SUMMARY

A novel adenosine receptor, the A3 receptor, has recently been cloned. We have systematically investigated the hitherto largely unexplored structure-activity relationships (SARs) for binding at A3 receptors, using 125I-N6-2-(4-aminophenyl)ethyladenosine as a radioligand and membranes from Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the rat A3-cDNA. As is the case for A1 and A2a, receptors, substitutions at the N6 and 5′ positions of adenosine, the prototypic agonist ligand, may yield fairly potent compounds. However, the highest affinity and A3 selectivity is found for N6,5′-disubstituted compounds, in contrast to A1 and A2a receptors. Thus, N6-benzyladenosine-5′-N-ethylcarboxamide is highly potent (Ki, 6.8 nM) and moderately selective (13- and 14-fold versus A1 and A2a). The N6 region of the A3 receptor also appears to tolerate hydrophilic substitutions, in sharp contrast to the other subtypes. Potencies of N6,5′-disubstituted compounds in inhibition of adenylate cyclase via A3 receptors parallel their high affinity in the binding assay. None of the typical xanthine or nonxanthine (A1/A2) antagonists tested show any appreciable affinity for rat A3 receptors. 1,3-Dialkylxanthines did not antagonize the A3 agonist-induced inhibition of adenylate cyclase. A His residue in helix 6 that is absent in A3 receptors but present in A1/A2 receptors may be causal in this respect. In a molecular model for the rat A3 receptor, this mutation, together with an increased bulkiness of residues surrounding the ligand, make antagonist binding unfavorable when compared with a previously developed A1 receptor model. Second, this A3 receptor model predicted similarities with A1 and A2 receptors in the binding requirements for the ribose moiety and that xanthine-7-ribosides would bind to rat A3 receptors. This hypothesis was supported experimentally by the moderate affinity (Ki 6 μM) of 7-riboside of 1,3-dibutylxanthine, which appears to be a partial agonist at rat A3 receptors. The model presented here, which is consistent with the detailed SAR found in this study, may serve to suggest future chemical modification, site-directed mutagenesis, and SAR studies to further define essential characteristics of the ligand-receptor interaction and to develop even more potent and selective A3 receptor ligands.

The P2Y1 purinoceptor cloned from chick brain (Webb, T. et al. (1993) FEBS Lett., 324, 219–225) is a 362 amino acid, 41 kDa protein. To locate residues tentatively involved in ligand recognition a molecular model of the P2Y purinoceptor has been constructed. The model was based on the primary sequence and structural homology with the G-protein coupled photoreceptor rhodopsin, in analogy to the method proposed by Ballesteros and Weinstein ((1995) Meth. Neurosci. 25, 366–428). Transmembrane helices were constructed from the amino acid sequence, minimized individually, and positioned in a helical bundle. The helical bundle was then minimized using the Amber forcefield in Discover (BIOSYM Technologies) to obtain the final model. Several residues that have been shown to be critical in ligand binding in other GPCRs are conserved in the P2Y1 purinoceptor. According to our model the side chains of these conserved residues are facing the internal cleft in which ligand binding likely occurs. The model also suggests four basic residues (H121 in TM3, H266 and K269 in TM6 and R299 in TM7) near the extracellular surface that might be involved in ligand binding. These basic residues might be essential in coordinating the triphosphate chain of the endogenous ligand adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP). Potential binding sites for agonists have been explored by docking several derivatives (including newly synthesized N6-derivatives) into the model. The N6-phenylethyl substituent is tolerated pharmacologically, and in our model this substituent occupies a region predominantly defined by aromatic residues such as F51 (TM1), Y100 (TM2) and F120 (TM3). The dimethylated analogue of ATP, N6,N6-dimethyl-adenosine 5′-triphosphate, is less well tolerated pharmacologically, and our model predicts that the attenuated activity is due to interference with hydrogen bonding capacity to Q296 (TM7).

Detailed amino acid sequence analyses of A1 and A2a adenosine receptors were assembled by analogy to other G-protein-coupled receptors and correlated with pharmacological observations. Sites for phosphorylation, palmitoylation, and sodium binding have been proposed. Striatal A2a receptors from human and other species were photoaffinity-labeled using the selective, radioiodinated agonist PAPA-APEC. Selective chemical affinity labels for A1 and A2a receptors have been introduced. For example, an isothiocyanate, p-DITC-APEC (100 nM), irreversibly diminished the Bmax for [3H]CGS 21680 (2-[4-[(2-carboxyethyl) phenyl] ethylamino]-5’-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine) binding in rabbit striatal membranes by 71% (Kd unaffected), suggesting a direct modification of the ligand binding site. Novel trifunctional affinity labels have been designed. Rabbit and human A2a receptors were characterized using [3H]XAC binding in the presence of 50 or 25 nM CPX (8-cyclopentyl-l,3-dipropylxanthine), respectively. The inhibition of A2 radioligand binding by the histidyl-modifying reagent diethylpyrocarbonate suggested the involvement of His residues in interactions with adenosine agonists and antagonists. Properties of transiently expressed mutants of bovine A1 receptors in which either His251 or His278 residues have been substituted with Leu suggest that both histidines are important in binding.

The amino acid sequence of the canine adenosine A1 receptor and the atomic coordinates of a structurally related protein, bacteriorhodopsin, were combined to generate a three-dimensional model for the adenosine A1 receptor. This model consists of seven amphipathic alpha-helices, forming a pore that has a rather distinct partition between hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. Subsequently, a highly potent and selective ligand, N6-cyclopentyladenosine, was docked into this cavity. A binding site is proposed that takes into account the conformational characteristics of the ligand, obtained from indirect modeling studies by the ‘active analog approach’. Moreover, it involves two histidine residues that were shown to be important for ligand coordination from chemical modification studies. Finally, the deduced binding site was used to model other potent ligands that could all be accommodated consistent with earlier biochemical and pharmacological findings.

The adenosine agonist [3H]CGS21680 (2-[4-[[2-carboxyethyl]phenyl]ethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine) bound to A2 receptors in human striatal membranes with a Kd of 17.8±1.1 nM and a Bmax of 313± 10 fmol/mg protein. The addition of 100 μM GTP diminished both the affinity of agonist radioligand for A2 adenosine binding sites and the total binding, resulting in Kd and Bmax values of 28.6±1.0 nM and 185± 22 fmol/mg of protein. Adenosine ligands competed for [3H]CGS21680 with the expected potency order. The adenosine antagonist [3H]XAC (8-[4-[[[[(2-aminoethyl)-amino]carbonyl]methyl]oxy]phenyl]-1,3-dipropylxanthine), although A1-selective in the rat, binds to human striatal A2 receptors with high affinity. 25 nM CPX (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine), an A1-selective antagonist, was added to the incubation medium and effectively eliminated 91% of [3H]XAC (1 nM) binding to human A1 receptors, yet preserved 90% of binding to A2 receptors. [3H]XAC exhibited saturable, specific binding (50% of total) to A2 sites with a Kd of 2.98±0.54 nM and a Bmax of 0.71±0.23 pmol/mg protein (25°C, non-specific binding defined with 100 μM NECA). The potency order for antagonists against 1 nM [3H]XAC was CGS15943A > XAC ≈ PD115,199 > PAPA-XAC > CPX > HTQZ ≈ XCC ≈ CP-66,713 > theophylline ≈ caffeine, indicative of an A2-type binding site. A2a-receptors were found to be present in the human cortex, albeit at a much lower density than in the striatum. Photoaffinity labeling using 125I-PAPA-APEC revealed a molecular weight of 45K, but proteolytic cleavage was observed, resulting in fragments of MW 43K and 37K. In the absence of proteolytic inhibitors the 37K fragment, which still bound 125I-PAPA-APEC, was predominant.

A series of N6-(p-sulfophenyl)alkyl and N6sulfoalkyl derivatives of adenosine was synthesized, revealing that N6-(p-sulfophenyl)adenosine (10b) is a moderately potent (Ki vs [3H]PIA in rat cortical membranes was 74 nM) and A1-selective (120-fold) adenosine agonist, of exceptional aqueous solubility of >1.5 g/mL (≈3 M). Compound 10b was very potent in inhibiting synaptic potentials in gerbil hippocampal slices with an IC50 of 63 nM. At a dose of 0.1 mg/kg ip in rats, 10b inhibited lipolysis (a peripheral A1 effect) by 85% after 1 h. This in vivo effect was reversed using the peripherally selective A1-antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-[p-(carboxyethynyl)phenyl]xanthine (BW1433). The same dose of 10b in NIH Swiss mice (ip) was nearly inactive in locomotor depression, an effect that has been shown to be centrally mediated when elicited by lower doses of other potent adenosine agonists, such as N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) (Nikodijevic et al. FEBS Lett. 1990, 261, 67). HPLC studies of biodistribution of a closely related and less potent homologue, N6-[4-(p-sulfophenyl)butyl]adenosine indicated that a 25 mg/kg ip dose in mice resulted in a plasma concentration after 30 min of 0.46 μg/mL and no detectable drug in the brain (detection limit <0.1% of plasma level). Although 10b at doses >0.1 mg/kg in mice depressed locomotor activity, this depression was unlike the effects of CHA and was reversible by BW1433. These data suggest that 10b is a potent adenosine agonist in vivo and shows poor CNS penetration.