Influence of pH on butylylcholinesterase reaction with organophosphorus inhibitors.

The non-covalent enzyme . inhibitor complex dissociation constants and the enzyme phosphorylation rate constants were measured as functions of pH in butyrylcholinesterase (actylcholine acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.8) reaction with organophosphorus inhibitors (C2H5O)2P(O)SX, where X = (CH2)3SC2H5 and (CH2)6S+(CH3)C2H5. Two ionizing groups, a basic and an acidic one, were revealed in the overall reaction of the enzyme inhibition within the pH range between 5 and 10.5. In the enzyme phosphorylation step only the acidic group was found, while the basic group appeared in the non-covalent binding step of both the ionic and non-ionic compounds. The results strongly imply the participation of the basic functional group in the conformation transition which affects the ability of butyrylcholinesterase to bind hydrophobic reagents in the acidic pH region.     

Estimation of the irreversible inhibition reaction rate constants and of the concentration of cholinesterase active sites under commensurable concentrations of enzyme and inhibitors]

Kinetic analysis of the interaction of butyrylcholinesterase and the phosphoorganic inhibitor GT-161 [(C2H2O)2P(O)SC2H4+N(CH3)2C6H5-1-] is carried out. Short time incubations of an enzyme and an inhibitor (1-3 sec), even under commensurable concentrations, were shown to enable the rate constants of irreversible enzyme inhibition to be calcualted by the formula for pseudomonomoleuclar reactions. A simple analytical method for the estimation of the enzyme active sites concentrations is proposed.     

Two-step binding mechanism for HIV protease inhibitors.

Rate constants for binding of five inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease were determined by stopped-flow spectrofluorometry. The two isomers of quinoline-2-carbonyl-Asn-Phe psi-[CH(OH)CH2N]Pro-O-t-Bu (R diastereomer = 1R; S diastereomer = 1S) quenched the protein fluorescence of HIV protease and thus provided a spectrofluorometric method to determine their binding rate constants. The dissociation rate constants for acetyl-Thr-Ile-Leu psi(CH2NH)Leu-Gln-Arg-NH2 (2), (carbobenzyloxy)-Phe psi[CH(OH)CH2N]Pro-O-t-Bu (3), and pepstatin were determined by trapping free enzyme with 1R as 2, 3, and pepstatin dissociated from the respective enzyme.inhibitor complex. Association rate constants of 1R, 2, and pepstatin were calculated from the time-dependent inhibition of protease-catalyzed hydrolysis of the fluorescent substrate (2-aminobenzoyl)-Thr-Ile-Nle-Phe(NO2)-Gln-Arg-NH2 (4). The kinetic data for binding of 1S to the protease fit a two-step mechanism. Kd values for these inhibitors were calculated from the rate constants for binding and were similar to the respective steady-state Ki values.     

Comparative sensitivity of 2 carboxylesterases from the reindeer liver to various inhibitors

The sensitivity to the inhibitor of two forms of reindeer liver carboxylesterases differing in electrophoretic mobility and conventionally termed as "slow" and "fast" forms were investigated. The rate constants for the interaction of organophosphorous irreversible inhibitors--diisopropylfluorophosphate (DPP) and two methylthiophosphonic acid thioesters--C5H11O(CH3)P(O)S(CH2)SCH2C(O)OCH3 (Sh-205) and, C8H17O(CH3)P(O)S(CH2)SCH2C(O)OCH2 (Sh-207)--with the "fast" form are hundreds of times as high as those with the "slow" one. The rate constants for irreversible carbamate inhibitor interaction byehone with both carboxylesterase forms were approximately equal to 1.2 X 10(3) M-1 X min-1 and 2.0 X 10(3) M-1 X min-1, respectively. The reversible inhibitors potassium benzylate and kathapin also inhibited the "fast" carboxylesterase form in the indophenylacetate (IPA) hydrolysis reaction (770 and 1700-fold, respectively). On the contrary, N-methylpiperidinyl ester of benzyl acid inhibited the "slow" form three times stronger. Carbophos reversibly inhibited IPA hydrolysis in the presence of both enzyme forms, but the carboxyester carbophos group was hydrolyzed at a measurable speed only by the "slow" form.     

A comparative study of the interaction of the cholinesterase from the brain of the cabbage fly, the acetylcholinesterase from bovine erythrocytes and the butyrylcholinesterase from horse blood serum with organophosphorus inhibitors

Studies have been made of the effect of several organophosphorus inhibitors, R1(R2)P(O) . SCH2CH2SR and R1(R2)P(O)SCH2CH2SRR . -O4SCH3 (or -I), which differ by the structure of split (R, P) and phosphoryl (R1, R2) parts of the molecule, on cholinesterase (ChE) from the brain of the fly Delia brassicae, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of the bovine erythrocytes and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) from the blood serum of the horse. For fly ChE, higher values of a constant (kII) of the inhibition rate (at pH 7.5 and temperature 25 degrees C) were obtained both with thiophosphates and with thiophosphonates. This finding reveals higher reactivity of the active centre of this enzyme, as well as significantly lower selectivity of the latter to the structure of organophosphorus inhibitors. The data obtained suggest the existence of differences in the size of hydrophobic regions of anionic and esterase parts of the active centre in ChE of the fly and AChE of mammals, as well as the existence of some similarity between ChE of the fly and BuChE.     

Interaction of dialkyl(alpha-carbomethoxy-beta,beta,beta-trifluoro- ethyl) phosphates with mammalian esterases

The interaction of dialkyl (alpha-carbometoxy-beta,beta,beta-trifluoroethyl) phosphates (RO)2P(O) . OCH(CF3)COOMe (R = Me, Et, Pr, Pri, Bu, Bui, Am, Hex) (I-VIII) with human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase, horse serum butyrylcholinesterase, pig liver carboxylesterase was studied and acute toxicity in mice was estimated. Compounds (I)-(VIII) were not hydrolyzed by carboxylesterase, slowly and irreversibly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (kII = 10(2)-10(4) M-1 X min-1) and more efficiently inhibited butyrylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase (kII = 10(3)-10(7) M-1 X min-1). The structure--antienzymatic activity relationships were investigated. With increasing of hydrophobicity of alkoxy groups, antienzymatic activity to butyrylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase ("sites of loss") rises equally and more significantly, than antiacetylcholinesterase activity (delta lg kII 1.0 and 2.4 for R = CH3 and C5H11 resp.). Branching at the alpha-position of alkoxy groups leads to sharp reducing of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition constants, the carboxylesterase inhibition mechanism becoming reversible. Multiple regression analysis (the Kubinyi model) showed that influence of steric hindrances is revealed at the phosphorylation stage. It was found that phosphates (I)-(VIII) possess low acute toxicity in mice (900-2000 mg/kg). The toxicity of this homologous series appears to be independent of the hydrophobicity. Role of esterases in toxicological effect of compounds (I)-(VIII) is discussed.     

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase A is activated by receptor activation through a calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation mechanism.

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] 3-kinase, the enzyme responsible for production of D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, was activated 3- to 5-fold in homogenates of rat brain cortical slices after incubation with carbachol. The effect was reproduced in response to UTP in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells overexpressing Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase A, the major isoform present in rat and human neuronal cells. In ortho-32P-labelled cells, the phosphorylated 53 kDa enzyme could be identified after receptor activation by immunoprecipitation. The time course of phosphorylation was very similar to that observed for carbachol (or UTP)-induced enzyme activation. Enzyme phosphorylation was prevented in the presence of okadaic acid. Calmodulin (CaM) kinase II inhibitors (i.e. KN-93 and KN-62) prevented phosphorylation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase. Identification of the phosphorylation site in transfected CHO cells indicated that the phosphorylated residue was Thr311. This residue of the human brain sequence lies in an active site peptide segment corresponding to a CaM kinase II-mediated phosphorylation consensus site, i.e. Arg-Ala-Val-Thr. The same residue in Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase A was also phosphorylated in vitro by CaM kinase II. Phosphorylation resulted in 8- to 10-fold enzyme activation and a 25-fold increase in sensitivity to the Ca2+:CaM complex. In this study, direct evidence is provided for a novel regulation mechanism for Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase (isoform A) in vitro and in intact cells.     

The role of esterases in the toxicity of organothiophosphorus insectoacaricides containing a fragment of mercaptoacetic acid

Interaction of insectoacaricide Me (EtO)P(S)SCH2SCH2COOMe (I), its activation metabolites (P = O (II), S = O, and P = O, S = O (III) analogues), and a detoxication product (-COOH analoque (IV) with rat liver carboxylesterase, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase of warm-blooded animals, as well as with cholinesterase and carboxylesterase of American cockroach has been studied. Low toxicity of (I) towards warm-blooded animals and American cockroach is shown to result from its rapid hydrolysis with corresponding carboxylesterases to form (IV). Monothiophosphonates (II) and (III) are not hydrolyzed by carboxylesterases but inhibit them irreversibly. High toxicity of (I) towards aphids can be ascribed to low activity of the carboxylesterase of that insect.     

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition by diaza- and dioxophosphole compounds: synthesis and determination of IC50 values

Cholinesterases are targets for organophosphorus compounds which are used as pesticides, insecticides, chemical warfare agents and drugs for the treatment of disease such as glaucoma or parasitic infections. Most organophosphorus compounds impart their toxic action via inhibition of cholinesterases by reacting at an essential serine hydroxyl group. The inhibition process depends on the leaving group, stereochemistry and reactivity of the organophosphorus compound. In this study, the inhibitory potency of two isoelectronic and isostructural diaza- and dioxophospholes A (CH3C6H3 O2P(O)Cl) and B (CH3C6H3(NH)2P(O)Cl) against human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) was examined by spectrophotometric measurements based on Ellman's method. Results indicated that compounds A and B were irreversible inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.48 and 1.54mM, respectively and inactivation constants (k(i)) of 0.0363 and 0.0207min(-1), respectively. The differences in the inhibitory potency of two phosphole compounds is discussed with respect to their structures. In addition, the synthesis and characterization of compound A is discussed.     

The preparation and characterization of Cr(III) and Co(III) complexes of GDP and GTP and their interactions with avian phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

The exchange inert coordination complexes, Cr(H2O)4GDP, Cr(H2O)4GTP, Cr(NH3)4GDP, Cr(NH3)4GTP, Co(NH3)4GDP, and Co(NH3)4GTP have been synthesized and characterized. The lambda and delta coordination isomers of Cr(H2O)4GDP, Cr(NH3)4GDP, and the four Cr(H2O)4GTP isomers have been separated by reverse phase HPLC and characterized by their CD spectra. While the isomers of Co(NH3)4GTP have not been successfully separated, 31P NMR spectroscopy reveals the presence of the lambda and delta forms. The complexes, Cr(H2O)4GDP, Co(NH3)4GDP, Cr(H2O)4GTP, and Co(NH3)4GTP, are linear competitive inhibitors of avian phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. The Ki values of 30 microM, 540 microM, 40 microM, and 12 microM, respectively, were determined for these complexes using Mn-IDP as the nucleotide substrate in the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylation direction or Mn-ITP as nucleotide substrate for the oxalacetate decarboxylation reaction. The lambda and delta isomers of Cr(H2O)4 GDP show little specificity (a twofold maximum difference in Ki) for the enzyme. The isomeric forms of Cr(H2O)4 GTP demonstrate no observed stereoselectivity of interaction with the enzyme. All of the complexes tested, except for Cr(NH3)4GDP and Co(NH3)4GDP, which have larger Ki values, are good substrate analogs for P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase. When the substrate is Mn-GTP, fixed at 0.2 mM at pH 6.0, enzyme activity is stimulated two- to two and a half-fold by Cr(H2O)4GTP. A Dixon plot reveals that the stimulatory effect is saturated at 0.4 mM Cr(H2O)4GTP. The interaction of the enzyme with Cr(H2O)4GTP appears to produce a "memory" effect which is manifest with guanosine nucleotide substrates, but which is not observed with the alternative substrate Mn-ITP.     

Anticholinesterase activity of alkyl esters of perfluoroalkyl phosphonic and perfluoroalkyl phosphinic acids

It has been demonstrated that esters (RO)2P(O)X and RO(R1)P(O)X where R and R1-alkyls, X-CF3 or C2F5, irreversibly inhibited cholinesterases. Their inhibitory effect increased with the elongation of alkyl radicals from CH3- to C4H9-, being more evident with respect to butyrylcholinesterase from horse serum than to acetylcholinesterase from human erythrocytes. It is shown that the concept on inability of esters of thiophosphoric acids to inhibit cholinesterases due to the fact that thionic sulphur (P-S) does not form a strong hydrogen bonds, cannot be applied to esters of perfluorothiophosphonic acids: (C2H5O)2P(S)CF3 inhibits cholinesterases more efficiently than (C2H5O)2P(O)CF3. One of the fluoric atoms probably forms hydrogen bond with the corresponding site of the active centre in cholinesterases, similar to phosphorylic oxygen (P-O) in case of the enzyme inhibition by esters of phosphoric acids.     

A mechanistic model for butyrylcholinesterase.

A plausible mechanism of action of horse serum butyrylcholinesterase is proposed. It includes substrate activation at the level of deacylation. The rate constant for the acylation of the enzyme appears to be much greater than the rate constant for the deacylation, at low substate concentrations. At higher substrate concentrations the rate constants become more similar. No interaction between the four subunits in binding of inhibitors or in the catalysis was observed. There is one esteratic and one anionic site per subunit apparent from labelling studies with [32P]diisopropylfluorophosphate and binding studies with N-methylacridine. Although the tetrametric form of the enzyme appears to be the native one, the monomeric and several other aggregated and dissociated states are catalytically active.     

Characteristics of thymidylate synthase purified from a human colon adenocarcinoma

Thymidylate synthase has been purified greater than 4000-fold from a human colon adenocarcinoma maintained as a xenograft in immune-deprived mice. In this disease, the enzyme is an important target for the cytotoxic action of 5-fluorouracil, which is influenced by the reduced folate substrate CH2-H4PteGlu. Due to the importance of this interaction, and the existence in cells of folate species as polyglutamyl forms, the interaction of folylpolyglutamates with thymidylate synthase was examined. Polyglutamates of PteGlu were used as inhibitors, and the interaction of CH2-H4PteGlu polyglutamates as substrates or in an inhibitory ternary complex were also examined. Using PteGlu1-7, Ki values were determined. A maximal 125-fold decrease in Ki was observed between PteGlu1 and PteGlu4; further addition of up to three glutamyl residues did not result in an additional decrease in Ki. Despite the increased binding affinity of folypolyglutamates for this enzyme, no change in the Km values for either dUMP (3.6 microM) or CH2-H4PteGlu (4.3 microM) were detected when polyglutamates of [6R]CH2-H4PteGlu were used as substrates. Product inhibition studies demonstrated competitive inhibition between dTMP and dUMP in the presence of CH2-H4PteGlu5. In addition, CH2-H4PteGlu4 stabilized an inhibitory ternary complex formed between FdUMP, thymidylate synthase, and CH2-H4PteGlu4. Thus the data do not support a change in the order of substrate binding and product release upon polyglutamylation of CH2-H4PteGlu reported for non-human mammalian enzyme. This is the first study to characterize kinetically thymidylate synthase from a human colon adenocarcinoma.     

alpha,beta-Dehydrophenylalanine choline esters, a new class of reversible inhibitors of human acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase

Our goal was to design, synthesize, and evaluate new cholinesterase inhibitors. Fourteen dehydroamino acids esterified to choline and to its ternary analog were synthesized by a new method that gave a yield of 84-93%. The potency of the amino acid ester derivatives was tested by measuring K(i) values for inhibition of human red cell acetylcholinesterase and human plasma butyrylcholinesterase. The most potent compound was a choline ester of dehydrophenylalanine where the amine group of the amino acid was derivatized with a benzoyl group containing a methoxy in the 2-position, CH(3)O(C(6)H(4))CONHC(CHC(6)H(5))COOCH(2)CH(2)N(+)(CH(3))(3). This compound was a strong inhibitor of both human acetylcholinesterase and human butyrylcholinesterase, with K(i) values of 10 microM and 0.08 microM, respectively. These K(i) values are comparable to that of Rivastigmine. Docking of the most potent compound into the active site of human butyrylcholinesterase showed that the lowest energy model had two benzene rings oriented towards Trp 82 and Tyr 332 whereas the positively charged nitrogen group was stabilized by Trp 231. This orientation placed the ester group 3.89 A from the active site Ser 198, a distance too far for covalent bonding, explaining why the esters are inhibitors rather than substrates. This class of anticholinesterase agents has the potential for therapeutic utility in the treatment of disorders of the cholinergic system.     

Purification and properties of nitroalkane oxidase from Fusarium oxysporum.

A nitroalkane-oxidizing enzyme, which was inducibly formed by addition of nitroethane to the medium was purified to homogeneity from an extract of Fusarium oxysporum (IFO 5942) with an overall yield of about 20%. The enzyme catalyzed the oxidative denitrification of 1-nitropropane as follows: CH2(NO2)CH2CH3 + O2 + H2O leads to OHCCH2CH3 + HNO2 + H2O2. In addition to 1-nitropropane, 3-nitro-2-pentanol, 2-nitropropane, and nitrocyclohexane are good substrates; the enzyme is designated "nitroalkane oxidase" (EC class 1.7.3). The enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 185,000 and consists of four subunits identical in molecular weight (47,000). Flavin adenine dinucleotide was required for the enzyme activity and could be replaced in part by riboflavin 5'-phosphate. The maximum reactivity was found at about pH 8.0. The enzyme was inhibited significantly by HgCl2, KCN, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and N-ethylmaleimide. The Michaelis constants are as follows: 1-nitropropane, 1.54 mM; 2-nitropropane, 7.40 mM; nitroethane, 1.00 mM; 3-nitro-2-pentanol, 3.08 mM; nitrocyclohexane, 0.90 mM; and flavin adenine dinucleotide, 1.33 micrometer.     

Interdependence of H+, Ca2+, and Pi (or vanadate) sites in sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase

The phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase with Pi in the absence of Ca2+ was studied by equilibrium and kinetic experimentation. The combination of these measurements was then subjected to analysis without assumptions on the stoichiometry of the reactive sites. The analysis indicates that the species undergoing covalent interaction is the tertiary complex E X Pi X Mg formed by independent interaction of the two ligands with the enzyme. The binding constant of Pi or Mg2+ to either free or partially associated enzyme is approximately equal to 10(2) M-1, and no significant synergistic effect is produced by one ligand on the binding of the other; the equilibrium constant (Keq) for the covalent reaction E X Pi X Mg E-P X Mg is approximately equal to 16, with kphosph = 53 s-1, and khyd = 3-4 s-1 (25 degrees C, pH 6.0, no K+). The phosphorylation reaction of sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase with Pi is highly H+ dependent. Such a pH dependence involves the affinity of enzyme for different ionization states of Pi, as well as protonation of two protein residues per enzyme unit in order to obtain optimal phosphorylation. The experimental data can then be fitted satisfactorily assuming pK values of 5.7 and 8.5 for the two residues in the nonphosphorylated enzyme (changing to 7.7 for one of the two residues, following phosphorylation) and values of 50.0 and 0.58 for the equilibrium constants of the H2(E X HPO4) in equilibrium with H(E-PO3) + H2O and H(E X HPO4) in equilibrium with E-PO3 + H2O reactions, respectively. In addition to the interdependence of H+ and phosphorylation sites, an interdependence of Ca2+ and phosphorylation sites is revealed by total inhibition of the Pi reaction when two high affinity calcium sites per enzyme unit are occupied by calcium. Conversely, occupancy of the phosphate site by vanadate (a stable transition state analogue of phosphate) inhibits high affinity calcium binding. The known binding competition between the two cations and their opposite effects on the phosphorylation reaction suggest that interdependence of phosphorylation site, H+ sites, and Ca2+ sites is a basic mechanistic feature of enzyme catalysis and cation transport.     

Reversible covalent binding of peptide nitriles to papain

The dissociation constants for reversible covalent binding of twelve peptide nitrile inhibitors to the active site of papain have been measured by means of fluorescence titration. The binding constants generally parallel the kinetic specificity constants (kcat/Km) for related papain substrates, supporting earlier suggestions that peptide nitriles behave as transition state analog inhibitors of papain. In ten cases the temperature dependence of binding was analyzed to determine the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the binding energy. A compensation plot of delta H vs. T delta S resulted in two parallel lines, one for 'specific' nitriles (i.e., N-Ac-L-aa-NHCH2CN; aa = Phe, Leu, Met) and the other for 'non-specific' nitriles (e.g., N-Ac-D-Phe-NHCH2CN, PhCH2CH2CONHCH2CN hippurylnitrile, etc.). For both specific and nonspecific nitriles representing an 1800-fold range of Kd values (0.27 microM-490 microM), the solvent deuterium isotope effect on binding (Kd(H2O)/Kd(D2O) = DKd) was very close to 2.0. This isotope effect could be accounted for entirely by the simple protonic change which occurs upon the reversible addition of the active site sulfhydryl of papain to the nitrile group of the peptide derivative to form a covalent thioimidate linkage. In contrast, six closely related non-nitrile ligands containing identical peptide side chains but having C-terminal groups incapable of binding covalently to papain had unmeasureably high dissociation constants. Collectively, these results indicate that strong binding of peptide nitrile substrate analogs to papain requires a combination of (1) hydrophobic interaction (especially at the P2 position), (2) specific intermolecular hydrogen bonding and (3) covalent interaction of the nitrile with the active site sulfhydryl group.     

9-(Phosphonoalkyl)guanine derivatives as substrates or inhibitors of guanylate kinase.

Several 9-(phosphonoalkyl)guanines (Gua(CH2)nCH2-PO3H2; n = 4-6) and 9-(difluorophosphonoalkyl)guanines (Gua(CH2)nCF2PO3H2; n = 3-7) were studied as potential substrates and inhibitors of guanylate kinase. These compounds are inhibitors of the enzyme except 9-(5-phosphonopentyl)guanine (n = 4) which is a substrate with an efficiency of phosphorylation of about 0.3% that of GMP, as estimated from the Vmax/Km ratios. The phosphonate and difluorophosphonate derivatives with n = 5 produce optimal inhibition. These two compounds have similar affinity, both being competitive inhibitors with respect to GMP and noncompetitive inhibitors with respect to ATP. pH-dependence studies indicate that the dianionic rather than the monoanionic form of these compounds bind to the enzyme. The lack of phosphorylation of 9-(5,5-difluoro-5-phosphonopentyl)guanine by guanylate kinase is explained by the decreased nucleophilic character of the oxygen atoms of the phosphonate group rather than by inadequate binding to the GMP-binding site.     

Selective reversible inhibition of human butyrylcholinesterase by aryl amide derivatives of phenothiazine

Evidence suggests that specific inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase may be an appropriate focus for the development of more effective drugs to treat dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. Butyrylcholinesterase is a co-regulator of cholinergic neurotransmission and its activity is increased in Alzheimer's disease, and is associated with all neuropathological lesions in this disease. Some selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors have already been reported to increase acetylcholine levels and to reduce the formation of abnormal amyloid found in Alzheimer's disease. Synthesized N-(10)-aryl and N-(10)-alkylaryl amides of phenothiazine are specific inhibitors of butyrylcholinesterase. In some cases, inhibition constants in the nanomolar range are achieved. Enzyme specificity and inhibitor potency of these molecules can be related to molecular volumes, steric and electronic factors. Computed logP values indicate high potential for these compounds to cross the blood-brain barrier. Use of such butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors could provide direct evidence for the importance of this enzyme in the normal nervous system and in Alzheimer's disease.     

Derivatives of oxoisoaporphine alkaloids: a novel class of selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

A series of 9-aminoalkanamido-1-azabenzanthrones derviatives (3a-i Ar-NHCO(CH(2))(n)NR(1)R(2)) and their quaternary methiodide salts (4a-g Ar-NHCO(CH(2))(n)N(+)(CH(3))R(1)R(2)I(-)) were designed and synthesized as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) or butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitors. The synthetic compounds exhibited high AChE inhibitory activity with IC(50) values in the nanomolar range and high selectivity for AChE over BuChE (45- to 1980-fold). The structure-activity relationships (SARs) were discussed.