title: Why p-OMe- and p-Cl-β-Methylphenethylamines Display Distinct Activities upon MAO-B Binding.
abstract: Despite their structural and chemical commonalities, p-chloro-β-methylphenethylamine and p-methoxy-β-methylphenethylamine display distinct inhibitory and substrate activities upon MAO-B binding. Density Functional Theory (DFT) quantum chemical calculations reveal that β-methylation and para-substitution underpin the observed activities sustained by calculated transition state energy barriers, attained conformations and key differences in their interactions in the enzyme's substrate binding site. Although both compounds meet substrate requirements, it is clear that β-methylation along with the physicochemical features of the para-substituents on the aromatic ring determine the activity of these compounds upon binding to the MAO B-isoform. While data for a larger set of compounds might lend generality to our conclusions, our experimental and theoretical results strongly suggest that the contrasting activities displayed depend on the conformations adopted by these compounds when they bind to the enzyme.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fierro
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dale E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Edmondson
authors.affiliation: Universidad Andres Bello, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celis-Barros
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebolledo-Fuentes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zapata-Torres
mesh_terms: D000662:Amphetamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D066241:Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; C000600517:beta-methylphenyl-ethylamine; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase