In this study, we continue our efforts toward the development of potent and highly selective histamine H3 receptor agonists. We introduced various alkyl or aryl alkyl groups on the piperidine ...nitrogen of the known H3/H4 agonist immepip and its analogues (1−3a). We observed that N-methyl-substituted immepip (methimepip) exhibits high affinity and agonist activity at the human histamine H3 receptor (pK i = 9.0 and pEC50 = 9.5) with a 2000-fold selectivity at the human H3 receptor over the human H4 receptor and more than a 10000-fold selectivity over the human histamine H1 and H2 receptors. Methimepip was also very effective as an H3 receptor agonist at the guinea pig ileum (pD 2 = 8.26). Moreover, in vivo microdialysis (in rat brain) showed that methimepip reduces the basal level of brain histamine to about 25% after a 5 mg/kg intraperitoneal administration.
In the present study we examined whether histamine H(4) receptors (H(4)Rs) have a role in gastric ulcerogenesis using a mouse model of gastric damage.
The H(4)R antagonist JNJ7777120 and the H(4)R ...agonists VUF8430 and VUF10460 were investigated in fasted CD-1 mice against the ulcerogenic effect induced by co-administration of indomethacin(IND, 30 mg/kg s.c.) and bethanechol (BET, 5 mg/kg i.p.). Both macroscopic and histologic lesions were examined. Strain-related differences were investigated by testing JNJ7777120 also in NMRI, BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice.
Neither JNJ7777120 nor the H(4)R agonists displayed effects in the normal stomach at any dose tested (10 and 30 mg/kg s.c.). As expected, IND+BET provoked several lesions in the fundic mucosa, which were significantly reduced by JNJ7777120 (10 and 30 mg/kg s.c.). The gastroprotective effect of JNJ7777120 (10 and 30 mg/kg s.c.) was observed in CD-1, NMRI and BALB/c, but not in C57BL/6J, mice. In CD-1 mice, the H(4)R agonists VUF8430 and VUF10460 (both at 10 and 30 mg/kg s.c.) did not modify the damage induced by IND+BET, however VUF8430 (10 mg/kg s.c.) prevented the gastroprotection induced by JNJ7777120 (10 mg/kg s.c.).
Data obtained with selective ligands suggest that the H(4)R may have a role in mouse gastric ulcerogenesis. If confirmed in humans, these data would emphasize the potential advantage of H(4)R blockers as gastrosparing anti-inflammatory drugs. The lack of effects of JNJ7777120 in C57BL/6J mice has to be carefully considered in the pharmacological characterization of H(4)R functions and/or new selective ligands.
The new histamine H2 receptor agonist amthamine, 2-amino-5-(2-aminoethyl)-4-methylthiazole, was tested for its activity on gastric acid secretion in different in vivo and in vitro experimental ...models. Amthamine induced a dose-related increase in acid secretion both in conscious cats with a gastric fistula (ED50 = 0.069 mumol/kg/h) and in anaesthetized rats with a lumen-perfused stomach (ED50 = 11.69 mumol/kg i.v.). In this last preparation the efficacy of amthamine was significantly higher than that of histamine and dimaprit. Amthamine was an effective secretagogue also in the rat isolated gastric fundus, behaving as a full agonist (EC50 = 18.9 mumol/l). In all the experimental models amthamine was more potent than dimaprit (from 3 to 10 fold) and approximately equipotent with histamine, and its effect was competitively antagonized by the histamine H2 receptor antagonists famotidine or ranitidine. Experiments with H1 and H3 receptor antagonists indicated that amthamine is devoid of stimulatory activity at H1 and H3 receptors. The present data indicate that amthamine is a full agonist at histamine H2 receptors and, being more effective and selective than the other compounds of the family, it may represent a good alternative to the other available histamine H2 receptor agonists for the study of gastric acid secretion.
In the present study, the effects of ghrelin against the gastric damage induced by intragastric administration of 0.6 N HCl and the involvement of histamine H₃ receptors (H₃Rs) were investigated in ...conscious rats with selective H₃R ligands. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of ghrelin (40 μg/kg) significantly reduced (43%) the gastric lesions caused by concentrated acid. The effect of ghrelin was prevented by prior administration of the ghrelin receptor antagonist D-Lys³-GHRP-6 (100 μg/kg i.p.) and by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of the nonimidazole H₃R antagonist UCL2138 (30 mg/kg). The selective H₃R agonist immethridine (30 mg/kg s.c.) significantly inhibited (64.60%) the gastric lesions induced by 0.6 N HCl. The effect of immethridine was prevented by prior administration of UCL2138 (30 mg/kg s.c.), but not by D-Lys³-GHRP-6 (100 μg/kg i.p.). Neither D-Lys³-GHRP-6 nor UCL2138 modified HCl-induced gastric damage per se. These data enlarge previous studies showing protective effects of ghrelin against ulcerogenic stimuli; in addition, they clearly indicate that ghrelin-induced gastroprotection involves the release of histamine, which enhances gastric mucosal defense through the activation of histamine H₃Rs.
The role of central and peripheral histamine H3 receptors in the regulation of gastric acid secretion and gastric mucosal integrity is reviewed. The activation of H3 receptors by peripheral ...administration of the selective agonist (R)alpha-methylhistamine reduced acid secretion in cats, dogs, rats and rabbits, while increasing it in mice. The antisecretory effects were observed against indirect stimuli that act on vagal pathways or on enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, such as 2-deoxy-D-glucose, food or pentagastrin, but not against histamine or dimaprit. Inhibitory effects on acid production were observed in rats after central administration of histamine or of H3 receptor agonists. In the conscious rat intragastric administration of (R)alpha-methylhistamine caused gastroprotective effects against the damage induced by absolute ethanol, HCl, aspirin and stress. The mechanism involved seems to be related to the increased mucus production, via nitric oxide-independent mechanisms. Gastroprotective effects against ethanol were also observed after central administration of histamine or its metabolite N(alpha)-methylhistamine, suggesting that brain receptors participate the histamine-mediated effects on gastric functions.
The effect of the cannabinoid (CB) receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 on gastric acid secretion was studied in the anaesthetized rat after stimulation with pentagastrin. WIN 55,212-2 (0.5-2 mg/kg, i.v.) ...was inactive on basal secretion but caused a marked inhibition (80%) of the acid secretion stimulated by pentagastrin (10 microg/kg, i.v.). The enantiomer WIN 55,212-3 (1-3 mg/kg, i.v.) did not significantly modify basal or pentagastrin-induced acid secretion. The inhibitory effect of WIN 55,212-2 against pentagastrin was prevented by the administration of the selective cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists SR141716A (1 mg/kg, i.v.) and LY320135 (1 mg/kg, i.v.); by contrast, the CB2 receptor antagonist SR144528 (0.3-1 mg/kg, i.v.) was without effect. The selective CB2 receptor agonist JWH-015 (0.1-10 mg/kg, i.v.) was inactive on the increase of acid output stimulated by pentagastrin. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of WIN 55,212-2 on pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in the anaesthetized rat is mediated by specific cannabinoid receptors. Moreover, the antagonism of WIN 55,212-2-induced effects by the selective CB1 receptor antagonists SR141716A and LY320135 together with the ineffectiveness of both the CB2 receptor agonist JWH-015 and the CB2 receptor antagonist SR144528 indicate that CB1 receptor subtypes are predominantly involved in the antisecretory effect of WIN 55,212-2.
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