Structure-Activity Relationships of (+)-Naltrexone-Inspired Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) Antagonists

J Med Chem. 2015 Jun 25;58(12):5038-52. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00426. Epub 2015 Jun 5.

Abstract

Activation of Toll-like receptors has been linked to neuropathic pain and opioid dependence. (+)-Naltrexone acts as a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist and has been shown to reverse neuropathic pain in rat studies. We designed and synthesized compounds based on (+)-naltrexone and (+)-noroxymorphone and evaluated their TLR4 antagonist activities by their effects on inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced TLR4 downstream nitric oxide (NO) production in microglia BV-2 cells. Alteration of the N-substituent in (+)-noroxymorphone gave us a potent TLR4 antagonist. The most promising analog, (+)-N-phenethylnoroxymorphone ((4S,4aR,7aS,12bR)-4a,9-dihydroxy-3-phenethyl-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-7(7aH)-one, 1j) showed ∼75 times better TLR-4 antagonist activity than (+)-naltrexone, and the ratio of its cell viability IC50, a measure of its toxicity, to TLR-4 antagonist activity (140 μM/1.4 μM) was among the best of the new analogs. This compound (1j) was active in vivo; it significantly increased and prolonged morphine analgesia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Drug Synergism
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Male
  • Microglia / cytology
  • Microglia / drug effects
  • Microglia / immunology
  • Morphinans / chemistry*
  • Morphinans / pharmacology*
  • Morphine / pharmacology
  • Naltrexone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Naltrexone / pharmacology*
  • Nitric Oxide / immunology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / immunology

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Morphinans
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Naltrexone
  • Morphine
  • noroxymorphone