Qiong Xie

Bis-(−)-nor-meptazinols as Novel Nanomolar Cholinesterase Inhibitors with High Inhibitory Potency on Amyloid-β Aggregation

Bis-(-)-nor-meptazinols (bis-(-)-nor-MEPs) 5 were designed and synthesized by connecting two (-)-nor-MEP monomers with alkylene linkers of different lengths via the secondary amino groups. Their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities were more greatly influenced by the length of the alkylene chain than butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition. The most potent nonamethylene-tethered dimer 5h exhibited low-nanomolar IC 50 values for both ChEs, having a 10 000-fold and 1500-fold increase in inhibition of AChE and BChE compared with (-)-MEP. Molecular docking elucidated that 5h simultaneously bound to the catalytic and peripheral sites in AChE via hydrophobic interactions with Trp86 and Trp286. In comparison, it folded in the large aliphatic cavity of BChE because of the absence of peripheral site and the enlargement of the active site. Furthermore, 5h and 5i markedly prevented the AChE-induced Abeta aggregation with IC 50 values of 16.6 and 5.8 microM, similar to that of propidium (IC 50 = 12.8 microM), which suggests promising disease-modifying agents for the treatment of AD patients.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Phenanthridines by Radical Insertion/Cyclization of Biphenyl Isocyanides

A rapid microwave-assisted approach for the synthesis of phenanthridine derivatives from the radical insertion/cyclization reaction of biphenyl isocyanides with a C(sp(3))-H bond adjacent to a heteroatom has been developed. The protocol achieves wide substrate scope and good to excellent yields. The kinetic isotope effect (KIE) studies, radical inhibition studies, and Hammett plot analysis clearly disclose that the current reaction supports a radical mechanism.

(-)-Meptazinol-melatonin hybrids as novel dual inhibitors of cholinesterases and amyloid-β aggregation with high antioxidant potency for Alzheimer's therapy.

The multifactorial pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease (AD) implicates that multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) intervention may represent a promising therapy for AD. Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and oxidative stress, two prominent neuropathological hallmarks in patients, play crucial roles in the neurotoxic cascade of this disease. In the present study, a series of novel (-)-meptazinol-melatonin hybrids were designed, synthesized and biologically characterized as potential MTDLs against AD. Among them, hybrids 7-7c displayed higher dual inhibitory potency toward cholinesterases (ChEs) and better oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) than the parental drugs. Furthermore, compound 7c could effectively inhibit Aβ self-aggregation, showed favorable safety and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Therefore, 7c may serve as a valuable candidate that is worthy of further investigations in the treatment of AD.

Novel bis-(-)-nor-meptazinol derivatives act as dual binding site AChE inhibitors with metal-complexing property.

The strategy of dual binding site acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition along with metal chelation may represent a promising direction for multi-targeted interventions in the pathophysiological processes of Alzheimers disease (AD). In the present study, two derivatives (ZLA and ZLB) of a potent dual binding site AChE inhibitor bis-(-)-nor-meptazinol (bis-MEP) were designed and synthesized by introducing metal chelating pharmacophores into the middle chain of bis-MEP. They could inhibit human AChE activity with IC(50) values of 9.63μM (for ZLA) and 8.64μM (for ZLB), and prevent AChE-induced amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation with IC(50) values of 49.1μM (for ZLA) and 55.3μM (for ZLB). In parallel, molecular docking analysis showed that they are capable of interacting with both the catalytic and peripheral anionic sites of AChE. Furthermore, they exhibited abilities to complex metal ions such as Cu(II) and Zn(II), and inhibit Aβ aggregation triggered by these metals. Collectively, these results suggest that ZLA and ZLB may act as dual binding site AChEIs with metal-chelating potency, and may be potential leads of value for further study on disease-modifying treatment of AD.

Highly selective and potent μ opioid ligands by unexpected substituent on morphine skeleton

Unexpected substituent on the well-known morphine skeleton is described to be account for highly selective and potent mu opioid ligands, which is strongly connected to substituted aromatic groups on this omitted 8alpha-position.

Pharmacophore-based design and discovery of (−)-meptazinol carbamates as dual modulators of cholinesterase and amyloidogenesis

Abstract Multifunctional carbamate-type acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors with anti-amyloidogenic properties like phenserine are potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We reported here the design of new carbamates using pharmacophore model strategy to modulate both cholinesterase and amyloidogenesis. A five-feature pharmacophore model was generated based on 25 carbamate-type training set compounds. (−)-Meptazinol carbamates that superimposed well upon the model were designed and synthesized, which exhibited nanomolar AChE inhibitory potency and good anti-amyloidogenic properties in in vitro test. The phenylcarbamate 43 was highly potent (IC50 31.6 nM) and slightly selective for AChE, and showed low acute toxicity. In enzyme kinetics assay, 43 exhibited uncompetitive inhibition and reacted by pseudo-irreversible mechanism. 43 also showed amyloid-β (Aβ) lowering effects (51.9% decrease of Aβ42) superior to phenserine (31% decrease of total Aβ) in SH-SY5Y-APP695 cells at 50 µM. The dual actions of 43 on cholinergic and amyloidogenic pathways indicated potential uses as symptomatic and disease-modifying agents.

Determination of a novel carbamate AChE inhibitor meserine in mouse plasma, brain and rat plasma by LC–MS/MS: Application to pharmacokinetic study after intravenous and subcutaneous administration

In this paper a simple and sensitive method for determination of a novel phenylcarbamate AChE inhibitor, meserine, in mouse plasma, brain and rat plasma was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Separation was achieved on an Alltech Alltima-C18 column (150mm×2.1mm, 3μm, Deerfield, IL, USA) with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.35ml/min. Detection was performed under the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray ionization (ESI) in the positive ion mode. The protein precipitation and liquid-liquid extraction methods were used for the pretreatment of plasma and brain homogenates, respectively. The calibration curves of meserine showed good linearity over the concentration range of 0.5-1000ng/ml for mouse and rat plasma and 0.5-500ng/ml for mouse brain. The intra- and inter-day precision were less than 9.34% and the accuracy was from 95.34% to 107.78% for QC samples. The validated method was successfully applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study of meserine in mice and rats after intravenous and subcutaneous administration. The results showed that this novel drug could easily cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the site of drug action. Meserine was rapidly absorbed with a high subcutaneous absolute bioavailability (>90%).

Discovery of carbazole carboxamides as novel RORγt inverse agonists

A novel series of carbazole carboxamides was discovered as potent RORγt inverse agonists using a scaffold hybridization strategy. Structure-activity relationship exploration on the amide linker, carbazole ring and arylsulfone moiety of the hybrid amide 3a led to identification of potent RORγt inverse agonists. Compound 6c was found to have a good RORγt activity with an IC50 of 58.5 nM in FRET assay, and reasonable inhibitory activity in mouse Th17 cell differentiation assay (58.8% inhibition at 0.3 μM). The binding mode of carbazole carboxamides in RORγt ligand binding domain was discussed.

Determination of Bis(9)-(-)-Meptazinol, a bis-ligand for Alzheimer's disease, in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: application to pharmacokinetics study.

A rapid, simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of Bis(9)-(-)-Meptazinol (B9M) in rat plasma. Protein precipitation method was used for sample preparation, using five volumes of methanol as the precipitation agent. The analytes were separated by a Zorbax Extend-C18 column with the mobile phase of methanol-water (containing 5mM ammonium formate, pH 9.8) (95:5, v/v), and monitored by positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Retention time of IS (Bis(5)-(-)-Meptazinol) and B9M were 1.9 min and 3.3 min, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.1 ng/ml and the linear range was 1-500 ng/ml. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of intra-day and inter-day variation was 4.4-6.2% and 6.2-8.9%, respectively. The extraction recoveries of B9M in plasma were over 95%. The method proved to be applicable to the pharmacokinetic study of B9M in rat after intravenous and subcutaneous administration.

Conformational re-analysis of (+)-meptazinol: an opioid with mixed analgesic pharmacophores.

AbstractAim:To further investigate the analgesic pharmacophore of (+)-meptazinol.Methods:Two different opioid pharmacophores, Pharm-I and Pharm-II, were established from structures of nine typical opiates and meperidine by using molecular modeling approaches according to their different structure activity relationship properties. They were further validated by a set of conformationally constrained arylpiperidines. Two conformers of (+)-meptazinol (Conformer-I and Conformer-II) detected in solution were then fitted into the pharmacophores, respectively, by Fit Atoms facilities available in SYBYL, a computational modeling tool kit for molecular design and analysis.Results:Conformer-I fit Pharm-I from typical opiates well. However, Conformer-II fit none of these pharmacophores. Instead, it was found to be similar to another potent analgesic, benzofuro[2,3-c] pyridin-6-ol, whose pharmacophore was suggested to hold the transitional state between the two established pharmacophores. Unlike typical analgesics derived from 4-aryl piperidine (eg, meperidine) with one conformer absolutely overwhelming, the (+)-meptazinol exists in two conformers with similar amounts in solution. Furthermore, both conformers can not transform to each other freely in ordinary conditions based on our NMR results.Conclusion:(+)-meptazinol was suggested to be an opioid with mixed analgesic pharmacophores, which may account for the complicated pharmacological properties of meptazinol.