Unique binding behavior of the recently approved angiotensin II receptor blocker azilsartan compared with that of candesartan.

The angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor blocker (ARB) candesartan strongly reduces blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension and has been shown to have cardioprotective effects. A new ARB, azilsartan, was recently approved and has been shown to provide a more potent 24-h sustained antihypertensive effect than candesartan. However, the molecular interactions of azilsartan with the AT(1) receptor that could explain its strong BP-lowering activity are not yet clear. To address this issue, we examined the binding affinities of ARBs for the AT(1) receptor and their inverse agonist activity toward the production of inositol phosphate (IP), and we constructed docking models for the interactions between ARBs and the receptor. Azilsartan, unlike candesartan, has a unique moiety, a 5-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazole, in place of a tetrazole ring. Although the results regarding the binding affinities of azilsartan and candesartan demonstrated that these ARBs interact with the same sites in the AT(1) receptor (Tyr(113), Lys(199) and Gln(257)), the hydrogen bonding between the oxadiazole of azilsartan-Gln(257) is stronger than that between the tetrazole of candesartan-Gln(257), according to molecular docking models. An examination of the inhibition of IP production by ARBs using constitutively active mutant receptors indicated that inverse agonist activity required azilsartan-Gln(257) interaction and that azilsartan had a stronger interaction with Gln(257) than candesartan. Thus, we speculate that azilsartan has a unique binding behavior to the AT(1) receptor due to its 5-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazole moiety and induces stronger inverse agonism. This property of azilsartan may underlie its previously demonstrated superior BP-lowering efficacy compared with candesartan and other ARBs.