Discovery of Methylene Thioacetal-Incorporated α-RgIA Analogues as Potent and Stable Antagonists of the Human α9α10 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

J Med Chem. 2021 Jul 8;64(13):9513-9524. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00802. Epub 2021 Jun 23.

Abstract

α9-Containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are key targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain. α-Conotoxin RgIA4 is a peptide antagonist of human α9α10 nAChRs with high selectivity. However, structural rearrangement reveals a potential liability for clinical applications. We herein report our designer RgIA analogues stabilized by methylene thioacetal as nonopioid analgesic agents. We demonstrate that replacing disulfide loop I [CysI-CysIII] with methylene thioacetal in the RgIA skeleton results in activity loss, whereas substitution of loop II [CysII-CysIV] can be accommodated. The lead molecule, RgIA-5524, exhibits highly selective inhibition of α9α10 nAChRs with an IC50 of 0.9 nM and much reduced degradation in human serum. In vivo studies showed that RgIA-5524 relieves chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in wild type but not α9 knockout mouse models, demonstrating that α9-containing nAChRs are necessary for the therapeutic effects. This work highlights the application of methylene thioacetal as a disulfide surrogate in conotoxin-based, disulfide-rich peptide drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetals / chemistry
  • Acetals / pharmacology*
  • Conotoxins / chemistry
  • Conotoxins / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neuralgia / drug therapy*
  • Neuralgia / metabolism
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Acetals
  • CHRNA10 protein, human
  • CHRNA9 protein, human
  • Conotoxins
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • conotoxin alpha-RgIA, Conus regius