Structure-Based Design and Optimization of FPPQ, a Dual-Acting 5-HT3 and 5-HT6 Receptor Antagonist with Antipsychotic and Procognitive Properties

J Med Chem. 2021 Sep 23;64(18):13279-13298. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00224. Epub 2021 Sep 1.

Abstract

In line with recent clinical trials demonstrating that ondansetron, a 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R) antagonist, ameliorates cognitive deficits of schizophrenia and the known procognitive effects of 5-HT6 receptor (5-HT6R) antagonists, we applied the hybridization strategy to design dual-acting 5-HT3/5-HT6R antagonists. We identified the first-in-class compound FPPQ, which behaves as a 5-HT3R antagonist and a neutral antagonist 5-HT6R of the Gs pathway. FPPQ shows selectivity over 87 targets and decent brain penetration. Likewise, FPPQ inhibits phencyclidine (PCP)-induced hyperactivity and displays procognitive properties in the novel object recognition task. In contrast to FPPQ, neither 5-HT6R inverse agonist SB399885 nor neutral 5-HT6R antagonist CPPQ reversed (PCP)-induced hyperactivity. Thus, combination of 5-HT3R antagonism and 5-HT6R antagonism, exemplified by FPPQ, contributes to alleviating the positive-like symptoms. Present findings reveal critical structural features useful in a rational polypharmacological approach to target 5-HT3/5-HT6 receptors and encourage further studies on dual-acting 5-HT3/5-HT6R antagonists for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antipsychotic Agents / metabolism
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / drug therapy*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nootropic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Nootropic Agents / metabolism
  • Nootropic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Nootropic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Ondansetron / therapeutic use
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 / metabolism*
  • Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists / chemical synthesis
  • Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists / metabolism
  • Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists / pharmacokinetics
  • Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Drug Combinations
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Piperazines
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3
  • SB 399885
  • Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
  • Sulfonamides
  • serotonin 6 receptor
  • Ondansetron