Transgenic mice (Tg2576) overexpressing the Swedish mutation of the human amyloid precursor protein display biochemical, pathological, and behavioral markers consistent with many aspects of Alzheimer's disease, including impaired hippocampal function. Impaired, hippocampal-dependent, contextual fear conditioning (CFC) is observed in mice as young as 20 weeks of age. This impairment can be attenuated after treatment before training with the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor rolipram (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.). A rolipram-associated improvement is also observed in the littermate controls, suggesting that the effect of rolipram is independent of -amyloid.
Acute treatment before training (but not after training or before testing) with the ␥-secretase inhibitor (GSI) N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-Lalanyl]-S-phenylglycine-t-butylester (DAPT), at a dose that reduces brain concentrations of -amyloid (100 mg/kg), attenuates the impairment in 20-to 65-week-old Tg2576 mice. Importantly, DAPT had no effect on performance of control littermates. These data are supportive of a role of -amyloid in the impairment of CFC in Tg2576 mice. Furthermore, they suggest that acute treatment with GSI may provide improved cognitive functioning as well as disease-modifying effects in Alzheimer's disease.
The presenilin containing ␥-secretase complex is responsible for the regulated intramembraneous proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), the Notch receptor, and a multitude of other substrates. ␥-Secretase catalyzes the final step in the generation of A 40 and A 42 peptides from APP. Amyloid -peptides (A peptides) aggregate to form neurotoxic oligomers, senile plaques, and congophilic angiopathy, some of the cardinal pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease. Although inhibition of this protease acting on APP may result in potentially therapeutic reductions of neurotoxic A peptides, nonselective inhibition of the enzyme may cause severe adverse events as a result of impaired Notch receptor processing. Here, we report the preclinical pharmacological profile of GSI-953 (begacestat), a novel thiophene sulfonamide ␥-secretase inhibitor (GSI) that selectively inhibits cleavage of APP over Notch. This GSI inhibits A production with low nanomolar potency in cellular and cell-free assays of ␥-secretase function, and displaces a tritiated analog of GSI-953 from enriched ␥-secretase enzyme complexes with similar potency. Cellular assays of Notch cleavage reveal that this compound is approximately 16-fold selective for the inhibition of APP cleavage. In the human APP-overexpressing Tg2576 transgenic mouse, treatment with this orally active compound results in a robust reduction in brain, plasma, and cerebral spinal fluid A levels, and a reversal of contextual fear-conditioning deficits that are correlated with A load. In healthy human volunteers, oral administration of a single dose of GSI-953 produces dosedependent changes in plasma A levels, confirming pharmacodynamic activity of GSI-953 in humans.This research was supported by Wyeth Research. Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at http://jpet.aspetjournals.org.
SAR on HTS hits 1 and 2 led to the potent, Notch-1-sparing GSI 9, which lowered brain Abeta in Tg2576 mice at 100 mg/kg po. Converting the metabolically labile methyl groups in 9 to trifluoromethyl groups afforded the more stable analogue 10, which had improved in vivo potency. Further side chain modification afforded the potent Notch-1-sparing GSI begacestat (5), which was selected for development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
In conclusion, an effective modulator of the AA cascade for the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory diseases may require 5-LO inhibitory activity as well as LTD4 antagonism in order to limit the effects of LTB4, LTD4, and 5-HPETE. The unknown role of LTC4 with respect to bronchoconstriction and mucus production could mask the efficacy of a pure LTD4 antagonist in man, whereas the chemotactic property of LTB4 for eosinophils can contribute to lung inflammation. Indeed, it is observed that the blood of patients with bronchial asthma has increased numbers of hypodense eosinophils. In addition, the formation of lipid-derived peroxide radicals, such as 5-HPETE, are believed to be responsible for various types of cellular injuries associated with the inflammatory disease process. Because inhibition of the CO pathway is thought to explain the therapeutic effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents in rheumatic diseases, a 5-LO inhibitor with CO inhibitory activity may also be desirable profile for an antiasthma agent. The validation of the LT hypothesis of disease had to wait for the demonstration of a clinical effect by either a LTD4 receptor antagonist or a LT synthesis inhibitor (5-LO inhibitor). Only very recently has this evidence become available and it is now apparent that compounds that antagonize LTD4 receptors or inhibit LT synthesis have shown clinical efficacy in a wide range of diseases. Due to the breakthrough nature of this approach, certain of these compounds are being considered for expedited development. The absence of side effects seen in the clinical trials of selective 5-LO inhibitors is gratifying and argues that LTs are not important in homeostasis. Only time will tell whether 5-LO inhibitors will take their place in the therapeutic armamentarium; however, the recent demonstration of clinical efficacy by a number of these compounds is a significant step in this direction.
Development of a large-scale enantioselective synthesis of a lead compound containing a 3-aryl-3-trifluoromethyl-2-aminopropanol core is described. A single isomer of 3,3-disubstituted acrylic acid derivative was prepared via Perkin condensation or Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination, followed by hydrolysis. The acid was converted to a chiral acryloxazolidinone derivative. Hydrogenation of the latter on Pd/C in the presence of MgBr 2 proceeded via a chelation-controlled conformation to yield the desired isomer with high selectivity. Subsequent Evans azidation, hydrogenation, reductive cleavage of the chiral auxiliary, and sulfonylation afforded the target compound as a single isomer in high overall yield.
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