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Abstract: Dalcetrapib (RO4607381/JTT-705), an agent that targets cholesteryl ester transfer protein, is in development for prevention of cardiovascular events. In vitro studies were performed to identify receptors that mediate an off-target effect of dalcetrapib observed in preclinical models: increased lipid uptake into the lamina propria of the small intestine and into mesenteric lymph node macrophages. Uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or dalcetrapib-treated chylomicrons was quantitated by triglyceride assay or fluorescent labeling in primary macrophages and the cell lines CHO, J774A.1 (mouse macrophages) and THP-1 (human macrophages). Quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting measured candidate receptor expression. Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1) and scavenger receptor type AI (SR-AI) were excluded as candidate receptors based on lack of association between their expression and uptake of dalcetrapib-treated lipids. In J774A.1 cells, uptake of dalcetrapib-treated chylomicrons was increased by LPS and associated with expression of MAcrophage Receptor with COllagenous domain (MARCO). MARCO was expressed at very low levels in human macrophages and was not inducible by LPS. The MARCO receptor may account for the variable species susceptibility towards dalcetrapib-mediated chylomicron uptake by macrophages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of branched and unbranched anilinohexafluoroisopropanols related to the known sulfonamide T0901317 were prepared and evaluated as activators/modulators of both LXRα and LXRβ. A structure–activity relationship was established and compounds with high potency on both the receptors were identified. Many compounds showed a tendency toward selectivity for LXRβ versus LXRα. Several analogues were evaluated for effects on plasma lipoprotein levels in mice. A few of these significantly raised HDL-cholesterol levels in plasma but showed markedly different effects on liver triglyceride content, suggesting that this series may yield candidates with improved efficacy/safety profiles compared to existing molecules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Partial, selective activation of nuclear receptors is a central issue in molecular endocrinology but only partly understood. Using LXRs as an example, we show here that purely agonistic ligands can be clearly and quantitatively differentiated from partial agonists by the cofactor interactions they induce. Although a pure agonist induces a conformation that is incompatible with the binding of repressors, partial agonists such as GW3965 induce a state where the interaction not only with coactivators, but also corepressors is clearly enhanced over the unliganded state. The activities of the natural ligand 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol and of a novel quinazolinone ligand, LN6500 can be further differentiated from GW3965 and T0901317 by their weaker induction of coactivator binding. Using biochemical and cell-based assays, we show that the natural ligand of LXR is a comparably weak partial agonist. As predicted, we find that a change in the coactivator to corepressor ratio in the cell will affect NCoR recruiting compounds more dramatically than NCoR-dissociating compounds. Our data show how competitive binding of coactivators and corepressors can explain the tissue-specific behavior of partial agonists and open up new routes to a rational design of partial agonists for LXRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]