Strong Inhibitory Effect, Low Cytotoxicity and High Plasma Stability of Steroidal Inhibitors of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors With C-3 Amide Structural Motif

Herein, we report the synthesis, structure-activity relationship study, and biological evaluation of neurosteroid inhibitors of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) receptors that employ an amide structural motif, relative to pregnanolone glutamate (PAG) – a compound with neuroprotective properties. All compounds were found to be more potent NMDAR inhibitors (IC50 values varying from 1.4 to 21.7 μM) than PAG (IC50 = 51.7 μM). Selected compound 6 was evaluated for its NMDAR subtype selectivity and its ability to inhibit AMPAR/GABAR responses. Compound 6 inhibits the NMDARs (8.3 receptors (8.3 ± 2.1 μM) more strongly than it does at the GABAR and AMPARs (17.0 receptors (17.0 ± 0.2 μM and 276.4 ± 178.7 μM, respectively). In addition, compound 6 (10 μM) decreases the frequency of action potentials recorded in cultured hippocampal neurons. Next, compounds 3, 5–7, 9, and 10 were not associated with mitotoxicity, hepatotoxicity nor ROS induction. Lastly, we were able to show that all compounds have improved rat and human plasma stability over PAG

Positive Modulators of the <i>N</i>‑Methyl‑d‑aspartate Receptor: Structure–Activity Relationship Study of Steroidal 3‑Hemiesters

Here, we report the synthesis of pregn-5-ene and androst-5-ene dicarboxylic acid esters and explore the structure–activity relationship (SAR) for their modulation of <i>N</i>-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). All compounds were positive modulators of recombinant GluN1/GluN2B receptors (EC₅₀ varying from 1.8 to 151.4 μM and <i>E</i>_max varying from 48% to 452%). Moreover, 10 compounds were found to be more potent GluN1/GluN2B receptor modulators than endogenous pregnenolone sulfate (EC₅₀ = 21.7 μM). The SAR study revealed a relationship between the length of the residues at carbon C-3 of the steroid molecule and the positive modulatory effect at GluN1/GluN2B receptors for various D-ring modifications. A selected compound, 20-oxo-pregnenolone hemiadipate, potentiated native NMDARs to a similar extent as GluN1/GluN2A-D receptors and inhibited AMPARs and GABA_AR responses. These results provide a unique opportunity for the development of new steroid based drugs with potential use in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders involving hypofunction of NMDARs

Neurosteroid-like Inhibitors of <i>N</i>‑Methyl‑d‑aspartate Receptor: Substituted 2‑Sulfates and 2‑Hemisuccinates of Perhydrophenanthrene

<i>N</i>-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) display a critical role in various diseases of the central nervous system. The activity of NMDARs can be modulated by neurosteroids. Herein, we report a structure–activity relationship study for perhydrophenanthrene analogues possessing a framework that mimics the steroidal ring system. This study comprises the design, synthesis, and assessment of the biological activity of a library of perhydrophenanthrene 2-sulfates and 2-hemisuccinates (<b>1</b>–<b>10</b>). Their ability to modulate NMDAR-induced currents was tested on recombinant GluN1/GluN2B receptors. Our results demonstrate that such structural optimization leads to compounds that are inhibitors of NMDARs. Notably, compound <b>9</b> (IC₅₀ = 15.6 μM) was assessed as a more potent inhibitor of NMDAR-induced currents than the known endogenous neurosteroid, pregnanolone sulfate (IC₅₀ = 24.6 μM)

A New Class of Potent <i>N</i>‑Methyl‑d‑Aspartate Receptor Inhibitors: Sulfated Neuroactive Steroids with Lipophilic D‑Ring Modifications

<i>N</i>-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that play a crucial role in excitatory synaptic transmission. However, the overactivation of NMDARs can lead to excitotoxic cell damage/death, and as such, they play a role in numerous neuropathological conditions. The activity of NMDARs is known to be influenced by a wide variety of allosteric modulators, including neurosteroids, which in turn makes them promising therapeutic targets. In this study, we describe a new class of neurosteroid analogues which possess structural modifications in the steroid D-ring region. These analogues were tested on recombinant GluN1/GluN2B receptors to evaluate the structure–activity relationship. Our results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between this new structural feature and the in vitro activity, as all tested compounds were evaluated as more potent inhibitors of NMDA-induced currents (IC₅₀ values varying from 90 nM to 5.4 μM) than the known endogeneous neurosteroid–pregnanolone sulfate (IC₅₀ = 24.6 μM)

A New Class of Potent <i>N</i>‑Methyl‑d‑Aspartate Receptor Inhibitors: Sulfated Neuroactive Steroids with Lipophilic D‑Ring Modifications

<i>N</i>-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that play a crucial role in excitatory synaptic transmission. However, the overactivation of NMDARs can lead to excitotoxic cell damage/death, and as such, they play a role in numerous neuropathological conditions. The activity of NMDARs is known to be influenced by a wide variety of allosteric modulators, including neurosteroids, which in turn makes them promising therapeutic targets. In this study, we describe a new class of neurosteroid analogues which possess structural modifications in the steroid D-ring region. These analogues were tested on recombinant GluN1/GluN2B receptors to evaluate the structure–activity relationship. Our results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between this new structural feature and the in vitro activity, as all tested compounds were evaluated as more potent inhibitors of NMDA-induced currents (IC₅₀ values varying from 90 nM to 5.4 μM) than the known endogeneous neurosteroid–pregnanolone sulfate (IC₅₀ = 24.6 μM)