Discovery of pyridine amide derivatives exhibiting vasodilatory activity

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has long been recognized as the leading cause of global mortality. Vasodilator agents are widely used in the clinical management of cardiovascular disorders. In recent years, pyridine amide derivatives have attracted considerable research interest owing to their distinctive chemical structures and promising biological profiles. Emerging evidence suggests that certain pyridine amide derivatives can synergistically enhance nitric oxide (NO) release and activate the cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)-mediated prostacyclin (PGI₂) signaling pathway, thereby promoting vascular relaxation and improving endothelial function. This study aims to identify a lead pyridine amide compound and comprehensively characterize its vasodilatory activity and underlying mechanisms. In functional vascular assays, several synthesized pyridine amide derivatives exhibited moderate vasodilatory activity; among them, compound A24 displayed the most potent effect, with a half- maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) of 21.47 ± 1.91 μM. Notably, A24-induced vasodilation was predominantly endothelium-dependent, as evidenced by significantly greater efficacy in vessels with intact endothelium (97.24%) compared to those subjected to endothelial denudation (38.49%; ***P < 0.001). Mechanistic investigations further revealed that A24 mediates vasodilation through the coordinated modulation of multiple signaling pathways and ion channels-including the PI3K/AKT cascade, inward rectifier K⁺ (Kir) channels, calcium-activated K⁺ (KCa) channels, voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channels, ATP-sensitive K⁺ (KATP) channels, and other K⁺ channel subtypes. Overall, this study identifies multiple signaling pathways involved in A24-mediated vasodilation, thereby providing a foundational theoretical basis for future research.