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Updated: May 3, 2026

A Plate-Based Assay for the Measurement of Endogenous Monoamine Release in Acute Brain Slices
Published on: August 11, 2021
Elucidation of structural elements for selectivity across monoamine transporters: novel
Oluyomi M Okunola-Bakare1, Jianjing Cao, Theresa Kopajtic
1Medicinal Chemistry Section and ‡Psychobiology Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health , Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States.
Abstract:
2-[(Diphenylmethyl)sulfinyl]acetamide (modafinil, (±)-1) is a unique dopamine uptake inhibitor that binds the dopamine transporter (DAT) differently than cocaine and may have potential for the treatment of psychostimulant abuse. To further investigate structural requirements for this divergent binding mode, novel thio- and sulfinylacetamide and ethanamine analogues of (±)-1 were synthesized wherein (1) the diphenyl rings were substituted with methyl, trifluoromethyl, and halogen substituents and (2) substituents were added to the terminal amide/amine nitrogen. Halogen substitution of the diphenyl rings of (±)-1 gave several amide analogues with improved binding affinity for DAT and robust selectivity over the serotonin transporter (SERT), whereas affinity improved at SERT over DAT for the p-halo-substituted amine analogues. Molecular docking studies, using a subset of analogues with DAT and SERT homology models, and functional data obtained with DAT (A480T) and SERT (T497A) mutants defined a role for TM10 in the substrate/inhibitor S1 binding sites of DAT and SERT.
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