Structure-activity relationships molecular basis

Weinstein, H., R. Osman, and J. P. Green. 1979. The Molecular Basis of Structure-Activity Relationships Quantum Chemical Recognition Mechanisms in Drug-Receptor Interactions. In Computer-Assisted Drug Design. E. C. Olson and R. E. Christofferson, eds. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 

Thus, cholinergic receptor classification can be considered in terms of three stages of development. Initially, Dale [2] distinguished nicotinic and muscarinic receptor subtypes with crude alkaloids. Then, chemical synthesis and structure-activity relationships clearly revealed that nicotinic and muscarinic receptors were heterogeneous, but chemical selectivity could not come close to uncovering the true diversity of receptor subtypes. Lastly, analysis of subtypes came from molecular cloning, making possible the classification of receptors on the basis of primary structure (Fig. 11-2). 

It is important to consider the molecular interactions in liquids that are responsible for their physicochemical properties (such as boiling point, melting point, heat of vaporization, surface tension, etc.), which enables one to both describe and relate the different properties of matter in a more clear manner (both qualitatively and quantitatively). These ideas form the basis for quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR Birdi, 2002). This approach toward analysis and application is becoming more common due to the enormous help available from computers. 

However, the studies on the calcium channel blockers remained centered even today around the l,4-dihydropyridine class. Since this class of compounds can also act as calcium channel activators, attention has always been drawn towards their structure-activity relationship studies. Attempts were made to differentiate in the mechanisms of their agonist and antagonist activities. On the basis of the force field and quantum mechanical calculations, Holtze and Marrer [51] discovered a imique area of the molecular potentials where Ca agonists and antagonists possess potential of opposite sign. These authors demonstrated that the molecular potential of a simple receptor site was reduced by interaction with calciiun channel activators and, on the contrary, increased by interaction with calcium channel blockers. These opposite effects probably could be the basis for the opposite actions of DHP enantiomers at the potential-dependent calcium channel. 

The conceptual basis for similarity analysis is provided by the similarity-property principle that states that similar molecules have similar biological activity.This rather intuitive principle has been widely accepted and substantiated by a wealth of observations. The success of many similarity-based virtual screening calculations can only be rationalized on the basis of this principle. However, minor modifications in molecular structure can dramatically alter the biological activity of a small molecule. This situation is exploited in lead optimization elforts, but limits the potential of similarity methods. These considerations also suggest that there must be fundamental dilferences between the structure-activity relationships (SARs). Thus, difierent types of SARs are expected to critically determine the success of similarity methods and systematic SAR analysis helps to better understand on a case-by-case basis why similarity methods might succeed or fail. 

The Molecular Basis of Structure-Activity Relationships Quantum Chemical Recognition Mechanisms in Drug-Receptor Interactions... 

Dajani R, Cleasby A, Neu M, Wonacott AJ, Jhoti H, Hood AM, Modi S, Hersey A, Taskinen J, Cooke RM, Manchee GR, Coughtrie MW. X-ray crystal structure of human dopamine sulfotransferase, SULT1A3 Molecular modeling and quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis demonstrate a molecular basis for sulfotransferase substrate specificity. J Biol Chem 1999 274 37862-8. 

Fortunately, to overcome the different problems of laboratory testing, modeling approaches are being developed for estimating the toxicity of chemicals. QSARs (quantitative structure-activity relationships) are the fundamental basis of these approaches in environmental toxicology for predicting the toxicity of chemicals from their molecular structure and/or physicochemical properties. 

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