Intracellular Ca2ϩ is of primary importance in the pathogenesis of ischemia and reperfusion injury in the myocardium. Recent studies have suggested that a massive Ca 2ϩ influx may occur as a consequence of Na ϩ -Ca 2ϩ exchange via the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) during reperfusion which, in turn, may be caused by an accumulation of Na ϩ via the sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE) during ischemia.
1,2)This results in an intracellular Ca 2ϩ overload, the detrimental effects of which include myocardial contracture, stunning, necrosis, and reperfusion arrhythmia.3-9) NCX functions in both reverse and forward modes, and it is well known that an overactive reverse NCX causes Ca 2ϩ overload. Inhibition of reverse NCX overactivity would effectively block this overload and prevent damage to the myocardium in ischemiareperfusion. Therefore, reverse NCX inhibitors are currently considered to be beneficial in treating disease states.10,11) Recently, quinazoline derivatives 12) and a series of benzyloxyphenyl derivatives [13][14][15][16] have been identified as NCX inhibitors. KB-R7943 (1) is one of the most widely known NCX inhibitors, and is used as a tool in heart and renal failure models, 17,18) and SEA0400 (2) is well known as a potent reverse NCX inhibitor that is efficacious in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury [19][20][21][22] (Fig. 1). We have recently discovered reverse NCX inhibitors, such as 3, which we have reported elesewhere. 16,23,24) To create potent and selective reverse NCX inhibitors, we have now designed a novel class of NCX inhibitors based on 3, and in this paper describe the results of our work on the synthesis and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of this novel class of benzyloxyphenyl derivatives.
ChemistryCompounds 4a-e were converted into compounds 5a-e via O-alkylation with 1-(bromomethyl)-3-fluorobenzene. Desired compounds 6a-e were prepared from 5a-e by condensation with pyridin-4-ylmethylamine as shown in Chart 1. Intermediate 4e was synthesized from 7 via S-alkylation with the corresponding alkylbromide. Compounds 9a-c were obtained by O-alkylation of 8 15) with the corresponding alkylbromides followed by hydrolysis of the ester group. Compounds 10a-c were afforded by condensation with 9a-c and pyridin-4-ylmethylamine. Compound 8 was converted into a compound whose amino group was protected with a phthaloyl group, followed by deprotection of the phthaloyl group with hydrazine to give compound 11. Compound 12 was afforded via condensation of 11 with pyridin-4-ylacetic acid. Compound 13 was prepared by O-alkylation of 8 with tert-butyl(2-bromoethyl)carbamate followed by deprotection of the tert-butoxycarbonyl group. Desired compound 14 was obtained from 8 via condensation with bis(trichloromethyl)carbonate and pyridin-4-ylmethylamine.
Results and DiscussionIn order to measure the inhibitory effect of the synthesized compounds on the reverse mode of NCX activity, an Na ϩ -dependent Ca 2ϩ influx assay was performed according to reported protocols, using 45 Ca and CCL39 cells stably expr...