Identification of Dihydrobenzofuran Neolignans as Novel PDE4 Inhibitors and Evaluation of Antiatopic Dermatitis Efficacy in DNCB-Induced Mice Model

J Med Chem. 2024 Mar 28;67(6):4855-4869. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02424. Epub 2024 Mar 15.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic relapsing skin disease characterized by recurrent, pruritic, localized eczema, while PDE4 inhibitors have been reported to be effective as antiatopic dermatitis agents. 3',4-O-dimethylcedrusin (DCN) is a natural dihydrobenzofuran neolignan isolated from Magnolia biondii with moderate potency against PDE4 (IC50 = 3.26 ± 0.28 μM) and a binding mode similar to that of apremilast, an approved PDE4 inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis. The structure-based optimization of DCN led to the identification of 7b-1 that showed high inhibitory potency on PDE4 (IC50 = 0.17 ± 0.02 μM), good anti-TNF-α activity (EC50 = 0.19 ± 0.10 μM), remarkable selectivity profile, and good skin permeability. The topical treatment of 7b-1 resulted in the significant benefits of pharmacological intervention in a DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like mice model, demonstrating its potential for the development of novel antiatopic dermatitis agents.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / pharmacology
  • Dermatitis, Atopic* / chemically induced
  • Dermatitis, Atopic* / drug therapy
  • Dinitrochlorobenzene / pharmacology
  • Dinitrochlorobenzene / therapeutic use
  • Lignans* / pharmacology
  • Lignans* / therapeutic use
  • Mice
  • Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors* / pharmacology
  • Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors* / therapeutic use
  • Skin
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors
  • Dinitrochlorobenzene
  • Lignans
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors
  • Cytokines