Novel tacrine-based multi-target directed Ligands: Enhancing cholinesterase inhibition, NMDA receptor antagonism, and CNS bioavailability for Alzheimer's disease treatment
Language English Country France Media print-electronic
Document type Journal Article
PubMed
40288120
DOI
10.1016/j.ejmech.2025.117678
PII: S0223-5234(25)00443-X
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- Keywords
- Acetylcholinesterase, Alzheimer's disease, Butyrylcholinesterase, Multi-target directed ligands, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, Tacrine,
- MeSH
- Acetylcholinesterase metabolism MeSH
- Alzheimer Disease * drug therapy metabolism MeSH
- Biological Availability MeSH
- Butyrylcholinesterase metabolism MeSH
- Cholinesterase Inhibitors * pharmacology chemistry chemical synthesis MeSH
- Blood-Brain Barrier metabolism MeSH
- Microsomes, Liver metabolism MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Ligands MeSH
- Molecular Structure MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate * antagonists & inhibitors metabolism MeSH
- Tacrine * pharmacology chemistry chemical synthesis MeSH
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug MeSH
- Structure-Activity Relationship MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Acetylcholinesterase MeSH
- Butyrylcholinesterase MeSH
- Cholinesterase Inhibitors * MeSH
- Ligands MeSH
- Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate * MeSH
- Tacrine * MeSH
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder for which current treatments provide only symptomatic relief, primarily through cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism. To improve therapeutic efficacy and safety, we designed and synthesized 16 novel tacrine derivatives modified at position 7 with various (hetero)aryl groups or deuterium substitution. Initially, in silico screening predicted favorable CNS permeability and oral bioavailability. Subsequent in vitro evaluations demonstrated significant inhibitory potency against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), with derivatives 5i and 5m displaying particularly promising profiles. Metabolic stability assessed using human liver microsomes revealed enhanced stability for compound 5e, whereas 5i and 5m underwent rapid metabolism. Notably, compound 7 showed improved metabolic stability attributed to deuterium incorporation. The newly synthesized compounds were further tested for antagonistic activity on the GluN1/GluN2B subtype of NMDAR, with compound 5m exhibiting the most potent and voltage-independent inhibition. The ability of these compounds to permeate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was confirmed through in vitro PAMPA assays. In preliminary hepatotoxicity screening (HepG2 cells), most derivatives exhibited higher cytotoxicity than tacrine, emphasizing the ongoing challenge in hepatotoxicity management. Based on its overall favorable profile, compound 5m advanced to in vivo pharmacokinetic studies in mice, demonstrating efficient CNS penetration, with brain concentrations exceeding plasma levels (brain-to-plasma ratio 2.36), indicating active transport across the BBB. These findings highlight compound 5m as a promising tacrine-based multi-target-directed ligand, supporting further preclinical development as a potential therapeutic candidate for AD.
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