Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07D—HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07D211/00—Heterocyclic compounds containing hydrogenated pyridine rings, not condensed with other rings
  • C07D211/04—Heterocyclic compounds containing hydrogenated pyridine rings, not condensed with other rings with only hydrogen or carbon atoms directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom
  • C07D211/06—Heterocyclic compounds containing hydrogenated pyridine rings, not condensed with other rings with only hydrogen or carbon atoms directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom having no double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members
  • C07D211/36—Heterocyclic compounds containing hydrogenated pyridine rings, not condensed with other rings with only hydrogen or carbon atoms directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom having no double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members with hetero atoms or with carbon atoms having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen, e.g. ester or nitrile radicals, directly attached to ring carbon atoms
  • C07D211/40—Oxygen atoms
  • C07D211/44—Oxygen atoms attached in position 4
  • C07D211/52—Oxygen atoms attached in position 4 having an aryl radical as the second substituent in position 4
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
  • A61P31/12—Antivirals
  • A61P31/14—Antivirals for RNA viruses
  • A61P31/18—Antivirals for RNA viruses for HIV

Definitions

• the present invention relates to inverse agonists acting at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and more particularly to non-peptidergic inverse agonists. Even more in detail, the present invention relates to non- peptidergic inverse agonists for a constitutively active viral-encoded G protein- coupled receptor. Further, the invention relates to the use of these inverse agonists in viral pathogenesis.
• GPCRs G protein-coupled receptors
• GPCRs G protein-coupled receptors
• HCMN The ⁇ -herpesvirus human cytomegalovirus
• HCMN encodes four GPCRs, among which US28 is particularly important with an eye on the present invention.
• This virally encoded GPCR US28 is able to induce migration of smooth muscle cells, a feature essential for the development of atherosclerosis.
• US28 serves as a cofactor for the entry into cells of human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIN-1).
• human cytomegalovirus is a widespread pathogen that does not cause significant clinical manifestations in healthy individuals.
• primary infection or reactivation of the virus in immunocompromised hosts such as AIDS patients, neonates, pregnant women, and patients on an immunosuppressive drug regime, e.g. because of an organ transplantation, or with an otherwise suppressed immune system, such as patients undergoing anticancer therapies, can cause severe and even fatal disease.
• immunocompromised hosts such as AIDS patients, neonates, pregnant women, and patients on an immunosuppressive drug regime, e.g. because of an organ transplantation, or with an otherwise suppressed immune system, such as patients undergoing anticancer therapies
• HCMN infection plays a role in the development of vascular diseases including vascular allograft rejection, restenosis and atherosclerosis.
• HCMN encodes four putative GPRCs, namely US27, US28, UL33 and UL78.
• various ⁇ - and ⁇ -herpesviruses such as human herpesviruses HHN-6, HHN-7 and HHN-8 (Kaposi's sarcoma associated Herpes virus) have been found to also encode GPRCs in their genome.
• These virally encoded GPRCs show homology to mammalian chemokine receptors, suggesting that these viruses exploit chemokine signaling pathways as a general mechanism to interfere with the host immune system. See in this respect, Murphy in Nat. Immunol., 2 (2001), 116-122.
• HCMV-encoded US28 shows high homology to chemokine receptors, such as CC-chemokine receptors. Yet, it also binds several other CC- chemokines such as CCL5/RANTES, CCL3/MIP-l ⁇ and CCL2/MCP-1 with high affinity.
• US28 binds the membrane -bound CX3C-chemokine CX3CLl/fractalkine, which has been suggested to play a role in the cellular interaction with viral particles (Kledal et al, FEBS Letters 441 (1998), 209- 214).
• US28 exhibits HIV cofactor activity when coexpressed with CD4 (Pleskoff et al, Science 276 (1997), 1874-1878).
• Streblow et al. have shown in Cell 99 (1999), 511-520 that expression of US28 after infection with HCMN induces smooth muscle cells (SMCs) migration, providing a potential link between CMN and progression of vascular disease.
• G protein coupled receptors like US28
• ligands acting at G protein coupled receptors are generally classified as agonists, (neutral) antagonists or inverse agonists.
• This classification has been implemented following the notion that G protein coupled receptors can activate signal transduction without the presence of extracellular chemical signals, also referred to as constitutive activity (see e.g. Milligan et al. in Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 16 (1995), 10-33 and Leurs et al. in Trends Biochem. Sci. 23 (1998), 418- 422).
• Agonists are compounds, which induce a further activation of the receptor, which can be measured by a variety of biochemical assays.
• inverse agonists are compounds which inhibit the intrinsic constitutive activity of a receptor and thereby have opposing effects when compared with agonist effects.
• Compounds, which just bind to the receptor, but do not affect the functional activity of the receptor are called (neutral) antagonists. These compounds are able to block both the actions of agonists and inverse agonists.
• US28 constitutively activates a variety of signal transduction pathways including phospholipase C and NF- ⁇ B upon transient transfection in COS-7 cells (see the above-mentioned article of Casarosa et al.) or phospholipase C upon HCMV- infection of human foreskin fibroblast.
• inverse agonists are defined as ligands able to inhibit US28 dependent constitutive signalling, like e.g. the US28 mediated increase in inositolphosphates, as measured as described by Casarosa et al, (vide supra) or the activation of NF- ⁇ B as measured via e.g.
• Neutral antagonists are defined as ligands that do not affect the US28-mediated signalling, like e.g. the increase in inositolphosphates, as measured as described by Casarosa et al, or the activation of NF- ⁇ B as measured via e.g. a luciferase reporter gene assay.
• the chemokine RANTES is an example of such a ligand. So far no ligands, able to further activate the US28 signalling in these assays (defined as agonists) have been identified under the specified experimental conditions.
• GPCRs Constitutive activity of GPCRs occurs in the absence of neurotransmitter or hormone stimulation.
• the GPCR protein is thought to isomerise between at least two different states, in an inactive (R) and active (R*) conformation.
• R inactive
• R* active
• Agonist binding is thought to shift the equilibrium toward R*, leading to an increased coupling to G proteins associated with an increase in GPCR activity, while inverse agonists inhibit constitutive GPCR activity.
• Neutral antagonists do not modulate constitutive GPCR signaling.
• KSHN-encoded ORF74 provides some evidence for a link between constitutive activity and viral pathology. As described by Bais et al.
• ORF74 has oncogenic potential and transgenic mice expressing ORF74 develop angioproliferative lesions that morphologically resemble Kaposi Sarcoma (see also Yang et al. in J.Exp.Med. 191 (2000), 445-454).
• US28 is expressed as an early gene (Zipeto et al. J. Gen. Virol. 80 (1999), 543-547). Moreover, US28 mRNA can also be detected in semi- and non-permissive cells such as monocytes, which represent a typical site of latency for the virus. Different reports (Neote et al Cell 72 (1993), 415- 425; Gao & Murphy J. Biol. Chem. 269 (1994), 28539-28542; Kuhn et al Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.
• WT-HCMV wild-type HCMV
• CC-chemokines with high affinity and release intracellular calcium in response to them.
• cells infected with a mutant virus in which US28 has been deleted do not show these features, demonstrating that US28 is a functional receptor encoded by CMV.
• US28 can specifically recognize and bind the membrane- bound CX3C-chemokine fractalkine, which has been suggested to play a role in the interaction between virus and cell. See in this light, the above-mentioned article of Casarosa.
• US28 Similarly to other chemokine receptors, US28 exhibits HIV cofactor activity when coexpressed with CD4. In addition, it can enhance cell-cell fusion by a mechanism apparently distinct from HIV coreceptor activity (Pleskoff et al J. Virol. 72 (1998), 6380-6397). It can be hypothesized that US28 plays a role in CMV entry, through its ability to enhance membrane fusion.
• X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are each independently members selected from the group consisting of N and C-R 1 , wherein R 1 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, (Ci-d) alkyl, (Ci-C 4 ) alkoxy, (d-d) alkylthio, (Ci-C4) haloalkyl, (Ci-d) haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, (Ci-C 4 ) acyl, amino, (d-C 4 ) alkylamino, and di (d-d) alkylamino;
• Y 1 ,Y 2 , Y 3 and Y 4 are each independently members selected from the group consisting of N and C-R 2 , wherein R 2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, (d-d) alkyl, (d-C ) alkoxy, (d-C 4 ) alkylthio, (d-d) haloalkyl, (d-d) haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, (C ⁇ -C ) acyl, amino, (d-C 4 ) alkylamino, and di (C ⁇ -C 4 ) alkylamino;
• Z 1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted (d-d) alkylene
• Z 2 is a divalent moiety selected from the group consisting of-O-, -S- and -N(R 3 )-, wherein R 3 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, (d-C 4 ) alkyl, (d-d) alkoxy, (d-C 4 ) haloalkyl, (d-d) haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, (d-d) acyl, amino, (d-d) alkylamino, and di(C 1 -C 4 )alkylamino; and
• N He is a substituted or unsubstituted 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-membered nitrogen heterocycle.
• WO-A-02/17969 also deals with compounds inhibiting chemokine binding at US28. Particularly, methods for blocking CMV dissemination in a host are described, which methods comprise the administration of an effective amount of a compound of the formula
• Ar represents a substituted aryl group
• R 11 represents H or (d-C )alkyl
• N 1 ⁇ is a substituted or unsubstituted 4-, 5- 6-, or 7-membered nitrogen heterocycle.
• Preferred within this group are the compounds having the formula:
• n is an integer of from 1 to 3;
• R 11 and R 15 are independently selected from H and (Ci- C 4 )alkyl;
• R 12 , R 13 and R 14 are each members independently selected from H. halogen, (C ⁇ -C4)alkyl, (d-d)alkoxy, (d-C 4 )haloalkyl, (d-d)haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, (d-C 4 )acyl, amino, (d-C ⁇ alkylamino, and di(d-d)alkylamino; with the proviso that at least one of R 12 , R 13 and R 14 is other than H.
• a further object is to find antivirus agents, and particularly anti- HCMV and anti-HIV agents.
• the present invention provides a group of compounds, which meet the objects set.
• the invention relates to a group of small, non-peptidergic compounds that bind US28.
• the group of compounds were found to act as inverse agonists at HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor US28. This binding to US28 was found specific in the sense that constitutive activity displayed by other viral GPCRs, ORF74 and R33 and the histamine Hi receptor, which is also a G q coupled receptor, is not affected by said compounds.
• the present invention relates to the use of a non- peptidergic compound being an inverse agonist acting on HCMV encoded US28 receptor in the manufacture of a medicament having inverse agonist activity on HCMV encoded US28 receptor.
• the non- peptidergic compound is used in the manufacture of a medicament for inhibiting or for the prevention of HIV entry into cells.
• non-peptidergic compound of this invention has the structure of formula (I)
• A is selected from the group consisting of C(X)(Ar), N-(CH2)k-Y-Ar, O, NH and N-R 4 ;
• X is H, OH, OR 4 , or R 4 ;
• R is, independently, a -3 alkyl group, optionally substituted by inert substituents, such as one or more halogen atoms;
• k is an integer of 0-6;
• B is CH or N; with the proviso that when A is NH, B is not N; m is an integer of 1-3; n is an integer of 0-4;
• R 5 is H, OH, CN, R 4 , or CH 2 NH 2 ;
• Ri, R2 and R3, independently, represent H, OH, OR 4 , a halogen atom, CN, a straight or branched C1.5 alkyl that can optionally be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• P and Q represent each a hydrogen atom, or P and Q together are a -SCH2-, a
• Suitable examples of substituents Ri, R2 and R3 which are straight or branched d-5 alkyl are n-alkyl groups, secondary alkyl groups or tertiary alkyl groups, such as t-butyl groups.
• a suitable halogen substituted alkyl group for Ri, R2 and R3 is a perfluorosubstituted alkyl, such as a trifluoromethyl group.
• Preferred compounds of the invention are compounds of the formula (I), wherein X is either a halogen atom and preferably a chlorine atom, or a hydroxyl group.
• the present invention relates to the use of the compounds of the invention for the manufacture of a medicament having inverse agonist activity on HCMV encoded US28 receptor.
• this medicament is used for or in the treatment of or for the prevention of HCMN infection.
• the present invention also relates to the use of an inverse agonist acting at US28, in general, in the manufacture of a medicament for inhibiting or for the prevention of HIN entry into permissive cells.
• the medicament is a prophylacticum for an individual having a compromised immune system, or for an individual expected to encounter a suppressed immune system.
• Immunocompromised hosts which may have benefits from the present invention are AIDS patients, neonates, pregnant women, and patients on an immunosuppressive drug regime, e.g. because of an organ transplantation, or with an otherwise suppressed immune system, such as patients undergoing anticancer therapy.
• Another aspect of the present invention encompasses the use of any one of the compounds of the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament for inhibiting viral infections.
• medicaments to treat an HIN infection such as in AIDS are preferred.
• the compounds used in the manufacture of these medicaments can be combined with other antiviral agents which are either therapeutic or propylactic agents, or, alternatively or additionally, with agents that treat or induce conditions associated with the viral infection, such as anti HIV agents or immunosuppressive agents.
• agents that treat or induce conditions associated with the viral infection such as anti HIV agents or immunosuppressive agents.
• agents that treat or induce conditions associated with the viral infection such as anti HIV agents or immunosuppressive agents.
• So-called "combination therapy” enhances the efficacy of the agents of the invention.
• Exemplary antiviral agents include ganciclovir, foscarnet and cidofovir.
• Exemplary anti- HIV agents include indinavir, ritonavir, AZT, lamivudine and saquinavir.
• Exemplary immunosuppressive agents include cyclosporin, rapamycine and FK-506.
• the medicaments made using the compounds of the invention can also suitably be combined with immunosuppressive protocols such as bone-marrow destruction, for instance by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
• WO-A-93/23047 a group of terfenadine derivatives are described as antihistaminica for heptatitis patients.
• the compounds are agonists for the HI -receptor.
• the compounds of the invention are used in the manufacture of a medicament.
• a medicament comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or adjuvant and an effective amount of the compound of the invention.
• the compositions contain from about 0.1% to about 99% by weight of active compound, and preferably from about 10% to about 60% by weight depending on which method of administration is employed.
• the proportion of each carrier, diluent or adjuvant is determined by the solubility and chemical nature of the compound and the route of adminstration according to standard pharmaceutical practice.
• a composition of the invention is in the form of a unit dose.
• the unit dose presentation forms for oral administration may be tablets and capsules and may contain conventional excipients such as binding agents (e.g., acacia, gelatin, sorbitol, or polyvinylpyrrolidone), fillers (e.g. lactose, sugar, maize-starch, calcium phosphate, sorbitol or glycine), tableting lubricants (e.g. magnesium stearate), disintegrants (e.g. starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium starch glycoallate or microcrystalline cellulose), or pharmaceutically acceptable wetting agents (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate).
• binding agents e.g., acacia, gelatin, sorbitol, or poly
• the compounds may be injected parenterally; this being intramuscularly, intravenously, or subcutaneously.
• the compound may be used in the form of sterile solutions containing other solutes, for example, sufficient saline or glucose to make the solution isotonic.
• the amount of active ingredient adminstered parenterally will be approximately 0.01 to 250 mg/kg/day, preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg/day, more preferably about 0.5 to 30 mg/kg/day, and more most preferably about 1-20 mg/kg/day.
• the compounds may be administered orally in the form of tablets, capsules, or granules containing suitable excipients such as starch, lactose, white sugar and the like.
• the compounds may be adminstered orally in the form of solutions which may contain coloring and/or flavoring agents.
• the compounds may also be administered sublingually in the form of tracheas or lozenges in which each active ingredient is mixed with sugar or corn syrup, flavoring agents and dyes, and then dehydrated sufficiently to make the mixture suitable for pressing into solid form.
• the amount of active ingredient administered orally will depend on bioavailability of the specific compound.
• the solid oral compositions may be prepared by conventional methods of blending, tableting, or the like. Repeated blending operations may be used to distribute the active agent throughout those compositions employing large quantities of tillers. Such operations are, of course, conventional in the art.
• the tablets may be coated according to methods well known in normal pharmaceutical practice, in particular with an enteric coating.
• Oral liquid preparations may be in the form of emulsions, syrups, or elixers, or may be presented as a dry product for reconstitution with water or other suitable vehicle before use.
• Such liquid preparations may or may not contain conventional additives.
• suspending agents such as sorbitol, syrup, methyl cellulose, gelatin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, aluminum stearate gel, or hydrogenated edible fats
• emulsifying agent such as sorbiton monooleate or acaci
• non-aqueous vehicles which may include edible oils), such as almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, oily esters selected from the group consisting of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and ethyl alcohol
• preservatives for instance methyl parahydroxybenzoate, ethyl parahydroxybenzoate, n-propyl parahydroxybenzoate, or n-butyl parahydroxybenzoate of sorbic acid; and,
• the compounds of the present invention may also be administered in the form of suppositories for rectal administration of the drug.
• These compositions can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug.
• a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug.
• Such materials are cocoa butter and polyethylene glycols.
• creams, ointments, jellies, solutions or suspensions etc., containing the compounds of the present invention are employed.
• topical application is also meant to include the use of mouth washes and gargles.
• the compounds of the present invention When used as a medicament, the compounds of the present invention give good results when they are administered in amounts of about 0.01-250 mg/kg body weigth/day, preferably about 1 to 10 mg/kg/day, more preferably about 0.5-30 mg/kg/day, and most preferably in an amount of about 1-20 mg/kg/day.
• the compounds of the invention can also be present in the form of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts.
• salts are meant to include salts of the active compounds which are prepared with relatively nontoxic acids or bases, depending on the particular substituents found on the compounds described herein.
• base addition salts can be obtained by contacting the neutral form of such compounds with a sufficient amount of the desired base, either neat or in a suitable inert solvent.
• pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts include sodium, potassium, calcium, ammonium, organic amino, or magnesium salt, or a similar salt.
• acid addition salts can be obtained by contacting the neutral form of such compounds with a sufficient amount of the desired acid, either near or in a suitable inert solvent.
• Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts include those derived from inorganic acids like hydrochloric, hydrobromic, nitric, carbonic, monohydrogencarbonic, phosphoric, monohydrogenphosphoric, dihydrogenphosphoric sulfuric, monohydrogensulfuric, hydriodic, or phosphorous acids and the like, as well as the salts derived from relatively nontoxic organic acids like acetic, propionic, isobutyric, maleic, malonic, benzoic, succinic, suberic, fumaric, mandelic, phthalic, benzenesulfonic, p-tolylsulfonic, citric, tartaric, methanesulfonic, and the like.
• salts of amino acids such as arginate and the like, and salts of organic acids like glucuronic or galactunoric acids and the like (see, for example, Berge, S.M., et al. "Pharmaceutical Salts", Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, 1977, 66, 1-19).
• Certain specific compounds of the present invention contain both basic and acidic functionalities that allow the compounds to be converted into either base or acid additional salts.
• the neutral forms of the compounds may be regenerated by contacting the salt with a base or acid and isolating the parent compound in the conventional manner.
• the parent form of the compound differs from the various salt forms in certain physical properties, such as solubility in polar solvents, but otherwise the salts are equivalent to the parent form of the compound for the purposes of the present invention.
• Certain compounds of the present invention can exist in unsolvated forms as well as solvated forms, including hydrated forms. In general, the solvated forms are equivalent to unsolvated forms and are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention. Certain compounds of the present invention may exist in multiple crystalline or amorphous forms. In general, all physical forms are equivalent for the uses contemplated by the present invention and are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
• Certain compounds of the present invention possess asymmetric carbon atoms (optical centers) or double bonds; the racemates, diastereomers, geometric isomers and individual isomers are all intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention.
• the invention relates to the use of a compound according to the invention in the manufacture of a diagnosticum for detecting or imaging CMV infection in a host, which diagnosticum is intended to be administered to a host suspected to have a CMV infection or to a sample taken from said host, after which binding of said compound in the host or sample is measured.
• the compound of the invention can for this embodiment be labelled, for instance by using a suitable radioisotope.
• the present invention relates to an assay using constitutively active virus-encoded GPCRs as screening method of non peptidergic, drug-like ligands for these (orphan) receptors. Details of this assay are given he rein-below.
• Fig. 1 Inhibition of US28-mediated inositol phosphates accumulation by the compound of Formula X.
• Fig 1A COS-7 cells expressing US28 were incubated with various concentrations of the compound of Formula X and InsP release was measured. Data are presented as percentage of US28-mediated response, defined as absolute increase of US28-mediated InsP accumulation above values obtained for mock-transfected cells. The average of 11 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig IB ORF74- and R33-transfected COS-7 cells were incubated with the compound of Formula X (10 ⁇ M) and InsP accumulation was measured. Data are presented as percentage of receptors' basal signaling. The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig. 2 Displacement of [ 125 I]-RANTES binding at US28 by the compound of Formula X.
• Fig 2A COS-7 cells expressing US28 were incubated with [ 125 I]- RANTES (filled circles) in the presence of various concentrations of the compound of Formula X. Data are presented as percentage of US28 specific binding. The average of 4 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig 2 B US28-transfected COS-7 cells were incubated with several concentrations of [ 125 I] -RANTES in the presence (open circles) or absence (filled circles) of the compound of Formula X (10 ⁇ M). Data are presented as specific binding at US28 (cpm). A representative experiment out of three experiments, each performed in triplicate is shown.
• Fig 3A COS-7 cells expressing either WT- or ⁇ (2-22)-US28 were assayed for InsP accumulation in the presence or absence (filled bars) of fractalkine (100 nM, open bars), the compound of Formula X (10 ⁇ M, grey bars) or medium alone (black bars). Data are presented as percentage of WT- US28 mediated response. The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig 3B COS-7 cells expressing either WT- (open circles) or ⁇ (2-22)- US28 (filled circles) were assayed for InsP accumulation in the presence of different concentrations of the compound of Formula X. Data are presented as percentage of receptors' mediated response. The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig. 4 Binding properties of [ 125 I]-RANTES and the compound of Formula X at mutant and WT-US28 receptors.
• Fig 4A Saturation binding with [ 125 I] -RANTES was performed on COS-7 cells expressing either ⁇ (2-22)- (open squares), E 277 A- (filled squares), E 277 Q- (open circles) or WT-US28 (filled circles). Data are presented as specific binding (cpm). A representative experiment out of three experiments, each performed in triplicate is shown.
• Fig 4B COS-7 cells expressing either E 277 A- (filled squares), E 277 Q- (open circles) or WT-US28 (closed circles) were incubated with [ 125 I]-RANTES in the presence of various concentrations of the compound of Formula X. Data are presented as percentage of receptors' specific binding. The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig. 5 US28 mediates PLC activation in HCMV-infected fibroblasts.
• HFFs were either mock-, WT-HCMN- (strain AD 169) or ⁇ 28-HCMN-infected and after 48 hours were assayed for InsP accumulation in the presence (open bars) or absence (filled bars) of fractalkine (100 nM). The average of 2 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Inset HCMV-infected HFFs were assayed for InsP accumulation (filled circles) or [ 125 I]-RA ⁇ TES binding (open circles) in the presence of different concentrations of the compound of Formula X. Data are presented as percentage of HCMV-mediated response, defined as absolute increase of InsP accumulation or [ 125 I]-RANTES binding above mock-infected cells. The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig. 6 Inhibition of US28-mediated HIV-1 entry by the compound of Formula X.
• Fig 6A HEK293-T cells were cotransfected with CD4 and US28 or CD4 alone and infected with the luciferase-containing HIV-1 reporter virus. Data are presented as relative light units (RLU). The average of 3 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• Fig 6B HEK293-T cells co-transfected with CD4 and US28 were incubated with different concentrations of the compound of Formula X or DMSO (negative control) and infected with the luciferase-containing HIV-1 reporter virus. Data are presented as percentage of TJS28 co-receptor activity, defined as absolute increase of US28-mediated viral entry above values obtained for cells transfected with CD4 alone. The average of 2 experiments, with each data point performed in triplicate, is shown.
• COS-7 cells were grown as previously described in the cited Casarosa reference. Transfection of the COS-7 cells was performed by DEAE-dextran, using 2 ⁇ g of DNA of each US28 construct per million cells.
• Human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) were cultured and infected with WT-HCMV (strain AD 169) or a deletion mutant ⁇ 28-HCMV. r 3 H]-inositol phosphate production.
• HFFs Human foreskin fibroblasts
• WT-HCMV strain AD 169
• r 3 H]-inositol phosphate production Experiments in COS-7 cells and HFFs were performed as described in the references mentioned in the previous paragraph.
• HEK293-T cells were transiently transfected with pcDNAl-US28 and pcDNAl-CD4 using the calcium phosphate method and cultured overnight in 48 well plates. The following day, cells were incubated with different concentrations of the compound of Formula X (dissolved in DMSO) or medium (containing an equal amount of DMSO) for 2 hours before infection with an R5-tropic HIV-1 virus containing the luciferase reporter gene under the LTR promoter. After overnight incubation, cells were washed twice and cultivated in fresh medium. 3 days after infection, the luciferase activity was quantitated using the Luciferase Assay System (Promega, Madison, USA).
• the AlamarBlueTM assay (Serotec, Oxford, UK) was performed following the manufacturer's protocol. Briefly, transfected cells were incubated with the compound of Formula X for 2 hours, followed by the addiction of the AlamarBlue dye. After 1 hour, the fluorescence was monitored at 560 nm excitation wavelength and 590 nm emission wavelenght in a Victor 2 (PerkinElmer, Boston, USA).
• the compound of Formula X dose-dependently inhibits US28 mediated InsP production in COS-7 cells (fig. 1A). As the observed inhibition of US28 signaling is complete, the compound of Formula X behaves as a full inverse agonist with an IC50 of 3.5 ⁇ M (pICscF 5.46 ⁇ 0.07). The compound of Formula X did not show cellular toxicity as determined with the AlamarBlueTM assay (data not shown).
• the compound of Formula X was tested on COS-7 cells expressing the human histamine Hi receptor (hHi). Like US28, this GPCR constitutively activates PLC enzymes via G ⁇ q / ⁇ proteins.
• the compound of Formula X (10 ⁇ M) does not alter basal or histamine-induced production of InsP in COS-7 cells expressing the Hi receptor, ruling out a possible interference with G ⁇ q / ⁇ proteins.
• VUF2274 analogues were tested for their ability to inhibit US28-mediated InsP production or [ 125 I]-
• Suitable bridges for P and Q in Formula I include -OCH2-, -CH 2 O-, -SCH2-, -CH2S-.
• R5 in Formula I represents CN.
• group X in formula I is a halogen atom or a hydroxyl group.
• WO 97/24325 describes diphenyl methane derivatives of the formula C(Ar ⁇ )(Ar 2 XQ 1 -X)(Q 2 -Z) wherein Ari and A ⁇ 2 are, independently an optionally substituted aromatic group; Q 1 and Q 2 independently represent an optionally substituted divalent Ci-6 aliphatic hydrocarbon group, optionally having an oxygen or sulfur atom in the carbon chain;
• X is an amino group, or wherein the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by optionally substituted lower alkyls, or lower alkyl-carbonyls or an acyl; or X can be a nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring; and Z is an optionally substituted monocyclic or fused nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group.
• MIP-l ⁇ /RANTES receptor antagonists and as such useful for preventing or treating allergic diseases, like bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis; inflammatory diseases of the type of arteriosclerosis and rheumatoic arthritis; and multiple sclerosis.
• the compounds of the present invention are not disclosed.
• chemokine receptor antagonists are described for treating aberrant leukocyte recruitment and/or activation. These antagonists are represented by the formula
• Y is a single covelent bond
• n is an integer from one to about four
• X is a single covalent bond
• M is >NR 2 , >CR ! R 2 , - O-CR ⁇ -O- or -CH 2 -CR 1 R 2 -O-;
• the ring containing M is substituted or unsubstituted; q 1 is an integer, such as an integer from zero to about three; q 2 is an integer from zero to about one;
• R 1 is -H, -OH, -N3, a halogen, an aliphatic group, -O- (aliphatic group), -O-
• R 11 and R 12 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form a non-aromatic heterocyclic ring;
• X 2 is -S-CH2-, -CH2-S-, -CH2-O-, -O-CH2-, -CO-NRc-, -NRc-CO-, - CH 2 -S(O) 2 -,
• R c is hydrogen, an aliphatic group, a substituted aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a substituted aromatic group, a benzyl group or a substituted benzyl group, and
• Ring A and Ring B are independently substituted or unsubstituted.
• ⁇ (2-22)- US28 does not bind any of the tested chemokines ([ 125 I] -RANTES, fig. 4A, or [i25 ⁇ ] -fractalkine, data not shown) at concentration as high as 10 nM.
• ⁇ (2-22)-US28 still shows constitutive production of InsP (fig. 3A), proving that truncation of the N-terminus does not affect the correct orientation of the receptor macromolecule at the cell surface.
• ⁇ (2-22)-US28 basal signaling is not inhibited by the CX3C- chemokine fractalkine (fig. 3A), again indicating the loss of chemokine binding for this mutant.
• HFFs human foreskin fibroblasts
• HCMV- ⁇ US28 a deletion mutant virus in which the open reading frame encoding US28 has been disrupted.
• Figure 5 shows the InsP turnover in either mock-, WT- (strain AD 169) or HCMV- ⁇ US28-infected HFFs.
• US28 expression is mainly responsible for constitutive activation of PLC, since in HFFs infected with HCMV- ⁇ US28 inositol phosphate levels are dramatically reduced (10.6 ⁇ 1.5% of WT-HCMV induced InsP).
• the CX3C-chemokine fractalkine partially inhibits (28 ⁇ 4 %) the InsP production in CMV-infected cells (fig. 5), while it does not affect the InsP signaling in HCMV- ⁇ US28- or mock-infected HFFs.
• US28 has been shown to be a broadly permissive co-receptor for HIV-1 when expressed in the presence of CD4 (see Pleskoff et, al. in Science 276 (1997) 1874-1878).
• a reporter gene assay was used. In this assay, HEK-293T cells expressing US28 and CD4 are infected by a luciferase- containing HIV-1 reporter virus. Consequently, the level of cellular luciferase activity is proportional to HIV-1 entry. Results obtained with this assay confirm that US28 shows HIV-1 co-receptor properties.
• Luciferase activity is increased approximately 20 fold in the presence of US28 when compared to cells expressing CD4 alone (fig. 6A).
• the compound of Formula X was tested at several concentrations and it showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of US28-mediated viral entry (fig. 6B).
• the compound of Formula X reduces HIV-1 entry to 41 ⁇ 8 % of control cells. Determination of a complete dose-response curve was not possible due to toxic effects of DMSO and the compound at higher concentrations, as determined by MTT test.
• the present inventors Using the US28-mediated constitutive activation of PLC as screening approach, the present inventors have identified a group of molecules including the small non-peptidergic molecule of Formula X as inverse agonists at the HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor US28. Possible interferences of the compound of Formula X with G proteins or other downstream components in the InsP signaling cascade were ruled out using different GPCRs as controls. Several analogues of the compound of Formula X were subsequently tested. Several emerging points are noteworthy: the piperidine ring as well as the hydroxyl group and the chloro substituent at the phenyl ring represent important moieties for the activity of the compound of Formula X. On the other hand, more degree of freedom is tolerated at the benzhydryl moiety, where an increase in the lyphophilicity or the removal of the cyano group is well accepted.
• the compound of Formula X dose-dependently displaces [ 125 I]- RANTES binding to US28, apparently with a noncompetitive behaviour, as shown by the marked decrease of the B max value of [ 125 I]-RANTES in the presence of the compound of Formula X.
• Chemokines are relatively large peptides which interact mainly with the extracellular part of the receptor, such as the N-terminus and extracellular loops.
• small non- peptidergic compounds typically have interaction points located in the TM domains of GPCRs.
• non-peptide antagonists for peptide receptors such as the glucagon receptor, and the chemokine receptor CCR3, often act as allosteric antagonists and show a noncompetitive behavior.
• mutational analysis performed on US28 suggests that chemokines and the compound of Formula X bind to different receptor's epitopes.
• the N-terminus deletion mutant ⁇ (2-22)-US28 does not bind any of the tested chemokines, while its constitutive signaling is still inhibited by the compound of Formula X with a similar potency as observed for WT-US28.
• HCMV infection is accompanied by activation of several signaling pathways in infected cells, among which a US28-dependent increase in the intracellular levels of inositol phosphates.
• This model offers advantages for the pharmacological study of US28, since it closely resembles the patho- physiological situation.
• US28 expression is regulated by the virus and its constitutive signaling is not a potential artifact due to over- expression.
• HCMV might encode some signahng partner(s) for US28 which could alter US28 behaviour and that would not be present in the transfected system.
• US28 is an early gene, being transcribed as early as 2 hours after HCMV infection of permissive cells, such as fibroblasts. Consequently, cells permissive to HCMV infection express a receptor that functions in the absence of any ligand and may influence the cellular machinery early after infection. Notably, US28 constitutively activates pathways such as PLC and NF- ⁇ B, which are important for viral replication.
• the identification of the small inverse agonist the compound of Formula X provides a tool to investigate the role of US28 in activating a cell to allow or enhance viral replication. Studies conducted with a US28 deletion mutant virus have shown that, although US28 is not required for viral growth in culture, its removal results in a four to fivefold reduction in virus peak titers (see in this respect the cited article of Nieira et al).
• US28 is transcribed not only in cells permissive to CMN infection, but also in latently infected cells, such as monocytes, suggesting that US28 may affect a wide range of cell types.
• monocytes the transcription factor ⁇ F- ⁇ B promotes expression of over 100 target genes, mostly involved in the regulation of the immune response.
• HCMV infection is a co-factor in HIV disease progression
• the compounds of the present invention can suitably be used in the inhibition of AIDS.
• CMV infection increases chances of progression to AIDS, impaired brain growth and motor deficits.
• Cellular entry of the HIV-1 virus is mediated via interaction of the viral glycoprotein 120 (gp 120) with CD4 and a second co-receptor, which belongs to the chemokine receptor family.
• the best characterized co-receptors are CCR5, which mediates entry of monotropic (R5) HIV strains, and CXCR4, which mediates entry of lymphotropic (X4) HIV strains.
• the HCMV encoded US28 can also enhance viral entry for both R5- and X4-tropic HIV strains in vitro (cfr. Pleskoff et al, Science 276 (1997), 1874-1878), giving a molecular basis to the epidemiological link between HCMV and HIV-1 infection.
• the results with 293T cells confirm US28 as a potential co-receptor for CCR5-tropic HIV strains.
• the inverse agonist the compound of Formula X at a concentration of 1 ⁇ M inhibits 60 % of viral entry, suggesting that small ligands acting at US28 might have anti-HIV properties.
• the small non-peptidergic compounds of Formula I are inverse agonists at the HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor US28. These compounds, and particularly the compound of Formula X, inhibit US28-mediated HIN-1 infection.

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