Background: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) initiates both innate and adaptive immune responses, which plays an important protective role in self-defense mechanisms. Excessive or inappropriate TLR4 activation causes the development of many autoimmune diseases. Dihydropyrimidinone derivatives are medicinally important molecules with diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory activity. The present study focused on novel synthesized 3,4-dihydropyrimidinone derivatives and evaluated their inhibitory effects on TLR4.
Methods: A series of 3,4-dihydropyrimidinone derivatives were recently synthesized and evaluated for their TLR4 inhibition activities and cytotoxic on HEK-BlueTM hTLR4 cells with the help of QUANTI-Blue assay and MTS assay. Selected compound 3 was analyzed for its molecular docking with TLR4 by using Autodock vina 1.1.2. Its effect on the TLR4 pathway related cytokines was also evaluated in THP-1 cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by using real-time PCR, ELISA and western blot.
Results: Five compounds were synthesized and characterized for effectiveness based on 3,4-dihydropyrimidinone. Compound 3 was found to be the potent hybrid among the synthesized compounds, with high TLR4 inhibition activities and low cytotoxic activities against HEK-BlueTM hTLR4 cells. Molecular docking analysis showed that two hydrogen bonds between compound 3 and residues Asp209(TLR4) and Asp99(MD-2) mainly contribute to the TLR4 inhibition. In addition, compound 3 suppressed LPS-induced of the mRNA expression of TLR4, IP-10, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12A, and IL-12B, the protein expression of pIRF3 and pNFκB and the secretion of IP-10, TNF-α in THP-1 cell line. Compound 3 also inhibited LPS-induced expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β but increased IP-10 at mRNA levels in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Conclusion: Our study reveals compound 3, a novel 3,4-dihydropyrimidinone derivative, is a potential TLR4 antagonist, which opens up new research avenues for the development of promising therapeutic agents for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
背景:Toll样受体4(TLR4)启动先天和适应性免疫反应,对自我防御机制起着重要的保护作用。过度或不适当的TLR4激活会导致许多自身免疫性疾病的发展。二氢嘧啶酮衍生物是具有多种药理活性的药物重要分子,包括抗炎活性。本研究重点研究了新合成的3,4-二氢嘧啶酮衍生物,并评估了它们对TLR4的抑制作用。
方法:最近合成了一系列3,4-二氢嘧啶酮衍生物,并通过QUANTI-Blue和MTS试验评估了它们对HEK-BlueTM hTLR4细胞的TLR4抑制活性和细胞毒性。选择的化合物3通过使用Autodock vina 1.1.2与TLR4的分子对接进行分析。同时,通过实时PCR、ELISA和Western blot在THP-1细胞和人外周血单个核细胞中评估了其对TLR4通路相关细胞因子的影响。
结果:合成了五种基于3,4-二氢嘧啶酮的有效化合物。化合物3被发现是合成化合物中最有效的混合物,对HEK-BlueTM hTLR4细胞具有高的TLR4抑制活性和低的细胞毒性活性。分子对接分析显示,化合物3与残基Asp209(TLR4)和Asp99(MD-2)之间的两个氢键主要贡献于TLR4的抑制作用。此外,化合物3抑制了LPS诱导的TLR4、IP-10、TNF-α、IL-6、IL-12A和IL-12B mRNA表达,抑制了THP-1细胞中pIRF3和pNFκB蛋白表达及IP-10、TNF-α的分泌。化合物3还抑制了LPS诱导的人外周血单个核细胞中TNF-α、IL-6和IL-1β的表达,但增加了IP-10的mRNA水平。
结论:本研究揭示了化合物3,一种新型的3,4-二氢嘧啶酮衍生物,是潜在的TLR4拮抗剂,为开发有前途的治疗炎症和自身免疫性疾病的治疗药物开辟了新的研究途径。