title: Design and synthesis of trivalent ligands targeting opioid, cholecystokinin, and melanocortin receptors for the treatment of pain.
abstract: It has been known that co-administration of morphine with either cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor or melanocortin (MC) receptor antagonists enhance morphine's analgesic efficacy by reducing serious side effects such as tolerance and addiction. Considering these synergistic effects, we have designed trivalent ligands in which all three different pharmacophores for opioid, CCK, and MC receptors are combined in such a way as to conserve their own topographical pharmacophore structures. These ligands, excluding the cyclic compound, were synthesized by solid phase synthesis using Rink-amide resin under microwave assistance in very high yields. These trivalent ligands bind to their respective receptors well demonstrating that the topographical pharmacophore structures for the three receptors were retained for receptor binding. Ligand 10 was a lead compound to show the best biological activities at all three receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Yeon Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kulkarani
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayorov
authors.forename: Peg
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Shou-wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gillies
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Porreca
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hruby
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015195:Drug Design; D008024:Ligands; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin / Q000187:drug effects*; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin / Q000187:drug effects*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D008024:Ligands; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D011957:Receptors, Opioid