 = 0.12 and 0.18 mg/kg for haloperidol and droperidol, respectively). The antidopaminergic effects of droperidol persisted for nearly 1 week and those of haloperidol lasted for 20-40 days, depending on the dose given. The computed half-time of disappearance of their antidopaminergic effects was 7.6 +/- 1.0 days and 0.59 +/- 0.17 days for haloperidol and droperidol, respectively, following a dose of 0.3 mg/kg, and these indices of duration of action did not vary significantly at doses between 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg. Haloperidol reduced the acute entry of 3H-apomorphine into brain by 21.5% 1 week later. Treatment with apomorphine alone just prior to haloperidol (both at 0.3 mg/kg) prevented the prolonged antidopaminergic effects of the neuroleptic evaluated 1 week later. These results indicate that some neuroleptics may have very prolonged activity or retention in tissue at sites of action, even after moderate, single doses. Caution is recommended in the interpretation of studies which assume "neuroleptic-free" conditions of subjects previously exposed to a neuroleptic agent.
Effects of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (N-methyl-PTP) and its N-propyl congener (N-propyl-PTP) on the high-affinity uptake of tritiated dopamine (DA), norepinephrine, and serotonin by striatal or cerebral cortical synaptosomes were evaluated in several species (rat, guinea pig, rabbit, calf, and man). Both compounds inhibited uptake of 0.1 microM labeled amines at IC50s of 5-10 microM. Effects of N-methyl-PTP were competitive, reversible, somewhat more potent, and more selective for serotonin than were actions of N-propyl-PTP. Similar effects were found in all species. Neither agent inhibited binding of 3H-labeled spiperone or ADTN to DA receptor sites. 3H-N-methyl-PTP did not appear to be taken up selectively into DA neurons. N-methyl-PTP was highly toxic to the rat in doses that did not alter the metabolism of DA or serotonin in brain. These results, overall, do not provide strong support for the hypothesis that reported neurotoxic actions of N-methyl-PTP are mediated by neuron-specific local transport and intracellular accumulation, or account for species differences in the actions of this toxin, but do suggest interactions with brain monoamine neurons. The actions of the neurotoxic effects of N-methyl-PTP remain unclear.
A proposed dopamine (DA) receptor labeling agent, [3H](-)N-chloroethylnorapomorphine (3H-NCA) underwent relatively little chemical change at 25 degrees C and pH 6.4 up to an hour of incubation. At low (nM) concentrations it bound rapidly and avidly to a membrane preparation of calf caudate nucleus, but the binding did not saturate over two hours of incubation or at ligand concentrations between 0.2 nM and 10 microM. While similarly bound [3H]-(-)apomorphine was rapidly displaced by DA and other agents that interact with DA receptors, 3H-NCA could not be displaced by unlabeled DA, apomorphine and (+)butaclamol, nor by denaturation of the tissue with trichloracetic acid (TCA). There was no evidence of selectivity of binding of 3H-NCA in regions of rat brain, and binding occurred even to TCA-denatured caudate tissue. Catechol-aporphines prevented binding of 3H-NCA to calf caudate membranes by up to 30%, but this effect was not stereoselective and was lost at concentrations of 3H-NCA above 100 nM. In contrast, DA and ADTN as well as neuroleptics and adrenergic agonists had no such effect. The results suggest that while 3H-NCA may bind irreversibly, and possibly covalently, it does not have high selectivity for labeling dopamine D-3 or D-2 receptor sites, but may be partially selective for an aporphine binding site.
The enantiomers [(S)-(+) and (R)-(-)] of N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA) were synthesized. (R)-NPA was obtained by the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of N-n-propylnormorphine. (R)-NPA also was converted to (RS)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine dimethyl ether by dehydrogenation of the 10,11-O,O'-dimethyl ether of (R)-NPA with 10% palladium on carbon in acetonitrile, followed by reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride under acidic conditions. Alternatively (RS)-NPA 10,11-O,O'-dimethyl ether was obtained via total synthesis. (+)-Dibenzoyl-D-tartaric acid was used to resolve (RS)-NPA dimethyl ether. Ether cleavage gave (S)-NPA isolated as the hydrochloride salt in greater than 99.9% enantiomeric purity, as determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The pharmacological activities of (S)- and (R)-NPA were evaluated with subnanomolar concentrations of 3H-labeled apomorphine (APO), ADTN, and spiroperidol (SPR) for competition for binding to a membrane-rich subsynaptosomal fraction of calf caudate nucleus. IC50 (nM) values for (R)-NPA vs. (S)-NPA were as follows: [3H]APO, 2.5 vs. 66; [3H]ADTN, 2.0 vs. 60; [3H]SPR, 174 vs. 1400. The efficacy of (R)- and (S)-NPA in stimulating dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase from both homogenates of rat corpus striatum and pieces of intact carp retina was also evaluated. Three behavioral effects in the rat (stereotyped behavior, sedation, and catalepsy) were also examined. Only (R)-NPA induced stereotypy; (S)-NPA failed to antagonize this action of the R isomer. The effects of (R)- and (S)-NPA on adenylate cyclase agreed with the behavioral effects and radioreceptor binding assays in that the R isomer was the strongly preferred enantiomer at dopamine receptors. The S enantiomer of NPA was, however, the weakly preferred configuration for rat liver catechol O-methyltransferase. A dopamine-receptor model accommodates the configuration of NPA and related aporphines.
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Recent reports describe effects of ascorbate on binding of dopaminergic agonists to membrane preparations of brain tissue. We now report that with calf caudate membranes, in the absence of EDTA, ascorbate (up to 10 mM) lowered the binding of [3H] (-)apomorphine (3H-APO) by up to 34%, and the proportion "specific," from 69% to 36%, and lowered binding of [3H] (+/-)2-amino-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (3H-ADTN) by up to 38%, with little effect on the proportion of its specific binding. EDTA (5 mM), alone, also reduced binding of both ligands by 40-50% but had no effect on the proportion specific. With ascorbate plus EDTA, although total binding was lowered, the proportion of specific binding of 3H-APO rose to a maximum of 82% at 2.5 mM ascorbate, whereas that of 3H-ADTN was only slightly increased. Moreover, TLC revealed that the antioxidants were required during incubation to prevent temperature- and time-dependent degradation of APO much more than ADTN. Thus, while each additive, alone, lowered binding of 3H-APO and of 3H-ADTN, ascorbate plus EDTA increased the proportion of specific binding, especially of 3H-APO, and protected both from degradation.