Frontiers in Chemistry (Mar 2018)

Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis of 3-Phenylcoumarin-Based Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors

  • Sanna Rauhamäki,
  • Pekka A. Postila,
  • Sanna Niinivehmas,
  • Sami Kortet,
  • Sami Kortet,
  • Emmi Schildt,
  • Emmi Schildt,
  • Mira Pasanen,
  • Elangovan Manivannan,
  • Elangovan Manivannan,
  • Mira Ahinko,
  • Pasi Koskimies,
  • Niina Nyberg,
  • Pasi Huuskonen,
  • Elina Multamäki,
  • Markku Pasanen,
  • Risto O. Juvonen,
  • Hannu Raunio,
  • Juhani Huuskonen,
  • Olli T. Pentikäinen,
  • Olli T. Pentikäinen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2018.00041
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6

Abstract

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Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) catalyzes deamination of monoamines such as neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Accordingly, small-molecule MAO-B inhibitors potentially alleviate the symptoms of dopamine-linked neuropathologies such as depression or Parkinson's disease. Coumarin with a functionalized 3-phenyl ring system is a promising scaffold for building potent MAO-B inhibitors. Here, a vast set of 3-phenylcoumarin derivatives was designed using virtual combinatorial chemistry or rationally de novo and synthesized using microwave chemistry. The derivatives inhibited the MAO-B at 100 nM−1 μM. The IC50 value of the most potent derivative 1 was 56 nM. A docking-based structure-activity relationship analysis summarizes the atom-level determinants of the MAO-B inhibition by the derivatives. Finally, the cross-reactivity of the derivatives was tested against monoamine oxidase A and a specific subset of enzymes linked to estradiol metabolism, known to have coumarin-based inhibitors. Overall, the results indicate that the 3-phenylcoumarins, especially derivative 1, present unique pharmacological features worth considering in future drug development.

Keywords