Search

The muscarinic M(1) receptor (M(1)R) is a promising target for treating cognitive impairment associated with cholinergic deficits in disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. We previously reported that cooperativity (α-value) was key to lowering the risk of diarrhea by M(1)R positive allosteric modulators (M(1) PAMs). Based on this, we discovered a low α-value M(1) PAM, TAK-071 (α-value: 199), and characterized TAK-071 using T-662 as a reference M(1) PAM with high α-value of 1786. Both TAK-071 and T-662 were potent and highly selective M(1) PAMs, with inflection points of 2.7 and 0.62 nM, respectively. However, T-662 but not TAK-071 augmented isolated ileum motility. TAK-071 and T-662 increased hippocampal inositol monophosphate production through M(1)R activation and improved scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits in rats at 0.3 and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively. TAK-071 and T-662 also induced diarrhea at 10 and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively, in rats. Thus, taking into consideration the fourfold lower brain penetration ratio of T-662, TAK-071 had a wider margin between cognitive improvement and diarrhea induction than T-662. Activation of M(1)R increases neural excitability via membrane depolarization, reduced afterhyperpolarization, and generation of afterdepolarization in prefrontal cortical pyramidal neurons. T-662 induced all three processes, whereas TAK-071 selectively induced afterdepolarization. Combining sub-effective doses of TAK-071, but not T-662, with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits in rats. TAK-071 may therefore provide therapeutic opportunities for cognitive dysfunction related to cholinergic deficits or reduced M(1)R expression, while minimizing peripheral cholinergic side effects.

The aim of this study was to investigate peripheral and central roles of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in endocrinological and behavioral changes. Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentration was measured as an activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. As behavioral changes, locomotion and anxiety behavior were measured after CRF challenge intravenously (i.v.) for the peripheral administration or intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) for the central administration. Plasma ACTH concentration was significantly increased by both administration routes of CRF; however, hyperlocomotion and anxiety behavior were induced only by the i.c.v. administration. In the drug discovery of CRF1 receptor antagonists, we identified two types of compounds, Compound A and Compound B, which antagonized peripheral CRF-induced HPA axis activation to the same extent, but showed different effects on the central CRF signal. These had similar in vitro CRF1 receptor binding affinities (15 and 10nM) and functional activities in reporter gene assay (15 and 9.5nM). In the ex vivo binding assays using tissues of the pituitary, oral treatment with Compound A and Compound B at 10mg/kg inhibited [125I]-CRF binding, whereas in the assay using tissues of the frontal cortex, treatment of Compound A but not Compound B inhibited [125I]-CRF binding, indicating that only Compound A inhibited central [125I]-CRF binding. In the peripheral CRF challenge, increase in plasma ACTH concentration was significantly suppressed by both Compound A and Compound B. In contrast, Compound A inhibited the increase in locomotion induced by the central CRF challenge while Compound B did not. Compound A also reduced central CRF challenge-induced anxiety behavior and c-fos immunoreactivity in the cortex and the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. These results indicate that the central CRF signal, rather than the peripheral CRF signal would be related to anxiety and other behavioral changes, and CRF1 receptor antagonism in the central nervous system may be critical for identifying drug candidates for anxiety and mood disorders.

M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1R) activation can be a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with cholinergic hypofunction. However, M1R activation causes gastrointestinal (GI) side effects in animals. We previously found that an M1R positive allosteric modulator (PAM) with lower cooperativity (α‐value) has a limited impact on ileum contraction and can produce a wider margin between cognitive improvement and GI side effects. In fact, TAK‐071, a novel M1R PAM with low cooperativity (α‐value of 199), improved scopolamine‐induced cognitive deficits with a wider margin against GI side effects than a high cooperative M1R PAM, T‐662 (α‐value of 1786), in rats. Here, we describe the pharmacological characteristics of a novel low cooperative M1R PAM T‐495 (α‐value of 170), using the clinically tested higher cooperative M1R PAM MK‐7622 (α‐value of 511) as a control. In rats, T‐495 caused diarrhea at a 100‐fold higher dose than that required for the improvement of scopolamine‐induced memory deficits. Contrastingly, MK‐7622 showed memory improvement and induction of diarrhea at an equal dose. Combination of T‐495, but not of MK‐7622, and donepezil at each sub‐effective dose improved scopolamine‐induced memory deficits. Additionally, in mice with reduced acetylcholine levels in the forebrain via overexpression of A53T α‐synuclein (ie, a mouse model of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia), T‐495, like donepezil, reversed the memory deficits in the contextual fear conditioning test and Y‐maze task. Thus, low cooperative M1R PAMs are promising agents for the treatment of memory deficits associated with cholinergic dysfunction.

M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1R) activation can be a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with cholinergic hypofunction. However, M1R activation causes gastrointestinal (GI) side effects in animals. We previously found that an M1R positive allosteric modulator (PAM) with lower cooperativity (α‐value) has a limited impact on ileum contraction and can produce a wider margin between cognitive improvement and GI side effects. In fact, TAK‐071, a novel M1R PAM with low cooperativity (α‐value of 199), improved scopolamine‐induced cognitive deficits with a wider margin against GI side effects than a high cooperative M1R PAM, T‐662 (α‐value of 1786), in rats. Here, we describe the pharmacological characteristics of a novel low cooperative M1R PAM T‐495 (α‐value of 170), using the clinically tested higher cooperative M1R PAM MK‐7622 (α‐value of 511) as a control. In rats, T‐495 caused diarrhea at a 100‐fold higher dose than that required for the improvement of scopolamine‐induced memory deficits. Contrastingly, MK‐7622 showed memory improvement and induction of diarrhea at an equal dose. Combination of T‐495, but not of MK‐7622, and donepezil at each sub‐effective dose improved scopolamine‐induced memory deficits. Additionally, in mice with reduced acetylcholine levels in the forebrain via overexpression of A53T α‐synuclein (ie, a mouse model of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia), T‐495, like donepezil, reversed the memory deficits in the contextual fear conditioning test and Y‐maze task. Thus, low cooperative M1R PAMs are promising agents for the treatment of memory deficits associated with cholinergic dysfunction.

Compound 1 exhibits potent binding inhibition activity against a corticotropin-releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor (IC50=9.5nM) and in vitro antagonistic activity (IC50=88nM) but is rapidly metabolized by human hepatic microsomes (182μL/min/mg). Here we identified metabolically stable compounds with potent CRF binding inhibitory activity. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies considering in vitro metabolic stability revealed that 4-chloro-2-(2,4-dichloro-6-methylphenoxy)-1-methyl-7-(pentan-3-yl)-1H-benzimidazole 24d was more stable in human microsomes (87μL/min/mg) than compound 1. Compound 24d demonstrated potent CRF binding inhibitory activity (IC50=4.1nM), in vitro antagonistic activity (IC50=44nM), and slow dissociation from the CRF1 receptor. Orally administered compound 24d (6-24μmol/kg) showed ex vivo CRF1 receptor binding in the rat pituitary, olfactory bulb, and frontal cortex and suppressed stress-induced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion. In this report, we discuss SAR studies on the metabolic stability as well as CRF binding inhibitory activity of the benzimidazole series as CRF1 receptor antagonists and the pharmacological profiles of compound 24d.

Benzazole derivatives with a flexible aryl group bonded through a one-atom linker as a new scaffold for a corticotropin-releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonist were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. We expected that structural diversity could be expanded beyond that of reported CRF1 receptor antagonists. In a structure-activity relationship study, 4-chloro-N(2)-(4-chloro-2-methoxy-6-methylphenyl)-1-methyl-N(7),N(7)-dipropyl-1H-benzimidazole-2,7-diamine 29g had the most potent binding activity against a human CRF1 receptor and the antagonistic activity (IC50 = 9.5 and 88 nM, respectively) without concerns regarding cytotoxicity at 30 μM. Potent CRF1 receptor-binding activity in brain in an ex vivo test and suppression of stress-induced activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis were also observed at 138 μmol/kg of compound 29g after oral administration in mice. Thus, the newly designed benzimidazole 29g showed in vivo CRF1 receptor antagonistic activity and good brain penetration, indicating that it is a promising lead for CRF1 receptor antagonist drug discovery research.

A new class of corticotropin releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonists characterized by a tricyclic core ring was designed and synthesized. Novel tricyclic derivatives 2a–e were designed as CRF1 receptor antagonists based on conformation analysis of our original 2-anilinobenzimidazole CRF1 receptor antagonist. The synthesized tricyclic derivatives 2a–e showed CRF1 receptor binding activity with IC50 values of less than 400 nM, and the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimido-[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivative 2e was selected as a lead compound with potent in vitro CRF1 receptor binding activity (IC50 = 7.1 nM). To optimize the pharmacokinetic profiles of lead compound 2e, we explored suitable substituents on the 1-position and 6-position, leading to the identification of compound 42c-R, which exhibited potent CRF1 receptor binding activity (IC50 = 58 nM) with good oral bioavailability (F = 68% in rats). Compound 42c-R exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of [125I]-CRF binding in the frontal cortex (5 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) as well as suppression of locomotor activation induced by intracerebroventricular administration of CRF in rats (10 mg/kg, p.o.). These results suggest that compound 42c-R successfully binds CRF1 receptors in the brain and exhibits the potential to be further examined for clinical studies.

Activation of muscarinic M

The aim of this study was to investigate peripheral and central roles of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in endocrinological and behavioral changes. Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentration was measured as an activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. As behavioral changes, locomotion and anxiety behavior were measured after CRF challenge intravenously (i.v.) for the peripheral administration or intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) for the central administration. Plasma ACTH concentration was significantly increased by both administration routes of CRF; however, hyperlocomotion and anxiety behavior were induced only by the i.c.v. administration. In the drug discovery of CRF

Compound 1 exhibits potent binding inhibition activity against a corticotropin-releasing factor 1 (CRF

A promising lead compound 1 of a benzimidazole series has been identified as a corticotropin-releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonist. In this study, we focused on replacement of a 7-alkylamino group of 1, predicted to occupy a large lipophilic pocket of a CRF1 receptor, with an aryl group. During the course of this examination, we established new synthetic approaches to 2,7-diarylaminobenzimidazoles. The novel synthesis of 7-arylaminobenzimidazoles culminated in the identification of compounds exhibiting inhibitory activities comparable to the alkyl analog 1. A representative compound, p-methoxyanilino analog 16g, showed potent CRF binding inhibitory activity against a human CRF1 receptor and human CRF1 receptor antagonistic activity (IC50=27nM, 56nM, respectively). This compound exhibited ex vivo (125)I-Tyr(0) ((125)I-CRF) binding inhibitory activity in mouse frontal cortex, olfactory bulb, and pituitary gland at 20mg/kg after oral administration. In this report, we discuss the structure-activity-relationship of these 7-arylamino-1H-benzimidazoles and their synthetic method.