APCHA

APCHA (N-(3-aminopropyl)cyclohexylamine) is a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of spermine synthase (SMS), the enzyme responsible for the final step in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway: the conversion of spermidine into spermine. Primarily utilized as a pharmacological research tool, APCHA is used to investigate the complex roles of polyamines in cellular signaling and disease states, particularly within the central nervous system. In neurological research, APCHA is employed to study astrocytic polyamine metabolism and its impact on neuronal excitability. Spermine acts as a gliotransmitter that can modulate NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors, as well as Cx43 gap junction channels. By inhibiting spermine production, APCHA allows researchers to explore the balance between excitatory polyamine signaling and the production of inhibitory GABA, which is a metabolic byproduct of the polyamine pathway. It has been investigated in preclinical models of absence epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy to assess the therapeutic potential of targeting polyamine-related pathways for seizure control.

Other names

N-(3-aminopropyl)cyclohexylamineN-cyclohexyl-1,3-propanediamineN1-cyclohexylpropane-1,3-diamine