| 1. |
- Tay, Apple Hui Min, et al.
(author)
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A(2B) adenosine receptor antagonists rescue lymphocyte activity in adenosine-producing patient-derived cancer models
- 2022
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In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. - : BMJ. - 2051-1426. ; 10:5, s. e004592-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Adenosine is a metabolite that suppresses antitumor immune response of T and NK cells via extracellular binding to the two subtypes of adenosine-2 receptors, A(2)ARs. While blockade of the A(2A)ARs subtype effectively rescues lymphocyte activity, with four A(2A)AR antagonists currently in anticancer clinical trials, less is known for the therapeutic potential of the other A(2B)AR blockade within cancer immunotherapy. Recent studies suggest the formation of A(2A)AR/A(2B)AR dimers in tissues that coexpress the two receptor subtypes, where the A(2B)AR plays a dominant role, suggesting it as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. Methods We report the synthesis and functional evaluation of five potent A(2B)AR antagonists and a dual A(2A)AR/A(2B)AR antagonist. The compounds were designed using previous pharmacological data assisted by modeling studies. Synthesis was developed using multicomponent approaches. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the phenotype of T and NK cells on A(2B)AR antagonist treatment. Functional activity of T and NK cells was tested in patient-derived tumor spheroid models. Results We provide data for six novel small molecules: five A(2B)AR selective antagonists and a dual A(2A)AR/A(2B)AR antagonist. The growth of patient-derived breast cancer spheroids is prevented when treated with A(2B)AR antagonists. To elucidate if this depends on increased lymphocyte activity, immune cells proliferation, and cytokine production, lymphocyte infiltration was evaluated and compared with the potent A(2A)AR antagonist AZD-4635. We find that A(2B)AR antagonists rescue T and NK cell proliferation, IFN gamma and perforin production, and increase tumor infiltrating lymphocytes infiltration into tumor spheroids without altering the expression of adhesion molecules. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that A(2B)AR is a promising target in immunotherapy, identifying ISAM-R56A as the most potent candidate for A(2B)AR blockade. Inhibition of A(2B)AR signaling restores T cell function and proliferation. Furthermore, A(2B)AR and dual A(2A)AR/A(2B)AR antagonists showed similar or better results than A(2A)AR antagonist AZD-4635 reinforcing the idea of dominant role of the A(2B)AR in the regulation of the immune system.
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| 2. |
- Val, Cristina, et al.
(author)
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Optimization of 2-Amino-4,6-diarylpyrimidine-5-carbonitriles as Potent and Selective A(1) Antagonists
- 2022
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In: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 65:3, s. 2091-2106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We herein document a large collection of 108 2-amino-4,6-disubstituted-pyrimidine derivatives as potent, structurally simple, and highly selective A(1)AR ligands. The most attractive ligands were confirmed as antagonists of the canonical cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway, and some pharmacokinetic parameters were preliminarily evaluated. The library, built through a reliable and efficient three-component reaction, comprehensively explored the chemical space allowing the identification of the most prominent features of the structure-activity and structure-selectivity relationships around this scaffold. These included the influence on the selectivity profile of the aromatic residues at positions R-4 and R-6 of the pyrimidine core but most importantly the prominent role to the unprecedented A(1)AR selectivity profile exerted by the methyl group introduced at the exocyclic amino group. The structure-activity relationship trends on both A(1) and A(2A)ARs were conveniently interpreted with rigorous free energy perturbation simulations, which started from the receptor-driven docking model that guided the design of these series.
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| 3. |
- Miranda-Pastoriza, Dario, et al.
(author)
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Exploring Non-orthosteric Interactions with a Series of Potent and Selective A(3) Antagonists
- 2022
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In: ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-5875. ; 13:2, s. 243-249
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- : A library of potent and highly A3AR selective pyrimidinebased compounds was designed to explore non-orthosteric interactions within this receptor. Starting from a prototypical orthosteric A3AR antagonist (ISVY130), the structure-based design explored functionalized residues at the exocyclic amide L1 region and aimed to provide additional interactions outside the A3AR orthosteric site. The novel ligands were assembled through an efficient and succinct synthetic approach, resulting in compounds that retain the A3AR potent and selective profile while improving the solubility of the original scaffold. The experimentally demonstrated tolerability of the L1 region to structural functionalization was further assessed by molecular dynamics simulations, giving hints of the non-orthosteric interactions explored by these series. The results pave the way to explore newly functionalized A3AR ligands, including covalent drugs and molecular probes for diagnostic and delivery purposes.
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