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A total of 14 novel arylpiperazines were synthesized, and pharmacologically evaluated by measuring their affinities towards the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) in a [3H]spiperone competition assay. All the herein described compounds consist of a benzimidazole moiety connected to N-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine via linkers of various lengths. Molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the DRD2–arylpiperazine complexes with the objective of exploring the receptor–ligand interactions and properties of the receptor binding site. The recently published crystal structure of DRD2 was used throughout this study. The major finding is that high affinity arylpiperazines must interact with both the orthosteric binding site and the extended binding pocket of DRD2 and therefore should contain a linker of 5 or 6 methylene groups long. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 172032]

A series of sixteen novel substituted piperidines and (2-methoxyphenyl)piperazines were synthesized, starting from the key intermediates 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-(piperidin-4-yl)piperazine and 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-(piperidin-4-ylmethyl)piperazine. Biological evaluation of the synthesized compounds was pointed out for seven compounds, of which 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-{[1-(2-nitrobenzyl)piperidin-4-yl]methyl}piperazine had the highest affinity for the dopamine D2 receptor. For all seven selected compounds docking analysis was performed in order to establish their structure-to-activity relationship. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172032]

Dopaminergic receptor system has been in focus for the development of new pharmacotherapeutic agents, targeting number of central nervous system related disorders, like drug addiction, schizophrenia, depression, and Parkinson's disease, just to name a few. So far crystal structure for human D2 receptor is not known, despite it’s vital function and importance as therapeutic target. Here we present, recent progress in determination of the key receptor-ligand interactions for available arylpiperazine like ligands, using D2 receptor model, based upon crystal D3 receptor structure. To determine key interactions responsible for high dopaminergic activity, we used computer docking analysis together with experimental data. Total of 4 dopaminergic ligands showing moderate to high affinity, were tested and obtained results rationalized using ligand structures docked into proposed D2 receptor model. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172032]

Second extracellular loop (ecl2) of dopamine (DA) D2 receptor is an essential part of dopaminergic ligands binding pocket. To form a part of the ligand binding surface it has to fold down into the transmembrane domain of the DA receptor. The current study describes the modeling of the D2 DA receptor ecl2 and its interactions with arylpiperazine ligands. In order to model D2 DA receptor ecl2, the number of arylpiperazine ligands was used to propose pharmacophore model. D2 DA receptor ecl2 model was built using Accelrys Discovery Studio. To test the proposed model, docking analysis was performed and key amino acid residues were determined. Proposed receptor-ligand iteractions were rationalized and compared with measured binding affinity. It is shown that D2 DA receptor ecl2 significantly participates in receptor-ligand complex formation through aromatic, hydrophobic and polar interaction. Taking them in account would benefit GPCR molecular modeling and facilitate the design of novel active compounds.

Six newly synthesized heterocyclic (2-nitrophenyl)piperazines, with a specific structure of the heteroaryl group, whichmimics the catechol moiety of dopamine (benzimidazoles and substituted benzimidazoles), were evaluated for their binding affinity to rat dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and _1 receptors. All compounds with a benzimidazole group had a 5-HT2A/D2 receptors binding ratio characteristic for atypical neuroleptics (>1, pK i values). Compound 7c, 4-bromo-6-{2-_4-(2-nitrophenyl)piperazin- 1-yl_ethyl}-1H-benzimidazole, expressed higher affinities for all receptor classes than clozapine. Also, it exhibited the best characteristic for atypical neuroleptics and presents a compound with the best profile for further in vivo investigations.

Eight new compounds with halogen atom introduced into the benzimidazole- 2-thione dopaminergic pharmacophore of 5-[2-(4-arylpiperazin-1-yl)ethyl]-1,3-dihydro- 2H-benzimidazole-2-thiones with the arylpiperazine part of the molecule being selected according to known structure-affinity requirements, have been synthesized. All the new compounds were evaluated for the in vitro binding affinity at the dopamine (DA) D1 and D2 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors by the competitive radioassays, performed on synaptosomal membranes prepared from fresh bovine caudate nuclei and hippocampi. All the new compounds were strong competitors for the binding of the radioligands to the D2 and 5-HT1A receptors, with the most active of them having 34 and 170 time higher affinity than non-halogenated congeners in the D2 DA receptor radioassays (compounds 9.1b and 9.2b, respectively). Divergently, these compounds were without significant affinities for the D1 DA receptors. .

Employing tools of combinatorial chemistry, an original methodological approach has been developed and applied for the design and synthesis of a small library of peptide-like compounds, prospective growth hormone (GH) secretagogues. For this purpose seven building blocks of tBoc- and Fmoc-protected amino acids was used. In this way, a small, tripeptoid library on polyethylene glycolmonomethyl ether 5000 (PEG 5000) as a soluble support was obtained. The library was screened by a new, simple system, based on polyclonal rabbit antiserum raised against "GH secretagogue pharmacophore" of a known growth hormone secretagogue GHRP-6 (Hexarelin®) and the most promising GH secretagogue candidate was selected.