Structure-Guided Discovery of -Hexahydro-pyrido-oxazinones as Reversible, Drug-like Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inhibitors.

Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a key enzyme involved in the metabolism of the endogenous signaling ligand 2-arachidonoylglycerol, a neuroprotective endocannabinoid intimately linked to central nervous system (CNS) disorders associated with neuroinflammation. In the quest for novel MAGL inhibitors, a focused screening approach on a Roche library subset provided a reversible benzoxazinone hit exhibiting high ligand efficiency. The subsequent design of the three-dimensional -hexahydro-pyrido-oxazinone (-HHPO) moiety as benzoxazinone replacement enabled the combination of high MAGL potency with favorable ADME properties.

Identification of ()-[F]YH134 for Monoacylglycerol Lipase Neuroimaging and Exploration of Its Use for Central Nervous System and Peripheral Drug Development.

This study aimed to evaluate ()-[F]YH134 as a novel PET tracer for imaging monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). Considering the ubiquitous expression of MAGL throughout the whole body, the impact of various MAGL inhibitors on ()-[F]YH134 brain uptake and its application in brain-periphery crosstalk were explored. MAGL knockout and wild-type mice were used to evaluate ()-[F]YH134 in in vitro autoradiography and PET experiments.

Discovery, synthesis and evaluation of novel reversible monoacylglycerol lipase radioligands bearing a morpholine-3-one scaffold.

Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a serine hydrolase that plays an important role in the endocannabinoid degradation in the brain. It has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Development of MAGL-specific radioligands for non-invasive imaging by positron-emission tomography (PET) would deepen our knowledge on the relevant pathological changes in diseased states and accelerate drug discovery.