L. Yan et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14 (2004) 4861–4866
4865
Table 1. Inhibition (IC50, nM) of [33P]-S1P binding to S1P receptorsa
by conformationally constrained analogs of 3
ists.20a This precluded the determination of ED50 values
for these compounds. Pyrrolidine 53 was determined to
have an ED50 value of 2.2mg/kg iv in this assay. No
attempts were made to administer any of these
compounds orally after it was determined that the max-
imum plasma concentrations in the rat after a 2mg/kg
po dose of 48-cis were found to be less than 10ng/mL
at all time points.
Compound
S1P1
S1P2
S1P3
S1P4
S1P5
2
0.28
3.7
16
1100
580
6.3
3.6
9.8
1200
410
190
17
15
140
0.77
13
3
4
2200
––
24
8
12
1100
200
89
>1000
>1000
>1000
>1000
>1000
>1000
250
>10000
>10000
870
680
230
660
40
16
20
50
49
150
920
In conclusion, conformationally constrained 3-(N-alkyl-
amino)propylphosphonic acids were systematically syn-
thesized and evaluated as S1P receptor agonists, which
led to the identification of several suitable scaffolds for
further investigations. The proper incorporation of a
phenyl ring into the long alkyl chains of these com-
pounds significantly enhanced their binding affinities
and some of these new compounds were shown to in-
duce a lowering of peripheral lymphocytes in the mouse.
While none of the constrained compounds prepared
here had improved selectivity for S1P1 over S1P3 (or
other S1P receptor subtypes) as compared to acyclic
compounds such as 3 or 4, they do provide a set of novel
structure classes of S1P1 receptor agonists. Further elab-
oration of these leads with the objective of identifying
potent, selective, and orally bioavailable S1P receptor
agonists is currently underway and will be reported in
the future.
23a
23b
26-cis
26-trans
29
19
51
34
220
16
>10000
310
180
270
15
8.2
7.0
5.2
220
370
30
4.9
6.9
260
360
82
760
330
61
17
120
33
37
>1000
>1000
>1000
>1000
320
>10000
6300
760
>1000
>1000
130
110
8.2
40a
40b-cis
40b-trans
23
3.1
27
3.1
2000
260
a Displacement of [33P]-labeled sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) by test
compounds from human S1P receptors expressed on CHO cell
membranes. Data are reported as mean for n = 3 determinations. SD
were generally 20% of the average. See Ref. 2 for assay protocol.
Table 2. Inhibition (IC50, nM) of [33P]-S1P binding to S1P receptorsa
and mouse peripheral lymphocyte loweringb (PLL) for selected analogs
Compound S1P1 S1P2
S1P3 S1P4 S1P5 PPL ED50
(mg/kg iv)
References and notes
5
0.16
0.10
750
422
2.7
8.4 0.73 87% @ 0.25c
48-cis
48-trans
51
2.8 31
4.7 32
0.58 89% @ 0.25c
82% @ 0.25c
45% @ 0.1c
2.2
1. (a) Budde, K.; Schmouder, R. L.; Brunkhorst, R.;
Nashan, B.; Lucker, P. W.; Mayer, T.; Choudhury, S.;
Skerjanec, A.; Kraus, G.; Neumayer, H. H. J. Am. Soc.
Nephrol. 2002, 13, 1073–1083; (b) Budde, K.; Schmouder,
R. L.; Nashan, B.; Brunkhorst, R.; Lucker, P. W.; Mayer,
T.; Brookman, L.; Nedelman, J.; Skerjanec, A.; Bohler, T.;
Neumayer, H.-H. Am. J. Transplant. 2003, 3, 846–854; (c)
Kahan, B. D.; Karlix, J. L.; Ferguson, R. M.; Leichtman,
A. B.; Mulgaonkar, S.; Gonwa, T. A.; Skerjanec, A.;
Schmouder, R. L.; Chodoff, L. Transplantation 2003, 7,
1079–1084; (d) Ebeling, T.; Fishman, M. Novartisꢂ 2003
ꢃR&D Dayꢂ, 19 November 2003.
0.16 >1000
0.33 >1000
6.9
1.2
2.2
6.3
18
>1000 220
86
45
53
a Displacement of [33P]-labeled sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) by test
compounds from human S1P receptors expressed on CHO cell
membranes. Data are reported as mean for n = 3 determinations. SD
were generally 20% of the average. See Ref. 2 for assay protocol.
b See Ref. 6 for assay protocol.
c Percentage decrease of peripheral blood lymphocyte counts in test
animals at the dose indicated (n = 3) versus control.
2. Mandala, S.; Hajdu, R.; Bergstrom, J.; Quackenbush, E.;
Xie, J.; Milligan, J.; Thornton, R.; Shei, G. J.; Card, D.;
Keohane, C.; Rosenbach, M.; Hale, J.; Lynch, C. L.;
Rupprecht, K.; Parsons, W.; Rosen, H. Science 2002, 296,
346–349.
3. (a) Brinkmann, V.; Davis, M. D.; Heise, C. E.; Albert, R.;
Cottens, S.; Hof, R.; Bruns, C.; Prieschl, E.; Baumruker,
T.; Hiestand, P.; Foster, C. A.; Zollinger, M.; Lynch, K.
R. J. Biol. Chem. 2002, 277, 21453–21457; (b) Billich, A.;
effect had previously been seen on going from 3 to 5.5
Selecting against S1P3 has been reported to be desirable
due to the cardiovascular pharmacology associated with
this receptor.20 Cyclohexane 51 was found to be the best
of these analogs in this regard being 50-fold selective for
S1P1 over S1P3. Pyrrolidine 53 showed almost 10-fold
higher affinity for S1P1 than 23a with 30-fold selectivity
of S1P1 over S1P3.
´
Bornancin, F.; Devay, P.; Mechtcheriakova, D.; Urtz, N.;
Baumruker, T. J. Biol. Chem. 2003, 278, 47408–47415.
4. (a) Matloubian, M.; Lo, C. G.; Cinamon, G.; Lesneski, M.
J.; Xu, Y.; Brinkmann, V.; Allende, M.; Proia, R. L.;
Cyster, J. G. Nature 2004, 427, 355–360; (b) Allende, M.
L.; Dreier, J. L.; Mandala, S.; Proia, R. L. J. Biol. Chem.
2004, 279, 15396–15401.
5. Hale, J. J.; Doherty, G.; Toth, L.; Li, Z.; Mills, S. G.;
Hajdu, R.; Keohane, C. A.; Rosenbach, M.; Milligan, J.;
Shei, G.-J.; Chrebet, G.; Bergstrom, J.; Card, D.; Rosen,
H.; Mandala, S. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2004, 14,
3495–3499.
The lowering of circulating lymphocytes appears to cor-
relate with the immunosuppressive activity of S1P recep-
tor agonists and appears to be a reasonable surrogate
marker of efficacy.6 Pyrrolidines 48-cis and 48-trans
were found to induce a maximal peripheral lowering
of lymphocytes in the mouse 3h after the administration
of a 0.25mg/kg iv dose while cyclohexane 51 induced a
45% lowering of circulating lymphocytes after
a
0.1mpk iv dose. These compounds were all found to
be acutely toxic at higher doses, which is consistent with
what has been previously reported for potent S1P3 agon-
6. Hale, J. J.; Neway, W.; Mills, S. G.; Hajdu, R.; Keohane,
C. A.; Rosenbach, M.; Milligan, J.; Shei, G.-J.; Chrebet,