title: Preclinical evaluation of melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 antagonism for the treatment of obesity and depression.
abstract: The mammalian neuropeptide, melanin-concentrating hormone, interacts with two G protein-coupled receptors, melanin-concentrating hormone receptor (MCHR) 1 and MCHR2; however, only MCHR1 is expressed in rats and mice. In the present study, we evaluated MCHR1 antagonism in preclinical models believed to be predictive of antiobesity and antidepressant activity. Central activity of the selective MCHR1 antagonist, GW803430 [6-(4-chloro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(2-pyrrolidin-1-yl-ethoxy)-phenyl]-3H-thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one], was evaluated using ex vivo binding with autoradiography. Effective doses of GW803430 (1 and 3 mg/kg p.o.) were correlated with antiobesity activity in a 14-day study of diet-induced obese rats. GW803430 was evaluated subsequently for antidepressant-like effects in mice and rats. Acute and subchronic administration reduced immobility time in the mouse forced-swim test at doses of 3 (acute) and 3 and 10 (chronic) mg/kg p.o., an effect that was absent in MCHR1(-/-) mice. Combined subeffective doses of GW803430 (0.3 and 1 mg/kg p.o.) and imipramine (5 mg/kg) produced a robust antidepressant-like response. The compound was also active in the tail suspension test at a dose of 10 mg/kg p.o. GW803430 (30 mg/kg p.o.) significantly reduced submissive behaviors at weeks 2 and 3, a model of submissive behavior that may predict antidepressant onset. GW803430 decreased marble burying in mice at doses of 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg p.o., an assay that detects anxiolytic-like effects. Thus, GW803430 produces robust antiobesity and antidepressant-like effects in rats and mice at doses that compete for central MCHR1 in vivo. As such, MCHR1 should be considered as a promising target for future drug discovery efforts.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Endocrine Discovery Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA. gehlert_donald_r@lilly.com
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gehlert
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ardayfio
authors.forename: Libbey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Hong Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yanyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Witkin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001345:Autoradiography; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011485:Protein Binding; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D012930:Social Dominance; D013550:Swimming; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C540748:6-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-4-(2-pyrrolidin-1-ylethoxy)phenyl)-3H-thieno(3,2-d)pyrimidin-4-one; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; C491208:MCHR1 protein, rat; C491209:Mchr1 protein, mouse; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013876:Thiophenes