Cytochrome P450 binding studies of novel tacrine derivatives: Predicting the risk of hepatotoxicity. Issue 11 (1st June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McEneny-King, Alanna; Osman, Wesseem; Edginton, Andrea N.; Rao, Praveen P.N.
• Is Part Of: Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters. Volume 27:Issue 11(2017)
• Page Start: 2443
• Page End: 2449
• Publication Date: 2017-06-01
• Subjects: Cholinesterase inhibitors -- Tacrine -- Hepatotoxicity -- Cytochrome P450 -- CYP1A2 -- CYP3A4 -- Molecular docking -- 3, 4-Dimethoxybenzylamino; Bioorganic chemistry -- Periodicals; Pharmaceutical chemistry -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.04.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-894X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: The 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroacridine derivative tacrine was the first drug approved to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is known to act as a potent cholinesterase inhibitor. However, tacrine was removed from the market due to its hepatotoxicity concerns as it undergoes metabolism to toxic quinonemethide species through the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP1A2. Despite these challenges, tacrine serves as a useful template in the development of novel multi-targeting anti-AD agents. In this regard, we sought to evaluate the risk of hepatotoxicity in a series of C9 substituted tacrine derivatives that exhibit cholinesterase inhibition properties. The hepatotoxic potential of tacrine derivatives was evaluated using recombinant cytochrome (CYP) P450 CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 enzymes. Molecular docking studies were conducted to predict their binding modes and potential risk of forming hepatotoxic metabolites. Tacrine derivatives compound1 ( N -(3, 4-dimethoxybenzyl)-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroacridin-9-amine) and2 (6-chloro- N -(3, 4-dimethoxybenzyl)-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroacridin-9-amine) which possess a C9 3, 4-dimethoxybenzylamino substituent exhibited weak binding to CYP1A2 enzyme (1, IC50 = 33.0 µM;2, IC50 = 8.5 µM) compared to tacrine (CYP1A2 IC50 = 1.5 µM). Modeling studies show that the presence of a bulky 3, 4-dimethoxybenzylamino C9 substituent prevents the orientation of the 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroacridine ring close to the heme-iron center of CYP1A2 thereby reducing the risk of forming hepatotoxic species.