1
|
Cichero E, Francesconi V, Casini B, Casale M, Kanov E, Gerasimov AS, Sukhanov I, Savchenko A, Espinoza S, Gainetdinov RR, Tonelli M. Discovery of Guanfacine as a Novel TAAR1 Agonist: A Combination Strategy through Molecular Modeling Studies and Biological Assays. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1632. [PMID: 38004497 PMCID: PMC10674299 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is an attractive target for the design of innovative drugs to be applied in diverse pharmacological settings. Due to a non-negligible structural similarity with endogenous ligands, most of the agonists developed so far resulted in being affected by a low selectivity for TAAR1 with respect to other monoaminergic G protein-coupled receptors, like the adrenoreceptors. This study utilized comparative molecular docking studies and quantitative-structure activity relationship (QSAR) analyses to unveil key structural differences between TAAR1 and alpha2-adrenoreceptor (α2-ADR), with the aim to design novel TAAR1 agonists characterized by a higher selectivity profile and reduced off-target effects. While the presence of hydrophobic motives is encouraged towards both the two receptors, the introduction of polar/positively charged groups and the ligand conformation deeply affect the TAAR1 or α2-ADR putative selectivity. These computational methods allowed the identification of the α2A-ADR agonist guanfacine as an attractive TAAR1-targeting lead compound, demonstrating nanomolar activity in vitro. In vivo exploration of the efficacy of guanfacine showed that it is able to decrease the locomotor activity of dopamine transporter knockout (DAT-KO) rats. Therefore, guanfacine can be considered as an interesting template molecule worthy of structural optimization. The dual activity of guanfacine on both α2-ADR and TAAR1 signaling and the related crosstalk between the two pathways will deserve more in-depth investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cichero
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (E.C.); (V.F.); (B.C.)
| | - Valeria Francesconi
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (E.C.); (V.F.); (B.C.)
| | - Beatrice Casini
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (E.C.); (V.F.); (B.C.)
| | - Monica Casale
- Section of Chemistry and Food and Pharmaceutical Technologies, University of Genoa, 16148 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Evgeny Kanov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.K.); (A.S.G.); (R.R.G.)
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey S. Gerasimov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.K.); (A.S.G.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Ilya Sukhanov
- Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Artem Savchenko
- Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Stefano Espinoza
- Department of Health Sciences and Research Center on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases (CAAD), University of Piemonte Orientale (UPO), 28100 Novara, Italy;
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.K.); (A.S.G.); (R.R.G.)
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Michele Tonelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (E.C.); (V.F.); (B.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Novel Molecular Targets of Antidepressants. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27020533. [PMID: 35056845 PMCID: PMC8778443 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27020533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antidepressants target a variety of proteins in the central nervous system (CNS), the most important belonging to the family of G-protein coupled receptors and the family of neurotransmitter transporters. The increasing number of crystallographic structures of these proteins have significantly contributed to the knowledge of their mechanism of action, as well as to the design of new drugs. Several computational approaches such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and virtual screening are useful for elucidating the mechanism of drug action and are important for drug design. This review is a survey of molecular targets for antidepressants in the CNS and computer based strategies to discover novel compounds with antidepressant activity.
Collapse
|
3
|
Heffernan MLR, Herman LW, Brown S, Jones PG, Shao L, Hewitt MC, Campbell JE, Dedic N, Hopkins SC, Koblan KS, Xie L. Ulotaront: A TAAR1 Agonist for the Treatment of Schizophrenia. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:92-98. [PMID: 35047111 PMCID: PMC8762745 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Ulotaront (SEP-363856)
is a trace-amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1)
agonist with 5-HT1A receptor agonist activity in Phase 3 clinical
development, with FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, for the treatment
of schizophrenia. TAAR1 is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that
is expressed in cortical, limbic, and midbrain monoaminergic regions.
It is activated by endogenous trace amines, and is believed to play
an important role in modulating dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic
circuitry. TAAR1 agonism data are reported herein for ulotaront and
its analogues in comparison to endogenous TAAR1 agonists. In addition,
a human TAAR1 homology model was built around ulotaront to identify
key interactions and attempt to better understand the scaffold-specific
TAAR1 agonism structure–activity relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lee W. Herman
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Scott Brown
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Philip G. Jones
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Liming Shao
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Michael C. Hewitt
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - John E. Campbell
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Nina Dedic
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Seth C. Hopkins
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Kenneth S. Koblan
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| | - Linghong Xie
- Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ballante F, Kooistra AJ, Kampen S, de Graaf C, Carlsson J. Structure-Based Virtual Screening for Ligands of G Protein-Coupled Receptors: What Can Molecular Docking Do for You? Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:527-565. [PMID: 34907092 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome and are important therapeutic targets. During the last decade, the number of atomic-resolution structures of GPCRs has increased rapidly, providing insights into drug binding at the molecular level. These breakthroughs have created excitement regarding the potential of using structural information in ligand design and initiated a new era of rational drug discovery for GPCRs. The molecular docking method is now widely applied to model the three-dimensional structures of GPCR-ligand complexes and screen for chemical probes in large compound libraries. In this review article, we first summarize the current structural coverage of the GPCR superfamily and the understanding of receptor-ligand interactions at atomic resolution. We then present the general workflow of structure-based virtual screening and strategies to discover GPCR ligands in chemical libraries. We assess the state of the art of this research field by summarizing prospective applications of virtual screening based on experimental structures. Strategies to identify compounds with specific efficacy and selectivity profiles are discussed, illustrating the opportunities and limitations of the molecular docking method. Our overview shows that structure-based virtual screening can discover novel leads and will be essential in pursuing the next generation of GPCR drugs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Extraordinary advances in the structural biology of G protein-coupled receptors have revealed the molecular details of ligand recognition by this large family of therapeutic targets, providing novel avenues for rational drug design. Structure-based docking is an efficient computational approach to identify novel chemical probes from large compound libraries, which has the potential to accelerate the development of drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Ballante
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Albert J Kooistra
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Stefanie Kampen
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1): Potential application in mood disorders: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:192-210. [PMID: 34537265 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
There is a need for innovation with respect to therapeutics in psychiatry. Available evidence indicates that the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) agonist SEP-363856 is promising, as it improves measures of cognitive and reward function in schizophrenia. Hedonic and cognitive impairments are transdiagnostic and constitute major burdens in mood disorders. Herein, we systematically review the behavioural and genetic literature documenting the role of TAAR1 in reward and cognitive function, and propose a mechanistic model of TAAR1's functions in the brain. Notably, TAAR1 activity confers antidepressant-like effects, enhances attention and response inhibition, and reduces compulsive reward seeking without impairing normal function. Further characterization of the responsible mechanisms suggests ion-homeostatic, metabolic, neurotrophic, and anti-inflammatory enhancements in the limbic system. Multiple lines of evidence establish the viability of TAAR1 as a biological target for the treatment of mood disorders. Furthermore, the evidence suggests a role for TAAR1 in reward and cognitive function, which is attributed to a cascade of events that are relevant to the cellular integrity and function of the central nervous system.
Collapse
|
6
|
Jaiteh M, Rodríguez-Espigares I, Selent J, Carlsson J. Performance of virtual screening against GPCR homology models: Impact of template selection and treatment of binding site plasticity. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007680. [PMID: 32168319 PMCID: PMC7135368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rational drug design for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is limited by the small number of available atomic resolution structures. We assessed the use of homology modeling to predict the structures of two therapeutically relevant GPCRs and strategies to improve the performance of virtual screening against modeled binding sites. Homology models of the D2 dopamine (D2R) and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2AR) were generated based on crystal structures of 16 different GPCRs. Comparison of the homology models to D2R and 5-HT2AR crystal structures showed that accurate predictions could be obtained, but not necessarily using the most closely related template. Assessment of virtual screening performance was based on molecular docking of ligands and decoys. The results demonstrated that several templates and multiple models based on each of these must be evaluated to identify the optimal binding site structure. Models based on aminergic GPCRs showed substantial ligand enrichment and there was a trend toward improved virtual screening performance with increasing binding site accuracy. The best models even yielded ligand enrichment comparable to or better than that of the D2R and 5-HT2AR crystal structures. Methods to consider binding site plasticity were explored to further improve predictions. Molecular docking to ensembles of structures did not outperform the best individual binding site models, but could increase the diversity of hits from virtual screens and be advantageous for GPCR targets with few known ligands. Molecular dynamics refinement resulted in moderate improvements of structural accuracy and the virtual screening performance of snapshots was either comparable to or worse than that of the raw homology models. These results provide guidelines for successful application of structure-based ligand discovery using GPCR homology models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariama Jaiteh
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ismael Rodríguez-Espigares
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jana Selent
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lam VM, Mielnik CA, Baimel C, Beerepoot P, Espinoza S, Sukhanov I, Horsfall W, Gainetdinov RR, Borgland SL, Ramsey AJ, Salahpour A. Behavioral Effects of a Potential Novel TAAR1 Antagonist. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:953. [PMID: 30233365 PMCID: PMC6131539 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is a G-protein coupled receptor expressed in the monoaminergic regions of the brain, and represents a potential novel therapeutic target for the treatment of neurological disorders. While selective agonists for TAAR1 have been successfully identified, only one high affinity TAAR1 antagonist has been described thus far. We previously identified four potential low potency TAAR1 antagonists through an in silico screen on a TAAR1 homology model. One of the identified antagonists (compound 22) was predicted to have favorable physicochemical properties, which would allow the drug to cross the blood brain barrier. In vivo studies were therefore carried out and showed that compound 22 potentiates amphetamine- and cocaine-mediated locomotor activity. Furthermore, electrophysiology experiments demonstrated that compound 22 increased firing of dopamine neurons similar to EPPTB, the only known TAAR1 antagonist. In order to assess whether the effects of compound 22 were mediated through TAAR1, experiments were carried out on TAAR1-KO mice. The results showed that compound 22 is able to enhance amphetamine- and cocaine-mediated locomotor activity, even in TAAR1-KO mice, suggesting that the in vivo effects of this compound are not mediated by TAAR1. In collaboration with Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, we attempted to determine the targets for compound 22. Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (PDSP) results suggested several potential targets for compound 22 including, the dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin transporters; as well as sigma 1 and 2 receptors. Our follow-up studies using heterologous cell systems showed that the dopamine transporter is not a target of compound 22. Therefore, the biological target of compound 22 mediating its psychoactive effects still remains unknown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent M Lam
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Catharine A Mielnik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Corey Baimel
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Pieter Beerepoot
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stefano Espinoza
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ilya Sukhanov
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Wendy Horsfall
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Amy J Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Salahpour
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Guariento S, Tonelli M, Espinoza S, Gerasimov AS, Gainetdinov RR, Cichero E. Rational design, chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of novel biguanides exploring species-specificity responsiveness of TAAR1 agonists. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 146:171-184. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.01.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
9
|
Cross JB. Methods for Virtual Screening of GPCR Targets: Approaches and Challenges. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2017; 1705:233-264. [PMID: 29188566 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7465-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Virtual screening (VS) has become an integral part of the drug discovery process and is a valuable tool for finding novel chemical starting points for GPCR targets. Ligand-based VS makes use of biochemical data for known, active compounds and has been applied successfully to many diverse GPCRs. Recent progress in GPCR X-ray crystallography has made it possible to incorporate detailed structural information into the VS process. This chapter outlines the latest VS techniques along with examples that highlight successful applications of these methods. Best practices for increasing the likelihood of VS success, as well as ongoing challenges, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason B Cross
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77054, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Targeting species-specific trace amine-associated receptor 1 ligands: to date perspective of the rational drug design process. Future Med Chem 2017; 9:1507-1527. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2017-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors represent main targets of several clinically relevant drugs, playing nowadays a leading part for further drug discovery process. Trace amine-associated receptor's family (TAARs) assumed an intriguing role as druggable target in medicinal chemistry, being TAAR1 the most investigated. Indeed, related ligands proved to be intertwined in several circuits involved in pathological pathways or therapeutic routes. Herein, we highlight relevant efforts in the search of novel agonists, focusing on responsiveness featured by different chemotypes toward rodent and human TAAR1, in order to explore species-specificity preferences. We also discuss the main strategies guiding so far the design of new TAAR1 agonists, giving a perspective of the structure-based methodologies aimed at deriving new insights for more potent and selective derivatives.
Collapse
|
11
|
Tonelli M, Espinoza S, Gainetdinov RR, Cichero E. Novel biguanide-based derivatives scouted as TAAR1 agonists: Synthesis, biological evaluation, ADME prediction and molecular docking studies. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 127:781-792. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
12
|
Galley G, Beurier A, Décoret G, Goergler A, Hutter R, Mohr S, Pähler A, Schmid P, Türck D, Unger R, Zbinden KG, Hoener MC, Norcross RD. Discovery and Characterization of 2-Aminooxazolines as Highly Potent, Selective, and Orally Active TAAR1 Agonists. ACS Med Chem Lett 2016; 7:192-7. [PMID: 26985297 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.5b00449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
2-Aminooxazolines were discovered as a novel structural class of TAAR1 ligands. Starting from a known adrenergic compound 1, structural modifications were made to obtain highly potent and selective TAAR1 ligands such as 12 (RO5166017), 18 (RO5256390), 36 (RO5203648), and 48 (RO5263397). These compounds exhibit drug-like physicochemical properties, have good oral bioavailability, and display in vivo activity in a variety of animal models relevant for psychiatric diseases and addiction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guido Galley
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Angélica Beurier
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guillaume Décoret
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Annick Goergler
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roman Hutter
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Mohr
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Axel Pähler
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Schmid
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dietrich Türck
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Robert Unger
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Groebke Zbinden
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marius C. Hoener
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roger D. Norcross
- Pharma Research
and Early
Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|