Ombretta Lenzi

2-Phenylpyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one as a New Scaffold To Obtain Potent and Selective Human A3 Adenosine Receptor Antagonists: New Insights into the Receptor-Antagonist Recognition

A molecular simplification approach of previously reported 2-arylpyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolin-4-ones was applied to design 2-arylpyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one derivatives as new human A(3) adenosine receptor antagonists. Substituents with different lipophilicity and steric hindrance were introduced at the 5-position of the bicyclic scaffold (R(5) = H, Me, Et, Ph, CH(2)Ph) and on the 2-phenyl ring (OMe, Me). Most of the synthesized derivatives were highly potent hA(3) adenosine receptor antagonists, the best being the 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one (K(i) = 1.2 nM). The new compounds were also highly selective, being completely devoid of affinity toward hA(1), hA(2A), and hA(2B) adenosine receptors. On the basis of the recently published human A(2A) receptor crystallographic information, we propose a novel receptor-driven hypothesis to explain both A(3) AR affinity and A(3) versus A(2A) selectivity profiles of these new antagonists.

Synthesis, ligand-receptor modeling studies and pharmacological evaluation of novel 4-modified-2-aryl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one derivatives as potent and selective human A3 adenosine receptor antagonists.

The study of some 4-substituted-2-aryl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one derivatives, designed as hA(3) adenosine receptor antagonists, is reported. The new compounds bear on the four-position different acylamino, sulfonylamino, benzylureido and benzyloxy moieties, which have also been combined with a para-methoxy group on the 2-phenyl ring or with a nitro residue at the six-position. Many derivatives show high hA(3) adenosine receptor affinities and selectivities both versus hA(1) and hA(2A) receptors. The observed structure-affinity relationships of this class of antagonists have been exhaustively rationalized using the recently published ligand-based homology modeling (LBHM) approach. The selected 4-bismethanesulfonylamino-2-phenyl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (13), which shows high hA(3) affinity (K(i)=5.5nM) and selectivity versus hA(1), hA(2A) (both selectivity ratios>1800) and hA(2B) (cAMP assay, IC(50)>10,000nM) receptors, was tested in an in vitro rat model of cerebral ischemia, proving to be effective in preventing the failure of synaptic activity, induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in the hippocampus, and in delaying the occurrence of anoxic depolarization.

Synthesis, structure-affinity relationships, and molecular modeling studies of novel pyrazolo(3,4-c)quinoline derivatives as adenosine receptor antagonists

This paper reports the study of new 2-phenyl- and 2-methylpyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolin-4-ones (series A) and 4-amines (series B), designed as adenosine receptor (AR) antagonists. The synthesized compounds bear at the 6-position various groups, with different lipophilicity and steric hindrance, that were thought to increase human A(1) and A(2A) AR affinities and selectivities, with respect to those of the parent 6-unsubstituted compounds. In series A, this modification was not tolerated since it reduced AR affinity, while in series B it shifted the binding towards the hA(1) subtype. To rationalize the observed structure-affinity relationships, molecular docking studies at A(2A)AR-based homology models of the A(1) and A(3) ARs and at the A(2A)AR crystal structure were carried out.

3-Hydroxy-1H-quinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives as new antagonists at ionotropic glutamate receptors: molecular modeling and pharmacological studies.

Based on our 3-hydroxy-7-chloroquinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives, previously reported as antagonists at ionotropic glutamate receptors, we synthesized new 3-hydroxyquinazoline-2,4-diones bearing a trifluoromethyl group at the 7-position and different groups at position 6. Glycine/NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptor binding data showed that the 7-trifluoromethyl residue increased AMPA and kainate receptor affinity and selectivity, with respect to the 7-chlorine atom. Among the probed 6-substituents, the 6-(1,2,4-triazol-4-yl) group (compound 8) was the most advantageous for AMPA receptor affinity and selectivity. Derivative 8 demonstrated to be effective in decreasing neuronal damage produced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in organotypic rat hippocampal slices and also showed anticonvulsant effects in pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions. The previously reported kainate receptor antagonist 6-(2-carboxybenzoyl)-amino-7-chloro-3-hydroxyquinazoline-2,4-dione 3 prevented the failure of neurotransmission induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices.