顺式新烟碱类衍生物的三维定量构效关系研究

采用比较分子力场分析法(CoMFA)和比较分子相似性指数分析法(CoMSIA)对34个顺式新烟碱类衍生物的杀虫活性进行三维定量构效关系(3D-QSAR)研究.构建的CoMFA和CoMSIA模型的交叉验证系数rc2v分别为0.877和0.862,非交叉验证系数r2分别为0.970和0.961,表明建立的3D-QSAR模型具有较好的统计相关性和预测能力.一系列的研究结果指出:立体场、静电场和氢键受体场是描述顺式新烟碱类衍生物的化学结构与杀虫活性关系的重要参数;在咪唑啉环的3,4位不宜引入较大的取代基,提高咪唑啉环的电负性或增强硝基一个端氧的氢键受体特征有利于提高顺式新烟碱类衍生物的杀虫活性.     

尼古丁的“口供”

以口供的形式介绍了尼古丁的分子结构和部分生理功能,通过真实案件揭示尼古丁对人体的毒性。结合医学知识,阐述了尼古丁中毒的过程、吸烟上瘾的机理和尼古丁对人体的损害,并对人类健康生活提出禁烟建议。     

尼古丁的“口供”

This is a piece of confession made by Nicotine where its molecular structure and some physiological functions are introduced. The toxicity of Nicotine on human body has been revealed, based on an authentic suicide case. Combined with medical knowledge, the process of Nicotine intoxication, the mechanism of smoking addition and Nicotine's negative effect on human body, have been presented. Ultimately non-smoking advice is suggested for the sake of human health.     

3-吡啶基醚类化合物的分子全息QSAR研究

采用分子全息定量构效关系(HQSAR, hologram quantitative structure-activity relationship)方法, 研究了28个3-吡啶基醚类化合物对乙酰胆碱α4β2受体的亲和性与它们的分子结构之间的关系, 讨论了分子碎片大小、分子碎片亚结构类型以及分子全息长度对QSAR的影响, 得到了较好的HQSAR模型, 模型的交叉验证系数平方q²＝0.670, 非交叉相关系数平方r²＝0.965, 偏差S＝0.093. 利用HQSAR的颜色编码, 对化合物中不同基团对亲和活性的影响进行了讨论, 对新配体的合成具有一定的指导作用.     

甲状腺激素受体配体化合物的定量构效关系(QSAR)研究

研究了68个TR（Thyroid Hormone Receptor,甲状腺激素受体）配体化合物的化学结构与活性的定量构效关系．采用实验室新近提出的三维原子场全息相互作用矢量,对化合物进行了结构参数化表达,采用逐步回归对变量进行筛选后,建立了定量构效关系模型．复相关系数和交互检验复相关系数R^2=0．767,Q^2=0．625（TRα）,R^2=0．734,Q^2=0．61（TRβ）．模型具有良好的稳定性和预测能力,证明了该三维原子场全息相互作用矢量在分子结构表征和生物活性预测上的适用性,并可应用于潜在和新型的TR配体化合物的设计和开发．     

雪花胺类化合物的三维构效关系研究

雪花胺是一类重要的乙酰胆碱脂酶抑制剂，有可能发展成治疗阿尔茨海默病的药物. 利用分子力学计算得到了这类化合物的优势构象，并对这些化合物进行了CoMFA研究．发现，对于雪花胺类化合物，影响其药效的主要因素是空间结构，电荷作用力的影响较小．对空间因素的进一步分析发现，对于该类分子，不宜用空阻较大的基团进行取代．由电荷影响的分析得到了在不同位置上取代基所应有的电荷性质．三维定量构效关系研究为基于雪花胺的抑制剂设计提供了方案．     

毒蕈碱受体激动剂的三维定量构效关系研究

采用比较分子场分析法(CoMFA)研究了55个四氢吡啶类毒蕈碱受体激动剂的三维定量构效关系(3D-QSAR), 建立了具有较强预测能力的3D-QSAR模型. 所得模型的交叉验证相关系数(q²)为0.507, 常规相关系数(R²)为0.982 , 标准方差为0.218, 说明系列化合物分子周围立体场和静电场的分布与生物活性间存在良好的相关性. 模型不仅很好地预测了训练集和测试集化合物的活性, 而且为设计活性更高的受体激动剂提供了理论依据.     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂的三维定量构效关系研究

利用柔性原子受体模型(FLARM)方法对一系列的异黄酮和喹诺酮衍生物表皮生长因子受体酪氨酸激酶抑制剂进行了三维定量构效关系研究，得到了合理的构效关系模型.FLARM方法的计算结果还给出了虚拟的受体模型，该模型说明了抑制剂与受体之间可能的相互作用.由该虚拟受体模型得到的受体-配体相互作用与Novartis药效团模型比较类似.     

GABAA受体萜类抑制剂构效关系研究

采用DISCOtech方法建立了大鼠和家蝇GABAA受体萜类抑制剂的药效团模型, 根据药效团模型叠加规则建立了大鼠和家蝇GABAA受体萜类抑制剂CoMFA模型, 模型的交叉验证相关系数分别为0.713和0.738. 构效关系研究显示， 家蝇和大鼠受体抑制剂结合部位之间存在一个主要差别: 与受体作用的抑制剂的负电荷基团取代有利于保持其对哺乳动物的高抑制活性, 而保持对昆虫的高抑制活性是不需要的, 从而为寻找先导化合物和设计高选择性杀虫剂提供了理论指导.     

使用本征值方法研究抗氧化剂的构效关系

利用本征值(EVA)方法对一组分子多样性较大的酚类或苯胺类抗氧化剂进行了理论研究,在未采用任何实验数据的情况下,研究结果接近于文献报道的QSAR模型,表明EVA方法是研究抗氧化剂抗氧化活性构效关系的良好工具.     

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists: A Milestone for Modern Crop Protection

The destruction of crops by invertebrate pests is a major threat against a background of a continuously rising demand in food supply for a growing world population. Therefore, efficient crop protection measures in a vast range of agricultural settings are of utmost importance to guarantee sustainable yields. The discovery of synthetic agonists selectively addressing the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), located in the central nervous system of insects, for use as insecticides was a major milestone in applied crop protection research. These compounds, as a result of their high target specificity and versatility in application methods, opened a new innovative era in the control of some of the world′s most devastating insect pests. These insecticides also contributed massively to extending our knowledge of the biochemistry of insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The global economic success of synthetic nAChR agonists as insecticides renders the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor still one of the most attractive target sites for exploration in insecticide discovery.     

Fluorescent Agonists of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Derived from 3‐Amino‐Quinuclidine

Here, we investigated whether fluorescence labeled small molecule agonists of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) might be identified to enhance receptor studies. Enantiomerically pure 3‐amino‐quinuclidines appended with fluorophores at the 3‐amino group were synthesized and tested by electrophysiology on human α7 nAChR in Xenopus oocytes, uncovering (R)‐ 4 and (R)‐ 9 as the first examples of fluorescent α7 nAChR agonists. These molecules elegantly incorporate the fluorescent reporter group as part of the pharmacophore itself and provide a new class of tool compounds for the study of these ligand‐gated ion channels.     

The Effects of Structural Alterations in the Polyamine and Amino Acid Moieties of Philanthotoxins on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Inhibition in the Locust,Schistocerca gregaria

Alterations in the polyamine and amino acid (tyrosine) moieties of philanthotoxin-343 (PhTX-343) were investigated for their effects on the antagonism of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) isolated from the locust (Schistocerca gregaria) mushroom body. Through whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, the philanthotoxin analogues in this study were shown to cause inhibition of the inward current when co-applied with acetylcholine (ACh). PhTX-343 (IC₅₀ = 0.80 μM at −75 mV) antagonised locust nAChRs in a use-dependent manner, suggesting that it acts as an open-channel blocker. The analogue in which both the secondary amine functionalities were replaced with methylene groups (i.e., PhTX-12) was ~6-fold more potent (IC₅₀ (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) = 0.13 μM at −75 mV) than PhTX-343. The analogue containing cyclohexylalanine as a substitute for the tyrosine moiety of PhTX-343 (i.e., Cha-PhTX-343) was also more potent (IC₅₀ = 0.44 μM at −75 mV). A combination of both alterations to PhTX-343 generated the most potent analogue, i.e., Cha-PhTX-12 (IC₅₀ = 1.71 nM at −75 mV). Modulation by PhTX-343 and Cha-PhTX-343 fell into two distinct groups, indicating the presence of two pharmacologically distinct nAChR groups in the locust mushroom body. In the first group, all concentrations of PhTX-343 and Cha-PhTX-343 inhibited responses to ACh. In the second group, application of PhTX-343 or Cha-PhTX-343 at concentrations ≤100 nM caused potentiation, while concentrations ≥ 1 μM inhibited responses to ACh. Cha-PhTX-12 may have potential to be developed into insecticidal compounds with a novel mode of action.     

烟酸和1,10-邻菲啰啉构建的Cu(Ⅱ)配合物与DNA的相互作用

采用光谱法、循环伏安法和热变性方法,研究了烟酸(NA)和1,10-邻菲啰啉(Phen)构建的三元Cu(Ⅱ)配合物([Cu(Phen)(NA)]·H2O)与鲱鱼精DNA的相互作用。结果显示:NA中羧酸根离子与Phen中两个氮原子均与Cu(Ⅱ)双齿配位,形成的配合物在0.141~0.205V出现一对灵敏的氧化还原峰,并且配合物在玻碳电极上的反应主要由扩散过程控制。加入DNA后配合物的最大吸收峰发生了明显红移和减色,且配合物的氧化还原峰电流显著降低,式量电位发生正移;配合物能猝灭中性红(NR)-DNA体系的荧光,同时配合物的加入使DNA熔点升高,表明配合物与DNA存在嵌入结合。     

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Hydantoin-Cored Ligands for Smoothened Receptor

An underside binding site was recently identified in the transmembrane domain of smoothened receptor (SMO). Herein, we report efforts in the exploration of new insights into the interactions between the ligand and SMO. The hydantoin core in the middle of the parent compound was found to be highly conservative in chirality, ring size, and substituents. On each benzene at two ends, a plethora of variations, particularly halogen substitutions, were introduced and investigated. Analysis of the structure-activity relationship revealed miscellaneous halogen effects. The ligands with double halogen substituents exhibit remarkably enhanced potency, providing promising candidates that potentially overcome the common drug resistance and useful heavy-atom labeled chemical tools for co-crystallization studies of SMO.     

Pharmacophore Mapping Combined with dbCICA Reveal New Structural Features for the Development of Novel Ligands Targeting α4β2 and α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) belong to the ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) group, presenting a crucial role in several biological processes and neuronal disorders. The α4β2 and α7 nAChRs are the most abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), being involved in challenging diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorder, as well as alcohol and nicotine dependencies. In addition, in silico-based strategies may contribute to revealing new insights into drug design and virtual screening to find new drug candidates to treat CNS disorders. In this context, the pharmacophore maps were constructed and validated for the orthosteric sites of α4β2 and α7 nAChRs, through a docking-based Comparative Intermolecular Contacts Analysis (dbCICA). In this sense, bioactive ligands were retrieved from the literature for each receptor. A molecular docking protocol was developed for all ligands in both receptors by using GOLD software, considering GoldScore, ChemScore, ASP, and ChemPLP scoring functions. Output GOLD results were post-processed through dbCICA to identify critical contacts involved in protein-ligand interactions. Moreover, Crossminer software was used to construct a pharmacophoric map based on the most well-behaved ligands and negative contacts from the dbCICA model for each receptor. Both pharmacophore maps were validated by using a ROC curve. The results revealed important features for the ligands, such as the presence of hydrophobic regions, a planar ring, and hydrogen bond donor and acceptor atoms for α4β2. Parallelly, a non-planar ring region was identified for α7. These results can enable fragment-based drug design (FBDD) strategies, such as fragment growing, linking, and merging, allowing an increase in the activity of known fragments. Thus, our results can contribute to a further understanding of structural subunits presenting the potential for key ligand-receptor interactions, favoring the search in molecular databases and the design of novel ligands.