Identification of a series of highly potent activators of the Nurr1 signaling pathway

The nuclear receptor Nurr1 (NR4A2) is critically involved in the development and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and is believed to function independently of endogenous activation. The hit identification and SAR studies leading to isoxazolo-pyridinone 7e, a highly potent, brain penetrable activator of the Nurr1 signaling pathway, are described.