Discovery of Potent Dual Binding Site Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors via Homo- and Heterodimerization of Coumarin-Based Moieties

摘要

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors still comprise the majority of the marketed drugs for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The structural arrangement of the enzyme, which features a narrow gorge that separates the catalytic and peripheral anionic subsites (CAS and PAS, respectively), inspired the development of bivalent ligands that are able to bind and block the catalytic activity of the CAS as well as the role of the PAS in beta amyloid (A beta) fibrillogenesis. With the aim of discovering novel AChE dual binders with improved drug-likeness, homo- and heterodimers containing 2H-chromen-2-one building blocks were developed. By exploring diverse linkages of neutral and protonatable amino moieties through aliphatic spacers of different length, a nanomolar bivalent AChE inhibitor was identified (3-[2-({4-[(dimethylamino) methyl]-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl} oxy)ethoxy]-6,7-dimethoxy-2H-chromen-2-one (6d), IC50 = 59 nm) from originally weakly active fragments. To assess the potential against AD, the disease-related biological properties of 6d were investigated. It performed mixed-type AChE enzyme kinetics (inhibition constant K-i = 68 nm) and inhibited A beta self-aggregation. Moreover, it displayed an outstanding ability to protect SH-SY5Y cells from A beta(1-42) damage.