In Silico-Guided Rational Drug Design and Synthesis of Novel 4-(Thiophen-2-yl)butanamides as Potent and Selective TRPV1 Agonists

J Med Chem. 2023 May 25;66(10):6994-7015. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00447. Epub 2023 May 16.

Abstract

We describe an in silico-guided rational drug design and the synthesis of the suggested ligands, aimed at improving the TRPV1-ligand binding properties and the potency of N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-4-(thiophen-2-yl) butanamide I, a previously identified TRPV1 agonist. The docking experiments followed by molecular dynamics simulations and thermodynamic analysis led the drug design toward both the introduction of a lipophilic iodine and a flat pyridine/benzene at position 5 of the thiophene nucleus. Most of the synthesized compounds showed high TRPV1 efficacy and potency as well as selectivity. The molecular modeling analysis highlighted crucial hydrophobic interactions between Leu547 and the iodo-thiophene nucleus, as in amide 2a, or between Phe543 and the pyridinyl moiety, as in 3a. In the biological evaluation, both compounds showed protective properties against oxidative stress-induced ROS formation in human keratinocytes. Additionally, while 2a showed neuroprotective effects in both neurons and rat brain slices, 3a exhibited potent antinociceptive effect in vivo..

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amides
  • Animals
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Rats
  • TRPV Cation Channels / agonists
  • Thiophenes* / chemistry
  • Thiophenes* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Thiophenes
  • Amides
  • TRPV1 protein, human
  • TRPV Cation Channels
  • Trpv1 protein, rat