Pyrazinyl ureas revisited: 1-(3-(Benzyloxy)pyrazin-2-yl)-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea, a new blocker of A beta-induced mPTP opening for Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Herein, we report synthesis and evaluation of new twenty-eight pyrazinyl ureas against beta amyloid (A beta) induced opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) using JC-1 assay which measures the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi m). The neuroprotective effect of seventeen compounds against A beta-induced mPTP opening was superior to that of the standard Cyclosporin A (CsA). Among them, 1-(3-(benzyloxy)pyrazin-2-yl)-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea (5) effectively maintained mitochondrial function and cell viabilities on ATP assay and MIT assay. Also, hERG channel assay presented safe cardiotoxicity profile for compound 5. In addition, using CDocker algorithm, a molecular docking model presented a plausible explanation for the elicited differences in efficiencies of the synthesized compounds to reduce the green to red fluorescence as indication of mPTP closure. Hence, this report presents compound 5 as the most promising pyrazinyl urea-based mPTP blocker up to date. (C) 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.