Discovery of 2-Aminopyrimidines as Potent Agonists for the Bitter Taste Receptor TAS2R14

J Med Chem. 2023 Mar 9;66(5):3499-3521. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01997. Epub 2023 Feb 27.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Flufenamic Acid*
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Smooth
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / agonists
  • Taste*

Substances

  • 2-aminopyrimidine
  • Flufenamic Acid
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled