mGLuRs, AChE-Is and PDE4.
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChE-Is) and phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors were amongst the topics for discussion on the second day of the EPHAR congress. A novel mGlu1 receptor antagonist, CPCCOEt, was described, along with new in vitro and in vivo data on a number of other promising mGluR1 antagonists. The potential of AChE-Is as therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease was thoroughly reviewed. With the search now on for a brain-selective AChE-I, which will improve the cholinergic transmitter effects in Alzheimer's disease, improvements and limitations with the second generation of AChE-Is were discussed. There was also an extensive review of PDE4 inhibitors and their place in asthma and COPD treatment. An overview of the characterization and immunomodulatory properties of PDEs was given, along with a discussion on the possible reasons for the failure of a promising PDE4 inhibitor, RP-73401 (Rhone-Poulenc SA), in the clinic, and the promise shown by SmithKline Beecham plc's Ariflo in COPD.
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