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N-Cyclopropyl-N-methylaniline (5) is a poor probe for single electron transfer (SET) because the corresponding radical cation undergoes cyclopropane ring opening with a rate constant of only 4.1 × 104 s-1, too slow to compete with other processes such as radical cation deprotonation. The sluggish rate of ring opening can be attributed to either (i) a resonance effect in which the spin and charge of the radical cation in the ring-closed form is delocalized into the phenyl ring, and/or (ii) the lowest energy conformation of the SET product (5•+) does not meet the stereoelectronic requirements for cyclopropane ring opening. To resolve this issue, a new series of N-cyclopropylanilines were designed to lock the cyclopropyl group into the required bisected conformation for ring opening. The results reveal that the rate constant for ring opening of radical cations derived from 1'-methyl-3',4'-dihydro-1'H-spiro[cyclopropane-1,2'-quinoline] (6) and 6'-chloro-1'-methyl-3',4'-dihydro-1'H-spiro[cyclopropane-1,2'-quinoline] (7) are 3.5 × 102 s-1 and 4.1 × 102 s-1, effectively ruling out the stereoelectronic argument. In contrast, the radical cation derived from 4-chloro-N-methyl-N-(2-phenylcyclopropyl)aniline (8) undergoes cyclopropane ring opening with a rate constant of 1.7 × 108 s-1, demonstrating that loss of the resonance energy associated with the ring-closed form of these N-cyclopropylanilines can be amply compensated by incorporation of a radical-stabilizing phenyl substituent on the cyclopropyl group. Product studies were performed, including a unique application of EC-ESI/MS (Electrochemistry/ElectroSpray Ionization Mass Spectrometry) in the presence of 18O2 and H218O to elucidate the mechanism of ring opening of 7•+ and trapping of the resulting distonic radical cation.

Mechanistic studies with 5-ethyl-3-methyllumiflavinium (Fl+ ) perchlorate, a biomimetic model for flavoenzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) catalysis, and the tertiary, allyl amine 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl-1 H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MMTP) reveal that proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) may be an important pathway for MAO catalysis. The first step involves a single-electron transfer (SET) leading to the free radicals Fl. and MMTP. , the latter produced by deprotonation of the initially formed and highly acidic MMTP.+ . Molecular oxygen (O2 ) is found to play a hitherto unrecognized role in the early steps of the oxidation. MMTP and several structurally similar tertiary amines are the only tertiary amines oxidized by MAO, and their structural/electronic properties provide the key to understanding this behavior. A general hypothesis about the role of SET in MAO catalysis, and the recognition that PCET occurs with appropriately substituted substrates is presented.

AZD1979 [(3-(4-(2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptan-6-ylmethyl)phenoxy)azetidin-1-yl)(5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methanone] is a melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 antagonist designed for the treatment of obesity. In this study, metabolite profiles of AZD1979 in human hepatocytes revealed a series of glutathione-related metabolites, including the glutathionyl, cysteinyl, cysteinylglycinyl, and mercapturic acid conjugates. The formation of these metabolites was not inhibited by coincubation with the cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole. In efforts to identify the mechanistic features of this pathway, investigations were performed to characterize the structure of the glutathionyl conjugate M12 of AZD1979 and to identify the enzyme system catalyzing its formation. Studies with various human liver subcellular fractions established that the formation of M12 was NAD(P)H-independent and proceeded in cytosol and S9 fractions but not in microsomal or mitochondrial fractions. The formation of M12 was inhibited by ethacrynic acid, an inhibitor of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Several human recombinant GSTs, including GSTA1, A2-2, M1a, M2-2, T1-1, and GST from human placenta, were incubated with AZD1979. All GSTs tested catalyzed the formation of M12, with GSTA2-2 being the most efficient. Metabolite M12 was purified from rat liver S9 incubations and its structure elucidated by NMR. These results establish that M12 is the product of the GST-catalyzed glutathione attack on the carbon atom α to the nitrogen atom of the strained spiro-azetidinyl moiety to give, after ring opening, the corresponding amino-thioether conjugate product, a direct conjugation pathway that occurs without the prior substrate bioactivation by P450. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The investigated compound, AZD1979, contains a 6-substituted-2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptanyl derivative that is an example of strained heterocycles, including spiro-fused ring systems, that are widely used in synthetic organic chemistry. An unusual azetidinyl ring-opening reaction involving a nucleophilic attack by glutathione, which does not involve prior cytochrome P450-catalyzed bioactivation of the substrate and which is catalyzed by glutathione transferases, is reported. We propose a mechanism involving the protonated cyclic aminyl intermediate that undergoes nucleophilic attack by glutathione thiolate anion in this reaction, catalyzed by glutathione transferases.

Oxetane moieties are increasingly being used by the pharmaceutical industry as building blocks in drug candidates because of their pronounced ability to improve physicochemical parameters and metabolic stability of drug candidates. The enzymes that catalyze the biotransformation of the oxetane moiety are, however, not well studied. The in vitro metabolism of a spiro oxetane-containing compound AZD1979 [(3-(4-(2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptan-6-ylmethyl)phenoxy)azetidin-1-yl)(5-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methanone] was studied and one of its metabolites, M1, attracted our interest because its formation was NAD(P)H independent. The focus of this work was to elucidate the structure of M1 and to understand the mechanism(s) of its formation. We established that M1 was formed via hydration and ring opening of the oxetanyl moiety of AZD1979. Incubations of AZD1979 using various human liver subcellular fractions revealed that the hydration reaction leading to M1 occurred mainly in the microsomal fraction. The underlying mechanism as a hydration, rather than an oxidation reaction, was supported by the incorporation of (18)O from H2 (18)O into M1. Enzyme kinetics were performed probing the formation of M1 in human liver microsomes. The formation of M1 was substantially inhibited by progabide, a microsomal epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, but not by trans-4-[4-(1-adamantylcarbamoylamino)cyclohexyloxy]benzoic acid, a soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor. On the basis of these results, we propose that microsomal epoxide hydrolase catalyzes the formation of M1. The substrate specificity of microsomal epoxide hydrolase should therefore be expanded to include not only epoxides but also the oxetanyl ring system present in AZD1979.

In the present work, the characterization of the biotransformation and bioactivation pathways of the cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonist rimonabant (Acomplia) is described. Rimonabant was approved in Europe in 2006 for the treatment of obesity but was withdrawn in 2008 because of a significant drug-related risk of serious psychiatric disorders. The aim of the present work is to characterize the biotransformation and potential bioactivation pathways of rimonabant in vitro in human and rat liver microsomes. The observation of a major iminium ion metabolite led us to perform reactive metabolite trapping, covalent binding to proteins, and time-dependent inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 studies. The major biotransformation pathways were oxidative dehydrogenation of the piperidinyl ring to an iminium ion, hydroxylation of the 3 position of the piperidinyl ring, and cleavage of the amide linkage. In coincubations with potassium cyanide, three cyanide adducts were detected. A high level of covalent binding of rimonabant in human liver microsomes was observed (920 pmol equivalents/mg protein). In coincubations with potassium cyanide and methoxylamine, the covalent binding was reduced by approximately 40 and 30%, respectively, whereas GSH had no significant effect on covalent binding levels. Rimonabant was also found to inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 irreversibly in a time-dependent manner. In view of these findings, it is noteworthy that, to date, no toxicity findings related to the formation of reactive metabolites from rimonabant have been reported.

A photochemical model study of benzophenone triplet ((3)BP) with the MAO-B substrate 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine [MPTP (1)] and two of it's derivatives, 1-cyclopropyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (2) and (±)-[trans-2-phenylcyclopropyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (3) were performed. Literature precedent and calculations reported herein suggest that the barrier to ring opening for aminyl radical cations derived from N-cyclopropyl derivatives of tertiary amines (such as MPTP) will be low. The LFP results reported herein demonstrate that pathways for the reaction of (3)BP with 1, 2, and 3 are very similar. In each instance, disappearance of (3)BP is accompanied solely by appearance of bands corresponding to the diphenylhydroxylmethyl radical and neutral radical derived from MPTP and it's two derivatives 2 and 3. These results suggest that the reaction between benzophenone triplet and tertiary aliphatic amines proceed via a simple hydrogen atom transfer reaction. Additionally these model examinations provide evidence that oxidations of N-cyclopropyl derivatives of MPTP catalyzed by MAO-B may not be consistent with a pure SET pathway.

The metabolites formed via the major metabolic pathways of haloperidol in liver microsomes, N-dealkylation and ring oxidation to the pyridinium species, were produced by electrochemical oxidation and characterized by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MS). Liver microsomal incubations and electrochemical oxidation in the presence of potassium cyanide (KCN) resulted in two diastereomeric cyano adducts, proposed to be generated from trapping of the endocyclic iminium species of haloperidol. Electrochemical oxidation of haloperidol in the presence of KCN gave a third isomeric cyano adduct, resulting from trapping of the exocyclic iminium species of haloperidol. In the electrochemical experiments, addition of KCN almost completely blocked the formation of the major oxidation products, namely the N-dealkylated products, the pyridinium species and a putative lactam. This major shift in product formation by electrochemical oxidation was not observed for the liver microsomal incubations where the N-dealkylation and the pyridinium species were the major metabolites also in the presence of KCN. The previously not observed dihydropyridinium species of haloperidol was detected in the samples, both from electrochemical oxidation and the liver microsomal incubations, in the presence of KCN. The presence of the dihydropyridinium species and the absence of the corresponding cyano adduct lead to the speculation that an unstable cyano adduct was formed, but that cyanide was eliminated to regenerate the stable conjugated system. The formation of the exocyclic cyano adduct in the electrochemical experiments but not in the liver microsomal incubations suggests that the exocyclic iminium intermediate, obligatory in the electrochemically mediated N-dealkylation, may not be formed in the P450-catalyzed reaction.

Previous studies have shown that (E)-8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC) is a specific reversible inhibitor of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and does not bind to human MAO-A. Since the small molecule isatin is a natural reversible inhibitor of both MAO-B and MAO-A, (E)-5-styrylisatin and (E)-6-styrylisatin analogues were synthesized in an attempt to identify inhibitors with enhanced potencies and specificities for MAO-B. The (E)-styrylisatin analogues were found to exhibit higher binding affinities than isatin with the MAO preparations tested. The (E)-5-styrylisatin analogues bound more tightly than the (E)-6 analogue although the latter exhibits the highest MAO-B selectivity. Molecular docking studies with MAO-B indicate that the increased binding affinity exhibited by the (E)-styrylisatin analogues, in comparison to isatin, is best explained by the ability of the styrylisatins to bridge both the entrance cavity and the substrate cavity of the enzyme. Experimental support for this model is shown by the weaker binding of the analogues to the Ile199Ala mutant of human MAO-B. The lower selectivity of the (E)-styrylisatin analogues between MAO-A and MAO-B, in contrast to CSC, is best explained by the differing relative geometries of the aromatic rings for these two classes of inhibitors.

Studies were conducted with extracts of several varieties of tobacco in search of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors which may be of value in the treatment of stroke. Current therapies do not directly exploit modulation of nNOS activity due to poor selectivity of the currently available nNOS inhibitors. The properties of a potentially novel nNOS inhibitor(s) derived from tobacco extracts, and the concentration-dependent, modulatory effects of the tobacco-derived naphthoquinone compound, 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (TMN), on nNOS activity were investigated, using 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (menadione) as a control. Up to 31 µM, both TMN and menadione stimulated nNOS-catalysed l-citrulline production. However, at higher concentrations of TMN (62.5–500 µM), the stimulation was lost in a concentration-dependent manner. With TMN, the loss of stimulation did not decrease beyond the control activity. With menadione (62.5–500 µM), the loss of stimulation surpassed that of the control (78 ± 0.01% of control activity), indicating a true inhibition of nNOS activity. This study suggests that potential nNOS inhibitors are present in tobacco, most of which remain to be identified. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Inadequacies of the current pharmacotherapies to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) have prompted efforts to identify novel drug targets. The adenosine A(2A) receptor is one such target. Antagonists of this receptor (A(2A) antagonists) are considered promising agents for the symptomatic treatment of PD. Evidence suggests that A(2A) antagonists may also have neuroprotective properties that may prevent the development of the dyskinesia that often complicates levodopa treatment. Because the therapeutic benefits of A(2A) antagonists are additive to that of dopamine replacement therapy, it may be possible to reduce the dose of the dopaminergic drugs and therefore the occurrence of side effects. Inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B also are considered useful tools for the treatment of PD. When used in combination with levodopa, inhibitors of MAO-B may enhance the elevation of dopamine levels after levodopa treatment, particularly when used in early stages of the disease when dopamine production may not be so severely compromised. Furthermore, MAO-B inhibitors may also possess neuroprotective properties in part by reducing the damaging effect of dopamine turnover in the brain. These effects of MAO-B inhibitors are especially relevant when considering that the brain shows an age-related increase in MAO-B activity. Based on these observations, dual-target-directed drugs, compounds that inhibit MAO-B and antagonize A(2A) receptors, may have value in the management of PD. This review summarizes recent efforts to develop such dual-acting drugs using caffeine as the lead compound.

Mechanistic studies on chemical and biological one-electron oxidations of cyclic tertiary allylamines are being pursued with the aid of an electrochemical-electrospray ionization mass spectrometric based assay. The results of previous studies on the electrochemical oxidation of 1-cyclopropyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine have documented a two-electron oxidative N-decyclopropylation pathway. The present paper describes the characterization of a second pathway involving an overall four-electron oxidation of this cyclopropylamine. The results document more completely the fate of cyclopropylaminyl radical cations that are thought to be intermediates in enzyme-catalyzed oxidations of aminyl substrates and that may lead to chemically reactive metabolites.

Previous studies have established the unexpected monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) substrate properties of racemic 3-methyl-6-phenyl-3-aza-bicyclo[4.1.0]heptane, the 3,4-cyclopropyl analog of the achiral proneurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The two stereocenters present in this compound provide an opportunity to examine the enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity of the MAO-B-catalyzed ring α-carbon oxidation of cyclic tertiary amines to give the corresponding conjugated iminiumyl metabolites. This paper reports the results of such stereochemical studies using expressed human MAO-B as the catalyst.

The adenosine A 2A receptor has emerged as a possible target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Evidence suggests that antagonism of the A 2A receptor not only improves the symptoms of the disease but may also protect against the underlying degenerative processes. We have recently reported that several known adenosine A 2A receptor antagonists (A 2A antagonists) also are moderate to very potent inhibitors of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). The most potent among these was ( E )-8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC), a compound frequently used when examining the in vivo pharmacological effects of A 2A antagonists. Since MAO-B inhibitors are also thought to possess antiparkinsonian properties, dual targeting drugs that block both MAO-B and A 2A receptors may have enhanced therapeutic potential in the treatment of PD. In this study, we prepared selected analogues of CSC in an attempt to examine specific structural features that may be important for potent MAO-B inhibition. The results of a SAR study established that the potency of MAO-B inhibition by ( E )-8-styrylcaffeinyl analogues depends upon the van der Waals volume ( V w ), lipophilicity ( π ), and the Hammett constant ( σ m ) of the substituents attached to C-3 of the phenyl ring of the styryl moiety. Potency also varies with substituents attached to C-4 with bulkiness ( V w ) and lipophilicity ( π ) being the principal substituent descriptors.

It is well established that tobacco smokers have reduced levels of monoamine oxidase activities both in the brain and peripheral organs. Furthermore, extensive evidence suggests that smokers are less prone to develop Parkinson's disease. These facts, plus the observation that inhibition of monoamine oxidase B protects against the parkinsonian inducing effects of the nigrostriatal neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, have prompted studies to identify monoamine oxidase inhibitors in the tobacco plant and tobacco cigarette smoke. Our previous efforts on cured tobacco leaf extracts have led to the characterization of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, a non-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and farnesylacetone, a selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor. We now have extended these studies to tobacco smoke constituents. Fractionation of the smoke extracts has confirmed and extended the qualitative results of an earlier report [J. Korean Soc. Tob. Sci.1997, 19, 136] demonstrating the inhibitory activity of the terpene trans,trans-farnesol on rat brain MAO-B. In the present study, K(i) values for the inhibition of human, baboon, monkey, dog, rat, and mouse liver MAO-B have been determined. Noteworthy is the absence of inhibitory effects on human placental MAO-A and beef liver MAO-B. A limited structure-activity relationship study of analogs of trans,trans-farnesol is reported. Although the health hazards associated with the use of tobacco products preclude any therapeutic opportunities linked to smoking, these results suggest the possibility of identifying novel structures of compounds that could lead to the development of neuroprotective agents.

Chronic (8- to 10-week) administration of the selective, potent, and irreversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitor (R)-deprenyl has been shown to increase the tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra of mice that had been treated three days earlier with a neurotoxic dose of the parkinsonian-inducing agent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). This reported rescuing of lesioned nigrostriatal cell bodies by (R)-deprenyl prompted us to investigate if this (R)-deprenyl treatment also could restore neostriatal dopamine levels that are depleted by MPTP. The results of these experiments show that long term (8 or 10 weeks) treatment with (R)-deprenyl beginning three days post MPTP administration did not result in restoration of depleted neostriatal dopamine levels in C57BL/6 mice. We conclude that, although (R)-deprenyl may rescue MPTP-injured nigrostriatal neurons, it does not lead to functional recovery of these neurons as measured by the restoration of neostriatal dopamine levels.

Several reversible inhibitors selective for human monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) that do not inhibit MAO A have been described in the literature. The following compounds: 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine, 1,4-diphenyl-2-butene, and trans,trans-farnesol are shown to inhibit competitively human, horse, rat, and mouse MAO B with Ki values in the low micromolar range but are without effect on either bovine or sheep MAO B or human MAO A. In contrast, the reversible competitive inhibitor isatin binds to all known MAO B and MAO A with similar affinities. Sequence alignments and the crystal structures of human MAO B in complex with 1,4-diphenyl-2-butene or with trans,trans-farnesol provide molecular insights into these specificities. These inhibitors span the substrate and entrance cavities with the side chain of Ile-199 rotated out of its normal conformation suggesting that Ile-199 is gating the substrate cavity. Ile-199 is conserved in all known MAO B sequences except bovine MAO B, which has Phe in this position (the sequence of sheep MAO B is unknown). Phe is conserved in the analogous position in MAO A sequences. The human MAO B I199F mutant protein of MAO B binds to isatin (Ki = 3 μm) but not to the three inhibitors listed above. The crystal structure of this mutant demonstrates that the side chain of Phe-199 interferes with the binding of those compounds. This suggests that the Ile-199 “gate” is a determinant for the specificity of these MAO B inhibitors and provides a molecular basis for the development of MAO B-specific reversible inhibitors without interference with MAO A function in neurotransmitter metabolism.

A remarkable convergence of epidemiologic and laboratory data has raised the possibility that caffeine reduces the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) by preventing the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. The authors review the evidence that caffeine and more specific antagonists of the adenosine A 2A receptor protect dopaminergic neurons in several toxin models of PD. Other studies demonstrating protection by A 2A receptor inactivation in animal models of stroke, Huntington’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease suggest a more global role of A 2A receptors in neuronal injury and degeneration. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which A 2A receptors contribute to neuronal death are not yet established, several intriguing possibilities have emerged. Now with preliminary clinical data substantiating the antiparkinsonian symptomatic benefit of A 2A receptor blockade, the prospects for a complementary neuroprotective benefit have enhanced the therapeutic potential of A 2A antagonists in PD.

Adenosine A(2A) receptors, abundantly expressed on striatal medium spiny neurons, appear to activate signaling cascades implicated in the regulation of coexpressed ionotropic glutamatergic receptors. To evaluate the contribution of adenosinergic mechanisms to the pathogenesis of the response alterations induced by dopaminergic treatment, we studied the ability of the selective adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist KW-6002 to prevent as well as palliate these syndromes in rodent and primate models of Parkinson's disease. In rats, KW-6002 reversed the shortened motor response produced by chronic levodopa treatment while reducing levodopa-induced hyperphosphorylation at S845 residues on AMPA receptor GluR1 subunits. In primates, KW-6002 evidenced modest antiparkinsonian activity when given alone. Once-daily coadministration of KW-6002 with apomorphine prevented the development of dyskinesias, which appeared in control animals 7-10 days after initiating apomorphine treatment. Animals initially given apomorphine plus KW-6002 for 3 weeks did not begin to manifest apomorphine-induced dyskinesias until 10-12 days after discontinuing the A(2A) antagonist. These results suggest that KW-6002 can attenuate the induction as well as the expression of motor response alterations to chronic dopaminergic stimulation in parkinsonian animals, possibly by blocking A(2A) receptor-stimulated signaling pathways. Our findings strengthen the rationale for developing A(2A) antagonists as an early treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease.

Prompted by the findings that smokers have lowered brain and blood platelet monoamine oxidase-A and -B activities compared to non-smokers and that smokers have a lowered incidence of Parkinson's disease, we have examined the neuroprotective properties of an MAO inhibitor, 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (TMN), which is present in the tobacco plant and smoke in the MPTP C57BL/6 mouse model of neurodegeneration. Dopamine (DA) levels in the striata of mice treated with TMN prior to the administration of MPTP were significantly higher than DA levels in the striata of mice receiving MPTP only, thus indicating a degree of neuroprotection in this model of Parkinson's disease. The potential consequences on MAO activity of long term exposure to this compound need to be evaluated. Furthermore, there is evidence for the presence of other inhibitors in the tobacco leaf and smoke, including compounds with irreversible MAO inhibitory properties. Although there is no evidence to link the lowered activities of MAO to the lowered incidence of Parkinson's disease in smokers, the neuroprotective effects of TMN in the MPTP mouse model suggest that such a relationship is worthy of further evaluation.

Many mammalian tissues express both the A and B forms of monoamine oxidase (MAO), flavoenzymes that catalyze the oxidative deamination of a variety of endogenous and exogenous amines and the ring α-carbon oxidative bioactivation of neurotoxic 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl derivatives. Substrates selective for MAO-A that display good kinetic and spectroscopic properties would be of value for developing quantitative assays for MAO-A in tissues that express both the A and B forms of the enzyme. This paper describes the synthesis of several 1-substituted-4-(1-methylpyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl derivatives. Kinetic parameters and MAO-A selectivity indicate that 1-allyl- and 1-propyl-4-(1-methylpyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine should be good candidates to develop a robust spectrophotometric-based assay that is selective for MAO-A.

Interest in the parkinsonian-inducing proneurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine has prompted extensive studies into the oxidative pathways mediating its bioactivation to the corresponding pyridinium species, a potent inhibitor of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The initial step in the overall reaction is the two-electron ring alpha-carbon oxidation to give the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species, a reaction that is catalyzed by monoamine oxidase B. The same a-carbon oxidation is catalyzed by members of the cytochrome P-450 family of oxidases. This paper examines the impact that various structural features of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl derivatives have on the oxidative fate of this class of compound.

The neuroleptic agent haloperidol (HP) and its tetrahydropyridinyl dehydration product HPTP are biotransformed by humans, baboons and rodents to the HP pyridinium (HPP(+)) and reduced HP pyridinium (RHPP(+)) species, potential neurotoxic metabolites that have been detected in the brain. HPP(+), however, does not pass the mouse blood-brain barrier since it is not detected in the brain following systemic administration. We report here that C57BL/6 mouse brain preparations catalyze the oxidation of HP and HPTP to HPP(+). The initial rate of HPP(+) formation from HPTP by whole brain homogenates was estimated to be approximately 20 times faster than that observed with HP as substrate. HPTP also was converted to HPP(+) by mouse brain microsomal preparations and brain slices. These results suggest that the presence of HPP(+) in the C57BL/6 mouse brain following systemic administration of HPTP may be due primarily to its in situ metabolism to HPP(+). Attempts to identify the catalyst responsible for these biotransformations, however, have not been successful.

A detailed analysis of the product ion spectrum generated from the protonated molecule under ESI-MS/MS conditions using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is reported for the gastrointestinal proton pump inhibitor Omeprazole. Unambiguous molecular composition data of the fragment ions were obtained with the aid of regioselectively 14C-, 34S- and 18O-labeled analogs. Attempts have been made to provide rational pathways for the formation of the fragment ions from four protonated omeprazole species. These results will facilitate the characterization of the complex metabolic fate of Omeprazole in humans, which involves the excretion of at least 50 metabolites. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We have investigated the potential of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) to determine enrichments of citrulline as a marker for in vivo nitric oxide (NO) production in brain tissue. The analysis of citrulline as the butyl ester derivative was evaluated using two types of ionization: electron spray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). APCI-MS appeared to be more suitable for determination of citrulline than ESI-MS, because the ion intensity of the protonated molecule ion [M+H]+, m/z 232, of citrulline in the former was about twelve times higher than in the latter. The chromatography was carried out on a reversed C8 column with the mobile phase consisting of 15% acetonitrile: 85% H2O: 0.2% acetic acid (v/v). The calibration curve had good linearity within the concentration range investigated (5 ng to 500 ng/ml). The limit of determination was estimated to be ca. 1 ng/ml of standard solution. The method was applied to the analysis of citrulline in the brain dialysate obtained from rat after perfusion of the striatum with haloperidol (HP, 0.1 mM). It is concluded that APCI-MS in combination with HPLC can be successfully applied to determination of citrulline in brain tissue, thus providing a useful tool for assessment of in vivo NO production.

This paper reports the results of studies on the in vivo metabolic fate of the tobacco alkaloid 1-methyl-2-(3-pyridinyl)pyrrole (beta-nicotyrine) in New Zealand white rabbits. Two previously characterized metabolites, 5-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)-2-pyrrolidinone (5-hydroxycotinine) and 2-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)-3-pyrrolin-2-one, were present in low concentrations in the urine of the treated animals. The major urinary metabolite of beta-nicotyrine was identified as cis-3'-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)-2-pyrrolidinone (cis-3'-hydroxycotinine), the diastereoisomer of the major urinary metabolite of (S)-nicotine. The pathway leading to cis-3'-hydroxycotinine is proposed to proceed via autoxidation of 2-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)pyrrole, a postulated cytochrome P450-generated metabolite of beta-nicotyrine, followed by reduction of the carbon-carbon double bond present in the resulting 3-hydroxy-3-pyrrolin-2-one species. This proposal is supported by the in vivo biotransformation of 2-acetoxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)pyrrole, a latent form of the putative hydroxypyrrole intermediate, to cis-3'-hydroxycotinine. The in vivo conversion of 5-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-(3-pyridinyl)-3-pyrrolin-2-one to 5-hydroxycotinine is offered as evidence that supports the proposed reduction step.

The "reduced" haloperidol pyridinium metabolite (RHPP+) is found in the brain, plasma and urine of patients treated with the neuroleptic drug haloperidol (HP). RHPP+ is suspected to be neurotoxic through a mechanism that entails interference with the mitochondrial electron transport chain. We have studied the conformation of this flexible molecule in solution (using NMR) and in the solid state by single crystal X-ray analysis. Using the solid state structure as initial input, molecular dynamics runs indicated that the molecule preferably exists in an unfolded, rather than a folded conformation. We propose that the interaction of RHPP+ with complexes in the mitochondrial respiratory chain is stabilized primarily by an ionic bond involving the cationic nitrogen and secondarily by hydrogen-bond anchoring originating from the hydroxy group. A comparison with HPP+, the "unreduced" pyridinium metabolite of HP, suggests that this latter interaction may-among other considerations such as lipophilicity-account for differences in the in vitro toxicological profiles of RHPP+ and HPP+, which carries a ketone group in lieu of the hydroxy.

Recent positron emission tomography imaging studies have demonstrated a significant decrease in both monoamine oxidase A and B (MAO-A and MAO-B) activities in the brains of smokers. Normal levels of activity are observed in former smokers, suggesting the presence of one or more compounds in tobacco smoke that may inhibit these enzymes. In this paper, we report the results of efforts to identify compounds present in flue-cured tobacco leaves that inhibit MAO. The isolation procedure was guided by estimating the inhibitory properties of tobacco leaf extracts on the liver mitochondrial MAO-B-catalyzed oxidation of 1-methyl-4-(1-methylpyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine to the corresponding dihydropyridinium metabolite. Fractionation of extracts from flue-cured tobacco leaves led to the isolation of a competitive inhibitor of human MAO-A (K(i) = 3 microM) and MAO-B (K(i) = 6 microM), the structure of which could be assigned by classical spectroscopic analysis and confirmed by synthesis. This information may help to provide insights into some aspects of the pharmacology and toxicology of tobacco products.

Several laboratories recently have reported that melatonin may possess neuroprotective properties. The present paper presents the results of our studies on the long term in vivo neuroprotective effects of melatonin in a well-defined neurotoxicity model using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in the C57BL/6 mouse. MPTP is bioactivated by brain monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) to its neurotoxic pyridinium metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) which destroys dopaminergic nerve terminals leading to the depletion of neostriatal dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). Our initial study compared striatal DA and DOPAC levels in MPTP-only-treated animals and animals treated with melatonin 30 min prior to and 3 times hourly post-MPTP. DA/DOPAC levels measured 7 days after MPTP were similar in both groups. A second study was designed to address the possibility that melatonin cleared from the brain prior to MPP(+). Animals, that had been administered the same regimen of melatonin as in the first study plus a fourth post-MPTP melatonin dose, were maintained on melatonin in drinking water until 5 days post-MPTP. Striatal DA/DOPAC levels of these melatonin-plus-MPTP treated animals also were the same as the MPTP-only-treated animals. In vitro studies confirmed that melatonin is not an inhibitor of MAO-B. These data demonstrate that melatonin does not have any significant protective effects against the long-term striatal DA and DOPAC depletion induced by MPTP in the C57BL/6 mouse.

Positive-ion electron impact (PIEI) , positive-ion chemical ionization (PICI), negative-ion chemical ionization (NICI) and surface ionization (SI) mass spectra of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) , 1-methyl-4-(2-pyrrolylphenyl)-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine, 1-methyl-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)-1, 2 ,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine and 1-methyl-4-(2-isopropylphenyl)- 1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine, have been presented, and each fragmentation mode has been analyzed. In the PIEI mode, molecular ions appeared in all four compounds and three of them constituted the base peaks. In the PICI modes, intense [M]+ and [M+1]+ ions were observed; [M]+ ions were the base peaks for all compounds. In common with both PIEI and PICI modes, cleavages between the two ring structures were found. In the NICI mode, [M-1]- peaks constituted the base peaks, but were much less intense than in other modes. In the SI mode, single and intense [M-3]+ peaks appeared; these peaks are probably due to aromatization of the N-methyltetrahydropyridine ring. The detection limits for four compounds, obtained by total ion monitoring, in the PIEI, PICI, NICI and SI modes were 2.1-7.9,29-85,99-3500,0.33-1.1 pmol on-column, respectively.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is relatively common among psychiatric patients on maintenance therapy with typical neuroleptics and persists in more than 20% even after withdrawal of the medication. Such persistence suggests an underlying pathology due to neurotoxicity. We present evidence for such a neurotoxic mechanism in a baboon model of TD. Four baboons were treated chronically with the dehydration product of haloperidol, 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-oxobutyl]-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (HPTP), which is metabolized, similarly to haloperidol, to two neurotoxic pyridinium species. The animals developed orofacial dyskinesia which persisted after HPTP was ceased. Serial sections of the entire brain from the four treated animals and four vehicle-treated controls revealed volume loss in the basal forebrain and hypothalamus. Histological evaluation demonstrated a reduction in the density of magnocellular neurons in the anterior region of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM). We speculate that the loss of these NbM neurons may be associated with the persistent orofacial dyskinesia observed in the HPTP-treated animals. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of neuroleptic-induced TD.

We report the presence of p -fluorophenylglycine ( p -FPG) in the urine of six baboons treated with HPTP, the tetrahydropyridine dehydration product of haloperidol (HP). Oxidative N-dealkylation, the major metabolic pathway of HP, gives rise to 3-(4-fluorobenzoyl)propionic acid ( p -FBPA). Subsequent β-oxidation of p -FBPA produces p -fluorophenylacetic acid ( p -FPA). The presence of p -FPA argues for the formation also of p -fluorophenylglyoxylic acid ( p -FPGA) derived from β-oxidation of p -FBPA. Plasma aminotransferases should convert p -FPGA to p -FPG. The presence of p -FPG in these animals suggest the presence of phenylglycine aminotransferases in the baboon and possibly also in other primates, including the human. Reports by other authors found that treatment with α-phenylglycine (α-PG), an “unnatural” amino acid, leads to striatal dopamine (DA) depletion in rabbits — an effect explained on the basis of α-PG competing with DA for the neuronal vesicular storage sites. We performed in vitro DA release assays in mouse striatal synaptosomal preparations but found that neither α-PG nor p -FPG released any DA. It therefore remains unclear whether p -FPG may be a contributing factor to neurologic side-effects such as tardive dyskinesia (TD) found in patients after long-term HP treatment.

The EI mass spectra of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl derivatives were studied using ten regioselectively labeled isomers of the neurotoxin MPTP. Analysis of the isotopically enriched ions obtained from each labeled analog allowed us to identify the origins of the fragments. Fragmentation pathways are proposed that account for the formation of most of the major peaks. Based on the fragment ions detected and the calculated HOMO energies, it is proposed that electron bombardment results in a resonance delocalized radical cation that could be derived from initial electron loss from the nitrogen atom or the olefinic double bond.

A major theme explored in this review is the MAO-and cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-carbon oxidations of selected cyclic tertiary amines to give iminium metabolites that undergo further chemical modifications to form known or potentially toxic products. The most dramatic illustration of this type of bioactivation process is the conversion of the parkinsonian-inducing neurotoxin MPTP (23) by brain MAO-B to the iminium (dihydropyridinium) metabolite 24 which is oxidized further to the pyridinium species MPP+ (25). The selective destruction of nigrostriatal neurons by MPP+ is dependent on a unique sequence of events (transport into the nerve terminals by the dopamine transporter, localization in the inner mitochondrial membrane by electromotive forces, and inhibition of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain) that, fortunately, are unlikely to be encountered with many substances. A second example of a well-documented metabolic bioactivation sequence involves the highly toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (102). These compounds undergo cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-carbon oxidation which converts the 3-pyrrolinyl moiety present in the parent alkaloids into a pyrrolyl-containing metabolite (105). The presence of labile functional groups results in the spontaneous conversion of 105 to reactive electrophilic products (106 and 108) that undergo Michael addition reactions with nucleophiles on biomacromolecules leading to a variety of toxic outcomes. Less clearly defined are the potential contributions to neurodegenerative processes that may be mediated by low-level, long term exposure to less potent toxins. Examples of potential proneurotoxins are the endogenously formed tetrahydroisoquinolines (such as 40-50) and tetrahydro-beta-carbolines (such as 54) that may be biotransformed to neurotoxic isoquinolinium (such as 51) and beta-carbolinium (such as 52) species in the brain. A similar argument can be made for 4-piperidinols (compounds that are at the same oxidation state as the tetrahydropyridines) which may be metabolized via iminium intermediates to amino enols that spontaneously convert to dihydropyridinium species and hence to pyridinium metabolites (67-->68-->69-->70-->71, Scheme 10). This type of reaction sequence has been well documented with the parkinsonian-inducing neuroleptic agent haloperidol (72) which is metabolized in humans, baboons, and rodents to the pyridinium species HPP+ (75), a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration. Finally, an appreciation of the alpha-carbon oxidations of fully reduced azacycles such as (S)-nicotine (61) and phencyclidine (82) to chemically reactive metabolites that form covalent adducts with proteins, including the enzymes that are responsible for their formation, may prove of toxicological importance when attempting to account for the effects of chronic abuse of these potent drugs.1

N-Methylation separates methamphetamine's neurotoxic and pharmacologic effects. In particular, N-methylation eliminates methamphetamine's neurotoxic activity while preserving its behavioral pharmacologic activity. The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether N-methylation could also be used to separate fenfluramine's neurotoxic and pharmacologic effects. Fenfluramine-induced serotonin neurotoxicity was assessed by measuring serotonin axonal markers 2 weeks after fenfluramine administration. Pharmacologic effects of fenfluramine were assessed by measuring fenfluramine-induced anorexia and fenfluramine discrimination. Both fenfluramine and its N-methylated analog, N-methylfenfluramine, produced dose-related effects in food intake, drug-discrimination and neurotoxicity studies. Although N-methylation reduced the neurotoxic potency of fenfluramine, it also reduced its pharmacologic activity. Neurotoxic potency was reduced 4- to 8-fold (depending on brain region), while pharmacologic potency was reduced 4- to 10-fold (depending on paradigm). Notably, N-methylation did not change the efficacy of fenfluramine as a serotonin neurotoxin, anorectic agent or discrimination stimulus. These results indicate that fenfluramine's behavioral and neurotoxic effects, unlike those of methamphetamine, are not dissociated by N-methylation. Further, the present results suggest that the effectiveness of side-chain nitrogen substitution in separating the behavioral and neurotoxic effects of amphetamine derivatives is strongly influenced by ring substitutions.

As part of our efforts to characterize more fully the structural features of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B active sites, we have examined the substrate and inhibitor properties of several 1-methyl- and 1-cyclopropyl-4-aryl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine derivatives with the human placental A and beef liver B forms of the enzyme. We find that the 4-(2-phenylphenyl) analog 23 exhibits a high activity and selectivity for MAO-A while the 4-(3-phenylphenyl) analog 22 shows activity only with MAO-B. Selectivities similar to those of the N-methyl series are observed with a series of N-cyclopropyl mechanism based inactivators. These results support a topological analysis which attempts to identify steric factors related to the reported substrate and inhibitor selectivities of these two flavoproteins and provide a better definition of the size of the active sites of the two enzymes.

Reactions leading to the regioselective deuterium labeling of the 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine system are presented. Three synthetic approaches were explored: Base catalyzed proton-deuteron exchange, reductive deuteration, and ring synthesis using deuterated agents. The methods were applied to various pyridinium salts, pyridones, and piperidones. The syntheses of several new labeled compounds are described and a brief review of the relevant literature is included. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In order to gain more insight into the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial inhibition by haloperidol (HP) pyridinium metabolites, we have studied the three dimensional structure of these compounds. In this paper we report the results of experimental (NMR studies in solution, X-ray diffraction) and theoretical methods (molecular dynamics) applied to HPP+. The chlorophenyl and pyridinium rings are found not to be strictly coplanar and a high degree of mobility was observed in the butyroxy chain. Calculations have shown that the most stable structures adopt conformations corresponding to either gauche or trans rotamers. From these data, a model for the interaction of HPP+ with electron transfer complexes in the mitochondrial respiratory chain has been proposed.

The typical antipsychotic haloperidol is a highly effective treatment for schizophrenia but its use is limited by a number of serious, and often irreversible, motor side effects. These adverse drug reactions, termed extrapyramidal syndromes (EPS), result from an unknown pathophysiological mechanism. One theory relates to the observation that the haloperidol metabolite HPP+ (4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-oxobutyl]-pyridinium) is structurally similar to MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium), a neurotoxin responsible for an irreversible neurodegenerative condition similar to Parkinson's disease. To determine whether HPP+ contributes to haloperidol-induced EPS, we measured brain HPP+ and haloperidol levels in strains of mice at high (C57BL/6J and NZO/HILtJ) and low (BALB/cByJ and PWK/PhJ) liability to haloperidol-induced EPS following chronic treatment (7–10 adult male mice per strain). Brain levels of HPP+ and the ratio of HPP+ to haloperidol were not significantly different between the haloperidol-sensitive and haloperidol-resistant strain groups (P = 0.50). Within each group, however, strain differences were seen (P < 0.01), indicating that genetic variation regulating steady-state HPP+ levels exists. Since the HPP+ levels that we observed in mouse brain overlap the range of those detected in post-mortem human brains following chronic haloperidol treatment, the findings from this study are physiologically relevant to humans. The results suggest that strain differences in steady-state HPP+ levels do not explain sensitivity to haloperidol-induced EPS in the mice we studied.

The effects of a pyridinium metabolite (HPP+) derived from haloperidol (HP) on in vivo tyrosine hydroxylation was evaluated in freely moving rats. As an index of the in vivo activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rat striatum was perfused with NSD-1015, and extracellular 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) levels were measured. HPP+ (1 mM) gradually reduced tyrosine hydroxylation to 30% of the basal level, although the effect was less potent than 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+). On the contrary, HPP+ at a 0.1 mM dose decreased in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) level, but did not affect dopamine metabolites. The present study revealed that HPP+ irreversible inhibited in vivo tyrosine hydroxylation by the same manner of MPP+. However, the neurotoxic effects of HPP+ in vivo would be selective for serotonergic over dopaminergic neurons, which distinguishes the toxic profile of this compound compared to that of MPP+.

The neuroleptic agent haloperidol (HP) is biotransformed to metabolites such as 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-oxobutyl]-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (HPTP) and 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-oxobutyl]pyridinium (HPP+). In this study, radioligand binding studies were performed using [3H]SCH23390 as a dopamine D1 receptor ligand and [3H]spiperone as a D2 ligand. Ki values for D1 receptors were 35.8 microM and 54.9 microM for HP and HPTP, respectively. Corresponding values for D2 receptors were 39.1 nM and 329.8 nM. These results indicate similar low affinities in the micromolar range for both HP and HPTP at the dopamine D1 receptor, a much higher affinity of both HP and HPTP for the D2 receptor than for the D1 receptor, and that HPTP binds to D2 receptors with a 9-fold lower affinity than HP. The data are consistent with observations in mice that HPTP is a much less potent acute neuroleptic agent than HP.

The molecular structure and cohesion in the solid state of the title complex between N-cyclopentyl-4-phenylpyridinium (CPPP) bromide, 4-phenylpyridine (PP), hydrogen bromide and water [bis(N-cyclopentyl-4-phenylpyridinium) 4-phenylpyridinium tribromide monohydrate, 2C16H18N+.C11H9N+.3Br-.H2O], is discussed. The 4-phenylpyridine molecule, which is protonated, the bromide ions and the water molecule all lie on a mirror plane. Cohesion of the 2:1 CPPP:PP compound is achieved mainly through hydrogen bonds and salt bridges. No charge-transfer interaction between the two complexed molecules was found. The phenyl ring is essentially coplanar with the pyridine ring in the PP molecule, while in the CPPP ion these two rings are rotated with respect to one another. The conformations of these two molecules are compared with theoretical data (conformational analysis) and with structures of phenylpyridinium analogs retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database. As a result, this study allows the identification of stable conformers for phenylpyridinium analogs and could lead to the definition of active conformers for the neurotoxin MPP+ and some of its derivatives.

The possibility of imaging monoamine oxidase (MAO) containing neurons through the MAO-mediated conversion of the nonfluorescent tetrahydropyridine compound trans-1-methyl-4-[4-dimethylaminophenylethenyl]-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro pyridine (t-THP) to the corresponding fluorescent trans-1-methyl-4-[4-dimethylaminophenylethenyl]pyridinium species (t-P+) was examined with the aid of human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). Fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence measurements established the intracellular formation of a fluorescent species with maximal excitation/emission wavelengths of 485/620 and 530/620 nm corresponding to the fluorescence characteristics of synthetic t-P+. An independent assay confirmed the presence of both MAO-A and MAO-B in these cells. As expected, the development of the fluorescence was inhibited by both clorgyline (an MAO-A inhibitor) and deprenyl (an MAO-B inhibitor). Cytotoxic effects, as determined by trypan blue dye exclusion for viability and by the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay for mitochondrial integrity, were not observed in cells incubated with concentrations of t-THP as high as 10(-3) M for 4 hr. The results from these studies with a neuronal cell line of human origin suggest: (1) that SH-SY5Y cells metabolize and, therefore, can be used for study of tetrahydropyridine compounds in vitro, and (2) that t-THP may be a useful agent to monitor neurodegenerative processes in MAO-rich neurons, including the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons that are damaged by the parkinsonian-inducing tetrahydropyrridine MPTP. The potential advantage of using t-THP over related imaging techniques is the possibility of assessing neuronal function by an in vivo processing of the reporter molecule rather than by postmortem immunofluorescent or formaldehyde-based procedures.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-2-pyridone has been used as starting material for the efficient and regioselective synthesis of deuterated analogues of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). MPTP-2,2-d 2 , MPTP-6,6-d 2 and MPTP-2,2,6,6-d 4 were obtained in good yield through a combination of alkaline deuterium exchange and selective LiAlH 4 and LiAlD 4 reduction reactions.

We have explored the reactions of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2-pyridone (5) with various reducing agents in an effort to develop synthetic approaches to specifically deuterium-labeled 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,...

The results of previous studies have established that the monoamine oxidase-catalyzed oxidation of 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridyl derivatives bearing heteroatom substituents at C-4 generates 2,3-dihydropyridinium intermediates that undergo spontaneous hydrolysis to release the C-4 substituent and form the amino enone 1-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4-pyridone. We have attempted to adapt this metabolic pathway to the preparation of amine-containing prodrugs that may target the central nervous system which is rich in monoamine oxidase A and B. In this paper we report the synthesis and the in vitro and in vivo metabolic fate of the tetrahydropyridyl carbamate derivatives which are designed to release (S)- and (R)-nordeprenyl. These carbamates are selective monoamine oxidase A substrates. An ex vivo assay has shown that the R-enantiomer is an effective and selective inhibitor of brain mitochondrial monoamine oxidase B.

Previous studies have established that 1-cyclopropyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine is an efficient time- and concentration-dependent inhibitor of the flavin-containing enzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). This behavior is consistent with a proposed mechanism-based inactivation pathway which proceeds via an initial single electron transfer step to generate an unstable cyclopropylaminyl radical cation intermediate that alkylates an active site functionality via the ring opened primary carbon centered radical. More recently we have found that, in addition to being an inhibitor, the corresponding 1-cyclopropyl-4-benzyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine species is an excellent MAO-B substrate, behavior which may not be consistent with the obligatory formation of a cyclopropylaminyl radical cation intermediate. In an attempt to gain further insight into the mechanism associated with the MAO catalyzed oxidation of 1,4-disubstituted tetrahydropyridines, we have undertaken deuterium isotope effect studies on the substrate and inhibitor properties of this 4-benzyl-1-cyclopropyltetrahydropyridine derivative. A normal isotope effect was observed on kcat/KM. Although the good substrate properties of this compound prevented an accurate estimate of k(inact) and K1, we did observe a very modest inverse isotope effect on the rate of inactivation of 0.1 microM MAO-B by 500 microM inactivator. The results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms for the MAO-B catalyzed oxidation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines.

The levels of haloperidol (HP) and its pyridinium metabolite HPP+ were estimated in plasma and brain tissues of rats treated i.p. with HP (10 mg/kg). HP and HPP+ levels in plasma decreased linearly during the 0-3 hour period following drug administration. On the other hand, HPP+ levels in brain tissues increased gradually during the same period. HPP+ levels in brain tissues increased further when HP (10 mg/kg) was injected for three consecutive days. The formation of HPP+ also was studied in rat brain mitochondrial and liver microsomal preparations. Enzyme activity responsible for the conversion of HP to HPP+ was not found in brain mitochondria. Liver microsomal enzymes catalyzed the oxidation of HP and its tetrahydropyridine dehydration product HPTP to HPP+ with about the same efficiency. Studies employing several cytochrome P450 inhibitors and anti-cytochrome P450 antibodies were carried out in an effort to identify the forms of cytochrome P450 that are responsible for catalyzing the oxidation of HP and HPTP to HPP+. The formation of HPP+ in liver microsomes was strongly inhibited by ketoconazole and nifedipine and by an anti-CYP3A antibody. These results suggest that formation of HPP+ from HP and HPTP in rat liver microsomes is catalyzed mainly by CYP3A although the participation of other P450 forms cannot be ruled out.