Studies on an (S)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist IKM-159: asymmetric synthesis, neuroactivity, and structural characterization.
Juknaite, L., Sugamata, Y., Tokiwa, K., Ishikawa, Y., Takamizawa, S., Eng, A., Sakai, R., Pickering, D.S., Frydenvang, K., Swanson, G.T., Kastrup, J.S., Oikawa, M.(2013) J Med Chem 56: 2283-2293
- PubMed: 23432124 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jm301590z
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4ISU - PubMed Abstract: 
IKM-159 was developed and identified as a member of a new class of heterotricyclic glutamate analogues that act as AMPA receptor-selective antagonists. However, it was not known which enantiomer of IKM-159 was responsible for its pharmacological activities. Here, we report in vivo and in vitro neuronal activities of both enantiomers of IKM-159 prepared by enantioselective asymmetric synthesis. By employment of (R)-2-amino-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol as a chiral auxiliary, (2R)-IKM-159 and the (2S)-counterpart were successfully synthesized in 0.70% and 1.5% yields, respectively, over a total of 18 steps. Both behavioral and electrophysiological assays showed that the biological activity observed for the racemic mixture was reproduced only with (2R)-IKM-159, whereas the (2S)-counterpart was inactive in both assays. Racemic IKM-159 was crystallized with the ligand-binding domain of GluA2, and the structure revealed a complex containing (2R)-IKM-159 at the glutamate binding site. (2R)-IKM-159 locks the GluA2 in an open form, consistent with a pharmacological action as competitive antagonist of AMPA receptors.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University , Seto 22-2, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027, Japan.