photoswitchable orexin receptor ligands

Photoswitchable orexin receptor ligands are a class of photopharmacological compounds designed to dynamically and reversibly modulate orexin receptor (OX1 and OX2) signaling using light. Developed under the European Horizon Europe project TClock4AD (Targeting Circadian Clock Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease) by researchers at Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, the University of Lisbon, and the University of Ghent, these ligands aim to address circadian rhythm dysfunction and early sleep disturbances associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). By utilizing molecular docking and structure-based design, researchers have synthesized generations of these compounds (such as azobenzene-containing derivatives) to achieve high spatial and temporal precision in controlling orexin signaling, which is linked to β-amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline.

Other names

photoswitchable orexin ligandsphotoswitchable orexin receptor ligands