Pleiotropic prodrugs for both symptomatic and disease-modifying treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Meden, Anže (avtor), Žnidaršič, Neža (avtor), Knez, Damijan (avtor), Wang, Yuanyuan (avtor), Xu, Ziwei (avtor), Yang, Huajing (avtor), Zhang, Weiting (avtor), Pišlar, Anja (avtor), Perdih, Andrej (avtor), Kranjc Brezar, Simona (avtor), Grgurevič, Neža (avtor), Pajk, Stane (avtor), Sun, Haopeng (avtor), Gobec, Stanislav (avtor)

The inherent complexity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and failed clinical trials have spiked the interest in multifunctional ligands that target at least two key disease-associated macromolecules in AD pathology. Here we present a focused series of pleiotropic N-carbamoylazole prodrugs with dual mechanism of action. Pseudo-irreversible inhibition of the first therapeutic target, human butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE), enhances cholinergic transmission, and thereby provides symptomatic treatment, same as the standard therapeutics in use for AD. Simultaneously, this step also functions as a metabolic activation that liberates a nanomolar selective α2-adrenergic antagonist atipamezole, which blocks pathological amyloid β (Aβ)-induced and noradrenaline-dependent activation of GSK3β that ultimately leads to hyperphosphorylation of tau, thus achieving a disease-modifying effect. Lead compound 8 demonstrated long-term pseudo-irreversible hBChE inhibition, metabolic activation in human plasma, blood–brain barrier permeability, and p.o. bioavailability in mice. Multi-day in vivo treatment with 8 in an Aβ-induced AD murine model revealed a significant alleviation of cognitive deficit that was comparable to rivastigmine, the current drug of choice for AD therapy. Furthermore, decreased GSK3β activation and lowered tau phosphorylation were observed in APP/PS1 mice. This surpasses the symptomatic-only treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors, as it directly blocks an essential pathological cascade in AD. Therefore, these multifunctional α2-adrenergic antagonists–butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors, exemplified by lead compound 8, present an innovative, small molecule-based, disease-modifying approach to treatment of AD.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: pleiotropic prodrug, Alzheimer’s disease, butyrylcholinesterase, α2A adrenoreceptor, disease-modifying treatment, N-heterocyclic ureas, carbamates, neurodegenerative diseases
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FFA - Fakulteta za farmacijo ; VF - Veterinarska fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 4807-4828
• Številčenje: Vol. 15, no. 9
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179131
• UDK: 615:616.89
• ISSN pri članku: 2211-3843
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2025.07.005
• COBISS.SI-ID: 249943299
• Datum objave v RUL: 06.02.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Acta pharmaceutica sinica B
• Založnik: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2211-3843
• COBISS.SI-ID: 524560409

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.