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Biomedical subjects

A Fink-Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to A Fink-Jensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The muscarinic receptor agonist BuTAC, a novel potential antipsychotic, does not impair learning and memory in mouse passive avoidance.

(5R,6R)-6-(3-butylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane) (BuTAC) is a novel, selective muscarinic receptor ligand with partial agonist mode of action at muscarinic M2 and M4 and antagonist mode of action at M1, M3 and M5 receptor subtypes in cloned cell lines. BuTAC exhibits functional dopamine receptor antagonism despite its lack of affinity for dopamine receptors, and parasympathomimetic effects in mice are produced only at doses well beyond the doses exhibiting the antipsychotic-like effects. In the present study we investigated the effects of BuTAC and the antipsychotic compounds clozapine, sertindole and olanzapine using one trial passive avoidance with mice as a model of learning and memory. Pharmacologically relevant doses of BuTAC and reference antipsychotics were identified, based on inhibition of apomorphine-induced climbing in mice as an assay measuring antidopaminergic potency. When ratios between the minimum effective dose (MED) for impairment of retention in passive avoidance and the MED for inhibition of apomorphine-induced climbing were calculated, BuTAC displayed a high ratio of >10, compared with clozapine (0.3), sertindole (3) and olanzapine (3). These data suggest that BuTAC is a potential novel antipsychotic which may have favourable effects on aspects of learning and memory.

Animals↗

Muscarinic receptor agonists decrease cocaine self-administration rates in drug-naive mice.

(5R,6R)-6-(3-Propylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[ 3.2.1]octane (PTAC) is a selective muscarinic receptor ligand. The compound exhibits high affinity for central muscarinic receptors with partial agonist mode of action at muscarinic M(2) and M(4) and antagonist mode of action at muscarinic M(1), M(3) and M(5) receptor subtypes. The compound was earlier reported to exhibit functional dopamine receptor antagonism in rodents despite its lack of affinity for dopamine receptors. In the present study, we report that PTAC, as well as the muscarinic receptor agonists pilocarpine and oxotremorine, dose-dependently decreased rates of intravenous self-administration (fixed ratio 1) of the indirect dopamine receptor agonist cocaine in drug naive mice. Similar decreases in cocaine self-administration rates were obtained with the dopamine receptor antagonists olanzapine, clozapine, risperidone, fluphenazine and haloperidol. These findings suggest that compounds with partial muscarinic receptor agonist mode of action may be used in the medical treatment of cocaine abuse.

Animals↗

Xanomeline, an M(1)/M(4) preferring muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist, produces antipsychotic-like activity in rats and mice.

Xanomeline is an M(1)/M(4) preferring muscarinic receptor agonist which decreased psychotic behaviors in patients with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that xanomeline might be useful in the treatment of psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of the present studies was, therefore, to compare the pharmacologic profile of xanomeline with that of known antipsychotic drugs. Electrophysiologically, xanomeline, after both acute and chronic administration in rats, inhibited A10 but not A9 dopamine cells in a manner which was blocked by the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine. Behaviorally, xanomeline, like haloperidol, clozapine and olanzapine, blocked dopamine agonist-induced turning in unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, as well as apomorphine-induced climbing in mice. However, unlike the dopamine antagonist antipsychotic haloperidol, xanomeline did not produce catalepsy in rats. Moreover, xanomeline, like haloperidol, clozapine and olanzapine, inhibited conditioned avoidance responding in rats, an effect which also was blocked by scopolamine. The present results thus demonstrate that xanomeline has a pharmacologic profile which is similar to that of the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine, thus indicating that xanomeline has the potential to be a novel approach in the treatment of psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Intravenous scopolamine is potently self-administered in drug-naive mice.

Scopolamine self-administration was investigated in an acute model using drug-naive mice. The mice could self-administer intravenous infusions contingent on nose poking and were tested in pairs using a contingent and a yoked control mouse. Upon nose poking of the contingent mouse, both mice received an intravenous infusion of either saline or scopolamine (fixed ratio 1). An inverted U-shaped unit dose-response curve was seen with the contingent mice. The unit dose at which nose poking of the contingent mice peaked (mean 375 per 30 min) was 0.1 mg/kg/infusion. Nose poking of yoked control mice also increased dose dependently, but it was significantly lower than that of the contingent mice. The apparent scopolamine-induced dose-dependent hyperactivity was, however, unlikely in itself to form the entire basis for the increase in nose poking of the contingent mice. The results demonstrate that scopolamine has acute and reinforcing properties in drug naive mice.

Analysis of Variance↗

Novel pharmacological approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disease that affects the human population worldwide with an incidence of about 1%. Over the last decades basic and clinical research has considerably increased our understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, as well as the mechanism of action of antipsychotic compounds (neuroleptics), and new atypical neuroleptics with equipotent or improved antipsychotic effects and fewer motoric side effects have been developed. However, the pharmacological intervention does not effectively treat all the symptoms of the disease, and there is still a need for new, more effective antipsychotic compounds. Studies of brain function have demonstrated a reduced activation of prefrontal cortical areas during cognitive tasks in schizophrenics. It is hypothesized, that this hypofrontality is associated with a reduced dopaminergic tonus in the prefrontal cortex, which subsequently causes the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as apathy and social withdraw. It has also been suggested, that increased dopaminergic activity in striatal areas is related to the wellknown positive schizophrenic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations. The present thesis addresses the regional effects of prototypical and atypical neuroleptics on nerve cell activity and dopaminergic tonus in three rat brain areas with special relevance for the pharmacological effects of neuroleptics. Finally, new pharmacological approaches to the medical treatment of schizophrenia are suggested based on our experimental results. Initially, the effects of the prototypical neuroleptic haloperidol and the atypical neuroleptic clozapine on nerve cell activity in the rat forebrain were investigated by measuring the regional expression of the Fos protein. The Fos protein is regarded as a marker of cellular activity and was measured by use of immunohistochemical techniques i) in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), probably involved in the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, ii) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), probably involved in the positive symptoms of schizophrenia and iii) in the dorsolateral striatum (DLSt), most likely involved in the motoric side effects of neuroleptics. Clozapine increases Fos protein immunoreactivity in the PFC with no or minimal effects in the DLSt. In contrast, haloperidol increases Fos protein immunoreactivity in the DLSt with minor effect in the PFC. Other atypical neuroleptics (risperidone, sertindole and NNC 22-0031) induced a Fos protein expression pattern different from haloperidol: The atypical compounds exhibit a larger ratio between Fos protein expression in PFC and DLSt than measured for haloperidol. These results are in accordance with the reported beneficial effects of clozapine, risperidone and sertindole on negative symptoms of schizophrenia and their lower degree of motoric side effects compared to haloperidol. All neuroleptics induced Fos protein immunoreactivity in the NAc, in accordance with their ability to reduce positive psychotic symptoms in schizophrenics. The microdialysis technique was used to investigate the regional dopaminergic effects of the above mentioned antipsychotic compounds by measuring interstitial levels of the dopamine metabolite dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ([DOPAC]i) in PFC, NAc and DLSt. All antipsychotics tested increased [DOPAC]i in the NAc, whereas the atypical antipsychotics clozapine, risperidone, sertindole and NNC 22-0031--in contrast to haloperidol--preferentially increased [DOPAC]i in PFC compared to DLSt. Also these results are in concordance with the clinical effects of clozapine, risperidone, sertindole and haloperidol and support the hypothesis that reduced dopaminergic tone in the prefrontal cortex relates to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. All clinically efficacious neuroleptics block central dopamine D2 receptors, which include the dopamine D2, D3 and D4 receptor subtypes. The present thesis characterizes a dopamine D3 receptor agonist, cis-OH-PBZI.

Animals↗

Potential role of muscarinic receptors in schizophrenia.

The role of muscarinic receptors in schizophrenia was investigated using the muscarinic agonist PTAC. PTAC was highly selective for muscarinic receptors, was a partial agonist at muscarinic M2/M4 receptors and an antagonist at M1, M3 and M5 receptors. PTAC was highly active in animal models predictive of antipsychotic behavior including inhibition of conditioned avoidance responding in rats and blockade of apomorphine-induced climbing behavior in mice. d-Amphetamine-induced Fos expression in rat nucleus accumbens was inhibited by PTAC, thus directly demonstrating the ability of PTAC to modulate DA activity. In electrophysiological studies in rats, PTAC acutely inhibited the firing of A10 DA cells and after chronic administration decreased the number of spontaneously firing DA cells in the A10 brain area. However, PTAC did not appreciably alter the firing of A9 DA cells. Thus, PTAC appears to have novel antipsychotic-like activity and these data suggest that muscarinic compounds such as PTAC may represent a new class of antipsychotic agents.

Animals↗

N-Acetylaspartate distribution in rat brain striatum during acute brain ischemia.

Brain N-acetylaspartate (NAA) can be quantified by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and is used in clinical settings as a marker of neuronal density. It is, however, uncertain whether the change in brain NAA content in acute stroke is reliably measured by 1H-MRS and how NAA is distributed within the ischemic area. Rats were exposed to middle cerebral artery occlusion. Preischemic values of [NAA] in striatum were 11 mmol/L by 1H-MRS and 8 mmol/kg by HPLC. The methods showed a comparable reduction during the 8 hours of ischemia. The interstitial level of [NAA] ([NAA]e) was determined by microdialysis using [3H]NAA to assess in vivo recovery. After induction of ischemia, [NAA]e increased linearly from 70 micromol/L to a peak level of 2 mmol/L after 2 to 3 hours before declining to 0.7 mmol/L at 7 hours. For comparison, [NAA]e was measured in striatum during global ischemia, revealing that [NAA]e increased linearly to 4 mmol/L after 3 hours and this level was maintained for the next 4 h. From the change in in vivo recovery of the interstitial space volume marker [14C]mannitol, the relative amount of NAA distributed in the interstitial space was calculated to be 0.2% of the total brain NAA during normal conditions and only 2 to 6% during ischemia. It was concluded that the majority of brain NAA is intracellularly located during ischemia despite large increases of interstitial [NAA]. Thus, MR quantification of NAA during acute ischemia reflects primarily changes in intracellular levels of NAA.

Acute Disease↗

Muscarinic receptor agonists, like dopamine receptor antagonist antipsychotics, inhibit conditioned avoidance response in rats.

The purpose of our studies was to determine the effects of muscarinic receptor agonists on conditioned avoidance responding in the rat. Rats were trained to avoid or escape an electric shock delivered to the feet in a discrete trial procedure. The muscarinic receptor agonists pilocarpine and [2-ethyl-8-methyl-2,8-diazaspiro(4. 5)decane-1,3-dione] hydrochloride (RS86) and the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine all decreased the percentage of avoidance responses at doses that produced less than approximately 30% response failures. Similar results were obtained with the antipsychotic drugs haloperidol, trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, and clozapine. However, the benzodiazepine anxiolytic diazepam did not decrease avoidance responding up to doses that produced ataxia. On the other hand, oxotremorine and arecoline decreased avoidance responding only by producing response failures, whereas aceclidine produced intermediate changes. The muscarinic receptor antagonists scopolamine, trihexyphenidyl, and benztropine were without effect when administered alone but antagonized the decreases in avoidance responding produced by pilocarpine and RS86. Scopolamine had little effect on the decreases in avoidance responding produced by haloperidol. The newer muscarinic receptor partial agonists or agonist/antagonists [R-(Z)-(+)-alpha-(methoxyimino)-1-azabicyclo[2.2. 2]octane-3-acetonitrile] hydrochloride, talsaclidine, milameline, and xanomeline also produced dose-related decreases in avoidance responding. Our results demonstrate that muscarinic receptor agonists can decrease avoidance responding in a manner similar to dopamine-receptor antipsychotic drugs, suggesting that muscarinic receptor agonists may provide an alternative approach to the treatment of psychosis.

Animals↗

Muscarinic agonists exhibit functional dopamine antagonism in unilaterally 6-OHDA lesioned rats.

(5R,6R) 6-(3-propylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oc tane (PTAC) is a selective muscarinic ligand with high affinity for central muscarinic receptors, agonist mode of action at the muscarinic M2 and M4 receptor subtypes and substantially less or no affinity for central dopamine receptors. In the present study PTAC, as well as the muscarinic agonists oxotremorine, RS86 and pilocarpine, inhibited dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonist induced contralateral rotation in unilaterally 6-OHDA lesioned rats. The dose of SKF 38393 used to induce contralateral rotation also caused an intense Fos protein immunoreactivity in the rat dorsolateral striatum on the lesioned site which was inhibited by PTAC indicating that the inhibition of rotation by PTAC was not due to non-specific peripheral side effects.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗

Muscarinic agonists with antipsychotic-like activity: structure-activity relationships of 1,2,5-thiadiazole analogues with functional dopamine antagonist activity.

Muscarinic agonists were tested in two models indicative of clinical antipsychotic activity: conditioned avoidance responding (CAR) in rats and inhibition of apomorphine-induced climbing in mice. The standard muscarinic agonists oxotremorine and pilocarpine were both active in these tests but showed little separation between efficacy and cholinergic side effects. Structure-activity relationships of the alkylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazole azacyclic type muscarinic partial agonists are shown, revealing the exo-6-(3-propyl/butylthio-1,2, 5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane analogues (4a,b and 9a, b) to be the most potent antipsychotic agents with large separation between efficacy and cholinergic side effects. The lack of enantiomeric selectivity suggests the pharmacophoric elements are in the mirror plane of the compounds. A model explaining the potency differences of closely related compounds is offered. The data suggest that muscarinic agonists act as functional dopamine antagonists and that they could become a novel treatment of psychotic patients.

Animals↗

Identification of side chains on 1,2,5-thiadiazole-azacycles optimal for muscarinic m1 receptor activation.

Series of analogs to the functional m1 selective agonist, xanomeline (hexyloxy-TZTP), were evaluated for their in vitro m1 efficacy in cell lines transfected with the human m1 receptor. Systematic variation of the side chain and the azacyclic ring led to the discovery of potent muscarinic agonists with robust m1 efficacy, all having the phenylpropargyloxy/thio as the side chain. The most selective compound was the phenylpropargylthio-[3.2.1] endo analog 28, which is a potent and efficacious m1 agonist with no m2 activity.

Animals↗

Unexpected antipsychotic-like activity with the muscarinic receptor ligand (5R,6R)6-(3-propylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane .

(5R,6R)6-(3-propylthio-1,2,5-thiadiazol-4-yl)-1-azabicyclo[3 .2.1]octane (PTAC) is a potent muscarinic receptor ligand with high affinity for central muscarinic receptors and no or substantially less affinity for a large number of other receptors or binding sites including dopamine receptors. The ligand exhibits partial agonist effects at muscarinic M2 and M4 receptors and antagonist effects at muscarinic M1, M3 and M5 receptors. PTAC inhibited conditioned avoidance responding, dopamine receptor agonist-induced behavior and D-amphetamine-induced FOS protein M5 expression in the nucleus accumbens without inducing catalepsy, tremor or salivation at pharmacologically relevant doses. The effect of PTAC on conditioned avoidance responding and dopamine receptor agonist-induced behavior was antagonized by the acetylcholine receptor antagonist scopolamine. The compound selectively inhibited dopamine cell firing (acute administration) as well as the number of spontaneously active dopamine cells (chronic administration) in the limbic ventral tegmental area (A10) relative to the non-limbic substantia nigra, pars compacta (A9). The results demonstrate that PTAC exhibits functional dopamine receptor antagonism despite its lack of affinity for the dopamine receptors and indicate that muscarinic receptor partial agonists may be an important new approach in the medical treatment of schizophrenia.

Animals↗

Xanomeline compared to other muscarinic agents on stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in vivo and other cholinomimetic effects.

Activation of muscarinic m1 receptors which are coupled to the phosphoinositide (PI) second messenger transduction system is the initial objective of cholinergic replacement therapy in Alzheimer's disease. Thus, we evaluated the ability of the selective muscarinic receptor agonist (SMRA) xanomeline to stimulate in vivo phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and compared it to a number of direct acting muscarinic agonists, two cholinesterase inhibitors and a putative m1 agonist/muscarinic m2 antagonist. Using a radiometric technique, it was determined that administration of xanomeline robustly stimulated in vivo PI hydrolysis and the effect was blocked by muscarinic antagonists, demonstrating mediation by muscarinic receptors. The non-selective muscarinic agonists pilocarpine, oxotremorine, RS-86, S-aceclidine, but not the less active isomer R-aceclidine, also effectively stimulated PI hydrolysis in mice. Amongst the putative m1 agonists, thiopilocarpine, hexylthio-TZTP as well as xanomeline effectively stimulated PI hydrolysis, but milameline, WAL 2014, SKB 202026 and PD 142505 did not significantly alter PI hydrolysis. Furthermore, WAL 2014 and SKB 202026 inhibited agonist-induced PI stimulation, suggesting that they act as antagonists at PI-coupled receptors in vivo. The cholinesterase inhibitors, tacrine and physostigmine, and the mixed muscarinic m1 agonist/m2 antagonist LU25-109 did not activate in vivo PI hydrolysis. Xanomeline, hexylthio-TZTP and thiopilocarpine were relatively free of cholinergic side effects, whereas milameline, WAL 2014 and SKB 202026 produced non-selective effects. Therefore, these data demonstrate that xanomeline selectively activates in vivo PI hydrolysis, consistent with activation of biochemical processes involved in memory and cognition and xanomeline's beneficial clinical effects on cognition in Alzheimers patients.

Animals↗

Effects of the M1 agonist xanomeline on processing of human beta-amyloid precursor protein (FAD, Swedish mutant) transfected into Chinese hamster ovary-m1 cells.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding human beta-amyloid precursor protein familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) Swedish mutant (beta APPSM) form was cloned into a mammalian expression vector (PK255) containing the CMV promoter. The vector was transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells containing human muscarinic m1 receptors (CHO-m1), and clonal cells stably expressing beta APPSM were isolated. The effects of m1-receptor activation by the selective m1 agonist xanomeline and the non-selective muscarinic agonist carbachol on processing of beta APPSM to release soluble APP (APPs) and beta-amyloid peptide (A beta) were compared. Xanomeline stimulated APP release with a potency 1000-fold greater than that observed for carbachol. Concentrations of carbachol and xanomeline producing maximal effects on APPs release reduced the secretion of A beta by 28 and 46%, respectively. These results extend previous studies with xanomeline and suggest that cholinergic replacement therapy for Alzheimer's disease may reduce amyloid deposition.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Behavioral and neurochemical effects of the preferential dopamine D3 receptor agonist cis-8-OH-PBZI.

In the present study we investigated the in vivo pharmacological profile of the benz[e]indole cis-8-hydroxy-3-(n-propyl)],2,3a,4,5,9b-hexahydro-1H-benz[e]indole (cis-8-OH-PBZI), which has been described as a preferential dopamine D3 receptor agonist in vitro. The compound inhibited spontaneous locomotor activity in mice, an effect which was antagonized by the dopamine D3 receptor antagonist 5,6-dimethoxy-2-(di-u-propylamino) indan (U99194A). Moreover, cis-8-OH-PBZI inhibited conditioned avoidance responding in rats, a preclinical test indicative of antipsychotic efficacy, at doses which did not induce catalepsy. Doses of cis-8-OH-PBZI (6 and 12 mg/kg) that inhibited spontaneous locomotor activity in rats did not affect interstitial levels of dopamine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the nucleus accumbens or dorsolateral striatum. In contrast to the effect of the dopamine receptor agonist (+/-)-2-dipropylamino-7-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphythalene (7-OH-DPAT), cis-8-OH-PBZI did not induce locomotor activity in reserpinized mice. In conclusion, cis-8-OH-PBZI exhibits a pharmacological profile that suggests it has antipsychotic activity but lacks the motoric side effects often associated with antipsychotic medication. The data suggest a mechanism requiring the activation of postsynaptic dopamine D3 receptors and support the hypothesis that these receptors mediate inhibitory behavioral effects.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

The preferential dopamine D3 receptor agonist cis-8-OH-PBZI induces limbic Fos expression in rat brain.

The affinity, selectivity and agonistic properties of a constrained dopaminergic compound, the benz[e]indole cis-8-hydroxy-3-(n-propyl)1,2,3a.4,5,9b-hexahydro-1H-benz[e]indole (cis-8-OH-PBZI), for the dopamine D3 receptor were evaluated in competition binding experiments with cloned human dopamine receptor subtypes and, to further extend its profile, in in vitro radioligand binding assays. The Ki value measured for competition binding of this compound to the dopamine D3 receptor was 27.4+/-3.1 nM; this was 775-fold, 550-fold, 90-fold and 10-fold higher affinity than that measured at dopamine D1A, D5, D2s and D4 receptors, respectively. Evidence of dopamine receptor activation by cis-8-OH-PBZI was obtained by measuring dose-dependent increases in extracellular acidification rates and decreases in cAMP synthesis. In vivo, cis-8-OH-PBZI potently induced Fos protein immunoreactivity in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and shell region of the nucleus accumbens, but only marginally in the motor dorsolateral striatum, indicating a selective limbic site of action. In conclusion, the present data identify cis-8-OH-PBZI as having preference for the dopamine D3 receptor in vitro, and as having dopamine agonist activity and limbic sites of action in vivo.

Animals↗

In vivo pharmacology of butylthio[2.2.2] (LY297802 / NNC11-1053), an orally acting antinociceptive muscarinic agonist.

Butylthio[2.2.2] (LY297802 / NNC11-1053) is a mixed muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist/antagonist that produces antinociception in mice and rats. As such, butylthio[2.2.2] may have therapeutic utility in the treatment of pain. Butylthio[2.2.2] was fully efficacious in the mouse grid shock, writhing, tail-flick and hot plate tests with ED50 values ranging from 1.5 to 12.2 mg/kg after oral administration. In contrast, the ED50 values for morphine ranged from 7.3 to 72 mg/kg after oral administration. Scopolamine was a competitive antagonist of the antinociceptive effects of butylthio[2.2.2]. Butylthio[2.2.2] did not produce either salivation or tremor at therapeutic doses; rather, there was a 50- to >100-fold separation between therapeutic doses and doses which produced side-effects. Butylthio[2.2.2] had high affinity for muscarinic receptors, but little if any affinity for other neurotransmitter receptors or uptake sites. In isolated tissues, butylthio[2.2.2] was an agonist with high affinity at M1 receptors in rabbit vas deferens, an antagonist at M2 receptors in guinea pig atria as well as an antagonist at M3 receptors in guinea pig urinary bladder. Although it has been suggested that M1 receptors mediate the antinociceptive effects of muscarinic agonists, M1 efficacy is not a requirement for antinociception, and, in vivo, the antinociceptive effects of muscarinic agonists are blocked by the intrathecal administration of pertussis toxin, indicating the involvement of m2 or m4 receptors. Since butylthio[2.2.2] is an M2 antagonist, antinociception is therefore most likely mediated by m4 receptors. Butylthio[2.2.2] is currently undergoing clinical development as a novel analgesic.

Administration, Oral↗

Anticonvulsant properties of two GABA uptake inhibitors NNC 05-2045 and NNC 05-2090, not acting preferentially on GAT-1.

Two novel nipecotic acid derivatives, 1-(3-(9H-Carbazol-9-yl)-1-propyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-piperidino l (NNC 05-2045) and 1-(3-(9H-Carbazol-9-yl)-l-propyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-piperidino l (NNC 05-2090) have been tested for inhibition of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) transporters in synaptosomal preparations of rat cerebral cortex and inferior colliculus and found to differ markedly from gabitril (tiagabine), a selective GAT-1 inhibitor. IC50 values for inhibition of [3H]GABA uptake into synaptosomes from cerebral cortex for NNC 05-2045 and NNC 05-2090 were 12 +/- 2 and 4.4 +/- 0.8 microM, respectively. In synaptosomes from inferior colliculus in the presence of 1 microM 1-(2-(((diphenylmethylene)amino)oxy)ethyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3- pyridinecarboxylic acid (NNC 05-0711), a highly potent and selective GAT-1 inhibitor, IC50 values for inhibition of [3H]GABA uptake were 1.0 +/- 0.1 and 2.5 +/- 0.7 microM, respectively. A receptor profile showed that NNC 05-2045 has binding affinities to sigma-, alpha 1- and D2-receptors of 113, 550 and 122 nM, respectively. NNC 05-2090 displayed alpha 1- and D2-receptor affinity of 266 and 1632 nM, respectively. The anticonvulsant action of both compounds was tested in four rodent models after intra peritoneal (i.p.) injection. Both NNC 05-2090 dose-dependently inhibited sound-induced tonic and clonic convulsions in DBA/2 mice with ED50 values of 6 and 19 mumol/kg, respectively. NNC 05-2045 also antagonized sound-induced seizures in genetic epilepsy prone rats (GEP rats) with ED50 values against wild running, clonic and tonic convulsions of 33, 39 and 39 mumol/kg, respectively (NNC 05-2090 was not tested in GEP rats). Both NNC 05-2045 and NNC 05-2090 dose-dependently antagonized tonic hindlimb extension in the maximal electroshock (MES) test with ED50 values of 29 and 73 mumol/kg, respectively. In amygdala kindled rats NNC 05-2045 and NNC 05-2090 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced generalized seizure severity (seizure grade 3-5) at highest doses (72-242 mumol/kg) and NNC 05-2090 also significantly reduced afterdischarge duration at these doses (P < 0.05). These data show that inhibition of GABA uptake through non-GAT-1 transporters has different anticonvulsant effects than selective GAT-1 inhibitors (e.g. tiagabine) in that enhanced efficacy against MES and reduced efficacy against kindled seizures is observed. Although a contribution of adrenergic agonistic effects cannot be entirely ruled out, it is proposed that inhibition of GAT-3 (mouse GAT4) is primarily responsible for the anticonvulsant action of these two nipecotic acid derivatives in MES, amygdala kindled rats and in sound-induced seizures in GEP-rats and DBA/2 mice.

Animals↗