title: Symmetric double-headed aminopyridines, a novel strategy for potent and membrane-permeable inhibitors of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.
abstract: We report novel neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors based on a symmetric double-headed aminopyridine scaffold. The inhibitors were designed from crystal structures of leads 1 and 2 (Delker, S. L.; Ji, H.; Li, H.; Jamal, J.; Fang, J.; Xue, F.; Silverman, R. B.; Poulos, T. L. Unexpected binding modes of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors effective in the prevention of cerebral palsy . J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 5437-5442) and synthesized using a highly efficient route. The best inhibitor, 3j, showed low nanomolar inhibitory potency and modest isoform selectivity. It also exhibited enhanced membrane permeability. Inhibitor 3j binds to both the substrate site and the pterin site in nNOS but only to the substrate site in eNOS. These compounds provide a basis for further development of novel, potent, isoform selective, and bioavailable inhibitors for nNOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, United States.
authors.forename: Fengtian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Silvia L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Delker
authors.forename: Huiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martásek
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Poulos
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D015195:Drug Design; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I