Agonists at the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors:: Structure-activity relationships and molecular modelling

Agonists of the alpha4 beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors have been synthesised as potential drugs for treatment of a variety of diseases. In this review, the published nicotinic agonists are presented and, on the basis of the molecular structure, the compounds are divided into three compound classes, nicotinoids (structurally close to nicotine), bicyclic compounds (structurally close to epibatidine and anatoxin-a), and analogues of imidacloprid (structurally close to the insecticide imidacloprid). The structure-activity relationships are discussed within and in between the classes. On the basis of computational studies of ligands for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors the structure-activity relationships are discussed and a possible binding mode suggested. The binding mode encompasses: (A) an interaction between an anionic site in the receptor and the protonated nitrogen atom in the ligand, (B) a hydrogen bond between a hydrogen bond donor in the receptor and a hydrogen bond acceptor in the ligand, (C) an interaction between a pi -system (heteroaromatic ring, carbonyl bond) in the ligand and another pi -system or a positively charged amino acid residue in the binding site, (D) a pi -cation interaction between aromatic residues in the receptor binding site and the protonated nitrogen atom in the ligand, and (E) steric interactions of positive and negative character around the aliphatic and the heteroaromatic part of the ligand.