Journal : Bioorg. Med. Chem.
Title : Homo- and hetero-bivalent edrophonium-like ammonium salts as highly potent, dual binding site AChE inhibitors.
Year : 2008
Volume : 16
Issue : 15
First Page : 7450
Last Page : 7456
Authors : Leonetti F, Catto M, Nicolotti O, Pisani L, Cappa A, Stefanachi A, Carotti A.
Abstract : A number of mono- and bis-quaternary ammonium salts, containing edrophonium-like and coumarin moieties tethered by an appropriate linker, proved to be highly potent and selective dual binding site acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with good selectivity over butyrylcholinesterase. Homobivalent bis-quaternary inhibitors 11 and 12, differing by only one methylene unit in the linker, were the most potent and selective inhibitors exhibiting a sub-nanomolar affinity (IC(50)=0.49 and 0.17 nM, respectively) and a high butyryl-/acetylcholinesterase affinity ratio (SI=1465 and 4165, respectively). The corresponding hetero-bivalent coumarinic inhibitors 13 and 14 were also endowed with excellent inhibitory potency but a lower AChE selectivity (IC(50)=2.1 and 1.0 nM, and SI=505 and 708, respectively). Docking simulations enabled clear interpretation of the structure-affinity relationships and detection of key binding interactions at the primary and peripheral AChE binding sites.
