Autotaxin catalyzes the transformation of lyso-phosphatidylcholine in lyso-phosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA is a phospholipid possessing a large panel of activity, in particular as a motility factor or as a growth signal, through its G-protein coupled seven transmembrane receptors. Indirect evidence strongly suggests that autotaxin is the main, if not the only source of circulating LPA. Because of its central role in pathologic conditions, such as oncology and diabetes/obesity, the biochemical properties of autotaxin has attracted a lot of attention, but confirmation of its role in pathology remains elusive. One way to validate and/or confirm its central role, is to find potent and selective inhibitors. A systematic screening of several thousand compounds using a colorimetric assay and taking advantage of the phosphodiesterase activity of autotaxin that requires the enzymatic site than for LPA generation, led to the discovery of a potent nanomolar inhibitor, [4-(tetradecanoylamino)benzyl]phosphonic acid (S32826). This compound was inhibitory toward the various autotaxin isoforms, using an assay measuring the [ 14 C]lyso-phosphatidylcholine conversion into [ 14 C]LPA. We also evaluated the activity of S32826 in cellular models of diabesity and oncology. Nevertheless, the poor in vivo stability and/or bioavailability of the compound did not permit to use it in animals. S32826 is the first reported inhibitor of autotaxin with an IC 50 in the nanomolar range that can be used to validate the role of autotaxin in various pathologies in cellular models.

Combining the selective targeting of tumor cells through antigen-directed recognition and potent cell-killing by cytotoxic payloads, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged in recent years as an efficient therapeutic approach for the treatment of various cancers. Besides a number of approved drugs already on the market, there is a formidable follow-up of ADC candidates in clinical development. While selection of the appropriate antibody (A) and drug payload (D) is dictated by the pharmacology of the targeted disease, one has a broader choice of the conjugating linker (C). In the present paper, we review the chemistry of ADCs with a particular emphasis on the medicinal chemistry perspective, focusing on the chemical methods that enable the efficient assembly of the ADC from its three components and the controlled release of the drug payload.

Recently, we reported the synthesis of 3-(sulfonylamino)-2(1H)-quinolones, a new series of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)/kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)/glycine antagonists. By exploring the structure-activity relationships (SAR) in this series, we were able to identify the 6,7-dinitro derivative 6 as a potent and balanced antagonist at both receptors. Unfortunately, compound 6 was devoid of in vivo activity in mice anticonvulsant testing. To overcome this critical limitation, new compounds bearing various acidic moieties at the 3-position of the quinolone skeleton were synthesized and evaluated. The SAR of these new analogues indicated that not all acidic groups are acceptable at the 3-position: A rank order of potency going from carboxylic approximately phosphonic > tetrazole > mercaptoacetic > hydroxamic >> other heterocyclic acids was defined. In addition, the selectivity between the AMPA/kainate and NMDA/glycine sites is dependent on the nature of the substitution (nitro > chloro for AMPA selectivity), its position (5,7- > 6,7-pattern for glycine selectivity), and the distance between the quinolone moiety and the heteroatom bearing the acidic hydrogen (the longer the distance the more AMPA selective the compound). Among these new AMPA antagonists, we have identified 6,7-dichloro-2(1H)-oxoquinoline-3-phosphonic acid (24c) as a water soluble and selective compound endowed with an appealing pharmacological profile. Compared with the reference AMPA antagonist NBQX, the phosphonic acid 24c is much less potent in vitro but almost equipotent in vivo in the audiogenic seizures model after intraperitoneal administration. Moreover, unlike NBQX, compound 24c is also active after oral administration. In the gerbil global ischemia model, compound 24c shows a neuroprotective effect at 10 mg/kg/ip, equivalent to the reference NBQX.

Alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) type glutamate receptors are critical for synaptic plasticity and induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), considered as one of the synaptic mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Positive allosteric modulators of AMPA receptors could provide a therapeutic approach to the treatment of cognitive disorders resulting from aging and/or neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (AD). Several AMPA potentiators have been described in the last decade, but for the moment their clinical efficacy has not been demonstrated due to the complexity of the target, AMPA receptors, and the difficulty in studying cognition in animals and humans. A better understanding of the mechanism of action of this type of drug remains an important issue, if knowledge of these compounds is to be increased and if this novel therapeutic approach is to be an interesting research area. Among the AMPA potentiators, S 18986 is emerging as a new selective positive allosteric modulator of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. S 18986, as with other positive AMPA receptor modulators, increased induction and maintenance of LTP in the hippocampus as well as the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) both in vitro and in vivo. Its cognitive-enhancing properties have been demonstrated in various behavioral models (procedural, spatial, "episodic," working, and relational/declarative memory) in young-adult and aged rodents. It is interesting to note that memory-enhancing effects appeared more robust in middle-aged animals compared with aged ones and in "episodic" and spatial memory tasks. From these results, S 18986 is expected to treat memory deficits associated with early cerebral aging and neurological diseases in elderly people.

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