Patent Application
20160008339
The present invention relates to the use of psoralen derivatives in a method for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy, particularly caused by α-adrenergic-receptor-induced hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes.
Protein kinase A (PKA) is a cAMP-dependent Ser/Thr kinase that plays a central role in cAMP-dependent signal transduction pathways. PKA consists of a dimer of regulatory (R) subunits, each of which binds one catalytic (C) subunit. The cAMP/PKA pathway controls a plethora of physiological processes.
AKAPs are a family of around 50 proteins. The defining characteristic of an AKAP is a PKA binding domain that interacts with the R subunit dimer of PKA. Some AKAPs interact with PKA RI type subunits, some with PKA RII type subunits, and some are dual specific interacting with both R subtypes.
The A kinase anchoring protein AKAP-Lbc tethers protein kinase A (PKA) and possesses a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity, which stimulates the small GTP-binding protein RhoA. In particular, AKAP-Lbc catalyzes the exchange of GDP to GTP in RhoA promoting its activation. RhoA controls a plethora of cellular processes including gene expression, cellular growth and cytoskeletal dynamics. Pathological changes of its function, in particular with regard to cytoskeletal structures, are often responses to chronic stress signals, a common characteristic of many diseases including chronic heart failure.
It has been shown that AKAP-Lbc is critical for activating RhoA and transducing hypertrophic signals downstream of 1-adrenergic receptors (ARs). Moreover, suppression of AKAP-Lbc expression by infecting rat neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes with lentiviruses encoding AKAP-Lbc specific short hairpin RNAs strongly reduces both α1-AR-mediated RhoA activation and hypertrophic responses (Appert-Collin et al. PNAS, 104(24), 10140-10145, 2007).
Garazd et al. (Chemistry of Natural Compounds 2002, 38, 230-242) show annulated furocoumarins having cardiotropic activity, but fail to distinctly point towards a specific medical utility.
CN101307056B (to SHANGHAI INST MATERIA MEDICA) shows 4-alkyl-4′-phenyl-substituted psoralen derivatives for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Based on this background, it is the objective of the instant invention to provide novel inhibitors of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity of AKAP-Lbc for use in a method for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy.
It was surprisingly found that psoralen derivatives can specifically inhibit the guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity of AKAP-Lbc. Additionally, it has been found that by inhibition of the nucleotide exchange factor activity and the resulting inhibition of the RhoA activation, the psoralen derivatives of the present invention inhibit the α1-adrenergic induced increase in beating frequency of cardiomyocytes. The compounds provided by the present invention represent not only valuable tools, but also enable novel approaches for the treatment of diseases that involve AKAP-Lbc-mediated activation of RhoA such as chronic heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy.
In general, the psoralen derivatives of the invention are characterized by having a mononuclear C6 aryl or pentacyclic or hexacyclic heteroaryl in the 4′ position of the psoralen scaffold (R1), and optionally an alkyl substitution in position 3 or 4 (R3 and/or R2).
The term aryl in the context of the present invention signifies a cyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. A heteroaryl in the context of the present invention refers to an aryl that comprises one or several nitrogen, oxygen and/or sulphur atoms. The aryl substitution in position 4′ may be substituted by one or more functional groups as defined below. Such functional group may enhance the solubility in an aqueous medium of the compound of the invention.
According to one aspect of the invention, a compound characterized by a general formula 1
wherein
A C1-C4 alkyl in the context of the present invention signifies a saturated linear or branched hydrocarbon having 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, wherein one carbon-carbon bond may be unsaturated and one CH2 moiety may be exchanged for oxygen (ether bridge). Non-limiting examples for a C1-C4 alkyl are methyl, ethyl, propyl, prop-2-enyl, n-butyl, 2-methylpropyl, tert-butyl, but-3-enyl, prop-2-inyl and but-3-inyl.
A C1-C5 alkyl in the context of the present invention signifies a saturated linear or branched hydrocarbon having 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 carbon atoms, wherein one carbon-carbon bond may be unsaturated and one CH2 moiety may be exchanged for oxygen (ether bridge). Non-limiting examples for a C1-C5 alkyl include the examples given for C1-C4 alkyl above, and additionally 3-methylbut-2-enyl, 2-methylbut-3-enyl, 3-methylbut-3-enyl, n-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl and pent-4-inyl.
In some embodiments, each R5 independently from any other R5 is hydrogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7 or C4H9.
In some embodiments, R1 is substituted by one R4 group (n is 1). In some embodiments, R1 is substituted by two R4 groups (n is 2).
In some embodiments, R1 is phenyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-pyrimidyl, 4-pyrimidyl or 5-pyrimidyl. In some embodiments, R1 is a six-membered ring substituted by one or two R4 substituents in para and/or ortho position to the attachment position of R4.
In some embodiments, R1 is selected from phenyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 2-pyrimidyl or 5-pyrimidyl, and R1 is substituted by one R4 group in para-position, with R4 selected from methoxy (OCH3) or ethoxy (OC2H5), with all other substituents of R1 being H.
In some embodiments, R1 is an unsubstituted 3-pyridyl group.
In some embodiments, R4 is a methoxy group (OCH3). In some embodiments, R1 is methoxyphenyl.
In some embodiments, R1 is
In some embodiments, one of R2 and R3 is C2H5, C3H7, C4H9 or C5H11 and the other one is hydrogen or CH3.
In some embodiments, one of R2 and R3 is O(CHxF2-x)mCHyF3-y or (CH2)mZ, wherein Z is selected from CH3, (CH2)xOR7, COOR7, CONR7, with m being 0, 1, 2 or 3, x being 0, 1 or 2, y being 0, 1, 2 or 3, and R7 being hydrogen, CH3 or C2H5.
In some embodiments, R2 is methyl, ethyl, propyl, prop-2-enyl, n-butyl, 3-methylbut-2-enyl or 3-methylbut-3enyl.
In some embodiments, R3 is hydrogen or methyl.
In some embodiments, R2 is methyl, ethyl, propyl, prop-2-enyl, n-butyl, 3-methylbut-2-enyl or 3-methylbut-3-enyl, and R3 is hydrogen or methyl.
In some embodiments, R1 is either
R2 is methyl, ethyl, propyl, prop-2-enyl, n-butyl, 3-methylbut-2-enyl or 3-methylbut-3enyl, and R3 is hydrogen or methyl.
In some embodiments, R2 or R3 is substituted by one functional group selected from C(NH)NR52, CN4H2, NR52, COOR5, CONR52, COR5, CF3, OCF3, OR5, CN, NO2, F, Cl, and Br, wherein each R5 independently from any other is hydrogen or a C1-C4 alkyl. In some embodiments, the functional group is in w-position (terminal position on the alkyl chain).
In some embodiments, R2 or R3 is substituted by a COOR″, CONR″2, CN4H2, OR″, OCF3 or CF3, wherein each R″ independently from another is hydrogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, or C4H9.
In some embodiments, R2 is ω-hydroxy-n-propyl, n-propanol, ω-hydroxy-n-butyl or 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl. In some embodiments, R2 is ω-carboxy-n-propyl, ω-carboxy-n-butyl or 2-carboxy-2-methylpropyl.
In some embodiments, R2 is a C3 or C4 alkyl and R3 is hydrogen.
In some embodiments, R2 is a C3 or C4 alkyl and R3 is methyl. In some embodiments, R2 is methyl and R3 is methyl.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a compound characterized by the general formula 1
wherein
In some embodiments, R1 is
In some embodiments, R2 is hydrogen, O(CHxF2-x)mCHyF3-y or (CH2)m CH3, with
In some embodiments, R3 is selected from hydrogen, methyl, CH2OH, ethyl, (CH2)2OH, propyl, (CH2)3OH, and (CH2)2COOH.
In some embodiments:
In one embodiment, the compound is selected from the group comprised of 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-propyl-furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one, 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5,6-dimethyl-furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one, 5-butyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one, 5,6-dimethyl-3-(3-pyridyl)furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one and 3-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methyl-7-oxo-furo[3,2-g]chromen-6-yl]propanoic acid.
The compounds shown in table 1 are embodiments of any aspect of the invention.
The compounds listed in table 1 were analysed in a guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) assay format (Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo., USA) according to the instructions given by the manufacturer and/or in a Rhotekin pull down assay (see below, Examples).
According to one aspect of the invention, a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy is provided, comprising a compound according to the above aspect or embodiments of the invention. Pharmaceutical compositions for enteral administration, such as nasal, buccal, rectal or, especially, oral administration, and for parenteral administration, such as subcutaneous, intravenous, intrahepatic or intramuscular administration, may be used. The pharmaceutical compositions comprise from approximately 1% to approximately 95% active ingredient, preferably from approximately 20% to approximately 90% active ingredient.
According to one aspect of the invention, a dosage form for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy is provided, comprising a compound according to the above aspect or embodiments of the invention. Dosage forms may be for enteral administration, such as nasal, buccal, rectal, transdermal or oral administration, or as an inhalation formulation or suppository. Alternatively, dosage forms may be for parenteral administration, such as intravenous, intrahepatic, or especially subcutaneous, or intramuscular injection forms. Optionally, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or excipient may be present.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method for manufacture of a medicament for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy is provided, comprising the use of a compound according to the above aspect or embodiments of the invention. Medicaments according to the invention are manufactured by methods known in the art, especially by conventional mixing, coating, granulating, dissolving or lyophilizing.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method for preventing or treating heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy is provided, comprising the administration of a compound according to the above aspect or embodiments of the invention to a patient in need thereof.
The treatment may be for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes. For administration, a compound according to the above aspect of the invention is preferably provided in the form of a pharmaceutical preparation comprising the compound in chemically pure form and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and optionally adjuvants. The compound is used in an amount effective against heart failure, hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy. The dosage of the compound depends upon the species, the patient age, weight, and individual condition, the individual pharmacokinetic data, mode of administration, and whether the administration is for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes. The daily dose administered ranges from approximately 1 μg/kg to approximately 1000 mg/kg, preferably from approximately 1 μg to approximately 100 μg, of the active agent according to the invention.
According to one aspect of the invention, a compound according to the above aspect or embodiments of the invention is provided for use in a method for preventing or treating cancer.
According to one aspect of the invention, the use of a compound as medicament is provided, wherein the compound is selected form the group comprised of 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-propyl-furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one, 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5,6-dimethyl-furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one and 5-butyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one, 5,6-dimethyl-3-(3-pyridyl)furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one and 3-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methyl-7-oxo-furo[3,2-g]chromen-6-yl]propanoic acid.
The compounds disclosed herein show a distinct and novel utility for the indications claimed, particularly cardiac hypertrophy and cancer. Garazd et al. (ibid.) indicates that the 2,3-annelated derivative (in the substituent usage of the present specification, R2 and R3 together are a C3 alkyl forming a 5 membered ring) slows cardiac frequency when applied at high concentrations. According to the observations of the present inventors, compound 32413 of the present invention (at 2.5, 10, 25 and 50 μmol/L) prevents the phenylephrine/alpha-adrenoceptor-induced increase in cardiac myocyte beating frequency. The compound does not, however, affect the adrenalin, i.e. beta-adrenoceptor-induced increase in cardiac myocyte beating frequency. This argues for a specific effect on the alpha-adrenoceptor pathway on part of the compounds of the present invention. In addition, the data do not indicate a link between beating frequency and cardiac hypertrophy.
Wherever reference is made herein to an embodiment of the invention, and such embodiment only refers to one feature of the invention, it is intended that such embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment referring to a different feature. For example, every embodiment that defines R1 may be combined with every embodiment that defines R2 or R3, to characterize a group of compounds of the invention or a single compound of the invention with different properties.
The invention is further characterized, without limitations, by the following examples, from with further features, advantages or embodiments can be derived. The examples do not limit but illustrate the invention.
Following the protocol of the RhoGEF exchange assay Biochem Kit, a nucleotide exchange experiment for AKAP-Lbc and RhoA was established. The fluorescence labelled nucleotide analogues 2′(3′)-O—(N-methylanthraniloyl)-guanosine diphosphate and 2′(3′)-O—(N-methylanthraniloyl)-guanosine triphosphate, hereinafter referred to mGDP and mGTP, were used for tracing the nucleotide exchange.
a) Nucleotide Exchange of mGTP Against GTPγS
25 μl depletion buffer (100 mmol/L sodium phosphate, pH 7.4, 5 mmol/L EDTA, 200 mmol/L ammonium sulfate) with an excess of mGDP (5 mmol/L) were added to 200 μg recombinant his6-RhoA (25 μl) and incubated one hour at room temperature. Then, magnesium chloride (MgCl2) was added to a final concentration of 10 mmol/L.
By centrifugation with Vivaspin® 500 concentrator vials (MWCO 5 kDa, 10 min, 10000 rpm) and buffer (100 mmol/L sodium phosphate, pH 7.4, 100 mmol/L NaCl, protease inhibitor [cOmplete, Mini, EDTA-free protease inhibitor cocktaile]) RhoA-mGDP was washed twice and reduced to 100 μl. 1 μmol/L RhoA-mGDP and 0.5 μmol/L AKAP-Lbc DHPH in nucleotide exchange buffer (40 mmol/L Tris pH 7.5; 100 mmol/L NaCl; 20 mmol/L MgCl2, 100 μg/ml BSA) were used for the nucleotide exchange. The fluorescence measurements were performed in a micro plate reader (TECAN Safire) over a period of 15 min, whereby the fluorophore of mGDP was excited at 360 nm and the resulting fluorescence signal was determined at 440 nm.
b) Nucleotide Exchange of GDP Against mGTP
At a concentration relation of 2 μmol/L protein and 1 μmol/L mGTP, an ideal fluorescence signal-to-noise-ratio was found in the nucleotide exchange buffer (40 mM Tris pH 7.5, 100 mmol/L NaCl, 20 mmol/L MgCl2, 100 μg/ml BSA). The fluorescence signal for mGTP was measured analogous to mGDP (λexc=360 nm; λem=440 nm) in a micro plate reader (TECAN Safire) over a period of 15 min. The experiment was performed in a 384-well plate. The compounds 31413, 31864 and 31892 (table 1) showed a fifty percent inhibition of nucleotide exchange in concentration between 25.9 μmol/L and 78.9 μmol/L (
For the initial analysis, 3T3 cells were used to evaluate the cellular effects of the compounds of the present invention. In these cells changes in the cytoskeleton caused by GTPase activation are well observable, because the cells have a G protein coupled receptor for LPA. A stimulation of 3T3 cells with LPA leads to an activation of RhoA and thereby to the formation of fibrillar actin filaments (F-actin, stress fibres). The participation of AKAP-Lbc as an exchange factor for RhoA within the signal transduction via a G protein of the G−12/13 family was shown.
3T3 mouse fibroblasts were seeded on 30 mm cover slips (in 6 well plates) in a cell density of 2×105 cells/well. After one day, the cells were cultivated without serum for 16 h to minimize the serum-induced formation of stress fibres. On the following day, the cells were treated with 30 μmol/L of compounds 31413, 31864 and 31892, respectively, for 30 min at 37° C. After the treatment the formation of stress fibres were stimulated with 300 nM of lysophosphatide acid (LPA) for 10 min at 37° C.
Following that, the cells were washed with phosphate buffer (Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline++) and fixed in 2.5% paraformaldehyde in sodium cacodylate buffer (100 mmol/L sodium cacodylate, 100 mmol/L sucrose, pH 7.4) for 15 min. Then, the cells were permeabilized with 0.5% Triton X-100. After incubation in a blocking solution (0.3 ml 45% fish skin gelatine/100 ml PBS) for 30 min at 37° C., the cells were treated with TRITC-Phalloidin. Phalloidin binds irreversibly to fibrillar actin (F-actin) and provides, coupled to the fluorescent dye tetramethyrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC), the visualization of the actin skeleton. Another dye, 4′,6-diamidin-2-phenylindole (DAPI), binds to AT-rich region of the DNA and visualizes the nuclei. The stained specimens were bedded into a Immu-Mount 45 and stored in a dark, cooled place until the microscopic analysis. For the microscopic investigations, images were taken with two different fluorescence channels. The excitation was performed with argon-ion laser (364 nm) for DAPI and with a helium-neon-laser (543 nm) for TRITC-phalloidin.
Without LPA stimulation no stress fibres could be identified after addition of DMSO instead of the compounds of the invention (
A luciferase reporter assay and a rhotekin precipitation assay were performed to investigate the RhoA activation in cells.
HEK293 cells were seeded in 6-well plates. One day later the cells were transfected with the following plasmid DNAs:
After additional 24 hours the cells were treated with compound 31413 (50 μmol/L) or DMSO for 30 min at 37° C. Subsequently, the cells were lysed in precipitation buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.4, 150 mmol/L NaCl, 4 mmol/L MgCl2; 10% v/v glycerol, 1% octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol [IPEGAL]) and centrifugated 20000 g for two minutes to remove cell debris. 40 μl of the lysate were taken for the determination of the total RhoA content. The residual lysate was incubated with 40 μl GSH-sepharose coupled GST-rhotekin for one hour at 4° C. Then, the GSH-sepharose was washed twice with precipitation buffer, enriched with SDS-PAGE loading buffer and heated 5 min at 90° C. The analysis of the precipitated RhoA-GTP was performed by SDS-PAGE and subsequent immunoblotting with anti-RhoA antibodies (sc-418). The ratio between total RhoA and Rho-GTP was densitometrically determined.
The activation state of RhoA was determined with a Rho binding region of the rhotekin protein, a Rho effector, immobilised on a sepharose bead in the presence and absence of compound 31413. Rhotekin only binds to the activated form of RhoA, RhoA-GTP. To investigate the effects of compound 31413 on G protein coupled receptor signals, HEK293 cells were transfected with a constitutively active form of the Gα12 subunit, with AKAP-Lbc (for the Gα12 mediated RhoA activation), with a constitutively active Gαq subunit (GαqRC) and with p63RhoGEF, respectively. p63RhoGEF contains the DNA sequence of a RhoA selective exchange factor and connects the Gαq coupled receptor signal with the activation of RhoA. The cells were treated with compound 31413 twenty four hours after transfection.
GTP-bound RhoA was detected by rhotekin precipitation (
For Gα12 coupled and AKAP-Lbc mediated activation of RhoA, less RhoA-GTP was precipitated in the presence of compound 31413 (
The experiments were performed following the protocol of the dual luciferase reporter assay (Promega). HEK293 cells were transfected with plasmid DNAs of two luciferases and plasmids of different exchange factors. A serum response element was located ahead of the coding luciferase sequences. Activated RhoA activates the serum response element, which enables the expression of the firefly luciferase. After 4 hours the cells were treated with compound 31413. After additional twenty four hours the cells were lysed in passive lysis buffer (Promega). The luciferase activity in the cell lysate was determined by measurement of the luminescence signal according to above mentioned protocol with 96 well plate (OptiPlate 96) and LarII- and. Stop-&Glow-substrate solutions in a micro plate reader
To rule out that other RhoGEF are influenced by the inventive compounds in their activity, HEK293 cells were transfected with different RhoGEF constructs. Additionally, as normalization control, two luciferase plasmids were added, which code for a serum response element (SRE) coupled firefly luciferase and for a Renilla luciferase, respectively. The GEF mediated activation of RhoA leads to a stimulation of the transcription factor serum response factor (SRF), which switches on the expression of the SRE-coupled luciferase. The cells were treated with compound 31413 four hours after transfection and lysed after twenty hours. The luciferase activities were determined in the lysate. First, the effect of compound 31413 on the AKAP-Lbc mediated RhoA/SRF activation was investigated (
For cultivation of primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, hearts of two to three days old rats were obtained and quickly stored on ice in ADS buffer (116.4 mM NaCl, 5.4 mM KC, 5.6 mM dextrose, 10.9 mM NaH2PO4, 405.7 μmol/L MgSO4, 20 mM Hepes, pH 7.3). Under sterile conditions, the hearts were cleaned from blood and vessels, cut into small pieces and transferred into falcon tubes. The ADS buffer was exchanged against an enzyme solution (see table below). Within four cycles each with five ml enzyme solution and an enzyme mix comprising collagenase and pancreatin, isolated cells were released from the tissue (12 min at 37° C. in a water bath with approx. 220 rpm).
The supernatant with the isolated cells was collected, transferred in fetal calf serum (FCS, 2.5 ml on ice) and subsequently centrifugated in FCS (100 g for 3 min at 4° C.). The supernatant of the centrifugation was discarded and the pellet was resuspended in 5 ml cold plating medium. After an additional centrifugation, the pellet was resuspended in 15 ml medium, transferred into a dish and incubated for two hours at 37° C. to allow the settling of the fibroblasts. The cardiomyocytes in the supernatant were counted with a Scepter Handheld Automated Cell Counter and transferred in dishes coated with gelatine. On the following day the medium was changed.
The neonatal cardiomyocytes were seeded in 6-well plates with 1.5×106 cell per well. The stimulation with 100 μmol/L phenylephrine (PE) was performed for six or twenty four hours at 37° C. Untreated cells served as control. The effect of compound 31413 on the α-adrenergic stimulation of the cardiomyocytes was determined after incubation with the compound for three hours. To do this, the contraction of the cells was counted within a minute and different conditions were compared.
The frequency of contraction could be determined in a similar manner with a calcium sensor (Fluo-4). In a laser-scanning microscope, Fluo-4 was excited with an argon laser (488 nm) and the emission signals were detected and collected at a wavelength of 505 nm. The fluorescence intensity represented the intracellular concentration of calcium ions. Usually, the line-scan mode was used for image recording, and the line-scan images were recorded with a speed of 1.54 or 1.92 ms per line along the longitudinal axis of the cell. After the sequential image recording, a two-dimensional image with 512×100 lines or 512×2000 lines was generated and saved for later analysis.
Isolated neonatal cardiomyocytes were used to investigate the relation between AKAP-Lbc induced RhoA activation and the contractility of the heart. After a chronic stimulation of the α1-adreno receptors (AR) with the specific agonist PE for six hours, the beats of the cardiomyocytes were counted over a period of 15 s and a beat rate per minute (bpm) was calculated. An increase of the beat rate of the cardiomyocytes from 100 bpm to 160 beats per minute could be observed. The solvent control (DMSO+PE) showed a similar result. The treatment of the cells with 2.5 μmol/L compound 31413 led to a normalization of the beat rate. With significantly elevated concentrations of compound 31413 (25 μmol/L and 50 μmol/L), an arrest could be achieved (
Additional calcium measurements were performed. To do this, the cardiomyocytes were pre-incubated with 2.5 μmol/L compound 31413. The fluorescence dye Fluo-4 was added after 20 min. Fluo-4 is a calcium sensor, which is used for investigating the calcium increase in cells. In cardiomyocytes the dye serves for examining the contractility. During contraction and relaxation, the calcium concentrations differ in the cytosol of cardiomyocytes. The fluorescence intensity of Fluo-4 increases with an increasing calcium concentration, and a decreasing calcium concentration will cause reduced fluorescence intensity. A frequency could be calculated from the fluo-4 fluorescence oscillation by a time depended analysis, wherein the fluorescence was measured over a period of two hours. The ground state at the moment before application (black), the period 10 to 30 sec after application (dark grey) and 70 to 110 sec after application (light grey) were evaluated (
Primary neonatal cardiomyocytes were prepared as described above. The cardiomyocytes were stimulated for 24 or 48 hours with 100 μmol/L phenylephrin (PE) or 10 μmol/L isoproterenol (ISO) in absence or presence of 10 μmol/L or 50 μmol/L of compound 31413.
After 24 hours or 48 hour of stimulation, the medium was removed, and every well was washed with 2 ml phosphate buffered saline and fixed with 200 μl TRIzol. The cells were removed from each well and transferred into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf tube, respectively.
For cell breakdown, 40 μl chloroform was added to each Eppendorf tube. The broken cells were centrifuged for 15 min at 1400 g and 4° C. The supernatant containing RNA/DNA was taken, mixed with 100 μl isopropanol and centrifugated for 20 min at 1500 g and 4° C. The supernatant was discarded and the pellet was resuspended in 500 μL ethanol. The RNA from the pellet was purified by chromatography. The concentration of the RNA was determined by NANODROP.
The quantification of the hypertrophy marker α-sceletal muscle actin (α-actin 1) mRNA was performed by quantitative real-time PCR. First, the RNA was transcribed to a cDNA with a SuperScript™III First-Strand Synthesis SuperMix (Invitrogen) and random hexamer primers. The cDNA was amplified in a PCR reaction in an Applied Biosystem StepOne™ Real-Time PCR System. Glycerinealdehydephosphate dehydrogenase and NTC (no template control) was used as controls. All samples were triplicates. The following primers have been used:
After 24 hours of stimulation with PE (100 μmol/L), a threefold increase in the relative amount of the hypertrophy marker α-sceletal muscle actin (α-actin 1) mRNA could be observed (
A significant decrease of the α-actin 1 mRNA amount could also be observed in the presence of 10 μmol/L and 50 μmol/L compound after stimulation with ISO for 48 hours (
MCF7 cells (mamma carcinoma-derived), HEK293 cells (human embryo kidney-derived), HeLa (cervical carcinoma-derived) and A549 cells (lung carcinoma-derived) were seeded into 24 well plate culture dishes and kept under standard mammalian cell culture conditions. On day 2 of the experiment, cells were either left untreated, incubated with DMSO, or with Scaff-10 (10, 30 or 50 μmol/L) (applied in DMSO solution) for the indicated periods of time. At the indicated time points the cells were trypsinized to disassociate them from the surface of the culture dishes (0.25% trypsin in EDTA, 3 min), and cell numbers were determined in a Neubauer counting chamber. Cell numbers are expressed as cell number per ml (ZZ/ml).
7-Hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl 2H-chromen-2-one was dissolved in acetone and heated to 50-55° C. K2CO3 was added with strong stirring. 3-(Bromoacetyl)-pyridine hydrobromide was added and stirring was continued at 50-55° C. 1N NaOH was added to the resulting product. The solution was heated to 100° C. for 5 hours and precipitated with 1N H2SO4.
The continuous stimulation of α-adrenoceptors on the surface of cardiac myocytes can lead to cardiac myocyte hypertrophy. α-Adrenoceptor stimulation e.g. with phenylephrine causes activation of the guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) activity of AKAP-Lbc, which in turn activates specifically RhoA (Appert-Collin et al, 2007, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104: 10140-10145). This AKAP-Lbc-dependent pathway plays a critical role in the development of α-adrenoceptor-dependent cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
The activity of RhoA can be measured in Rhotekin pull down assays. The pull-down of active GTP-bound RhoA from cardiac myocytes was essentially carried out as described previously (Ren & Schwartz, 2000, Methods Enzymol 325: 264-272; Tamma et al, 2003, J Cell Sci 116: 3285-3294). In brief, neonatal cardiac myocytes were grown in 60 mm dishes and were left untreated, incubated with phenylephrine to stimulate α-adrenoceptors and in consequence the guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) activity of AKAP-Lbc, which in turn activates specifically RhoA. The active form of RhoA is the GTP-bound RhoA. GTP-RhoA was precipitated from lysates using the GST-Rhotekin fusion protein (20-30 mg) coupled to glutathion Sepharose 4B. GTP-RhoA was eluted by boiling the precipitate in Laemmli buffer (10 minutes) containing DTT (40 mM). Total RhoA in lysates and precipitated GTP-RhoA were detected by Western blot analysis using commercially available anti-RhoA monoclonal antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Heidelberg, Germany) and peroxidase-conjugated anti-mouse secondary antibodies. Signals were visualized using the Odessey Western blot detection system. To quantify the amount of active RhoA, signal densities were determined and related to the signal densities obtained for total RhoA. Ratios obtained for the various experimental conditions were normalized to those ratios obtained for control cells. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test.
Analysis of the results obtained in presence of the compounds of table 1 showed (at concentration of 30 μmol/L) a reduced activity of between 30 and 50% of the control group (phenylephrine concentration 100 μmol/L)
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12174673.9 | Jul 2012 | EP | regional |
| 12174675.4 | Jul 2012 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/063938 | 7/2/2013 | WO | 00 |
