Development of Multifunctional and Orally Active Cyclic Peptide Agonists of Opioid/Neuropeptide FF Receptors that Produce Potent, Long-Lasting, and Peripherally Restricted Antinociception with Diminished Side Effects

J Med Chem. 2021 Sep 23;64(18):13394-13409. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00694. Epub 2021 Aug 31.

Abstract

We previously reported that a multifunctional opioid/neuropeptide FF receptor agonist, DN-9, achieved peripherally restricted analgesia with reduced side effects. To develop stable and orally bioavailable analogues of DN-9, eight lactam-bridged cyclic analogues of DN-9 between positions 2 and 5 were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. In vitro cAMP assays revealed that these analogues, except 7, were multifunctional ligands that activated opioid and neuropeptide FF receptors. Analogue 1 exhibited improved potency for κ-opioid and NPFF2 receptors. All analogues exhibited potent, long-lasting, and peripherally restricted antinociception in the tail-flick test without tolerance development after subcutaneous administration and produced oral analgesia. Oral administration of the optimized compound analogue 1 exhibited powerful, peripherally restricted antinociceptive effects in mouse models of acute, inflammatory, and neuropathic pain. Remarkably, orally administered analogue 1 had no significant side effects, such as tolerance, dependence, constipation, or respiratory depression, at effective analgesic doses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / chemical synthesis
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacokinetics
  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Ligands
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neuralgia / drug therapy*
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacokinetics
  • Peptides, Cyclic / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide / agonists*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Ligands
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide
  • neuropeptide FF receptor