N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are an important receptor in the brain and have been implicated in multiple neurological disorders. Many non-selective NMDAR-targeting drugs are poorly tolerated, leading to efforts to target NMDAR subtypes to improve the therapeutic index. We describe here a series of negative allosteric NMDAR modulators with submaximal inhibition at saturating concentrations. Modest changes to the chemical structure interconvert negative and positive modulation. All modulators share the ability to enhance agonist potency and are use-dependent, requiring the binding of both agonists before modulators act with high potency. Data suggest that these modulators, including both enantiomers, bind to the same site on the receptor and share structural determinants of action. Due to the modulator properties, submaximal negative modulators in this series may spare NMDAR at the synapse, while augmenting the response of NMDAR in extrasynaptic spaces. These modulators could serve as useful tools to probe the role of extrasynaptic NMDARs.
N-甲基-d-天冬氨酸受体(NMDAR)是大脑中的一种重要受体,与多种神经系统疾病有关。许多非选择性 NMDAR 靶向药物的耐受性都很差,因此人们努力靶向 NMDAR 亚型以提高治疗指数。我们在此介绍了一系列在饱和浓度下具有亚最大抑制作用的负异构 NMDAR 调节剂。化学结构的适度变化可将负调制与正调制相互转换。所有调节剂都具有增强激动剂效力的能力,并且具有使用依赖性,在调节剂发挥高效力之前需要同时与两种激动剂结合。数据表明,这些调节剂(包括两种对映体)与受体上的相同位点结合,并具有共同的作用结构决定因素。由于调制剂的特性,该系列中的亚最大负性调制剂可能会使突触处的 NMDAR 免受影响,同时增强 NMDAR 在突触外空间的反应。这些调节剂可作为探究突触外 NMDAR 作用的有用工具。