Selective mGAT2 (BGT-1) GABA uptake inhibitors: design, synthesis, and pharmacological characterization.

β-Amino acids sharing a lipophilic diaromatic side chain were synthesized and characterized pharmacologically on mouse GABA transporter subtypes mGAT1-4. The parent amino acids were also characterized. Compounds 13a, 13b, and 17b displayed more than 6-fold selectivity for mGAT2 over mGAT1. Compound 17b displayed anticonvulsive properties inferring a role of mGAT2 in epileptic disorders. These results provide new neuropharmacological tools and a strategy for designing subtype selective GABA transport inhibitors.