M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) have emerged as a potential target for the treatment of drug abuse, based on brain region localization, involvement in the regulation of central dopaminergic pathways, and behavioral data from M5-knockout mice. However, the exact physiological role of this receptor and its potential for pharmacotherapeutic development are ambiguous due to the lack of selective ligands. The purpose of the current proposal is to develop novel M5 receptor antagonists. Based on a reported nonselective muscarinic antagonist, we generated over 70 structurally-related analogs using a progressive step-by-step structural modification strategy from which several new leads with increased selectivity and potency for M5 mAChR subtypes have been identified. Further, we have constructed a homology model of M5 mAChR based on the newly available crystal structure of the b1 adrenergic receptor. In this revision, we propose to build and validate homology models for the other 4 mAChR subtypes using reported compounds. These in silico models will be used for virtual library screening. A structurally diversified virtual screening library, which consists of 9 different structural scaffolds, was designed and anticipate that highly selective and potent analogs as virtual hits for M5 mAChRs will emerge. The virtual hits will be pre-evaluated in in silico ADMET screening programs to focus the synthetic efforts on druggable analogs. Druggable virtual hits will be evaluated in receptor binding assays using CHO cells expressing hM1-hM5. Analogs selective for M5 will be evaluated in functional assays using native M5 receptors and lead analogs will be evaluated also in off-target assays, for in vitro cardiotoxicity (hERG assays) and neurotoxicity (dopamine striatal content). We anticipate the discovery of promising M5 antagonists, which will be useful pharmacological tools and have potential as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of drug abuse.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
7R21DA030667-02
Application #
8390599
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-MDCN-C (56))
Program Officer
Hillery, Paul
Project Start
2011-06-01
Project End
2013-05-31
Budget Start
2011-07-01
Budget End
2012-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$185,625
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Pharmacy
DUNS #
122452563
City
Little Rock
State
AR
Country
United States
Zip Code
72205
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Zheng, Guangrong; Smith, Andrew M; Huang, Xiaoqin et al. (2013) Structural modifications to tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylate esters en route to the discovery of M5-preferring muscarinic receptor orthosteric antagonists. J Med Chem 56:1693-703
Huang, Xiaoqin; Zheng, Guangrong; Zhan, Chang-Guo (2012) Microscopic binding of M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor with antagonists by homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. J Phys Chem B 116:532-41