Vesicular monoamine transporter substrate/inhibitor activity of MPTP/MPP+ derivatives: a structure-activity study.

The active metabolite of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)), selectively destroys the dopaminergic neurons and induces the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I and/or the perturbation of dopamine metabolism through cellular and granular accumulation have been proposed as some of the major causes of neurotoxicity. In the present study we have synthesized and characterized a number of MPTP and MPP(+) derivatives that are suitable for the comparative neurotoxicity and complex I inhibition versus dopamine metabolism perturbation studies.