Novel donepezil-based inhibitors of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase-induced beta-amyloid aggregation

J Med Chem. 2008 Jun 26;51(12):3588-98. doi: 10.1021/jm8001313. Epub 2008 Jun 3.

Abstract

A novel series of donepezil-tacrine hybrids designed to simultaneously interact with the active, peripheral and midgorge binding sites of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) have been synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit AChE, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and AChE-induced A beta aggregation. These compounds consist of a unit of tacrine or 6-chlorotacrine, which occupies the same position as tacrine at the AChE active site, and the 5,6-dimethoxy-2-[(4-piperidinyl)methyl]-1-indanone moiety of donepezil (or the indane derivative thereof), whose position along the enzyme gorge and the peripheral site can be modulated by a suitable tether that connects tacrine and donepezil fragments. All of the new compounds are highly potent inhibitors of bovine and human AChE and BChE, exhibiting IC50 values in the subnanomolar or low nanomolar range in most cases. Moreover, six out of the eight hybrids of the series, particularly those bearing an indane moiety, exhibit a significant A beta antiaggregating activity, which makes them promising anti-Alzheimer drug candidates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / chemistry*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Butyrylcholinesterase / chemistry*
  • Cattle
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Donepezil
  • Humans
  • Indans / chemical synthesis*
  • Indans / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Piperidines / chemical synthesis*
  • Piperidines / chemistry
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tacrine / analogs & derivatives
  • Tacrine / chemical synthesis
  • Tacrine / chemistry

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Indans
  • Piperidines
  • Tacrine
  • Donepezil
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Butyrylcholinesterase