Pharmacological profile and efficiency in vivo of diflapolin, the first dual inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein and soluble epoxide hydrolase

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 24;7(1):9398. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09795-w.

Abstract

Arachidonic acid (AA) is metabolized to diverse bioactive lipid mediators. Whereas the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) facilitates AA conversion by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) to pro-inflammatory leukotrienes (LTs), the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) degrades anti-inflammatory epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). Accordingly, dual FLAP/sEH inhibition might be advantageous drugs for intervention of inflammation. We present the in vivo pharmacological profile and efficiency of N-[4-(benzothiazol-2-ylmethoxy)-2-methylphenyl]-N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea (diflapolin) that dually targets FLAP and sEH. Diflapolin inhibited 5-LOX product formation in intact human monocytes and neutrophils with IC50 = 30 and 170 nM, respectively, and suppressed the activity of isolated sEH (IC50 = 20 nM). Characteristic for FLAP inhibitors, diflapolin (I) failed to inhibit isolated 5-LOX, (II) blocked 5-LOX product formation in HEK cells only when 5-LOX/FLAP was co-expressed, (III) lost potency in intact cells when exogenous AA was supplied, and (IV) prevented 5-LOX/FLAP complex assembly in leukocytes. Diflapolin showed target specificity, as other enzymes related to AA metabolism (i.e., COX1/2, 12/15-LOX, LTA4H, LTC4S, mPGES1, and cPLA2) were not inhibited. In the zymosan-induced mouse peritonitis model, diflapolin impaired vascular permeability, inhibited cysteinyl-LTs and LTB4 formation, and suppressed neutrophil infiltration. Diflapolin is a highly active dual FLAP/sEH inhibitor in vitro and in vivo with target specificity to treat inflammation-related diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Protein Inhibitors / chemistry
  • 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Protein Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Proteins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Capillary Permeability / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Transport

Substances

  • 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Protein Inhibitors
  • 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Proteins
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Epoxide Hydrolases