BMS-229724 is a tight-binding inhibitor of cytosolic phospholipase A2 that acts at the lipid/water interface and possesses anti-inflammatory activity in skin inflammation models.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) catalyzes the selective release of arachidonic acid from the sn-2 position of phospholipids and is believed to play a key cellular role in the generation of arachidonic acid. BMS-229724 (4-[4-[2-[2-[bis(4-chlorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl-sulfonyl]ethoxy]phenyl]-1,1,1-trifluoro-2-butanone) was found to be a selective inhibitor of cPLA2 (IC50 = 2.8 microM) in that it did not inhibit secreted phospholipase A2 in vitro, nor phospholipase C and phospholipase D in cells. The compound was active in inhibiting arachidonate and eicosanoid production in U937 cells, neutrophils, platelets, monocytes, and mast cells. With a synthetic covesicle substrate system, the dose-dependent inhibition could be defined by kinetic equations describing competitive inhibition at the lipid/water interface. The apparent equilibrium dissociation constant for the inhibitor bound to the enzyme at the interface (K(I)*(app)) was determined to be 1. 10(-5) mol% versus an apparent dissociation constant for the arachidonate-containing phospholipid of 0.35 mol%. The unit of concentration in the interface is mole fraction (or mol%), which is related to the surface concentration of substrate, rather than bulk concentration that has units of molarity. Thus, BMS-229724 represents a novel inhibitor of cPLA2, which partitions into the phospholipid bilayer and competes with phospholipid substrate for the active site. This potent inhibition of the enzyme translated into anti-inflammatory activity when applied topically (5%, w/v) to a phorbol ester-induced chronic inflammation model in mouse ears, inhibiting edema and neutrophil infiltration, as well as prostaglandin and leukotriene levels in the skin. In hairless guinea pigs, BMS-229724 was active orally (10 mg/kg) in a UVB-induced skin erythema model in hairless guinea pigs.