Development of 2'-substituted (2S,1'R,2'S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine analogues as potent N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor agonists

J Med Chem. 2013 May 23;56(10):4071-81. doi: 10.1021/jm400346a. Epub 2013 May 9.

Abstract

A series of 2'-substituted analogues of the selective NMDA receptor ligand (2S,1'R,2'S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine ((S)-CCG-IV) have been designed, synthesized, and pharmacologically characterized. The design was based on a docking study hypothesizing that substituents in the 2'-position would protrude into a region where differences among the NMDA receptor GluN2 subunits exist. Various synthetic routes were explored, and two different routes provided a series of alkyl-substituted analogues. Pharmacological characterization revealed that these compounds are NMDA receptor agonists and that potency decreases with increasing size of the alkyl groups. Variations in agonist activity are observed at the different recombinant NMDA receptor subtypes. This study demonstrates that it is possible to introduce substituents in the 2'-position of (S)-CCG-IV while maintaining agonist activity and that variation among NMDA receptor subtypes may be achieved by probing this region of the receptor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic / chemical synthesis*
  • Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • Cyclopropanes / chemistry
  • Drug Design
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / chemical synthesis*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Oocytes / drug effects
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Rats
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / agonists*
  • Solvents
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Synaptosomes / drug effects
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism
  • Xenopus

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Solvents
  • (alpha-carboxycyclopropyl)glycine
  • cyclopropane