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Piniella D, Zafra F. Functional crosstalk of the glycine transporter GlyT1 and NMDA receptors. Neuropharmacology 2023; 232:109514. [PMID: 37003571 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) constitute one of the main glutamate (Glu) targets in the central nervous system and are involved in synaptic plasticity, which is the molecular substrate of learning and memory. Hypofunction of NMDARs has been associated with schizophrenia, while overstimulation causes neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases or in stroke. The function of NMDARs requires coincidental binding of Glu along with other cellular signals such as neuronal depolarization, and the presence of other endogenous ligands that modulate their activity by allosterism. Among these allosteric modulators are zinc, protons and Gly, which is an obligatory co-agonist. These characteristics differentiate NMDARs from other receptors, and their structural bases have begun to be established in recent years. In this review we focus on the crosstalk between Glu and glycine (Gly), whose concentration in the NMDAR microenvironment is maintained by various Gly transporters that remove or release it into the medium in a regulated manner. The GlyT1 transporter is particularly involved in this task, and has become a target of great interest for the treatment of schizophrenia since its inhibition leads to an increase in synaptic Gly levels that enhances the activity of NMDARs. However, the only drug that has completed phase III clinical trials did not yield the expected results. Notwithstanding, there are additional drugs that continue to be investigated, and it is hoped that knowledge gained from the recently published 3D structure of GlyT1 may allow the rational design of more effective new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores Piniella
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Facultad de Ciencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; IdiPAZ, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Spain
| | - Francisco Zafra
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Facultad de Ciencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; IdiPAZ, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Spain.
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Hoffmann C, Evcüman S, Neumaier F, Zlatopolskiy BD, Humpert S, Bier D, Holschbach M, Schulze A, Endepols H, Neumaier B. [ 18F]ALX5406: A Brain-Penetrating Prodrug for GlyT1-Specific PET Imaging. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3335-3346. [PMID: 34449193 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective inhibition of glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) has emerged as a potential approach to alleviate N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction in patients with schizophrenia and cognitive decline. ALX5407 is a potent and selective inhibitor of GlyT1 derived from the metabolic intermediate sarcosine (N-methylglycine) that showed antipsychotic potential in a number of animal models. Whereas clinical application of ALX5407 is limited by adverse effects on motor performance and respiratory function, a suitably radiolabeled drug could represent a promising PET tracer for the visualization of GlyT1 in the brain. Herein, [18F]ALX5407 and the corresponding methyl ester, [18F]ALX5406, were prepared by alcohol-enhanced copper mediated radiofluorination and studied in vitro in rat brain slices and in vivo in normal rats. [18F]ALX5407 demonstrated accumulation consistent with the distribution of GlyT1 in in vitro autoradiographic studies but no brain uptake in μPET experiments in naı̈ve rats. In contrast, the methyl ester [18F]ALX5406 rapidly entered the brain and was enzymatically transformed into [18F]ALX5407, resulting in a regional accumulation pattern consistent with GlyT1 specific binding. We conclude that [18F]ALX5406 is a promising and easily accessible PET probe for preclinical in vivo imaging of GlyT1 in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Hoffmann
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sibel Evcüman
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Felix Neumaier
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Boris D. Zlatopolskiy
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Swen Humpert
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dirk Bier
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Marcus Holschbach
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Annette Schulze
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Heike Endepols
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Nuclear Medicine Department, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernd Neumaier
- Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Metabolism Research, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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Varnes JG, Xiong H, Forst JM, Holmquist CR, Ernst GE, Frietze W, Dembofsky B, Andisik DW, Palmer WE, Hinkley L, Steelman GB, Wilkins DE, Tian G, Jonak G, Potts WM, Wang X, Brugel TA, Alhambra C, Wood MW, Veale CA, Albert JS. Bicyclo((aryl)methyl)benzamides as inhibitors of GlyT1. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2018; 28:1043-1049. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Cioffi
- Departments of Basic and Clinical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences , Albany, NY, USA
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Fuchigami T, Takano A, Gulyás B, Jia Z, Finnema SJ, Andersson JD, Nakao R, Magata Y, Haratake M, Nakayama M, Halldin C. Synthesis and evaluation of 2-chloro N-[(S)-{(S)-1-[11 C]methylpiperidin-2-yl} (phenyl)methyl]3-trifluoromethyl-benzamide ([11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734) as a PET radioligand for glycine transporter 1. EJNMMI Res 2012; 2:37. [PMID: 22776065 PMCID: PMC3531252 DOI: 10.1186/2191-219x-2-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Dysfunction of the glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) has been suggested to be involved in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. GlyT1 inhibitors have therefore been considered to have antipsychotic therapeutic potential. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probes for GlyT1 are, consequently, expected to be useful for investigating the mechanism of such disease conditions and for measuring occupancy of GlyT1 inhibitors in vivo. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of 2-chloro N-[(S)-{(S)-1-[11 C]methylpiperidin-2-yl} (phenyl)methyl] 3-trifluoromethyl-benzamide ([11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734) as a PET imaging agent for GlyT1. METHODS [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 was synthesized by N-[11 C]methylation of SSR504734 via [11 C]CH3OTf. In vitro brain distribution of [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 was tested in whole-hemisphere autoradiography (ARG) on human brain slices. Initial PET studies were performed using a cynomolgus monkey at baseline and after pretreatment with 0.1 to 1.5 mg/kg of SSR504734. Then, PET studies using rhesus monkeys were performed with arterial blood sampling at baseline and after pretreatment with 1.5 to 4.5 mg/kg SSR504734. Distribution volumes (VT) were calculated with a two-tissue compartment model, and GlyT1 occupancy by SSR504734 was estimated using a Lassen plot approach. RESULTS [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 was successfully synthesized in moderate radiochemical yield and high specific radioactivity. In the ARG experiments, [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 showed specific binding in the white matter and pons. In the initial PET experiments in a cynomolgus monkey, [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 showed high brain uptake and consistent distribution with previously reported GlyT1 expression in vivo (thalamus, brainstem > cerebellum > cortical regions). However, the brain uptake increased after pretreatment with SSR504734. Further PET studies in rhesus monkeys showed a similar increase of brain uptake after pretreatment with SSR504734. However, the VT of [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 was found to decrease after pretreatment of SSR504734 in a dose-dependent manner. GlyT1 occupancy was calculated to be 45% and 73% at 1.5 and 4.5 mg/kg of SSR504734, respectively. CONCLUSIONS [11 C]N-methyl-SSR504734 is demonstrated to be a promising PET radioligand for GlyT1 in nonhuman primates. The present results warrant further PET studies in human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Fuchigami
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska University Hospital, R5:02, Stockholm 171 76, Sweden.
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