Probing Fluorinated Motifs onto Dual AChE-MAO B Inhibitors: Rational Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Early-ADME Studies

J Med Chem. 2022 Mar 10;65(5):3962-3977. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01784. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Abstract

Bioisosteric H/F or CH2OH/CF2H replacement was introduced in coumarin derivatives previously characterized as dual AChE-MAO B inhibitors to probe the effects on both inhibitory potency and drug-likeness. Along with in vitro screening, we investigated early-ADME parameters related to solubility and lipophilicity (Sol7.4, CHI7.4, log D7.4), oral bioavailability and central nervous system (CNS) penetration (PAMPA-HDM and PAMPA-blood-brain barrier (BBB) assays, Caco-2 bidirectional transport study), and metabolic liability (half-lives and clearance in microsomes, inhibition of CYP3A4). Both specific and nonspecific tissue toxicities were determined in SH-SY5Y and HepG2 lines, respectively. Compound 15 bearing a -CF2H motif emerged as a water-soluble, orally bioavailable CNS-permeant potent inhibitor of both human AChE (IC50 = 550 nM) and MAO B (IC50 = 8.2 nM, B/A selectivity > 1200). Moreover, 15 behaved as a safe and metabolically stable neuroprotective agent, devoid of cytochrome liability.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors* / pharmacology
  • Dopamine Agents / pharmacology
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Monoamine Oxidase / metabolism
  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
  • Monoamine Oxidase
  • Acetylcholinesterase