A molecular analysis of substituted phenylethylamines as potential microtubule targeting agents through in silico methods and in vitro microtubule-polymerization activity

Natural phenethylamines are trace amine neurotransmitters associated with dopamine transmission and related illnesses such Parkinson’s disease, and addiction. Synthetic phenethylamines can have psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects due to their high affinity with the 5-HT(2A) receptor. Evidence indicates phenethylamines can directly alter the microtubule cytoskeleton being structurally similar to the microtubule destabilizing agent colchicine, however little work has been done on this interaction. As microtubules provide neuron structure, intracellular transport, and influence synaptic plasticity the interaction of phenethylamines with microtubules is important for understanding the potential harms, or potential pharmaceutical use of phenethylamines. We investigated 110 phenethylamines and their interaction with microtubules. Here we performed molecular docking of these compounds at the colchicine binding site and ranked them via binding energy. The top 10% of phenethylamines were further screened based on pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties derived from SwissADME and LightBBB. Based on these properties 25B-NBF, 25C-NBF, and DMBMPP were tested in in vitro microtubule polymerization assays showing that they alter microtubule polymerization dynamics in a dose dependent manner. As these compounds can rapidly cross the blood brain barrier and directly affect cytoskeletal dynamics, they have the potential to modulate cytoskeletal based neural plasticity. Further investigations into these mechanisms are warranted.