Multi-Target Approach for Drug Discovery against Schizophrenia

Abstract

Polypharmacology is nowadays considered an increasingly crucial aspect in discovering new drugs as a number of original single-target drugs have been performing far behind expectations during the last ten years. In this scenario, multi-target drugs are a promising approach against polygenic diseases with complex pathomechanisms such as schizophrenia. Indeed, second generation or atypical antipsychotics target a number of aminergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) simultaneously. Novel strategies in drug design and discovery against schizophrenia focus on targets beyond the dopaminergic hypothesis of the disease and even beyond the monoamine GPCRs. In particular these approaches concern proteins involved in glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission, challenging the concept of antipsychotic activity without dopamine D2 receptor involvement. Potentially interesting compounds include ligands interacting with glycine modulatory binding pocket on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, positive allosteric modulators of α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, positive allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamatergic receptors, agonists and positive allosteric modulators of α7 nicotinic receptors, as well as muscarinic receptor agonists. In this review we discuss classical and novel drug targets for schizophrenia, cover benefits and limitations of current strategies to design multi-target drugs and show examples of multi-target ligands as antipsychotics, including marketed drugs, substances in clinical trials, and other investigational compounds.

N-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-[3-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H- benzimidazol-1-yl)propyl]piperidine-4-Carboxamide (D2AAK4), a Multi-Target Ligand of Aminergic GPCRs, as a Potential Antipsychotic

“…Administration of one single drug is more convenient, reducing the risk of incorrect dosage or medication noncompliance of more complex dosage regimens. Another benefit would be the eventually fewer side effects [8].…”

In Vitro and In Vivo Models for the Investigation of Potential Drugs Against Schizophrenia

“…Other neurotransmitter systems are also involved in SZ. In particular, changes in serotoninergic neurotransmission may lead to negative and cognitive symptoms of the disease [19,31]. The serotonin hypothesis of SZ is based on the reports about the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its mechanism of action linked to serotonin [32].…”

Molecular Psychiatry: Trends and Study Examples

“…The review by Kondej and colleagues discusses established and novel drug targets for schizophrenia, in particular, the concept of multi-target drugs [17]. This is an increasingly important aspect in drug discovery, also considering the limited success of single-target drugs in polygenic diseases with complex pathomechanisms.…”