Target Engagement of a Phosphodiesterase 2A Inhibitor Affecting Long-Term Memory in the Rat.

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) has been proposed as a potential approach to enhance cognitive functioning and memory through boosting intracellular cGMP/cAMP and enhancing neuroplasticity in memory-related neural circuitry. Previous preclinical studies demonstrated that PDE2A inhibitors could reverse N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (5S,10R)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine or ketamine-induced memory deficit. Here, we report that the potent and selective PDE2A inhibitor 4-(1-azetidinyl)-7-methyl-5-[1-methyl-5-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl]-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]-imidazo[5,1-f][1,2,4]triazine (PF-05180999) enhances long-term memory in a contextual fear conditioning model in the rat at the oral dose of 0.3 mg/kg. Target engagement at this efficacious dose was explored using in vivo autoradiography. Converse to the results of a decrease of PDE2A binding (target occupancy) by the PDE2A inhibitor, a paradoxical increase (up to 40%) in PDE2A binding was detected. However, a typical target occupancy curve could be generated by PF-05180999 at much higher doses. In vitro experiments using recombinant PDE2A protein or rat brain homogenate that contains native PDE2A protein demonstrated that increased cGMP after initial PDE2A inhibition could be responsible for the activation of PDE2A enzyme via allosteric binding to the GAF-B domain, leading to positive cooperativity of the dormant PDE2A enzymes. Our results suggest that when evaluating target engagement of PDE2A inhibitors for memory disorder in clinical setting with occupancy assays, the efficacious dose may not fall on the typical receptor/target curve. On the contrary, an increase in PDE2A tracer binding is likely seen. Our results also suggest that when evaluating target occupancy of enzymes, potential regulation of enzyme activities should be considered.

Identification of 5-(1-Methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)thiophene-2-Carboxamides as Novel and Selective Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors Used to Improve Memory and Cognition.

Initial work in Drosophila and mice demonstrated that the transcription factor cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) is a master control gene for memory formation. The relationship between CREB and memory has also been found to be true in other species, including aplysia and rats. It is thus well-established that CREB activation plays a central role in memory enhancement and that CREB is activated during memory formation. On the basis of these findings, a phenotypic high-throughput screening campaign utilizing a CRE-luciferase (CRE-Luci) SK-N-MC cell line was performed to identify compounds that enhance transcriptional activation of the CRE promoter with a suboptimal dose of forskolin. A number of small-molecule hits of unknown mechanisms of action were identified in the screening campaign, including HT-0411. Follow-up studies suggested that the CREB activation by HT-0411 is attributed to its specific and selective inhibition of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). Further, HT-0411 was shown to improve 24 h memory in rodents in a contextual fear conditioning model. This report describes the lead optimization of a series of 5-(1-methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl) thiophene-2-carboxamides that were identified as novel, potent, and selective inhibitors of MAO-B. Extensive SAR studies and in vivo behavioral evaluations of this and other related analogue series identified a number of potential clinical development candidates; ultimately, compound 8f was identified as a candidate molecule with high selectivity toward MAO-B (29-56 nM) over MAO-A (19% inhibition at a screening concentration of 50 µM), an excellent profile against a panel of other enzymes and receptors, good pharmacokinetic properties in rodents and dogs, and efficacy in multiple rodent memory models.