Syntheses and evaluation of halogenated cytisine derivatives and of bioisosteric thiocytisine as potent and selective nAChR ligands
作者:P Imming
DOI:10.1016/s0223-5234(01)01222-3
日期:2001.4
We have developed one-step syntheses of halogenated derivatives of (-)-cytisine featuring a halogen substituent at positions 3, 5 or 3 and 5 of the 2-pyridone fragment, and prepared the novel bioisosteric thiocytisine by oxygen-sulphur exchange. The affinities of these pyridone-modified analogs of (-)-cytisine for (alpha (4))(2)(beta (2)),(3) and alpha7* nAChRs in rat forebrain membranes were determined by competition with (+/-)-[H-3]epibatidine and [H-3]MLA, respectively. The 3-halocytisines 7 possess subnanomolar affinities for (alpha4)(2)(beta2)(3) nAChRs, higher than those found for (-)-cytisine as well as for the 5-halocytisines 8 and 3,5-dihalocytisines 6. In contrast to the parent alkaloid the 3-halogenated species display much a higher affinity for the alpha7* nAChR subtype. The most potent molecule was 3-bromocytisine (7b) with preferential selectivity (200-fold) for the (alpha4)(2)(beta2)(3) subtype [K-i = 10 pM (alpha4 beta2) and 2.0 nM (alpha7*)]. Replacement of the lactam with a thiolactam pharmacophore to thiocytisine (12) resulted in a subnanomolar affinity for the (alpha4)(2)(beta2)(3) nAChR subtype (K-i = 0.832 nM), but in a drastic decrease of affinity for the alpha7* subtype; thiocytisine (12) has a K-i value of 4000 nM (alpha7*), giving a selectivity of 4800-fold for the neuronal (alpha4)(2)(beta2)(3)-nAChR and thus displaying the best affinity-selectivity profile in the series under consideration. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.