PMID: 16143519

Authors:

Hu LY, Boxer PA, Kesten SR, Lei HJ, Wustrow DJ, Moreland DW, Zhang L, Ahn K, Ryder TR, Liu X, Rubin JR, Fahnoe K, Carroll RT, Dutta S, Fahnoe DC, Probert AW, Roof RL, Rafferty MF, Kostlan CR, Scholten JD, Hood M, Ren XD, Schielke GP, Su TZ, Taylor CP, Mistry A, McConnell P, Hasemann C, Ohren J

Title:

The design and synthesis of human branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase inhibitors for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Journal:

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2006 May 1;16(9):2337-40. Epub 2005 Sep 6.

Abstract:

The inhibition of the cytosolic isoenzyme BCAT that is expressed specifically in neuronal tissue is likely to be useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other neurological disorders where glutamatergic mechanisms are implicated. Compound 2 exhibited an IC50 of 0.8 microM in the hBCATc assays; it is an active and selective inhibitor. Inhibitor 2 also blocked calcium influx into neuronal cells following inhibition of glutamate uptake, and demonstrated neuroprotective efficacy in vivo. SAR, pharmacology, and the crystal structure of hBCATc with inhibitor 2 are described.