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Novel potent blockers for TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimers as potential antidepressants
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  • Elliot Lee,
  • Jung-eun Park,
  • Young-Eun Han,
  • Ambily Viswanath,
  • Lizaveta Gotina,
  • Yoonjeong Cho,
  • Bongjin Moon,
  • Jin-Young Hwang,
  • Woo Kyu Park,
  • Seonguk Yoo,
  • Chiman Song,
  • Sun-Joon Min,
  • Eun Mi Hwang,
  • Hyunbeom Lee,
  • Ae Nim Pae,
  • Eun Joo Roh,
  • Soo-Jin Oh
Elliot Lee
Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jung-eun Park
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Young-Eun Han
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Ambily Viswanath
Korea University of Science and Technology
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Lizaveta Gotina
Korea University of Science and Technology
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Yoonjeong Cho
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Bongjin Moon
Sogang Daehakgyo
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Jin-Young Hwang
SNU SMG Boramae Medical Center
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Woo Kyu Park
Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
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Seonguk Yoo
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Chiman Song
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Sun-Joon Min
Hanyang University
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Eun Mi Hwang
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Hyunbeom Lee
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Ae Nim Pae
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Eun Joo Roh
Korea University of Science and Technology
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Soo-Jin Oh
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
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Abstract

Background and Purpose: TREK-1 (TWIK-related potassium channel-1) is a subunit of the two-pore domain potassium (K2p) channel and is widely expressed in the brain. TREK-1 knockout mice were shown to have antidepressant-like effects, providing evidence for the channel’s potential as a therapeutic target. However, currently there is no good pharmacological inhibitor specifically targeting TREK-1 containing K2p channels that also displays similar antidepressant-like effects. Experimental Approach: We sought to find selective and potent inhibitors for TREK-1 related dimers both in vitro and in vivo. We synthesized and evaluated 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl piperidine derivatives yielding a library from which many TREK-1 targeting candidates emerged. Key Results: Hydroxyl-phenyl- (2a), piperidino- (2g), and pyrrolidino- (2h) piperidinyl substituted compounds showed high potencies to TREK-1 homodimers with significant antidepressant-like effects in forced swim test and tail suspension test. Interestingly, these compounds were found to have high potencies to TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimers, contrastingly, difluoropiperidinyl-4-fluorophenoxy (3e) and 4-hydroxyphenyl-piperidinyl-4-fluorophenoxy (3j) compounds had high potencies to TREK-1 homodimer but lower potency to TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimers without significant antidepressant-like effects. We observed positive correlation between inhibition potency to TWIK-1/TREK-1 and immobility time, and no correlation between inhibition potency to TREK-1 homodimer and immobility time. This was consistent with molecular docking simulations of selected compounds to TREK-1 homodimeric and TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimeric models. Existing antidepressant fluoxetine was also found to potently inhibit TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimers. Conclusion and Implications: Our study reveals novel potent TWIK-1/TREK-1 inhibitors 2a, 2g, and 2h as potential antidepressants and suggest that the TWIK-1/TREK-1 heterodimer could be a potential novel molecular therapeutic target for antidepressants.