Effect of the leukotriene A4 hydrolase aminopeptidase augmentor 4-methoxydiphenylmethane in a pre-clinical model of pulmonary emphysema

The leukotriene A4 hydrolase enzyme is a dual functioning enzyme with the following two catalytic activities: an epoxide hydrolase function that transforms the lipid metabolite leukotriene A4 to leukotriene B4 and an aminopeptidase function that hydrolyzes short peptides. To date, all drug discovery efforts have focused on the epoxide hydrolase activity of the enzyme, because of extensive biological characterization of the pro-inflammatory properties of its metabolite, leukotriene B4. Herein, we have designed a small molecule, 4-methoxydiphenylmethane, as a pharmacological agent that is bioavailable and augments the aminopeptidase activity of the leukotriene A4 hydrolase enzyme. Pre-clinical evaluation of our drug showed protection against intranasal elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema in murine models.

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