[³H]Chiba-1001(methyl-SSR180711) has low in vitro binding affinity and poor in vivo selectivity to nicotinic alpha-7 receptor in rodent brain.

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists active at the alpha-7 (α-7) receptor subtype are potential therapeutics for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and other mental disorders. SSR180711, an α-7 selective partial agonist, has been shown to improve preclinical cognition. A novel positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand, ¹¹C-Chiba1001, is a close analog of SSR180711.

Absence of direct effects on the dopamine D2 receptor by mGluR2/3-selective receptor agonists LY 354,740 and LY 379,268.

We previously reported the absence of high-affinity binding of the group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists LY 354,740 and LY 379,268 to the D2L dopamine receptor. A rebuttal to our findings has since been reported (see Introduction section); this study represents our response. Analysis by LCMS of LY 354,740 and LY 379,268 used in this study revealed the correct molecular mass for these compounds.

Parkin suppresses wild-type alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity in SHSY-5Y cells.

Current hypotheses concerning the mechanism of neuronal cell death in Parkinson's disease (PD) and related synucleopathies propose a functional interaction between parkin and alpha-synuclein (alphaS). Recently parkin was shown to suppress mutant alphaS-induced toxicity in primary neurons, providing a basis for an association between these proteins and neuronal loss [Neuron 36 (2000) 1007-1019]. We have asked if a similar association could be made between wild-type (wt) alphaS and parkin.