Replacement of the quinoline pharmacophore: of verlukast by alkylthiazoles and benzothiazoles has lead to the discovery of a new series of potent and orally active LTD(4) receptor antagonists. The synthesis and structure activity relationships of this series of compounds are described.

The enantiomers of the leukotriene D4 antagonist 3-[[[3-[2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)-(E)-ethenyl]phenyl] [[3-(dimethylamino)-3-oxopropyl]thio]methyl]thio]propionic acid (L-660,711)(MK-571) have been prepared, their absolute stereochemistry has been assigned as S for (+)-1 and R for (-)-1 by X-ray analysis of a synthetic intermediate (5), and the biological activity of the enantiomers has been explored. Unexpectedly, the enantiomers are both comparably biologically active with (+)-1 slightly more intrinsically active at the LTD4 receptor in vitro.

Leukotrienes D4 ⩾ C4 > E4 ⩾ F4 produced qualitatively similar contractions of guinea-pig trachealis, which were antagonized by the SRS-antagonist FPL-55712. Schild analyses indicated that FPL-55712 when tested in a low concentration range (0.57–5.7 × 10−6M) competitive antagonist of LTC4, LTE4 and LTF4 (slope not significantly different from one). The interaction of FPL-55712 with LTD4 may be noncompetitive (slope < 1). Comparison of the calculated dissociation constants (−log KB) indicated that FPL-55712 was more effective at blocking LTE4 and LTF4 compared to LTC4 and LTD4. In the presence of higher concentrations of FPL-55712 (1.9 × 10−5M) the antagonism of LTC4 became noncompetitive. These findings indicate that important differences exist in the interaction of FPL-55712 with the various peptido leukotrienes in guinea pig trachealis. Discovery of more selective antagonists will be needed to determine if multiple receptor subtypes are present in this tissue.

The biological activity of synthetic leukotriene C4, D4 and E4 sulfone has been determined in respiratory smooth muscle in vitro and in vivo. The sulfones of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 were potent contractile agonists on indomethacin-treated guinea pig tracheal chains with respective pD2-values of 8.2, 8.0 and 7.9. Contractions were submaximal (75-85% of the cholinergic maximum), slow in onset, prolonged in duration, slowly reversed by washing (compared to acetylcholine or histamine) and were partially reversed by 2 muM FPL-55712. The sulfones of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 also contracted indomethacin-treated guinea pig parenchyma (respective pD2's of 7.9 8.2 and 7.8) and rat parenchyma (respective pD2's of 7.1, 7.2 and 7.2) but were inactive on rat trachea (0.01-2.0 muM). When administered intravenously to anaesthetized guinea pigs, the sulfones of LTD4, LTE4 and to a lesser degree LTC4 (respective ED50's - 0.5; 2.0 and 4.6 microgram/kg) elicited dose-dependent increases in inflation pressure which were antagonized by FPL-55712 and indomethacin. Leukotriene C4, D4 and E4 sulfones display a qualitatively similar profile of biological activity to that of their corresponding sulfides.