Development of a Multiplex Assay for Studying Functional Selectivity of Human Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptors and Identification of Active Compounds by High-Throughput Screening.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) exist as collections of conformations in equilibrium, and the efficacy of drugs has been proposed to be associated with their absolute and relative affinities for these different conformations. The serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor regulates multiple physiological functions, is involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and serves as an important target of atypical antipsychotic drugs. This receptor was one of the first GPCRs for which the functional selectivity phenomenon was observed, with its various ligands exerting differential effects on the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and phospholipase C (PLC) signaling pathways.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of aminoalkyl-tetralones and tetralols as dual dopamine/serotonin ligands.

A series of novel α-tetralone and α-tetralol derivatives was synthesized, and their binding affinities for 5-HT(2A) and D₂ receptors, the most important targets implicated in the anti-schizophrenia drug action, were evaluated to elucidate how substitutions in the aromatic ring of the pharmacophore affect to the affinity or selectivity for these receptors. The replacement of the H-7 in the tetrahydronaphthalene system by an amino group resulted in privileged 5-HT(2A) affinity of the 6-fluorobenzo[d]isoxazol derivative 36 and the alcohol 25 both showing a pK(i) value for 5-HT(2A) higher than 8.3 and good binding affinities for D₂ receptor leading to a Meltzer's ratio characteristic of an atypical antipsychotic profile.