This work describes the synthesis and initial characterization of the biological activity of a family of EAAT3 preferring inhibitors, L-β-benzyl aspartate (L-β-BA) and L-β-BA derivatives. L-β-BA and derivatives were initially synthesized in an approximate 2:1 ratio of diasteromers (threo:erythro), using base promoted enolate addition. Kinetic analysis of 3H-D-aspartate uptake into C17.2 cells expressing the hEAATs demonstrated that L-threo-β-BA is the more potent diastereomer (Ki values of 9 µM for EAAT1, 10.0 µM for EAAT2 and 0.8 µM for EAAT3), acts competitively, and exhibits a 10-fold preference for EAAT3 compared to EAAT1 and EAAT2. Electrophysiological recordings of EAAT-mediated currents in Xenopus oocytes further identified L-β-BA as a non-substrate inhibitor. Derivatives of L-β-BA were prepared and characterized for the ability to inhibit 3H-D-aspartate uptake into hEAAT1-3 expressing C17.2 cells. Computational modeling and analysis of structure activity data suggest the area the aromatic moiety of L-β-BA derivatives probe is 1) 3-dimentionally confined, 2) more tolerant of substitutions at the 3 and 5 positions than the 4 position, 3) at least partially distinct from the area probed by L-TBOA and 4) more accessible in the EAAT3 protein than EAAT1 and EAAT2. Computational modeling supports the pharmacological data and lends insight into the selectivity observed with L-β-BA derivatives. Docking studies suggest that H-bonding interactions of L-β-BA derivatives with key residues in the binding site position L-β-BA analogues in a unique manner that is better tolerated in the EAAT3 protein than in the EAAT1 and EAAT2 proteins.
","abstract_html":"<p>This work describes the synthesis and initial characterization of the biological activity of a family of EAAT3 preferring inhibitors, L-β-benzyl aspartate (L-β-BA) and L-β-BA derivatives. L-β-BA and derivatives were initially synthesized in an approximate 2:1 ratio of diasteromers (threo:erythro), using base promoted enolate addition. Kinetic analysis of 3H-D-aspartate uptake into C17.2 cells expressing the hEAATs demonstrated that L-threo-β-BA is the more potent diastereomer (Ki values of 9 µM for EAAT1, 10.0 µM for EAAT2 and 0.8 µM for EAAT3), acts competitively, and exhibits a 10-fold preference for EAAT3 compared to EAAT1 and EAAT2. Electrophysiological recordings of EAAT-mediated currents in Xenopus oocytes further identified L-β-BA as a non-substrate inhibitor. Derivatives of L-β-BA were prepared and characterized for the ability to inhibit 3H-D-aspartate uptake into hEAAT1-3 expressing C17.2 cells. Computational modeling and analysis of structure activity data suggest the area the aromatic moiety of L-β-BA derivatives probe is 1) 3-dimentionally confined, 2) more tolerant of substitutions at the 3 and 5 positions than the 4 position, 3) at least partially distinct from the area probed by L-TBOA and 4) more accessible in the EAAT3 protein than EAAT1 and EAAT2. Computational modeling supports the pharmacological data and lends insight into the selectivity observed with L-β-BA derivatives. Docking studies suggest that H-bonding interactions of L-β-BA derivatives with key residues in the binding site position L-β-BA analogues in a unique manner that is better tolerated in the EAAT3 protein than in the EAAT1 and EAAT2 proteins.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Mavencamp, Terri Lynn"],"institution":"University of Montana","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2008-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:12:58Z","subjects":["Benzyl Aspartate","EAAT3","Glutamate","Pharmacology","Transporters"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/303","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Mavencamp, Terri Lynn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Montana"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Benzyl Aspartate","EAAT3","Glutamate","Pharmacology","Transporters"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/303"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This work describes the synthesis and initial characterization of the biological activity of a family of EAAT3 preferring inhibitors, L-β-benzyl aspartate (L-β-BA) and L-β-BA derivatives. L-β-BA and derivatives were initially synthesized in an approximate 2:1 ratio of diasteromers (threo:erythro), using base promoted enolate addition. Kinetic analysis of 3H-D-aspartate uptake into C17.2 cells expressing the hEAATs demonstrated that L-threo-β-BA is the more potent diastereomer (Ki values of 9 µM for EAAT1, 10.0 µM for EAAT2 and 0.8 µM for EAAT3), acts competitively, and exhibits a 10-fold preference for EAAT3 compared to EAAT1 and EAAT2. Electrophysiological recordings of EAAT-mediated currents in Xenopus oocytes further identified L-β-BA as a non-substrate inhibitor. Derivatives of L-β-BA were prepared and characterized for the ability to inhibit 3H-D-aspartate uptake into hEAAT1-3 expressing C17.2 cells. Computational modeling and analysis of structure activity data suggest the area the aromatic moiety of L-β-BA derivatives probe is 1) 3-dimentionally confined, 2) more tolerant of substitutions at the 3 and 5 positions than the 4 position, 3) at least partially distinct from the area probed by L-TBOA and 4) more accessible in the EAAT3 protein than EAAT1 and EAAT2. Computational modeling supports the pharmacological data and lends insight into the selectivity observed with L-β-BA derivatives. Docking studies suggest that H-bonding interactions of L-β-BA derivatives with key residues in the binding site position L-β-BA analogues in a unique manner that is better tolerated in the EAAT3 protein than in the EAAT1 and EAAT2 proteins.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Family of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3 (EAAT3) Preferring Inhibitors"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Mavencamp, Terri Lynn"],"dc:description.abstract":["This work describes the synthesis and initial characterization of the biological activity of a family of EAAT3 preferring inhibitors, L-β-benzyl aspartate (L-β-BA) and L-β-BA derivatives. L-β-BA and derivatives were initially synthesized in an approximate 2:1 ratio of diasteromers (threo:erythro), using base promoted enolate addition. Kinetic analysis of 3H-D-aspartate uptake into C17.2 cells expressing the hEAATs demonstrated that L-threo-β-BA is the more potent diastereomer (Ki values of 9 µM for EAAT1, 10.0 µM for EAAT2 and 0.8 µM for EAAT3), acts competitively, and exhibits a 10-fold preference for EAAT3 compared to EAAT1 and EAAT2. Electrophysiological recordings of EAAT-mediated currents in Xenopus oocytes further identified L-β-BA as a non-substrate inhibitor. Derivatives of L-β-BA were prepared and characterized for the ability to inhibit 3H-D-aspartate uptake into hEAAT1-3 expressing C17.2 cells. Computational modeling and analysis of structure activity data suggest the area the aromatic moiety of L-β-BA derivatives probe is 1) 3-dimentionally confined, 2) more tolerant of substitutions at the 3 and 5 positions than the 4 position, 3) at least partially distinct from the area probed by L-TBOA and 4) more accessible in the EAAT3 protein than EAAT1 and EAAT2. Computational modeling supports the pharmacological data and lends insight into the selectivity observed with L-β-BA derivatives. Docking studies suggest that H-bonding interactions of L-β-BA derivatives with key residues in the binding site position L-β-BA analogues in a unique manner that is better tolerated in the EAAT3 protein than in the EAAT1 and EAAT2 proteins.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/303"],"dc:publisher":["University of Montana"],"dc:subject":["Benzyl Aspartate","EAAT3","Glutamate","Pharmacology","Transporters"],"dc:title":["Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Family of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3 (EAAT3) Preferring Inhibitors"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:12:58Z"}