Nonsteroidal Selective Glucocorticoid Modulators:  The Effect of C-10 Substitution on Receptor Selectivity and Functional Potency of 5-Allyl-2,5-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethyl-1H-[1]benzopyrano[3,4-f]quinolines

The preparation and characterization of a series of C-10 substituted 5-allyl-2,5-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethyl-1H-[1]benzopyrano[3,4-f]quinolines as a novel class of selective ligands for the glucocorticoid receptor is described. Substitution at the C-10 position of the tetracyclic core with linear, two-atom appendages (OCH3, OCF2H, NHMe, SMe, CHCH2, C⋮CH, CH2OH) provided molecules of high affinity (K i = 2−8 nM) for the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) with limited cross-reactivity with other steroid receptors (PR, MR, AR, ER). Optimal analogues showed slightly less potent but highly efficacious E-selectin repression with reduced levels of GRE activation efficacy in reporter gene assays relative to prednisolone. Preliminary SAR of analogues containing substitution at the C-9 and C-10 positions identified the 9-OH, 10-OMe analogue 50 and the 9-OH, 10-Cl analogue 58 as compounds that demonstrated potent, GR-mediated inhibition in a conconavalin A stimulated T-cell proliferation assay in both rodent and human whole blood monocytes. When evaluated for their in vivo effects in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, 50, 58, and 10-OCF2H analogue 35 showed dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects (50, ED50 = 16 mg/kg; 58, ED50 = 15 mg/kg; 35, ED50 = 21 mg/kg vs ED50 = 15 mg/kg for 18 and ED50 = 4 mg/kg for prednisolone).