Open AccessFurther Advances in Optimizing (2-Phenylcyclopropyl)methylamines as Novel Serotonin 2C Agonists: Effects on Hyperlocomotion, Prepulse Inhibition, and Cognition Models
Author(s) -
Jianjun Cheng,
Patrick M. Giguère,
Claire M. Schmerberg,
Vladimir M. Pogorelov,
Ramona M. Rodriguiz,
Xi Ping Huang,
Hongguang Zhu,
John D. McCorvy,
William C. Wetsel,
Bryan L. Roth,
Alan P. Kozikowski
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of medicinal chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.01
H-Index - 261
eISSN - 1520-4804
pISSN - 0022-2623
DOI - 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01153
Subject(s) - prepulse inhibition , chemistry , amphetamine , pharmacology , agonist , catalepsy , phencyclidine , open field , haloperidol , receptor , neuroscience , psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , dopamine , biochemistry , nmda receptor , medicine , psychiatry
A series of novel compounds with two halogen substituents have been designed and synthesized to further optimize the 2-phenylcyclopropylmethylamine scaffold in the quest for drug-like 5-HT2C agonists. Compound (+)-22a was identified as a potent 5-HT2C receptor agonist, with good selectivity against the 5-HT2B and the 5-HT2A receptors. ADMET assays showed that compound (+)-22a possessed desirable properties in terms of its microsomal stability, and CYP and hERG inhibition, along with an excellent brain penetration profile. Evaluation of (+)-22a in animal models of schizophrenia-related behaviors revealed that it had a desirable activity profile, as it reduced d-amphetamine-stimulated hyperlocomotion in the open field test, it restored d-amphetamine-disrupted prepulse inhibition, it induced cognitive improvements in the novel object recognition memory test in NR1-KD animals, and it produced very little catalepsy relative to haloperidol. These data support the further development of (+)-22a as a drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia.