Putative kappa opioid heteromers as targets for developing analgesics free of adverse effects

J Med Chem. 2014 Aug 14;57(15):6383-92. doi: 10.1021/jm500159d. Epub 2014 Jul 18.

Abstract

It is now generally recognized that upon activation by an agonist, β-arrestin associates with G protein-coupled receptors and acts as a scaffold in creating a diverse signaling network that could lead to adverse effects. As an approach to reducing side effects associated with κ opioid agonists, a series of β-naltrexamides 3-10 was synthesized in an effort to selectively target putative κ opioid heteromers without recruiting β-arrestin upon activation. The most potent derivative 3 (INTA) strongly activated KOR-DOR and KOR-MOR heteromers in HEK293 cells. In vivo studies revealed 3 to produce potent antinociception, which, when taken together with antagonism data, was consistent with the activation of both heteromers. 3 was devoid of tolerance, dependence, and showed no aversive effect in the conditioned place preference assay. As immunofluorescence studies indicated no recruitment of β-arrestin2 to membranes in coexpressed KOR-DOR cells, this study suggests that targeting of specific putative heteromers has the potential to identify leads for analgesics devoid of adverse effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics / adverse effects
  • Analgesics / chemistry*
  • Analgesics / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Arrestins / metabolism
  • Avoidance Learning / drug effects
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Drug Tolerance
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Indoles / adverse effects
  • Indoles / chemistry*
  • Indoles / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Naltrexone / adverse effects
  • Naltrexone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Naltrexone / chemistry
  • Naltrexone / pharmacology
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta / agonists*
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta / metabolism
  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa / agonists*
  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa / metabolism
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / agonists*
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / metabolism
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Substance-Related Disorders / etiology
  • beta-Arrestins

Substances

  • 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14-dihydroxy-4,5-epoxy-6-((2'-indolyl)acetamido)morphinan
  • Analgesics
  • Arrestins
  • Indoles
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta
  • Receptors, Opioid, kappa
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • beta-Arrestins
  • Naltrexone
  • Calcium