Screening oxime libraries by means of mass spectrometry (MS) binding assays: Identification of new highly potent inhibitors to optimized inhibitors γ-aminobutyric acid transporter 1.

Generation and screening of oxime libraries by competitive MS Binding Assays represents a powerful tool for the identification of new compounds, with affinity to mGAT1, the most abundant plasma membrane bound GABA transporter in the CNS. By screening a guvacine derived oxime library, new potent inhibitors of mGAT1 had been revealed. In the present study, oxime libraries generated by reaction of a large excess of a rac-nipecotic acid derivative displaying a hydroxylamine functionality in which various aldehydes under suitable conditions, were examined for new potent inhibitors of mGAT1. The pKi values obtained of the best hits were compared with those of related compounds displaying a guvacine instead of a nipecotic acid subunit as hydrophilic moiety. Amongst the new compounds one of the most affine ligands of mGAT1 known so far (pKi  = 8.55 ± 0.04) was found.