Ligand-based virtual screening to identify new T-type calcium channel blockers.
T-type calcium channels are involved in the generation of rhythmical firing patterns in the mammalian central nervous system and in various pathological alterations of neuronal excitability such as in epilepsy or neuropathic pain. In the search for new T-type calcium channel blockers that would help to treat these disorders, we have followed a bi-dimensional pharmacophore-based virtual screening approach to identify new inhibitors. Nineteen molecules extracted from AurSCOPE Ion Channels knowledgebase were used as query molecules to screen an external database. This in silico approach was then validated using electrophysiology. Interestingly, 16 compounds out of 38 distinct molecules tested showed more than 50% blockade of the Ca(V)3.2 mediated T-type current. Two series of compounds show chemical originality compared with known T-type calcium channel blockers.
Ijjaali
Ismail
I
Aureus Pharma, Paris, France.
Barrere
Christian
C
Nargeot
Joel
J
Petitet
François
F
Bourinet
Emmanuel
E
D000818:Animals; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D016208:Databases, Factual; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014162:Transfection; D014584:User-Computer Interface
C479952:CACNA1H protein, human; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type; D008024:Ligands