title: Development of a new photochromic ion channel blocker via azologization of fomocaine.
abstract: Photochromic blockers of voltage gated ion channels are powerful tools for the control of neuronal systems with high spatial and temporal precision. We now introduce fotocaine, a new type of photochromic channel blocker based on the long-lasting anesthetic fomocaine. Fotocaine is readily taken up by neurons in brain slices and enables the optical control of action potential firing by switching between 350 and 450 nm light. It also provides an instructive example for "azologization", that is, the systematic conversion of an established drug into a photoswitchable one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München , Munich 81377, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schoenberger
authors.forename: Arunas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damijonaitis
authors.forename: Zinan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trauner
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009025:Morpholines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators; D009025:Morpholines; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; C000595859:fotocaine; C100275:fomocain