Slow-binding inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by an alkylammonium derivative of 6-methyluracil: mechanism and possible advantages for myasthenia gravis treatment.

Inhibition of human AChE (acetylcholinesterase) and BChE (butyrylcholinesterase) by an alkylammonium derivative of 6-methyluracil, C-547, a potential drug for the treatment of MG (myasthenia gravis) was studied. Kinetic analysis of AChE inhibition showed that C-547 is a slow-binding inhibitor of type B, i.e. after formation of the initial enzyme·inhibitor complex (Ki=140 pM), an induced-fit step allows establishment of the final complex (Ki*=22 pM). The estimated koff is low, 0.05 min(-1) On the other hand, reversible inhibition of human BChE is a fast-binding process of mixed-type (Ki=1.77 µM; Ki'=3.17 µM). The crystal structure of mouse AChE complexed with C-547 was solved at 3.13 Å resolution. The complex is stabilized by cation-π, stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations of the binding/dissociation processes of C-547 and C-35 (a non-charged analogue) to mouse and human AChEs were performed. Molecular modelling on mouse and human AChE showed that the slow step results from an enzyme conformational change that allows C-547 to cross the bottleneck in the active-site gorge, followed by formation of tight complex, as observed in the crystal structure. In contrast, the related non-charged compound C-35 is not a slow-binding inhibitor. It does not cross the bottleneck because it is not sensitive to the electrostatic driving force to reach the bottom of the gorge. Thus C-547 is one of the most potent and selective reversible inhibitors of AChE with a long residence time, τ=20 min, longer than for other reversible inhibitors used in the treatment of MG. This makes C-547 a promising drug for the treatment of this disease.

6-Methyluracil Derivatives as Bifunctional Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Novel 6-methyluracil derivatives with ω-(substituted benzylethylamino)alkyl chains at the nitrogen atoms of the pyrimidine ring were designed and synthesized. The numbers of methylene groups in the alkyl chains were varied along with the electron-withdrawing substituents on the benzyl rings. The compounds are mixed-type reversible inhibitors of cholinesterases, and some of them show remarkable selectivity for human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE), with inhibitory potency in the nanomolar range, more than 10,000-fold higher than that for human butyrylcholinesterase (hBuChE). Molecular modeling studies indicate that these compounds are bifunctional AChE inhibitors, spanning the enzyme active site gorge and binding to its peripheral anionic site (PAS). In vivo experiments show that the 6-methyluracil derivatives are able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), inhibiting brain-tissue AChE. The most potent AChE inhibitor, 3 d (1,3-bis[5-(o-nitrobenzylethylamino)pentyl]-6-methyluracil), was found to improve working memory in scopolamine and transgenic APP/PS1 murine models of Alzheimer's disease, and to significantly decrease the number and area of ß-amyloid peptide plaques in the brain.

Tunable biomimetic systems based on a novel amphiphilic pyrimidinophane and a helper nonionic surfactant.

Tunable nanosystems based on a novel water insoluble pyrimidinic amphiphile are designed. pH dependent aggregates composed of protonated pyrimidinophane 1 are formed at pH<4, which undergo reversible transition to precipitate at neutral and basic conditions. The approach assuming the application of a helper nonionic surfactant Triton-X-100 (TX-100) is used in this work. Different models of a self-assembly were found depending on the molar ratio of components and solution pH. In the equimolar 1-TX-100 solution, mixed assemblies contributed by aggregated molecules of both TX-100 and cationic form of 1 are formed in acidic conditions. Upon alkalization, deprotonated pyrimidinophane molecules shift toward the micellar core. The assemblies undergo reversible precipitation after 4-5h, while the excess of TX-100 leads to the formation of highly stable mixed aggregates. The acidification-alkalization cycles followed by the aggregation/precipitation and the re-charging of aggregates can be multiply repeated. Surprisingly, stable mixed aggregates are also formed under the excess of pyrimidinophane in both the acidic and alkaline conditions, but at a certain component ratio. They are characterized by the highest micellization degree among all the systems studied. The low concentration threshold of these assemblies in alkali solution is probably due to their nonionic character.

Effect of tissue-specific acetylcholinesterase inhibitor C-547 on α3ß4 and αßεδ acetylcholine receptors in COS cells.

The C-547 is the most effective muscle and tissue-specific anticholinesterase among alkylammonium derivatives of 6-methyluracil (ADEMS) acting in nanomolar concentrations on locomotor muscles but not on respiratory muscles, smooth muscles and heart and brain acetylcholine esterases (AChE). When applied systematically it could influence peripheral acetylcholine receptors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of C-547 on rat α3ß4 (ganglionic type) and αßεδ (muscle type) nicotinic receptors expressed in COS cells. Currents evoked by rapid application of acetylcholine or nicotine were recorded in whole-cell mode by electrophysiological patch-clamp technique 2-4 days after cell transfection by plasmids coding the α3ß4 or αßεδ combination of receptor subunits. In cells sensitive to acetylcholine, the application of C-547 evoked no responses. When acetylcholine was applied during an already running application of C-547, acetylcholine responses were only inhibited at concentrations higher than 10(-7)M. This inhibition is not voltage-dependent, but is accompanied by an increased rate of desensitization. Thus in both types of receptors, effective doses are approximately 100 times higher than those inhibiting AChE in leg muscles and similar to those inhibiting respiratory diaphragm muscles and external intercostal muscles. These observations show that C-547 can be considered for symptomatic treatment of myasthenia gravis and other congenital myasthenic syndromes as an inhibitor of AChE in leg muscles at concentrations much lower than those inhibiting muscle and ganglion types of acetylcholine receptors.

Antimicrobial activity of pyrimidinophanes with thiocytosine and uracil moieties.

Reactions of pyrimidinophanes with two 6-methylthiocytosine and one 5(6)-alkyluracil moieties bridged with each other by polymethylene spacers with methyl or nonyl p-toluenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonate and trifluorosulfonate afforded amphiphilic macrocyclic bis-p-toluene-, methane- and trifluorosulfonates. Despite the presence of several reaction centers in the initial pyrimidinophane molecules, protonation and methylation occurred only at the N(1) atom (with quaternization) of the 6-methylthiocytosine moieties. The bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity of the products was estimated. Macrocyclic tosylates exhibit a remarkable selectivity towards Staphylococcus aureus, with MIC values comparable with a reference drug. Bacteriostatic activity of the amphiphilic pyrimidinophanes depends on the size of the macrocycles, and the highest activity corresponds to definite lengths of polymethylene bridges. Besides, the antimicrobial activity of the screened pyrimidine derivatives depends on their topology. While macrocyclic tosylates are more active against bacteria than against fungi, acyclic tosylate with the same structural fragments shows a dramatical decrease of MIC towards mold and yeast with respect to the corresponding macrocycle. It is found that macrocyclic and acyclic tosylates in high dilutions decrease the extracellular lipase activity.

Novel bolaamphiphilic pyrimidinophane as building block for design of nanosized supramolecular systems with concentration-dependent structural behavior.

A new macrocyclic bolaamphiphile with thiocytosine fragments in the molecule (B1) has been synthesized and advanced as perspective platform for the design of soft supramolecular systems. Strong concentration-dependent structural behavior is observed in the water-DMF (20% vol) solution of B1 as revealed by methods of tensiometry, conductometry, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. Two breakpoints are observed in the surface tension isotherms. The first one, around 0.002 M, is identified as a critical micelle concentration (cmc), whereas the second critical concentration of 0.01 M is a turning point between the two models of the association involved. Large aggregates of ca. 200 nm are mostly formed beyond the cmc, whereas small micelle-like aggregates exist above 0.01 M. The growth of aggregates between these critical points occurs, resulting in a gel-like behavior. An unusual decrease in the solution pH with concentration takes place, which is assumed to originate from the steric hindrance around the B1 head groups. Because of controllable structural behavior, B1 is assumed to be a candidate for the development of biomimetic catalysts, nanocontainers, drug and gene carriers, etc.

Different sensitivities of rat skeletal muscles and brain to novel anti-cholinesterase agents, alkylammonium derivatives of 6-methyluracil (ADEMS).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The rat respiratory muscle diaphragm has markedly lower sensitivity than the locomotor muscle extensor digitorum longus (EDL) to the new acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, alkylammonium derivatives of 6-methyluracil (ADEMS). This study evaluated several possible reasons for differing sensitivity between the diaphragm and limb muscles and between the muscles and the brain. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Increased amplitude and prolonged decay time of miniature endplate currents were used to assess anti-cholinesterase activity in muscles. In hippocampal slices, induction of synchronous network activity was used to follow cholinesterase inhibition. The inhibitor sensitivities of purified AChE from the EDL and brain were also estimated. KEY RESULTS: The intermuscular difference in sensitivity to ADEMS is partly explained caused by a higher level of mRNA and activity of 1,3-bis[5(diethyl-o-nitrobenzylammonium)pentyl]-6-methyluracildibromide (C-547)-resistant BuChE in the diaphragm. Moreover, diaphragm AChE was more than 20 times less sensitive to C-547 than that from the EDL. Sensitivity of the EDL to C-547 dramatically decreased after treadmill exercises that increased the amount of PRiMA AChE(G4), but not ColQ AChE(A12) molecular forms. The A12 form present in muscles appeared more sensitive to C-547. The main form of AChE in brain, PRiMA AChE(G4), was apparently less sensitive because brain cholinesterase activity was almost three orders of magnitude more resistant to C-547 than that of the EDL. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that ADEMS compounds could be used for the selective inhibition of AChEs and as potential therapeutic tools.

Preferential protonation and methylation site of thiopyrimidine derivatives in solution: NMR data.

Protonation (alkylation) sites of several thiopyrimidine derivatives were directly determined by 1H-15N (1H-13C) heteronuclear single quantum coherence/heteronuclear multiple bond correlation methods, and it was found that in all compounds, protonation (methylation) occurred at the N1 nitrogen. GIAO DFT chemical shifts were in full agreement with the determined tautomeric structures. According to ab initio calculations, the stability of the different protonated forms and methylated derivatives was favored due to thermodynamic control and not kinetic control.

Nanoreactors based on amphiphilic uracilophanes: self-organization and reactivity study.

New amphiphilic pyrimidinic macrocycles (APMs) with two (APM-1) and three (APM-2) decyl tails have been synthesized by quaternization of the bridged N. Complex examination of the APM-based systems with the help of tensiometry, conductometry, dynamic light scattering, and UV and NMR spectroscopy provides evidence for their aggregation. Calculations based on surface tension isotherms and on packing parameter considerations make it possible to assume a lamellar packing of macrocycles when aggregating. Marked differences in the aggregation behavior of APM-1 and APM-2 have been found. The additives of polyethylenimine (PEI) exert little influence on the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of APM-1, while in the APM-2/PEI systems there occurs a pronounced decrease in the cmc and also a ca. 2-fold decrease in the surface area per molecule. The APM-based assemblies are explored as nanoreactors for the hydrolysis of O-alkyl O-p-nitrophenyl (chloromethyl)phosphonates (alkyl = ethyl, hexyl). The kinetic study reveals a minor rate effect of the APM-1-based systems. In the APM-2-based systems an acceleration of the hydrolysis of both phosphonates occurs as compared to the uncatalyzed process. Within the APM-2 --> APM-2/PEI --> APM-2/PEI/La(III) series, due to the cooperative contributions of the supramolecular, polymer, and homogeneous catalysis, an increase in the catalytic effect is observed from 30 times to 3 orders of magnitude as compared to that of the basic hydrolysis of the substrates.

Genotoxicity study of a new tetraalkylammonium derivative of 6-methyluracil (agent No. 547).

Agent No. 547 (1,3-bis[omega-(diethyl-ortho-nitrobenzylammonio)-pentyl]-6-methyluracil dibromide), a newly synthesized inhibitor of mammalian-specific acetyltcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) was investigated for genotoxicity using the DNA-repair test, Ames test and in vivo micronucleus test with mouse peripheral blood erythrocytes. Agent No. 547 did not cause significant changes in growth of repair-deficient Escherichia coli tester strains. The compound was non-mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 with and without rat microsomal activation mixture. However, we observed a marked increase in number of His(+) revertants for both tester strains in preincubation assays. The results obtained in the micronucleus test indicate that agent No. 547 possesses significant clastogenic activity. At the high dose tested (0.5 mg/kg), the compound induced a seven-fold increase in the number of micronuclei over the spontaneous background 48 h after treatment. The results suggest that further work should be promoted to identify the metabolic pathways involved in genotoxicity of agent No. 547 in mammalian cells and to evaluate the real risk of its exposure.