Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 14-heteroaromatic-substituted naltrexone derivatives: pharmacological profile switch from mu opioid receptor selectivity to mu/kappa opioid receptor dual selectivity.

On the basis of a mu opioid receptor (MOR) homology model and the isosterism concept, three generations of 14-heteroaromatically substituted naltrexone derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential MOR-selective ligands. The first-generation ligands appeared to be MOR-selective, whereas the second and the third generation ones showed MOR/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) dual selectivity. Docking of ligands 2 (MOR selective) and 10 (MOR/KOR dual selective) to the three opioid receptor crystal structures revealed a nonconserved-residue-facilitated hydrogen-bonding network that could be responsible for their distinctive selectivity profiles.

The LIF receptor antagonist PEGLA is effectively delivered to the uterine endometrium and blocks LIF activity in cynomolgus monkeys.

Background: Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine with an essential role in the preparation of the endometrium for implantation. Previous studies demonstrated that PEGLA, a LIF receptor antagonist (LA) conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), effectively prevents implantation in mice, identifying PEGLA as a potential contraceptive for women.

Study Design: Adult female cynomolgus macaques were used to determine the optimal route of administration to deliver PEGLA to the uterine endometrium.

14-O-Heterocyclic-substituted naltrexone derivatives as non-peptide mu opioid receptor selective antagonists: design, synthesis, and biological studies.

Mu opioid receptor antagonists have clinical utility and are important research tools. To develop non-peptide and highly selective mu opioid receptor antagonist, a series of 14-O-heterocyclic-substituted naltrexone derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. These compounds showed subnanomolar-to-nanomolar binding affinity for the mu opioid receptor.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 6alpha- and 6beta-N-heterocyclic substituted naltrexamine derivatives as mu opioid receptor selective antagonists.

Opioid receptor selective antagonists are important pharmacological probes in opioid receptor structural characterization and opioid agonist functional study. Thus far, a nonpeptidyl, highly selective and reversible mu opioid receptor (MOR) antagonist is unavailable. On the basis of our modeling studies, a series of novel naltrexamine derivatives have been designed and synthesized.