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In vitro and in vivo pharmacological profile of AS057278, a selective d-amino acid oxidase inhibitor with potential anti-psychotic properties.

European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2007 Aug 1; In press

Link to PubMed abstract

Adage T T, Trillat A AC, Quattropani A A, Perrin D D, Cavarec L L, Shaw J J,

Merck Serono Ivrea Research Center, RBM S.p.a., Colleretto Giacosa, Italy.

Non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) blockers induce schizophrenic-like behavior in healthy volunteers and exacerbate symptomatology in schizophrenic patients. Hence, a compound able to enhance NMDA neurotransmission by increasing levels of d-serine, an endogenous full agonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptors, could have anti-psychotic activity. One way to increase d-serine levels is the inhibition of d-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), the enzyme responsible for d-serine oxidation. Indeed AS057278, a potent in vitro (IC(50)=0.91 muM) and ex vivo (ED(50)=2.2-3.95 muM) DAAO inhibitor, was able to increase d-serine fraction in rat cortex and midbrain (10 mg/kg i.v.). AS057278 was able to normalize phencyclidine (PCP)-induced prepulse inhibition after acute (80 mg/kg) and chronic (20 mg/kg b.i.d.) oral administration in mice. Finally, AS057278 after oral chronic treatment (10 mg/kg b.i.d.) was able to normalize PCP-induced hyperlocomotion. These results suggest that AS057278 has the potential to anti-psychotic action toward both cognitive and positive symptoms of schizophrenia.