Kenji Tobetto (1), Yumiko Yamamoto (1), Masanori Kataoka (1), Takao Ando
(1), Kenji Sugimoto (2) and Michio Himeno (2)
(1) Research & Development Laboratories, Maruho Co., Ltd., 1-8-23
Oyodo-naka, Kita-ku, Osaka 531, Japan
(2) Department of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University
of Osaka Prefecture, 1 Gakuen-cho, Sakai, Osaka 593, Japan
Abstract: M-5011 (d-2-[4-(3-methyl-2-thienyl)phenyl]propionic
acid) is a newly developed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that
displays potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties with low ulcerogenic
activities in animal models. In this study, the effects of M-5011 on arachidonic
acid (AA) metabolism in synovial fibroblasts from patients with rheumatoid
arthritis were evaluated and compared with those of other NSAIDs in vitro.
Either M-5011 or ketoprofen potently inhibited prostaglandin (PG) E2 production
by cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 from exogenous AA in interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-stimulated
cells. The IC50 values of M-5011 and ketoprofen were 4.4 x 10-7 and 5.9
x 10-7 M, respectively. However, diclofenac and indomethacin were one order
less potent. Although the latter two drugs exhibited time-dependent and
irreversible inhibition on COX-2 in IL-1beta-stimulated cells, the inhibitory
effects of M-5011 and ketoprofen were reversible. PGE2 production by COX-1
from exogenous AA in non-stimulated cells was also inhibited by M-5011 with
a potency less than that of ketoprofen. In addition, M-5011 inhibited [14C]AA
release from prelabeled synovial cells stimulated with bradykinin. However,
ketoprofen hardly affected the [14C]AA release. It is likely that the effects
of M-5011 on AA metabolism are, in part, responsible for its in vivo efficacy
and safety profile.
Keywords: M-5011, NSAID, Synovial cell, Cyclooxygenase, Arachidonic acid
metabolism