The
bitter taste receptor TAS2R14 is a G protein-coupled receptor
that is found on the tongue as well as in the human airway smooth
muscle and other extraoral tissues. Because its activation causes
bronchodilatation, TAS2R14 is a potential target for the treatment
of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Structural variations
of flufenamic acid, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, led us
to 2-aminopyridines showing considerable efficacy and potency in an
IP1accumulation assay. In combination with an exchange
of the carboxylic moiety by a tetrazole unit, a set of promising new
TAS2R14 agonists was developed. The most potent ligand 28.1 (EC50 = 72 nM) revealed a six-fold higher potency than
flufenamic acid and a maximum efficacy of 129%. Besides its unprecedented
TAS2R14 activation, 28.1 revealed marked selectivity
over a panel of 24 non-bitter taste human G protein-coupled receptors.