Exploring the physicochemical properties of oxime-reactivation therapeutics for cyclosarin, sarin, tabun, and VX inactivated acetylcholinesterase

Chem Res Toxicol. 2014 Jan 21;27(1):99-110. doi: 10.1021/tx400350b. Epub 2014 Jan 9.

Abstract

The inactivation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by organophosphorus agent (OP) compounds is a serious problem regardless of how the individual was exposed. The reactivation of OP-inactivated AChE is dependent on the OP conjugate, and commonly a specific oxime is better at reactivating a specific OP conjugate than several diverse OP conjugates. The presented research explores the physicochemical properties needed for the reactivation of OP-inactivated AChE. Four different OPs, cyclosarin, sarin, tabun, and VX, were analyzed using the same set of oxime reactivators. A trial descriptor pool of semiempirical, traditional, and molecular interaction field descriptors was used to construct an ensemble of QSAR models for each OP-conjugate pair. Based on the molecular information and the cross-validation ability, individual QSAR models were selected to be part of an OP-conjugate consensus model. The OP-conjugate specific models provide important insight into the physicochemical properties required to reactivate the OP conjugates of interest. The reactivation of AChE inactivated with either cyclosarin or tabun requires the oxime therapeutic to possess an overall polar-positive surface area. Oxime therapeutics for the reactivation of sarin-inactivated AChE are conformationally dependent while oxime reverse therapeutics for VX require a compact region with a highly hydrophilic region and two positively charged pyridine rings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organophosphates / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Organophosphates / chemistry
  • Organophosphates / pharmacology*
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / chemistry
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / pharmacology
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds / chemistry
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds / pharmacology
  • Oximes / chemistry
  • Oximes / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sarin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Sarin / chemistry
  • Sarin / pharmacology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Organophosphates
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds
  • Oximes
  • VX
  • Sarin
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • tabun
  • cyclohexyl methylphosphonofluoridate