Isoxazole analogues bind the system xc- transporter: structure-activity relationship and pharmacophore model

Analogues of amino methylisoxazole propionic acid (AMPA), were prepared from a common intermediate 12, including lipophilic analogues using lateral metalation and electrophilic quenching, and were evaluated at System xc-. Both the 5-naphthylethyl-(16) and 5-naphthylmethoxymethyl-(17) analogues adopt an E-conformation in the solid state, yet while the former has robust binding at System xc-, the latter is virtually devoid of activity. The most potent analogues were amino acid naphthyl-ACPA 7g, and hydrazone carboxylic acid, 11e Y=Y'=3,5-(CF(3))(2), which both inhibited glutamate uptake by the System xc- transporter with comparable potency to the endogenous substrate cystine, whereas in contrast the closed isoxazolo[3,4-d] pyridazinones 13 have significantly lower activity. A preliminary pharmacophore model has been constructed to provide insight into the analogue structure-activity relationships.