First in Class Dual Non-ATP-Competitive Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β/Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as a Potential Therapeutic to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Alan Santini
  • Tassinari, Elisa
  • Eleonora Poeta
  • Manuela Loi
  • Elisabetta Ciani
  • Stefania Trazzi
  • Rebecca Piccarducci
  • Simona Daniele
  • Claudia Martini
  • Barbara Pagliarani
  • Andrea Tarozzi
  • Matteo Bersani
  • Francesca Spyrakis
  • Daniela Danková
  • Olsen, Christian Adam
  • Roberto Soldati
  • Vincenzo Tumiatti
  • Serena Montanari
  • Angela De Simone
  • Andrea Milelli

Despite recent FDA approvals, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) still represents an unmet medical need. Among the different available therapeutic approaches, the development of multitarget molecules represents one of the most widely pursued. In this work, we present a second generation of dual ligands directed toward highly networked targets that are deeply involved in the development of the disease, namely, Histone Deacetylases (HDACs) and Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β (GSK-3β). The synthesized compounds are highly potent GSK-3β, HDAC2, and HDAC6 inhibitors with IC50 values in the nanomolar range of concentrations. Among them, compound 4 inhibits histone H3 and tubulin acetylation at 0.1 μM concentration, blocks hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, and shows interesting immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties. These features, together with its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and its favorable physical-chemical properties, make compound 4 a promising hit for the development of innovative disease-modifying agents.

Original languageEnglish
JournalACS Chemical Neuroscience
Volume15
Issue number11
Pages (from-to)2099–2111
ISSN1948-7193
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Chemical Society.

    Research areas

  • Alzheimer’s disease, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β, Histone Deacetylase, Multitarget Drugs, Neuroprotection

ID: 393771982