Optimization of Rutaecarpine as ABCA1 Up-Regulator for Treating Atherosclerosis.

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a key transporter and receptor in promoting cholesterol efflux, and increasing the expression level of ABCA1 is antiatherogenic. In our previous study, rutaecarpine (RUT) was found to protect ApoE(-/-) mice from developing atherosclerosis through preferentially up-regulating ABCA1 expression. In the present work, a series of RUT derivatives were synthesized and examined as ABCA1 expression up-regulators. Compounds CD1, CD6, and BCD1-2 were found to possess the most potential activity as antiatherosclerotic agents among all compounds tested.