Structure-Function Evaluation of Imidazopyridine Derivatives Selective for δ-Subunit-Containing γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A (GABAA) Receptors

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Kirsten Yakoub
  • Sascha Jung
  • Christian Sattler
  • Helen Damerow
  • Judith Weber
  • Annika Kretzschmann
  • Aylin S Cankaya
  • Markus Piel
  • Frank Rösch
  • Anne S Haugaard
  • Frølund, Bente
  • Tanja Schirmeister
  • Hartmut Lüddens

δ-Selective compounds 1 and 2 (DS1, compound 22; DS2, compound 16) were introduced as functionally selective modulators of δ-containing GABA type A receptors (GABAAR). In our hands, [3H]EBOB-binding experiments with recombinant GABAAR and compound 22 showed no proof of δ-selectivity, although there was a minimally higher preference for the α4β3δ and α6β2/3δ receptors with respect to potency. In order to delineate the structural determinants of δ preferences, we synthesized 25 derivatives of DS1 and DS2, and investigated their structure-activity relationships (SAR). Four of our derivatives showed selectivity for α6β3δ receptors (29, 38, 39, and 41). For all of them, the major factors that distinguished them from compound 22 were variations at the para-positions of their benzamide groups. However, two compounds (29 and 39), when tested in the presence of GABA, revealed effects at several additional GABAAR. The newly synthesized compounds will still serve as useful tools to investigate α6β3δ receptors.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry
Volume61
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)1951-1968
Number of pages18
ISSN0022-2623
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Mar 2018

    Research areas

  • GABA-A Receptor Antagonists/chemistry, Humans, Imidazoles/chemistry, Inhibitory Concentration 50, Protein Subunits/metabolism, Pyridines/chemistry, Receptors, GABA-A/metabolism, Structure-Activity Relationship

ID: 225120334