Developing Potent Human Uric Acid Transporter 1 (hURAT1) Inhibitors

The kidneys are a vital organ in the human body. They serve several purposes including homeostatic functions such as regulating extracellular fluid volume, maintaining acid-base and electrolyte balance, and are essential regarding the excretion of metabolic waste. Furthermore, the kidneys play an important role in uric acid secretion/re-absorption. Abnormalities associated with kidney transporters have been associated with various diseases, such as gout. The current study utilized Xenopus oocytes expressing human uric acid transporter 1 (hURAT1; SLC22A12) as an in vitro method to investigate novel compounds and their ability to inhibit (14)C-uric acid uptake via hURAT1. We have prepared and tested a series of 2-ethyl-benzofuran compounds and probed the hURAT1 in vitro inhibitor structure-activity relationship (SAR). Compared to di-methoxy analogs, mono-phenols formed on the C-Ring showed the best in vitro inhibitory potential. Compounds with sub-micromolar (i.e. IC(50) < 1000 nM) inhibitors were prepared by brominating the corresponding phenols to produce compounds with potent uricosuric activity