A new three-dimensional model for the relative binding mode of cassaine
1 and digitoxigenin
2 at the digitalis receptor site is proposed on the basis of the structural and conformationalsimilarities among
1,
2 and its 14,15-seco analogues
3 and
4. Accordingly, the speculationthat also 17
-substituted derivatives of the digitalis 5
,14
-androstane skeleton could efficientlybind to the Na
+,K
+-ATPase receptor is put forward and verified through the synthesis of somerelated compounds. The binding affinity shown by 2-(
N,
N-dimethylamino)ethyl 3
,14-dihydroxy-5
,14
-androstane-17
-acrylate
6 (IC
50 = 5.89
M) and, much more significantly,by the corresponding 14,15-seco-14-oxo derivative
9 (IC
50 = 0.12
M) substantiates the newhypothesis and opens new prospects to the design of novel inhibitors of Na
+,K
+-ATPase aspotential positive inotropic compounds.