Pharmacological profile of JNJ-27141491 [(S)-3-[3,4-difluorophenyl)-propyl]-5-isoxazol-5-yl-2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazole4-carboxyl acid methyl ester], as a noncompetitive and orally active antagonist of the human chemokine receptor CCR2

The interaction between CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) with monocyte chemoattractant proteins, such as MCP-1, regulates the activation and recruitment of inflammatory leukocytes. In this study, we characterized (S)-3-[3,4-difluoro-phenyl)-propyl]5- isoxazol-5-yl-2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazole-4- carboxyl acid methyl ester (JNJ-27141491) as a noncompetitive and orally active functional antagonist of human (h) CCR2. JNJ-27141491 strongly suppressed hCCR2-mediated in vitro functions, such as MCP-1-induced guanosine 5'-O-(3-[S-35] thio) triphosphate binding; MCP-1, -3, and -4-induced Ca2+ mobilization; and leukocyte chemotaxis toward MCP-1 (IC50 = 7-97 nM), whereas it had little or no effect on the function of other chemokine receptors tested. The inhibition of CCR2 function was both insurmountable and reversible, consistent with a noncompetitive mode of action. JNJ-27141491 blocked the binding of I-125-MCP-1 to human monocytes (IC50 = 0.4 mu M), but it failed to affect MCP-1 binding to mouse, rat, and dog cells (IC50 > 10 mu M). Therefore, transgenic mice, in which the mouse (m) CCR2 gene was replaced by the human counterpart, were generated for in vivo testing. In these mice, oral administration of JNJ-27141491 dose-dependently [5-40 mg/kg q.d. (once daily) or b.i.d.] inhibited monocyte and neutrophil recruitment to the alveolar space 48 h after intratracheal mMCP-1/lipopolysaccharide instillation. Furthermore, treatment with JNJ-27141491 (20 mg/kg q.d.) significantly delayed the onset and temporarily reduced neurological signs in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of multiple sclerosis. Taken together, these results identify JNJ-27141491 as a noncompetitive, functional antagonist of hCCR2, capable of exerting oral anti-inflammatory activity in transgenic hCCR2-expressing mice.