DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/6Z7T-0Y17

Defense Date

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Pharmacology & Toxicology

First Advisor

Dana Selley

Abstract

Abstract

DISCOVERY OF MOR SELECTIVE, REVERSIBLE OPIOID ANTAGONIST FOR POTENTIAL USE IN TREATMENT OF DRUG DEPENDENCE

Abdulmajeed M. Jali, M.S.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017

Director: Dana E. Selley, Ph. D., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Opioid dependence/addiction is a major public health problem that is associated with multiple health and social costs. Pharmacotherapeutic treatment has been relatively effective, but the risk of relapse after treatment remains high. Naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, is FDA-approved for long-term maintenance therapy to reduce relapse risk. However, naltrexone is accompanied by side-effects that are due to lack of selectivity among opioid receptor types. Based on the message-address concept and molecular modeling studies, 18 novel compounds designed to bind selectively to the MOR based on interaction with a key aromatic residue, were synthesized by our collaborators. The purpose of this study was to identify MOR-selective antagonists from this series of compounds. Using radioligand and GTPgS binding assays in transfected cells and native tissues, two compounds were discovered with the high MOR-selectivity and low efficacy required to serves as lead ligands in future discovery efforts toward next-generation opioid antagonists.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

8-10-2017

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