Discovery of a novel nicotinic receptor antagonist for the treatment of nicotine addiction: 1-(3-Picolinium)-12-triethylammonium-dodecane dibromide (TMPD)

Biochem Pharmacol. 2007 Oct 15;74(8):1271-82. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2007.07.021. Epub 2007 Jul 21.

Abstract

Limitations in efficacy and high relapse rates of currently available smoking cessation agents reveal the need for more efficacious pharmacotherapies. One strategy is to develop subtype-selective nicotinic receptor (nAChR) antagonists that inhibit nicotine-evoked dopamine (DA) release, the primary neurotransmitter involved in nicotine reward. Simple alkylation of the pyridino N-atom converts nicotine from a potent agonist into a potent antagonist. The classical antagonists, hexamethonium and decamethonium, differentiate between peripheral nAChR subtypes. Using a similar approach, we interconnected varying quaternary ammonium moieties with a lipophilic linker to provide N,N'-bis-nicotinium analogs, affording a lead compound, N,N'-dodecyl-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB), which inhibited nicotine-evoked DA release and decreased nicotine self-administration. The current work describes a novel compound, 1-(3-picolinium)-12-triethylammonium-dodecane dibromide (TMPD), a hybrid of bPiDDB and decamethonium. TMPD completely inhibited (IC(50)=500 nM) nicotine-evoked DA release from superfused rat striatal slices, suggesting that TMPD acts as a nAChR antagonist at more than one subtype. TMPD (1 microM) inhibited the response to acetylcholine at alpha3beta4, alpha4beta4, alpha4beta2, and alpha1beta1varepsilondelta receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. TMPD had a 2-fold higher affinity than choline for the blood-brain barrier choline transporter, suggesting brain bioavailability. TMPD did not inhibit hyperactivity in nicotine sensitized rats, but significantly and specifically decreased nicotine self-administration. Together, the results suggest that TMPD may have the ability to reduce the rewarding effect of nicotine with minimal side effects, a pharmacological profile indicative of potential clinical utility for the treatment of tobacco dependence.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier
  • Choline / pharmacokinetics
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Male
  • Nicotinic Antagonists / pharmacokinetics
  • Nicotinic Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Picolines / pharmacokinetics
  • Picolines / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / drug therapy*

Substances

  • 1-(3-picolinium)-12-triethylammonium-dodecane dibromide
  • Nicotinic Antagonists
  • Picolines
  • Choline
  • Dopamine