RESUMO
Starting from six potential hits identified in a virtual screening campaign directed to a cryptic pocket of BACE-1, at the edge of the catalytic cleft, we have synthesized and evaluated six hybrid compounds, designed to simultaneously reach BACE-1 secondary and catalytic sites and to exert additional activities of interest for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have identified a lead compound with potent in vitro activity towards human BACE-1 and cholinesterases, moderate Aß42 and tau antiaggregating activity, and brain permeability, which is nontoxic in neuronal cells and zebrafish embryos at concentrations above those required for the in vitro activities. This compound completely restored short- and long-term memory in a mouse model of AD (SAMP8) relative to healthy control strain SAMR1, shifted APP processing towards the non-amyloidogenic pathway, reduced tau phosphorylation, and increased the levels of synaptic proteins PSD95 and synaptophysin, thereby emerging as a promising disease-modifying, cognition-enhancing anti-AD lead.
Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer/tratamento farmacológico , Aminoquinolinas/farmacologia , Secretases da Proteína Precursora do Amiloide/antagonistas & inibidores , Ácido Aspártico Endopeptidases/antagonistas & inibidores , Compostos Heterocíclicos de 4 ou mais Anéis/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Doença de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Aminoquinolinas/síntese química , Aminoquinolinas/química , Secretases da Proteína Precursora do Amiloide/metabolismo , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/antagonistas & inibidores , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Ácido Aspártico Endopeptidases/metabolismo , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos , Compostos Heterocíclicos de 4 ou mais Anéis/síntese química , Compostos Heterocíclicos de 4 ou mais Anéis/química , Humanos , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Estrutura Molecular , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/síntese química , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Proteínas tau/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas tau/metabolismoRESUMO
The structures of melatonin and ferulic acid were merged into tertiary amide-based histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitors to develop multi-target-directed inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases to incorporate antioxidant effects without losing affinity and selectivity at HDAC6. Structure-activity relationships led to compound 10b as a hybrid molecule showing pronounced and selective inhibition of HDAC6 (IC50 = 30.7 nM, > 25-fold selectivity over other subtypes). This compound shows comparable DPPH radical scavenging ability to ferulic acid, comparable ORAC value to melatonin and comparable Cu2+ chelating ability to EDTA. It also lacks neurotoxicity on HT-22 cells, exhibits a pronounced immunomodulatory effect, and is active in vivo showing significantly higher efficacy in an AD mouse model to prevent both Aß25-35-induced spatial working and long-term memory dysfunction at lower dose (0.3 mg/kg) compared to positive control HDAC6 inhibitor ACY1215 and an equimolar mixture of the three entities ACY1215, melatonin and ferulic acid, suggesting potentially disease-modifying properties.