2-Ethynyl-1,3-dimethoxybenzene

Evans, K. L.; Horn, Gudrun; Fronczek, Frank R.; Gandour, Richard D.; Watkins, Steven F.

doi:10.1107/s0108270189009613

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The novel compound pEPA shares structural characteristics with pCPA (Fig. 1), with the primary difference being that pEPA has the ethynyl group in the para position that is able to act as a donor in hydrogen bonding interactions (Evans et al, 1990; Prince et al, 1990; Weiss et al, 1997). It was intriguing to see whether the free acid has biological activities similar to pCPA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

p‐Ethynylphenylalanine

Stokes¹,

Xu²,

Daunais³

et al. 2000

Journal of Neurochemistry

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Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin biosynthesis. The enzyme activity is dependent on molecular oxygen, a tetrahydropterin cosubstrate, and ferrous iron. The present study demonstrates that TPH is inhibited by a novel compound, p-ethynylphenylalanine (pEPA), produced by the Heck reaction of trimethylsilylacetylene with N-tertbutyloxycarbonyl-4-iodo-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. pEPA is a more potent and specific inhibitor of TPH than p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). In the present study, pEPA was demonstrated to inhibit competitively and reversibly TPH in vitro (K i ϭ 32.6 Ϯ 6.2 M vs. tryptophan). pEPA displayed little inhibitory activity toward tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.2), the initial and rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine biosynthesis, and no inhibition of phenylalanine hydroxylase or tyrosinase. In addition, pEPA was a poor ligand for the serotonin transporter and several serotonin receptors. Administration of pEPA (30 mg/kg) to rats produced a 95 Ϯ 5% decrease in TPH activity in brain homogenates and a concomitant decrease in serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid levels (85%) at 24 h after injection. In contrast, pCPA produced a similar effect (87 Ϯ 5% decrease in TPH activity) only at 10 times the concentration (300 mg/kg). These results suggest that pEPA is a selective, reversible, and potent inhibitor of TPH both in vitro and in vivo. The potential for pEPA to inhibit selectively and reversibly the biosynthesis of serotonin may contribute to the characterization of the role of serotonin in behavioral and physiological activities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%