Preventing Morphine-Seeking Behavior through the Re-Engineering of Vincamine's Biological Activity

J Med Chem. 2020 May 28;63(10):5119-5138. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01924. Epub 2020 Mar 23.

Abstract

Innovative discovery strategies are essential to address the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States. Misuse of prescription and illegal opioids (e.g., morphine, heroin) has led to major problems with addiction and overdose. We used vincamine, an indole alkaloid, as a synthetic starting point for dramatic structural alterations of its complex, fused ring system to synthesize 80 diverse compounds with intricate molecular architectures. A select series of vincamine-derived compounds were screened for both agonistic and antagonistic activities against a panel of 168 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug targets. Although vincamine was without an effect, the novel compound 4 (V2a) demonstrated antagonistic activities against hypocretin (orexin) receptor 2. When advanced to animal studies, 4 (V2a) significantly prevented acute morphine-conditioned place preference (CPP) and stress-induced reinstatement of extinguished morphine-CPP in mouse models of opioid reward and relapse. These results demonstrate that the ring distortion of vincamine offers a promising way to explore new chemical space of relevance to opioid addiction.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemical Engineering / methods*
  • Drug-Seeking Behavior / drug effects*
  • Drug-Seeking Behavior / physiology
  • Injections, Intraperitoneal
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Morphine / administration & dosage*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / metabolism
  • Orexin Receptor Antagonists / administration & dosage
  • Orexin Receptor Antagonists / chemical synthesis
  • Orexin Receptor Antagonists / metabolism
  • Orexin Receptors / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Vincamine / administration & dosage*
  • Vincamine / chemical synthesis*
  • Vincamine / metabolism

Substances

  • Hcrtr2 protein, mouse
  • Orexin Receptor Antagonists
  • Orexin Receptors
  • Morphine
  • Vincamine