An entry from the Cambridge Structural Database, the world’s repository for small molecule crystal structures. The entry contains experimental data from a crystal diffraction study. The deposited dataset for this entry is freely available from the CCDC and typically includes 3D coordinates, cell parameters, space group, experimental conditions and quality measures.

Compound 3 is a potent aminobenzimidazole urea with broad-spectrum Gram-positive antibacterial activity resulting from dual inhibition of bacterial gyrase (GyrB) and topoisomerase IV (ParE), and it demonstrates efficacy in rodent models of bacterial infection. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies showed that compound 3 covalently labels liver proteins, presumably via formation of a reactive metabolite, and hence presented a potential safety liability. The urea moiety in compound 3 was identified as being potentially responsible for reactive metabolite formation, but its replacement resulted in loss of antibacterial activity and/or oral exposure due to poor physicochemical parameters. To identify second-generation aminobenzimidazole ureas devoid of reactive metabolite formation potential, we implemented a metabolic shift strategy, which focused on shifting metabolism away from the urea moiety by introducing metabolic soft spots elsewhere in the molecule. Aminobenzimidazole urea 34, identified through this strategy, exhibits similar antibacterial activity as that of 3 and did not label liver proteins in vivo, indicating reduced/no potential for reactive metabolite formation.

Clinical management of chronic neuropathic pain is limited by marginal effectiveness and unacceptable side effects of current drugs. We demonstrate A(3) adenosine receptor (A(3)AR) agonism as a new target-based therapeutic strategy. The development of mechanoallodynia in a well-characterized mouse model of neuropathic pain following chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve was rapidly and dose-dependently reversed by the A(3)AR agonists: IB-MECA, its 2-chlorinated analog (Cl-IB-MECA), and the structurally distinct MRS1898. These effects were naloxone insensitive and thus are not opioid receptor mediated. IB-MECA was ≥1.6-fold more efficacious than morphine and >5-fold more potent. In addition, IB-MECA was equally efficacious as gabapentin (Neurontin) or amitriptyline, but respectively >350- and >75-fold more potent. Besides its potent standalone ability to reverse established mechanoallodynia, IB-MECA significantly increased the antiallodynic effects of all 3 analgesics. Moreover, neuropathic pain development in rats caused by widely used chemotherapeutics in the taxane (paclitaxel), platinum-complex (oxaliplatin), and proteasome-inhibitor (bortezomib) classes was blocked by IB-MECA without antagonizing their antitumor effect. A(3)AR agonist effects were blocked with A(3)AR antagonist MRS1523, but not with A(1)AR (DPCPX) or A(2A)AR (SCH-442416) antagonists. Our findings provide the scientific rationale and pharmacological basis for therapeutic development of A(3)AR agonists for chronic pain.

Ceramide is a potent pro-inflammatory sphingolipid recently shown to exert potent hyperalgesic responses in rats. Once generated, ceramide is converted by sphingosine kinase (SphK) 1 and/or 2 to one of its active metabolite sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which in turn signals through G-protein coupled S1P receptors. The objectives of this paper were to define whether ceramide-induced hyperalgesia is driven by S1P. Our results show that intraplantar injection of ceramide in rats led to a time-dependent development of thermal hyperalgesia that was associated with an increase in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in paw tissues. The development of hyperalgesia was significantly attenuated by a soluble TNF receptor I. TNF-α is known to activate SphK1, thus S1P production, and our results demonstrate that, the development of hyperalgesia was attenuated in a dose-dependent fashion by a well characterized inhibitor of SphK1 and SphK2 (SK-I) and by a murine monoclonal anti-S1P antibody (LT1002). LT1017, the isotype-matched control monoclonal antibody for LT1002, had no effect. Our results further demonstrate that S1P contributes to the development of hyperalgesia via the S1P receptor 1 subtype (S1PR(1)), since responses were blocked by a well characterized S1PR(1) antagonist, W146, but not by its inactive enantiomer, W140. Collectively, these results provide mechanistic evidence implicating the S1P-to-S1PR(1) pathway as a downstream signaling pathway in ceramide-induced hyperalgesia. Targeting S1P may be a novel therapeutic approach in pain management.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is an important mediator of inflammation recently shown in in vitro studies to increase the excitability of small-diameter sensory neurons, at least in part, via activation of the S1P(1) receptor subtype. Activation of S1PR(1) has been reported to increase the formation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-derived superoxide (O(2)(·-)) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-derived nitric oxide (NO). This process favors the formation of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-) [PN]), a potent mediator of hyperalgesia associated with peripheral and central sensitization. The aims of our study were to determine whether S1P causes peripheral sensitization and thermal hyperalgesia via S1PR(1) activation and PN formation. Intraplantar injection of S1P in rats led to a time-dependent development of thermal hyperalgesia that was blocked by the S1PR(1) antagonist W146, but not its inactive enantiomer W140. The hyperalgesic effects of S1P were mimicked by intraplantar injection of the well-characterized S1PR(1) agonist SEW2871. The development of S1P-induced hyperalgesia was blocked by apocynin, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor; N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, a nonselective NOS inhibitor; and by the potent PN decomposition catalysts (FeTM-4-PyP(5+) and MnTE-2-PyP(5+)). Our findings provide mechanistic insight into the signaling pathways engaged by S1P in the development of hyperalgesia and highlight the contribution of the S1P(1) receptor-to-PN signaling in this process. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)-induced hyperalgesia is mediated by S1P1 receptor activation and mitigated by inhibition or decomposition of peroxynitrite, providing a target pathway for novel pain management strategies.

Inflammatory pain represents an important unmet clinical need with important socioeconomic implications. Ceramide, a potent proinflammatory sphingolipid, has been shown to elicit mechanical hyperalgesia, but the mechanisms remain largely unknown. We now demonstrate that, in addition to mechanical hyperalgesia, intraplantar injection of ceramide (10 μg) led to the development of thermal hyperalgesia that was dependent on induction of the inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and subsequent increase of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). The development of mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and increased production of PGE(2) was blocked by NS-398 (15-150 ng), a selective COX-2 inhibitor. The importance of the COX-2 to PGE(2) pathway in ceramide signaling was underscored by the findings that intraplantar injection of a monoclonal PGE(2) antibody (4 μg) blocked the development of hyperalgesia. Our results further revealed that COX-2 induction is regulated by NF-κB and p38 kinase activation, since intraplantar injection of SC-514 (0.1-1 μg) or SB 203580 (1-10 μg), well-characterized inhibitors of NF-κB and p38 kinase activation, respectively, blocked COX-2 induction and increased formation of PGE(2) and thermal hyperalgesia in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, activation of NF-κB was dependent on upstream activation of p38 MAPK, since SB 203580 (10 μg) blocked p65 phosphorylation, whereas p38 kinase phosphorylation was unaffected by NF-κB inhibition by SC-514 (1 μg). Our findings not only provide mechanistic insight into the signaling pathways engaged by ceramide in the development of hyperalgesia, but also provide a potential pharmacological basis for developing inhibitors targeting the ceramide metabolic-to-COX-2 pathway as novel analgesics.

Redox-active metalloporphyrins represent the most well-characterized class of catalysts capable of attenuating oxidative stress in vivo through the direct interception and decomposition of superoxide and peroxynitrite. While many interesting pharmacological probes have emerged from these studies, few catalysts have been developed with pharmaceutical properties in mind. Herein, we describe our efforts to identify new Mn(III) porphyrin systems with enhanced membrane solubilizing properties. To this end, seven new Mn(III)-tetracyclohexenylporphyin (TCHP) analogues, 7, 10, 12, 15, and 16a-c, have been prepared in which the beta-fused cyclohexenyl rings provide a means to shield the charged metal center from the membrane during passive transport. Compounds 7, 15, and 16a-c have been shown to be orally active and potent analgesics in a model of carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia. In addition, oral administration of compound 7 (10 100 mg/kg, n = 5) has been shown to dose dependently reverse mechano-allodynia in the CCI model of chronic neuropathic pain.

Peroxynitrite (PN) activity is critical to peripheral and spinal sensitization during pain of several etiologies. The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a supraspinal nociceptive modulating center that enhances pathologic pain states through the facilitation of spinal cord nociception. We hypothesized that PN mediated activity in the RVM contributes to thermal hyperalgesia associated with inflammatory pain. Intraplantar injection of carrageenan led to a time dependent development of thermal hyperalgesia that peaked at 3 hours and was associated with increased formation of 3‐nitrotyrosine (a biomarker for the formation and reactions of PN) in the RVM. At peak hyperalgesia, intra‐RVM injection of FeTMPyP, a well characterized PN decomposition catalyst, resulted in a rapid (15 minutes) and dose dependent (0.25, 0.5, and 1μg in 0.5μL; n=5) reversal of thermal hyperalgesia. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that PN contributes to supraspinal descending facilitation of nociception during thermal hyperalgesia. We are currently investigating the underlying mechanisms of PN involvement in the RVM during central sensitization. These findings further support our concept that targeting PN is a viable therapeutic approach in pain management.

The role of peroxynitrite (PN) as a mediator of nociceptive signaling is emerging. We recently reported that the development of central sensitization that follows the intraplantar injection of carrageenan in rats is associated with spinal PN synthesis. We now demonstrate that a significant pathway through which spinal PN modulates central sensitization is post-translational tyrosine nitration of key proteins involved in the glutamatergic pathway, namely glutamate transporter GLT-1 and glutamine synthetase (GS). We also reveal that spinal activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor provides a source of PN in this setting. Intraplantar injection of carrageenan led to the development of thermal hyperalgesia as well as nitration of GLT-1 and GS in dorsal horn tissues. Pretreatment with the PN decomposition catalyst FeTM-4-PyP5+ [Fe(III)5,10,15,20-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin] or the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 blocked the development of hyperalgesia. Carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia was also associated with nitration and inactivation of spinal mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) known to provide a critical source of PN during central sensitization. Nitration of GLT-1 and GS contributes to central sensitization by enhancing glutamatergic neurotransmission. Our results support the critical role of nitroxidative stress in the development of hyperalgesia and suggest that post-translational nitration of enzymes and transporters linked to glutamatergic neurotransmission represent a novel mechanism of central sensitization.

The clinical efficacy of opiates for pain control is severely limited by analgesic tolerance and hyperalgesia. Herein we show that chronic morphine upregulates both the sphingolipid ceramide in spinal astrocytes and microglia, but not neurons, and spinal sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), the end-product of ceramide metabolism. Coadministering morphine with intrathecal administration of pharmacological inhibitors of ceramide and S1P blocked formation of spinal S1P and development of hyperalgesia and tolerance in rats. Our results show that spinally formed S1P signals at least in part by (1) modulating glial function because inhibiting S1P formation blocked increased formation of glial-related proinflammatory cytokines, in particular tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1βα, and interleukin-6, which are known modulators of neuronal excitability, and (2) peroxynitrite-mediated posttranslational nitration and inactivation of glial-related enzymes (glutamine synthetase and the glutamate transporter) known to play critical roles in glutamate neurotransmission. Inhibitors of the ceramide metabolic pathway may have therapeutic potential as adjuncts to opiates in relieving suffering from chronic pain.

The role of superoxide and its active byproduct peroxynitrite as mediators of nociceptive signaling is emerging. We have recently reported that nitration and inactivation of spinal mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) provides a critical source of these reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during central sensitization associated with the development of morphine-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance. In this study, we demonstrate that activation of spinal NADPH oxidase is another critical source for superoxide generation. Indeed, the development of morphine-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance was associated with increased activation of NADPH oxidase and superoxide release. Co-administration of morphine with systemic delivery of two structurally unrelated NADPH oxidase inhibitors namely apocynin or diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), blocked NADPH oxidase activation and the development of hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance at doses devoid of behavioral side effects. These results suggest that activation of spinal NADPH oxidase contributes to the development of morphine-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance. The role of spinal NADPH oxidase was confirmed by showing that intrathecal delivery of apocynin blocked these events. Our results are the first to implicate the contribution of NADPH oxidase as an enzymatic source of superoxide and thus peroxynitrite in the development of central sensitization associated with morphine-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance. These results continue to support the critical role of these reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in pain while advancing our knowledge of their biomolecular sources.

Background— Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based regenerative strategies were investigated to treat acute myocardial infarction and improve left ventricular function. Methods and Results— Murine AMI was induced by coronary ligation with subsequent injection of MSCs, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or MSCs +HGF/VEGF into the border zone. Left ventricular ejection fraction was calculated using micro–computed tomography imaging after 6 months. HGF and VEGF protein injection (with or without concomitant MSC injection) significantly and similarly improved the left ventricular ejection fraction and reduced scar size compared with the MSC group, suggesting that myocardial recovery was due to the cytokines rather than myocardial regeneration. To provide sustained paracrine effects, HGF or VEGF overexpressing MSCs were generated (MSC-HGF, MSC-VEGF). MSC-HGF and MSC-VEGF showed significantly increased in vitro proliferation and increased in vivo proliferation within the border zone. Cytokine production correlated with MSC survival. MSC-HGF– and MSC-VEGF–treated animals showed smaller scar sizes, increased peri-infarct vessel densities, and better preserved left ventricular function when compared with MSCs transfected with empty vector. Murine cardiomyocytes were exposed to hypoxic in vitro conditions. The LDH release was reduced, fewer cardiomyocytes were apoptotic, and Akt activity was increased if cardiomyocytes were maintained in conditioned medium obtained from MSC-HGF or MSC-VEGF cultures. Conclusions— This study showed that (1) elevating the tissue levels of HGF and VEGF after acute myocardial infarction seems to be a promising reparative therapeutic approach, (2) HGF and VEGF are cardioprotective by increasing the tolerance of cardiomyocytes to ischemia, reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis and increasing prosurvival Akt activation, and (3) MSC-HGF and MSC-VEGF are a valuable source for increased cytokine production and maximize the beneficial effect of MSC-based repair strategies.

Opiates, like morphine, are the most effective analgesics for treating acute and chronic severe pain, but their use is limited by the development of analgesic tolerance and hypersensitivity to innocuous and noxious stimuli. Because opioids are a mainstay of pain management, restoring their efficacy has great clinical importance. We have recently demonstrated that spinal ceramide, a sphingolipid signaling molecule plays a central role in the development of morphine antinociceptive tolerance. We now report that ceramide upregulation in dorsal horn tissues in response to chronic morphine administration is associated with significant neuronal apoptosis. Inhibition of ceramide biosynthesis attenuated both the increase in neuronal apoptosis and the development of antinociceptive tolerance. These findings indicate that spinal ceramide upregulation is a key pro-apoptotic event that occurs upstream of the development of morphine antinociceptive tolerance and support the rationale for development of inhibitors of ceramide biosynthesis as adjuncts to opiates for the management of chronic pain.

Adult mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based treatment strategies have been proposed to alleviate the consequences of myocardial infarction (MI). The cytokine release of ischemic myocardium was investigated in vivo after LAD ligations in mice and in vitro in cultured cardiomyocytes. Of all cytokines that were at least 5-fold upregulated during ischemia, only HGF and VEGF proved to promote MSC proliferation, and chemotaxis in vitro. Homing of intranenously (IV) injected MSCs (0.5×106 per animal) into the infarct border zone after LAD ligation was inefficient (1±0.5 cells/HPF). Cytokine enhancement (CE) of HGF or VEGF by intramyocardial injection at the time of MI significantly facilitated MSC homing (11±4 cells/HPF and 7±4 cells/HPF, respectively; p=0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first study monitoring cardiac geometry and function over a long-term period of 6 months. using ECG-triggered contrast Micro-CT. It revealed that the progressive decrease in EF over time (to 19±1%) could be attenuated by CE with HGF (29±6%; p=0.003) or VEGF (28±4%; p=0.004) and subsequent IV MSC injection. However, LVEFs of animals treated with CE with HGF or VEGF only, but received no MSC injection, were similar to those groups that also received IV MSCs (p=0.127 and p=0.54, respectively). Best results were finally achieved by prolonged presence of HGF or VEGF, achieved by intramyocardial injection of MSCs stably transfected to produce HGF or VEGF and firefly luciferase into the infarct border zone. Duration of cytokine release was estimated by monitoring MSC survival using in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). BLI signals were detectable for 10 days in contrast to the rapid fate of the cytokines after single dose administration in the CE group, resulting in preserved LVEFs at 6 months This study highlights the beneficial effect of HGF and VEGF to attenuate the negative LV remodelling after MI and diminishes the role of the MSCs to a pure delivery system for paracrine effects.

AbstractA project was recently completed that investigated the ability to predict the onset of flutter using tools like the flutterometer. This project used an experiment called the aerostructures test wing that was flown while mounted to the flight test fixture on an F-15. Several flight tests were conducted to expand the envelope and determine the aeroelastic dynamics of the experiment. The final flight ended with destruction of the experiment due to the onset of flutter. The flutterometer attempted to predict this onset by analysing the flight data. The results indicate the flutterometer is able to generate a conservative estimate of the flight conditions associated with flutter. This paper details the flight tests of the experiment and the resulting predictions from the flutterometer.