21‐NO‐prednisolone is a novel nitric oxide‐releasing derivative of prednisolone with enhanced anti‐inflammatory properties

Abstract

1 Anti-in¯ammatory eects of a novel derivative of the glucocorticoid prednisolone were investigated. NCX-1015 (prednisolone 21-[(4'-nitrooxymethyl)benzoate]) incubation in human platelet-rich plasma produced a time (0 ± 60 min) and concentration (3 ± 300 mM) dependent release of nitrite, that was mirrored by accumulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate in the human platelets. Intraperitoneal injection of NCX-1015 to mice (up to 27.7 mmol kg 71) produced nitrite accumulation in the peritoneal cavity maximal at 60 min. 2 NCX-1015 dose-dependently induced the steroid sensitive cell surface marker CD163 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). NCX-1015 was more potent than prednisolone in inducing CD163. Similarly, lipopolysaccharide induced interleukin-1b release from these cells was inhibited by NCX-1015 with higher potency than prednisolone. 3 In the zymosan peritonitis model, NCX-1015 was more active than prednisolone in suppressing neutrophil extravasation (ED 50 of 5.5 and 25.8 mmol kg 71, respectively), nitrite accumulation (ED 50 of 1.38 and 22.2 mmol kg 71, respectively) and release of the chemokine KC (ED 50 of 5.5 and 27.7 mmol kg 71, respectively) as determined at the 4 h time-point. No dierences were measured for the levels of interleukin-1b or prostaglandin E 2 . NCX-1015 administered orally was also found to be equally active. Co-administration of the nitric oxide donors NOC-18 ((z)-1-[(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-aminoethyl)amino] diazen-1-ium-1, 2-diolate; 7.9 mmol kg 71 ) or sodium nitroprusside (13.8 mmol kg 71) with prednisolone resulted in an additive anti-migratory action. 4 In a chronic model of granulomatous tissue in¯ammation, administration of NCX-1015 (13.9 mmol kg 71 ) from day 1 (i.e. after induction of in¯ammation) was more eective than prednisolone in reducing the granuloma dry weight, and this was associated to a lower antiangiogenic eect. 5 In conclusion we show that NCX-1015 is more potent than prednisolone in controlling several, though not all, parameters of acute and chronic in¯ammation, and propose that this eect may be due to a co-operation between the steroid moiety and nitric oxide or related species released in biological¯uids. Whereas this aspect needs to be further clari®ed, we propose NCX-1015 as the ®rst member of a novel class of anti-in¯ammatory compounds, the nitro-steroids.

Potent antiarthritic properties of a glucocorticoid derivative, NCX-1015, in an experimental model of arthritis

“…ated with CIA, as measured by inflammatory cell influx and bone and cartilage damage. This finding confirmed the increase in therapeutic index found in the acute peritonitis model (9). Based on these data and on those published (9), we propose that chemical modifications of prednisolone to produce NCX-1015 did not abrogate the anti-inflammatory properties of this GC, but rather augmented them.…”

“…NCX-1015 releases NO in biological fluids, as demonstrated in vitro and in vivo (9). Our data show that NO can clearly synergize with the GC moiety to produce a more potent antiinflammatory effect.…”

“…, or nitro-prednisolone, molecular weight (Mw) 539.6} was synthesized as described (9). The negative control compound, deprived of the nitrooxy group, NCX-1016 (Mw 494.6) was synthesized at NicOx laboratories in Milan, Italy, as follows: prednisolone (33.3 mmol in tetrahydrofurane) was added to 49.9 mmol of 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzoyl chloride and triethylamine and stirred for 24 h at room temperature.…”

“…NCX-1015 was more potent than the parent compound prednisolone in in vitro assays of GC-receptor activation. This treatment resulted in a 2-to 10-fold higher activity in a model of acute inflammation, with a greatly reduced neutrophil extravasation, cytokine and chemokine formation, and expression of inducible pro-inflammatory enzymes (9).…”

“…We have described recently a derivative of prednisolone, nitro-prednisolone or NCX-1015 (9), which releases nitric oxide (NO) and nitrate species in biological fluids. NCX-1015 was more potent than the parent compound prednisolone in in vitro assays of GC-receptor activation.…”