Dipeptidyl compounds ameliorate the serum-deprivation-induced reduction in cell viability via the neurotrophin-activating effect in SH-SY5Y cells.

Objectives And Methods: We have searched for low-molecular-weight compounds as potent new non-immunosuppressive immunophilin ligands (NI-IPLs) that are stronger than existent NI-IPLs such as GPI1046 and/or V10367 from the perspective of neuroprotective efficacy. We selected six dipeptidyl compounds as new NI-IPL candidates, and first examined the effects of each of these compounds on the serum-deprivation-induced reduction in the viability of SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, we clarified the effects of these compounds on neurotrophin release into medium in SH-SY5Y cells.