Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) are manifested by inclusion bodies of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) also called α-synucleinopathies. Detection of these inclusions is thus far only possible by histological examination of postmortem brain tissue. The possibility of non-invasively detecting α-syn will therefore provide valuable insights into the disease progression of α-synucleinopathies. In particular, α-syn imaging can quantify changes in monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillic α-syn over time and improve early diagnosis of various α-synucleinopathies or monitor treatment progress. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive in vivo imaging technique that can quantify target expression and drug occupancies when a suitable tracer exists. As such, novel α-syn PET tracers are highly sought after. The development of an α-syn PET tracer faces several challenges. For example, the low abundance of α-syn within the brain necessitates the development of a high-affinity ligand. Moreover, α-syn depositions are, in contrast to amyloid proteins, predominantly localized intracellularly, limiting their accessibility. Furthermore, another challenge is the ligand selectivity over structurally similar amyloids such as amyloid-beta or tau, which are often co-localized with α-syn pathology. The lack of a defined crystal structure of α-syn has also hindered rational drug and tracer design efforts. Our objective for this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current efforts in the development of selective α-syn PET tracers.

Precision antisense antibacterial agents may be developed into novel antibiotics in the fight against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, a series of diaminobutanoic acid (DAB) dendrons are presented as novel carriers for the delivery of antisense antibacterial peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). The dendron–PNA conjugates targeting the essential acpP gene exhibit specific antisense antimicrobial bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at one-digit micromolar concentrations, while showing low toxicity to human cells. One compound selected from a structure–activity relationship series showed high stability in mouse and human serum ( t 1/2 ≫ 24 h) as well as in vivo activity against a multidrug-resistant, extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli in a murine peritonitis model. The compound was also well tolerated in mice upon i.v. administration up to a dose of 20 mg/kg, and in vivo fluorescence imaging indicated clearance via renal excretion with slight accumulation in the kidneys and liver. Thus, DAB-based dendrons constitute a promising new chemistry platform for development of effective delivery agents for antibacterial drugs with possible in vivo use.

σ-1 receptors (σ 1 R) modulate nociceptive signaling, driving the search for selective antagonists to take advantage of this promising target to treat pain. In this study, a new series of benzylpiperazinyl derivatives has been designed, synthesized, and characterized for their affinities toward σ 1 R and selectivity over the σ-2 receptor (σ 2 R). Notably, 3-cyclohexyl-1-{4-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl]piperazin-1-yl}propan-1-one ( 15 ) showed the highest σ 1 R receptor affinity ( K i σ 1 = 1.6 nM) among the series with a significant improvement of the σ 1 R selectivity ( K i σ 2 / K i σ 1 = 886) compared to the lead compound 8 ( K i σ 2 / K i σ 1 = 432). Compound 15 was further tested in a mouse formalin assay of inflammatory pain and chronic nerve constriction injury (CCI) of neuropathic pain, where it produced dose-dependent (3–60 mg/kg, i.p.) antinociception and anti-allodynic effects. Moreover, compound 15 demonstrated no significant effects in a rotarod assay, suggesting that this σ 1 R antagonist did not produce sedation or impair locomotor responses. Overall, these results encourage the further development of our benzylpiperazine-based σ 1 R antagonists as potential therapeutics for chronic pain.

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