title: Structure-affinity relationships of a unique nicotinic ligand: N(1)-dimethyl-N(4)-phenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP).
abstract: DMPP is a well-known nicotinic agonist that does not fit any proposed pharmacophore for nicotinic binding and represents a unique ligand among the hundreds of nicotinic agonists studied in the past decades. A systematic modulation of the chemical structure of DMPP, aimed to establish its structure-affinity relationships, is reported. The research has allowed to identify molecules such as 11c, 13c, 14c, and 28c, with affinities for alpha(4)beta(2) receptors in the low nanomolar range, some 2 orders of magnitude lower than the lead compound. The agonistic properties of the most interesting compounds have been assessed by measuring their analgesic activity on mice (hot-plate test). Another result of the research was the identification of DMPP analogues, such as 3a (K(i) = 90 nM) and 14b (K(i) = 180 nM), that maintain affinity for the central nicotinic receptor when the ammonium function is changed into an aminic one and are therefore possible leads for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Firenze, Via Gino Capponi 9, 50121 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scapecchi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Borea
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dei
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bartolini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghelardini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gualtieri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guandalini
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Varani
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010880:Piperidines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D008024:Ligands; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D010880:Piperidines; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide