title: Structure-activity relationships of N-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-n-octyloxycinnamoyl)-N'-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine and analogues as inhibitors of acyl-CoA: cholesterol O-acyltransferase.
abstract: A novel series of acyl-CoA: cholesterol O-acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitors were synthesized from a lead compound, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-7-phenylhept-1-en-3-one (1, Yakuchinone B) through a modification of three regions (A, B, C) in the molecule. In this study, the compounds prepared were tested for in vitro inhibitory activity on microsomal ACAT from the liver of rats and for in vivo hypocholesterolemic activity in rats given a high cholesterol diet. N-(3,5-Dimethoxy-4-n-octyloxycinnamoyl)-N'-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (45), which belongs to the amide compounds, has finally been discovered. Compound 45 inhibited rat hepatic ACAT in a more striking manner than CI-976, an amide compound ACAT inhibitor, and it exhibited a high level of hypocholesterolemic activity in vivo. Since 45 strongly inhibited both microsomal ACAT prepared from HepG2 (a cell line derived from human hepatocarcinoma) and Caco2 (a cell line derived from human colon adenocarcinoma), there is speculation that 45 might have the ability to inhibit ACAT in both the human intestine and liver independent of the difference in the distribution of ACAT isozymes. On the other hand, 45 did not induce adrenotoxicity in subacute toxicity studies in rats. These results suggest that it has promise for development as a new therapeutic agent for hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research, Kunitachi, Tokyo, Japan. kenji-ooishi@yakult.co.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohishi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aiyama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokokura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C440193:(N-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-n-octyloxycinnamoyl)-N'-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine); D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D002934:Cinnamates; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D002784:Cholesterol; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase