Use of Multicomponent Reactions in Developing Small-Molecule Tools to Study GABA_A Receptor Mechanism and Function

Abstract

We discuss the potential use of multicomponent reactions in developing small-molecule probes of GABA_A receptor function. Two examples that illustrate this approach are presented: the synthesis of a class of compounds that specifically modulate the function of GABA_A receptors containing the δ-subunit, and also ‘caged’ GABA derivatives. A caged GABA is a photolabile precursor of GABA that releases GABA upon photolysis.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was supported in part by a nih grant (GM 04842) awarded to George Hess, and Ryan Lewis was supported by NIH Predoctoral Training Grant 5T32GM7273 in Cell & Molecular Biology and a Teaching Assistantship from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, NY, USA. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a nih grant (GM 04842) awarded to George Hess, and Ryan Lewis was supported by NIH Predoctoral Training Grant 5T32GM7273 in Cell & Molecular Biology and a Teaching Assistantship from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, NY, USA. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.