A number of agents that mimic the ability of the thyroid hormone, T3, to decrease plasma cholesterol levels are described; one is as effective as T3 at reducing cholesterol levels and stimulating liver function, but has very little effect on cardiac function and is thus less likely to be toxic. The agent may be useful in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Twenty-nine novel 3'-substituted derivatives of the thyroid hormone 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) have been synthesized by using established methods and by a new route involving manipulation of a 3'-formyl intermediate. In vitro hormone receptor binding (to intact nuclei) and in vivo thyromimetic activity (induction of mitochondrial 3-phosphoglycerate oxidoreductase, GPDH) were measured in rat liver and heart for these new analogues and for the 18 previously reported 3'-substituted 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronines. Analysis of the binding data using theoretical conformational and quantitative structure-affinity methods implies that the 3'-substituent recognition site on the thyroid hormone receptor is hydrophobic and limited in depth to the length of the natural iodo substituent, but has sufficient width to accommodate a phenyl or cyclohexyl group. Receptor binding is reduced by approximately 10-fold in 3'-acyl derivatives which form strong intramolecular acceptor hydrogen bonds with the adjacent 4'-hydroxyl. The compounds studied showed no differences in their relative affinities for heart and liver nuclei, suggesting that receptors in these tissues are similar. However, the relationships between thyromimetic activity (induction of GPDH) and nuclear binding showed some tissue differences. A high correlation between activity and binding is observed for full agonists in the heart, but an equally significant correlation for the liver data is only seen when 3'-substituent bulk (molar refractivity) is included in the analysis. These results suggest the possibility that differential tissue penetration or access to receptors may occur in vivo.
ATP-citrate lyase is the primary enzyme responsible for the synthesis of cytosolic acetyl-CoA in many tissues. Inhibitors of the enzyme represent a potentially novel class of hypolipidemic agent, which are anticipated to have combined hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic properties. A series of 2-substituted butanedioic acids have been designed and synthesized as inhibitors of the enzyme. The best compounds, 58, 68, 71, 74 have reversible Ki's in the 1-3 microM range against the isolated rat enzyme. As representative of this compound class, 58, has been shown to exert its inhibitory action through a mainly competitive mechanism with respect to citrate and a noncompetitive one with respect to CoA. None of the inhibitors were able to inhibit cholesterol and/or fatty acid synthesis in HepG2 cells. This has been attributed to the adverse physicochemical properties of the molecules leading to a lack of cell penetration. Despite this, a lead structural class of compound has been identified with the potential for modification into potent, cell-penetrant, and efficacious inhibitors of ATP-citrate lyase.
Introduction of specific arylmethyl groups at the 3'-position of the thyroid hormone 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), and its known hormonally active derivatives, gives liver-selective, cardiac-sparing thyromimetics, with potential utility as plasma cholesterol lowering agents. Selectivity-conferring 3'-substituents include substituted benzyl, e.g. p-hydroxybenzyl, and heterocyclic methyl, e.g. 2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrid-5-ylmethyl and 6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyridazin-3-ylmethyl. Correlations between in vivo and in vitro receptor binding affinities show that liver/heart selectivity does not depend on receptor recognition but on penetration or access to receptors in vivo. QSAR studies of the binding data of a series of 20 3'-arylmethyl T3 analogues show that electronegative groups at the para position increase both receptor binding and selectivity in vivo. However, increasing 3'-arylmethyl hydrophobicity increases receptor binding but reduces selectivity. Substitution at ortho and meta positions reduces both binding and selectivity. Replacement of the 3,5-iodo groups by halogen or methyl maintains selectivity, with 3,5-dibromo analogues in particular having increased potency combined with oral bioavailability. Diphenyl thioether derivatives also have improved potency but are less orally active. At the 1-position, the D enantiomer retains selectivity, but removal of the alpha-amino group to give a propionic acid results in loss of selective thyromimetic activity.
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