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Synthesis and Pharmacology of a Novel μ-δ Opioid Receptor Heteromer-Selective Agonist Based on the Carfentanyl Template
Faouzi, A., Uprety, R., Gomes, I., Massaly, N., Keresztes, A., Le Rouzic, V., Gupta, A., Zhang, T., Yoon, H. J., Ansonoff, M., Allaoa, A., Pan, Y. X., Pintar, J., Moron, J. A., Streicher, J. M., Devi, L. A., & Majumdar, S. (2020). Synthesis and Pharmacology of a Novel μ-δ Opioid Receptor Heteromer-Selective Agonist Based on the Carfentanyl Template. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63(22), 13618-13637. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00901
In this work, we studied a series of carfentanyl amide-based opioid derivatives targeting the mu opioid receptor (mu OR) and the delta opioid receptor (delta OR) heteromer as a credible novel target in pain management therapy. We identified a lead compound named MP135 that exhibits high G-protein activity at mu-delta heteromers compared to the homomeric delta OR or mu OR and low beta-arrestin2 recruitment activity at all three. Furthermore, MP135 exhibits distinct signaling profile, as compared to the previously identified agonist targeting mu-delta heteromers, CYM51010. Pharmacological characterization of MP135 supports the utility of this compound as a molecule that could be developed as an antinociceptive agent similar to morphine in rodents. In vivo characterization reveals that MP135 maintains untoward side effects such as respiratory depression and reward behavior; together, these results suggest that optimization of MP135 is necessary for the development of therapeutics that suppress the classical side effects associated with conventional clinical opioids.