1
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Lyu J, Kapolka N, Gumpper R, Alon A, Wang L, Jain MK, Barros-Álvarez X, Sakamoto K, Kim Y, DiBerto J, Kim K, Glenn IS, Tummino TA, Huang S, Irwin JJ, Tarkhanova OO, Moroz Y, Skiniotis G, Kruse AC, Shoichet BK, Roth BL. AlphaFold2 structures guide prospective ligand discovery. Science 2024:eadn6354. [PMID: 38753765 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn6354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
AlphaFold2 (AF2) models have had wide impact, but they have had mixed success in retrospective ligand recognition. We prospectively docked large libraries against unrefined AF2 models of the σ2 and 5-HT2A receptors, testing hundreds of new molecules and comparing results to docking against the experimental structures. Hit rates were high and similar for the experimental and the AF2 structures, as were affinities. The success of docking against the AF2 models was achieved despite differences in orthosteric residue conformations versus the experimental structures. Determination of the cryo-electron microscopy structure for one of the more potent 5HT2A ligands from the AF2 docking revealed residue accommodations that resembled the AF2 prediction. AF2 models may sample conformations that differ from experimental structures but remain low energy and relevant for ligand discovery, extending the domain of structure-based ligand discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankun Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicholas Kapolka
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ryan Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Assaf Alon
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Manish K Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ximena Barros-Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yoojoong Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeffrey DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Isabella S Glenn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Tia A Tummino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sijie Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John J Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yurii Moroz
- Chemspace LLC, Kyiv 02094, Ukraine
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine
- Enamine Ltd., Kyiv 02094, Ukraine
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Andrew C Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brian K Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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2
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Labani N, Gbahou F, Lian S, Liu J, Jockers R. 2023 Julius Axelrod Symposium: Plant-Derived Molecules Acting on G Protein-Coupled Receptors. Mol Pharmacol 2024; 105:328-347. [PMID: 38458772 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.123.000854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant extracts have played a significant role in traditional medicine for centuries, contributing to improved health and the treatment of various human illnesses. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are crucial in numerous physiologic functions, and there is growing evidence suggesting their involvement in the therapeutic effects of many plant extracts. In recent years, scientists have identified an expanding number of isolated molecules responsible for the biologic activity of these extracts, with many believed to act on GPCRs. This article critically reviews the evidence supporting the modulation of GPCR function by these plant-derived molecules through direct binding. Structural information is now available for some of these molecules, allowing for a comparison of their binding mode with that of endogenous GPCR ligands. The final section explores future trends and challenges, focusing on the identification of new plant-derived molecules with both orthosteric and allosteric binding modes, as well as innovative strategies for designing GPCR ligands inspired by these plant-derived compounds. In conclusion, plant-derived molecules are anticipated to play an increasingly vital role as therapeutic drugs and serve as templates for drug design. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This minireview summarizes the most pertinent publications on isolated plant-derived molecules interacting with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and comments on available structural information on GPCR/plant-derived ligand pairs. Future challenges and trends for the isolation and characterization of plant-derived molecules and drug design are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedjma Labani
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (N.L., J.L.) and Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 PARIS, France (N.L., F.G., S.L., R.J.)
| | - Florence Gbahou
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (N.L., J.L.) and Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 PARIS, France (N.L., F.G., S.L., R.J.)
| | - Shuangyu Lian
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (N.L., J.L.) and Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 PARIS, France (N.L., F.G., S.L., R.J.)
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (N.L., J.L.) and Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 PARIS, France (N.L., F.G., S.L., R.J.)
| | - Ralf Jockers
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (N.L., J.L.) and Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, F-75014 PARIS, France (N.L., F.G., S.L., R.J.)
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3
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Jiao H, Pang B, Liu A, Chen Q, Pan Q, Wang X, Xu Y, Chiang YC, Ren R, Hu H. Structural insights into the activation and inhibition of CXC chemokine receptor 3. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:610-620. [PMID: 38177682 PMCID: PMC11026165 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01175-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The chemotaxis of CD4+ type 1 helper cells and CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes, guided by interferon-inducible CXC chemokine 9-11 (CXCL9-11) and CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), plays a critical role in type 1 immunity. Here we determined the structures of human CXCR3-DNGi complexes activated by chemokine CXCL11, peptidomimetic agonist PS372424 and biaryl-type agonist VUF11222, and the structure of inactive CXCR3 bound to noncompetitive antagonist SCH546738. Structural analysis revealed that PS372424 shares a similar orthosteric binding pocket to the N terminus of CXCL11, while VUF11222 buries deeper and activates the receptor in a distinct manner. We showed an allosteric binding site between TM5 and TM6, accommodating SCH546738 in the inactive CXCR3. SCH546738 may restrain the receptor at an inactive state by preventing the repacking of TM5 and TM6. By revealing the binding patterns and the pharmacological properties of the four modulators, we present the activation mechanisms of CXCR3 and provide insights for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizhan Jiao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Pang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Aijun Liu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qi Pan
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiankun Wang
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunong Xu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying-Chih Chiang
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Ruobing Ren
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hongli Hu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
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4
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Wang WW, Ji SY, Zhang W, Zhang J, Cai C, Hu R, Zang SK, Miao L, Xu H, Chen LN, Yang Z, Guo J, Qin J, Shen DD, Liang P, Zhang Y, Zhang Y. Structure-based design of non-hypertrophic apelin receptor modulator. Cell 2024; 187:1460-1475.e20. [PMID: 38428423 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Apelin is a key hormone in cardiovascular homeostasis that activates the apelin receptor (APLNR), which is regarded as a promising therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. However, adverse effects through the β-arrestin pathway limit its pharmacological use. Here, we report cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of APLNR-Gi1 complexes bound to three agonists with divergent signaling profiles. Combined with functional assays, we have identified "twin hotspots" in APLNR as key determinants for signaling bias, guiding the rational design of two exclusive G-protein-biased agonists WN353 and WN561. Cryo-EM structures of WN353- and WN561-stimulated APLNR-G protein complexes further confirm that the designed ligands adopt the desired poses. Pathophysiological experiments have provided evidence that WN561 demonstrates superior therapeutic effects against cardiac hypertrophy and reduced adverse effects compared with the established APLNR agonists. In summary, our designed APLNR modulator may facilitate the development of next-generation cardiovascular medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Su-Yu Ji
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Wenjia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China; Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Junxia Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China; Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, NHC Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Chenxi Cai
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Rubi Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shao-Kun Zang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Luwei Miao
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Haomang Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Li-Nan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Zongkuai Yang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Jia Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jiao Qin
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Ping Liang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China; Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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5
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Lyu J, Kapolka N, Gumpper R, Alon A, Wang L, Jain MK, Barros-Álvarez X, Sakamoto K, Kim Y, DiBerto J, Kim K, Tummino TA, Huang S, Irwin JJ, Tarkhanova OO, Moroz Y, Skiniotis G, Kruse AC, Shoichet BK, Roth BL. AlphaFold2 structures template ligand discovery. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.20.572662. [PMID: 38187536 PMCID: PMC10769324 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
AlphaFold2 (AF2) and RosettaFold have greatly expanded the number of structures available for structure-based ligand discovery, even though retrospective studies have cast doubt on their direct usefulness for that goal. Here, we tested unrefined AF2 models prospectively, comparing experimental hit-rates and affinities from large library docking against AF2 models vs the same screens targeting experimental structures of the same receptors. In retrospective docking screens against the σ2 and the 5-HT2A receptors, the AF2 structures struggled to recapitulate ligands that we had previously found docking against the receptors' experimental structures, consistent with published results. Prospective large library docking against the AF2 models, however, yielded similar hit rates for both receptors versus docking against experimentally-derived structures; hundreds of molecules were prioritized and tested against each model and each structure of each receptor. The success of the AF2 models was achieved despite differences in orthosteric pocket residue conformations for both targets versus the experimental structures. Intriguingly, against the 5-HT2A receptor the most potent, subtype-selective agonists were discovered via docking against the AF2 model, not the experimental structure. To understand this from a molecular perspective, a cryoEM structure was determined for one of the more potent and selective ligands to emerge from docking against the AF2 model of the 5-HT2A receptor. Our findings suggest that AF2 models may sample conformations that are relevant for ligand discovery, much extending the domain of applicability of structure-based ligand discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankun Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Evnin Family Laboratory of Computational Molecular Discovery, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA (present address)
| | - Nicholas Kapolka
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Ryan Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Assaf Alon
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Pharmacology Department, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA (present address)
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Manish K Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Ximena Barros-Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Yoojoong Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Jeffrey DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea (present address)
| | - Tia A Tummino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sijie Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John J Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Yurii Moroz
- Chemspace LLC, Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine
- Enamine Ltd., Kyiv, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, US
| | - Andrew C Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian K Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7360, USA
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6
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Arias HR, Rudin D, Hines DJ, Contreras A, Gulsevin A, Manetti D, Anouar Y, De Deurwaerdere P, Meiler J, Romanelli MN, Liechti ME, Chagraoui A. The novel non-hallucinogenic compound DM506 (3-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydroazepino[4,5-b]indole) induces sedative- and anxiolytic-like activity in mice by a mechanism involving 5-HT 2A receptor activation. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 966:176329. [PMID: 38253116 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The anxiolytic and sedative-like effects of 3-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydroazepino[4,5-b]indole (DM506), a non-hallucinogenic compound derived from ibogamine, were studied in mice. The behavioral effects were examined using Elevated O-maze and novelty suppressed feeding (NSFT) tests, open field test, and loss of righting reflex (LORR) test. The results showed that 15 mg/kg DM506 induced acute and long-lasting anxiolytic-like activity in naive and stressed/anxious mice, respectively. Repeated administration of 5 mg/kg DM506 did not cause cumulative anxiolytic activity or any side effects. Higher doses of DM506 (40 mg/kg) induced sedative-like activity, which was inhibited by a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, volinanserin. Electroencephalography results showed that 15 mg/kg DM506 fumarate increased the transition from a highly alert state (fast γ wavelength) to a more synchronized deep-sleeping activity (δ wavelength), which is reflected in the sedative/anxiolytic activity in mice but without the head-twitch response observed in hallucinogens. The functional, radioligand binding, and molecular docking results showed that DM506 binds to the agonist sites of human 5-HT2A (Ki = 24 nM) and 5-HT2B (Ki = 16 nM) receptors and activates them with a potency (EC50) of 9 nM and 3 nM, respectively. DM506 was relatively less potent and behaved as a partial agonist (efficacy <80%) for both receptor subtypes compared to the full agonist DOI (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine). Our study showed for the first time that the non-hallucinogenic compound DM506 induces anxiolytic- and sedative-like activities in naïve and stressed/anxious mice in a dose-, time-, and volinanserin-sensitive manner, likely through mechanisms involving 5-HT2A receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo R Arias
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tahlequah, OK, USA
| | - Deborah Rudin
- Divison of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dustin J Hines
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - April Contreras
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Alican Gulsevin
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Dina Manetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Youssef Anouar
- UNIROUEN, Inserm U1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication (NorDiC), Rouen Normandie University, 76000, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Philippe De Deurwaerdere
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Integratives et Cognitives d'Aquitaine, UMR, 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jens Meiler
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical School, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Novella Romanelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Matthias E Liechti
- Divison of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Abdeslam Chagraoui
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Rouen University Hospital, CHU de Rouen, France; UNIROUEN, Inserm U1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication (NorDiC), Rouen Normandie University, 76000, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France.
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7
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Barksdale BR, Doss MK, Fonzo GA, Nemeroff CB. The mechanistic divide in psychedelic neuroscience: An unbridgeable gap? Neurotherapeutics 2024; 21:e00322. [PMID: 38278658 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, psychedelics have generated considerable excitement and interest as potential novel therapeutics for an array of conditions, with the most advanced evidence base in the treatment of certain severe and/or treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. An array of clinical and pre-clinical evidence has informed our current understanding of how psychedelics produce profound alterations in consciousness. Mechanisms of psychedelic action include receptor binding and downstream cellular and transcriptional pathways, with long-term impacts on brain structure and function-from the level of single neurons to large-scale circuits. In this perspective, we first briefly review and synthesize separate lines of research on potential mechanistic processes underlying the acute and long-term effects of psychedelic compounds, with a particular emphasis on highlighting current theoretical models of psychedelic drug action and their relationships to therapeutic benefits for psychiatric and brain-based disorders. We then highlight an existing area of ongoing controversy we argue is directly informed by theoretical models originating from disparate levels of inquiry, and we ultimately converge on the notion that bridging the current chasm in explanatory models of psychedelic drug action across levels of inquiry (molecular, cellular, circuit, and psychological/behavioral) through innovative methods and collaborative efforts will ultimately yield the comprehensive understanding needed to fully capitalize on the potential therapeutic properties of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan R Barksdale
- Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Manoj K Doss
- Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Gregory A Fonzo
- Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA.
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8
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Majumdar S, Chiu YT, Pickett JE, Roth BL. Illuminating the understudied GPCR-ome. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103848. [PMID: 38052317 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the target of >30% of approved drugs. Despite their popularity, many of the >800 human GPCRs remain understudied. The Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) project has generated many tools leading to important insights into the function and druggability of these so-called 'dark' receptors. These tools include assays, such as PRESTO-TANGO and TRUPATH, billions of small molecules made available via the ZINC virtual library, solved orphan GPCR structures, GPCR knock-in mice, and more. Together, these tools are illuminating the remaining 'dark' GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreeparna Majumdar
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yi-Ting Chiu
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Julie E Pickett
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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9
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Wang Y, Wu L, Wang T, Liu J, Li F, Jiang L, Fan Z, Yu Y, Chen N, Sun Q, Tan Q, Hua T, Liu ZJ. Cryo-EM structure of cannabinoid receptor CB1-β-arrestin complex. Protein Cell 2024; 15:230-234. [PMID: 38102480 PMCID: PMC10903984 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Tian Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Junlin Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Fei Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Longquan Jiang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhongbo Fan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yanan Yu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Na Chen
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qianqian Sun
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qiwen Tan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Tian Hua
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
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10
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Yao H, Wang X, Chi J, Chen H, Liu Y, Yang J, Yu J, Ruan Y, Xiang X, Pi J, Xu JF. Exploring Novel Antidepressants Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Key Membrane Receptors Based on Molecular Structures. Molecules 2024; 29:964. [PMID: 38474476 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29050964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex mental disorder that involves alterations in signal transmission across multiple scales and structural abnormalities. The development of effective antidepressants (ADs) has been hindered by the dominance of monoamine hypothesis, resulting in slow progress. Traditional ADs have undesirable traits like delayed onset of action, limited efficacy, and severe side effects. Recently, two categories of fast-acting antidepressant compounds have surfaced, dissociative anesthetics S-ketamine and its metabolites, as well as psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). This has led to structural research and drug development of the receptors that they target. This review provides breakthroughs and achievements in the structure of depression-related receptors and novel ADs based on these. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has enabled researchers to identify the structures of membrane receptors, including the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. These high-resolution structures can be used for the development of novel ADs using virtual drug screening (VDS). Moreover, the unique antidepressant effects of 5-HT1A receptors in various brain regions, and the pivotal roles of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (TrkB) in regulating synaptic plasticity, emphasize their potential as therapeutic targets. Using structural information, a series of highly selective ADs were designed based on the different role of receptors in MDD. These molecules have the favorable characteristics of rapid onset and low adverse drug reactions. This review offers researchers guidance and a methodological framework for the structure-based design of ADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanbo Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jiaxin Chi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Haorong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Yilin Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jiayi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jiaqi Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Yongdui Ruan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Xufu Xiang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jiang Pi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jun-Fa Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
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11
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Jayakodiarachchi N, Maurer MA, Schultz DC, Dodd CJ, Thompson Gray A, Cho HP, Boutaud O, Jones CK, Lindsley CW, Bender AM. Evaluation of the Indazole Analogs of 5-MeO-DMT and Related Tryptamines as Serotonin Receptor 2 Agonists. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:302-309. [PMID: 38352850 PMCID: PMC10860182 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel set of substituted indazole-ethanamines and indazole-tetrahydropyridines as potent serotonin receptor subtype 2 (5-HT2) agonists. Specifically, we examine the 5-HT2 pharmacology of the direct indazole analogs of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and related serotonergic tryptamines, and highlight the need for rigorous characterization of 5-HT2 subtype selectivity for these analogs, particularly for the 5-HT2B receptor subtype. Within this series, the potent analog VU6067416 (19d) was optimized to have suitable preclinical pharmacokinetic properties for in vivo dosing, although potent 5-HT2B agonist activity precluded further characterization for this series. Additionally, in silico docking studies suggest that the high potency of 19d may be a consequence of a halogen-bonding interaction with Phe2345.38 in the 5-HT2A orthosteric pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navoda Jayakodiarachchi
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Mallory A. Maurer
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Daniel C. Schultz
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Cayden J. Dodd
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Analisa Thompson Gray
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Hyekyung P. Cho
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Olivier Boutaud
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Carrie K. Jones
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Craig W. Lindsley
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Aaron M. Bender
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug
Discovery and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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12
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Soares BA, Yempala T, Martínez-Afani D, Acevedo-Fuentes W, Brea J, Loza MI, Cimadevila M, Cassels BK. Effect of Bulky N-Dibenzofuranylmethyl Substitution on the 5-HT 2 Receptor Affinity and Efficacy of a Psychedelic Phenethylamine. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:608-616. [PMID: 38241462 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The introduction of arylmethyl substituents on the amine nitrogen atom of phenethylamines and tryptamines often results in profound increases in their affinity and functional activity at 5-HT2 serotonin receptors. To probe the sensitivity of this effect to substantially larger N-substituents, ten derivatives of the well-characterized psychedelic phenethylamine 2C-B were prepared by appending different dibenzo[b,d]furylmethyl (DBFM) moieties to the basic nitrogen. The DBFM group attached to the amino group through its 1-, -2-, or 3-position decreased affinity and agonist activity at the 5-HT2A/2C receptors. Substitution through the 4-position usually favored affinity for all three 5-HT2 receptor subtypes with compound 5 exhibiting 10- and 40-fold higher affinities at the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, respectively, but less than fourfold selectivity among the three receptor subtypes. Nevertheless, all were relatively weak partial 5-HT2AR agonists, mostly in the low micromolar range, but full or nearly full agonists at the 5-HT2C subtype as determined in a calcium mobilization assay. Molecular docking simulations suggested that the dibenzofuryl portion dives more deeply into the orthosteric binding site of the 5-HT2A than the 5-HT2C receptor, interacting with the Trp3366.48 toggle switch associated with its activation, while the phenylamine moiety lies close to the extracellular side of the receptor. In conclusion, a very bulky N-substituent on a phenethylamine 5-HT2 receptor agonist is tolerated and may increase affinity if its orientation is appropriate. However, the Gq protein-mediated potencies are generally low, with low efficacy (relative to 5-HT) at the 5-HT2A receptor, somewhat higher efficacy at the 5-HT2B subtype, and full or nearly full efficacy at the 5-HT2C subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno A Soares
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 780003, Chile
- Institute of Exact and Technological Sciences, Federal University of Jataí, Jataí 75804 Goiás, Brazil
| | - Thirumal Yempala
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 780003, Chile
| | - Darío Martínez-Afani
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 780003, Chile
| | | | - José Brea
- Biofarma Research Group, CiMUS, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago 15705, Spain
| | - María Isabel Loza
- Biofarma Research Group, CiMUS, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago 15705, Spain
| | - Marta Cimadevila
- Biofarma Research Group, CiMUS, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago 15705, Spain
| | - Bruce K Cassels
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 780003, Chile
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13
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Fordyce BA, Roth BL. Making Sense of Psychedelics in the CNS. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 27:pyae007. [PMID: 38289825 PMCID: PMC10888522 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
For centuries, ancient lineages have consumed psychedelic compounds from natural sources. In the modern era, scientists have since harnessed the power of computational tools, cellular assays, and behavioral metrics to study how these compounds instigate changes on molecular, cellular, circuit-wide, and system levels. Here, we provide a brief history of psychedelics and their use in science, medicine, and culture. We then outline current techniques for studying psychedelics from a pharmacological perspective. Finally, we address known gaps in the field and potential avenues of further research to broaden our collective understanding of physiological changes induced by psychedelics, the limits of their therapeutic capabilities, and how researchers can improve and inform treatments that are rapidly becoming accessible worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A Fordyce
- Department of Neuroscience, UNC Chapel Hill Medical School Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill Medical School Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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14
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Madhu MK, Shewani K, Murarka RK. Biased Signaling in Mutated Variants of β 2-Adrenergic Receptor: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:449-469. [PMID: 38194225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The molecular basis of receptor bias in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) caused by mutations that preferentially activate specific intracellular transducers over others remains poorly understood. Two experimentally identified biased variants of β2-adrenergic receptors (β2AR), a prototypical GPCR, are a triple mutant (T68F, Y132A, and Y219A) and a single mutant (Y219A); the former bias the receptor toward the β-arrestin pathway by disfavoring G protein engagement, while the latter induces G protein signaling explicitly due to selection against GPCR kinases (GRKs) that phosphorylate the receptor as a prerequisite of β-arrestin binding. Though rigorous characterizations have revealed functional implications of these mutations, the atomistic origin of the observed transducer selectivity is not clear. In this study, we investigated the allosteric mechanism of receptor bias in β2AR using microseconds of all-atom Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations. Our observations reveal distinct rearrangements in transmembrane helices, intracellular loop 3, and critical residues R1313.50 and Y3267.53 in the conserved motifs D(E)RY and NPxxY for the mutant receptors, leading to their specific transducer interactions. Moreover, partial dissociation of G protein from the receptor core is observed in the simulations of the triple mutant in contrast to the single mutant and wild-type receptor. The reorganization of allosteric communications from the extracellular agonist BI-167107 to the intracellular receptor-transducer interfaces drives the conformational rearrangements responsible for receptor bias in the single and triple mutants. The molecular insights into receptor bias of β2AR presented here could improve the understanding of biased signaling in GPCRs, potentially opening new avenues for designing novel therapeutics with fewer side-effects and superior efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midhun K Madhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal Bypass Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Kunal Shewani
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal Bypass Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
| | - Rajesh K Murarka
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal Bypass Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462066, India
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15
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Maharana J, Sano FK, Sarma P, Yadav MK, Duan L, Stepniewski TM, Chaturvedi M, Ranjan A, Singh V, Saha S, Mahajan G, Chami M, Shihoya W, Selent J, Chung KY, Banerjee R, Nureki O, Shukla AK. Molecular insights into atypical modes of β-arrestin interaction with seven transmembrane receptors. Science 2024; 383:101-108. [PMID: 38175886 PMCID: PMC7615931 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj3347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
β-arrestins (βarrs) are multifunctional proteins involved in signaling and regulation of seven transmembrane receptors (7TMRs), and their interaction is driven primarily by agonist-induced receptor activation and phosphorylation. Here, we present seven cryo-electron microscopy structures of βarrs either in the basal state, activated by the muscarinic receptor subtype 2 (M2R) through its third intracellular loop, or activated by the βarr-biased decoy D6 receptor (D6R). Combined with biochemical, cellular, and biophysical experiments, these structural snapshots allow the visualization of atypical engagement of βarrs with 7TMRs and also reveal a structural transition in the carboxyl terminus of βarr2 from a β strand to an α helix upon activation by D6R. Our study provides previously unanticipated molecular insights into the structural and functional diversity encoded in 7TMR-βarr complexes with direct implications for exploring novel therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagannath Maharana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Fumiya K. Sano
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Parishmita Sarma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Manish K. Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Longhan Duan
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Tomasz M. Stepniewski
- Research Program on Biomedical Informatics, Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Madhu Chaturvedi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Ashutosh Ranjan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Vinay Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Sayantan Saha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Gargi Mahajan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Mohamed Chami
- BioEM Lab, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wataru Shihoya
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jana Selent
- Research Program on Biomedical Informatics, Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ka Young Chung
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ramanuj Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arun K. Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India
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16
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Gumpper RH, Roth BL. Psychedelics: preclinical insights provide directions for future research. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:119-127. [PMID: 36932180 PMCID: PMC10700551 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01567-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Recently, psychedelics have emerged as promising therapeutics for numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. While their potential in the clinic has yet to be fully elucidated, understanding their molecular and biological mechanisms is imperative as these compounds are becoming widely used both in therapeutic and recreational contexts. This review examines the current understanding of basic biology, pharmacology, and structural biology in an attempt to reveal both the knowns and unknowns within the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan H Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
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17
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Liao YY, Zhang H, Shen Q, Cai C, Ding Y, Shen DD, Guo J, Qin J, Dong Y, Zhang Y, Li XM. Snapshot of the cannabinoid receptor 1-arrestin complex unravels the biased signaling mechanism. Cell 2023; 186:5784-5797.e17. [PMID: 38101408 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis activates the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), which elicits analgesic and emotion regulation benefits, along with adverse effects, via Gi and β-arrestin signaling pathways. However, the lack of understanding of the mechanism of β-arrestin-1 (βarr1) coupling and signaling bias has hindered drug development targeting CB1. Here, we present the high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of CB1-βarr1 complex bound to the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-Fubinaca (FUB), revealing notable differences in the transducer pocket and ligand-binding site compared with the Gi protein complex. βarr1 occupies a wider transducer pocket promoting substantial outward movement of the TM6 and distinctive twin toggle switch rearrangements, whereas FUB adopts a different pose, inserting more deeply than the Gi-coupled state, suggesting the allosteric correlation between the orthosteric binding pocket and the partner protein site. Taken together, our findings unravel the molecular mechanism of signaling bias toward CB1, facilitating the development of CB1 agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ying Liao
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huibing Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Qingya Shen
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Chenxi Cai
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jia Guo
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jiao Qin
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Yingjun Dong
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Research Units for Emotion and Emotion Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China.
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18
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Wallach J, Cao AB, Calkins MM, Heim AJ, Lanham JK, Bonniwell EM, Hennessey JJ, Bock HA, Anderson EI, Sherwood AM, Morris H, de Klein R, Klein AK, Cuccurazzu B, Gamrat J, Fannana T, Zauhar R, Halberstadt AL, McCorvy JD. Identification of 5-HT 2A receptor signaling pathways associated with psychedelic potential. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8221. [PMID: 38102107 PMCID: PMC10724237 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics possess considerable therapeutic potential. Although 5-HT2A receptor activation mediates psychedelic effects, prototypical psychedelics activate both 5-HT2A-Gq/11 and β-arrestin2 transducers, making their respective roles unclear. To elucidate this, we develop a series of 5-HT2A-selective ligands with varying Gq efficacies, including β-arrestin-biased ligands. We show that 5-HT2A-Gq but not 5-HT2A-β-arrestin2 recruitment efficacy predicts psychedelic potential, assessed using head-twitch response (HTR) magnitude in male mice. We further show that disrupting Gq-PLC signaling attenuates the HTR and a threshold level of Gq activation is required to induce psychedelic-like effects, consistent with the fact that certain 5-HT2A partial agonists (e.g., lisuride) are non-psychedelic. Understanding the role of 5-HT2A Gq-efficacy in psychedelic-like psychopharmacology permits rational development of non-psychedelic 5-HT2A agonists. We also demonstrate that β-arrestin-biased 5-HT2A receptor agonists block psychedelic effects and induce receptor downregulation and tachyphylaxis. Overall, 5-HT2A receptor Gq-signaling can be fine-tuned to generate ligands distinct from classical psychedelics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Wallach
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Andrew B Cao
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Maggie M Calkins
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Andrew J Heim
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Chemical Computing Group ULC, 910-1010 Sherbrooke W, Montréal, QC, H3A 2R7, Canada
| | - Janelle K Lanham
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Emma M Bonniwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Joseph J Hennessey
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Hailey A Bock
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Emilie I Anderson
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | | | - Hamilton Morris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Robbin de Klein
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
| | - Adam K Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Bruna Cuccurazzu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - James Gamrat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Tilka Fannana
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Randy Zauhar
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Artemis Discovery, LLC, Suite 300, 709 N 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19123, USA
| | - Adam L Halberstadt
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Psychedelic Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
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19
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Cheng L, Xia F, Li Z, Shen C, Yang Z, Hou H, Sun S, Feng Y, Yong X, Tian X, Qin H, Yan W, Shao Z. Structure, function and drug discovery of GPCR signaling. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2023; 4:46. [PMID: 38047990 PMCID: PMC10695916 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00156-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are versatile and vital proteins involved in a wide array of physiological processes and responses, such as sensory perception (e.g., vision, taste, and smell), immune response, hormone regulation, and neurotransmission. Their diverse and essential roles in the body make them a significant focus for pharmaceutical research and drug development. Currently, approximately 35% of marketed drugs directly target GPCRs, underscoring their prominence as therapeutic targets. Recent advances in structural biology have substantially deepened our understanding of GPCR activation mechanisms and interactions with G-protein and arrestin signaling pathways. This review offers an in-depth exploration of both traditional and recent methods in GPCR structure analysis. It presents structure-based insights into ligand recognition and receptor activation mechanisms and delves deeper into the mechanisms of canonical and noncanonical signaling pathways downstream of GPCRs. Furthermore, it highlights recent advancements in GPCR-related drug discovery and development. Particular emphasis is placed on GPCR selective drugs, allosteric and biased signaling, polyphamarcology, and antibody drugs. Our goal is to provide researchers with a thorough and updated understanding of GPCR structure determination, signaling pathway investigation, and drug development. This foundation aims to propel forward-thinking therapeutic approaches that target GPCRs, drawing upon the latest insights into GPCR ligand selectivity, activation, and biased signaling mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Fan Xia
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ziyan Li
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chenglong Shen
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiqian Yang
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Hanlin Hou
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Suyue Sun
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuying Feng
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xihao Yong
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaowen Tian
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongxi Qin
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zhenhua Shao
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
- Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Frontiers Medical Center, Chengdu, 610212, China.
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20
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Simon IA, Bjørn-Yoshimoto WE, Harpsøe K, Iliadis S, Svensson B, Jensen AA, Gloriam DE. Ligand selectivity hotspots in serotonin GPCRs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:978-990. [PMID: 37914598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter regulating numerous physiological processes also modulated by drugs, for example, schizophrenia, depression, migraine, and obesity. However, these drugs typically have adverse effects caused by promiscuous binding across 12 serotonin and more than 20 homologous receptors. Recently, structures of the entire serotonin receptor family uncovered molecular ligand recognition. Here, we present a map of 19 'selectivity hotspots', that is, nonconserved binding site residues governing selectivity via favorable target interactions or repulsive 'off-target' contacts. Furthermore, we review functional rationale from observed ligand-binding affinities and mutagenesis effects. Unifying knowledge underlying specific probes and drugs is critical toward the functional characterization of different receptors and alleviation of adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Icaro A Simon
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Walden E Bjørn-Yoshimoto
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Harpsøe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stylianos Iliadis
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Bo Svensson
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Scheelevägen 2, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A Jensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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21
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Zhai R, Wang Z, Chai Z, Niu X, Li C, Jin C, Hu Y. Distinct activation mechanisms of β-arrestin-1 revealed by 19F NMR spectroscopy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7865. [PMID: 38030602 PMCID: PMC10686989 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43694-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
β-Arrestins (βarrs) are functionally versatile proteins that play critical roles in the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways. While it is well established that the phosphorylated receptor tail plays a central role in βarr activation, emerging evidence highlights the contribution from membrane lipids. However, detailed molecular mechanisms of βarr activation by different binding partners remain elusive. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of the structural changes in critical regions of βarr1 during activation using 19F NMR spectroscopy. We show that phosphopeptides derived from different classes of GPCRs display different βarr1 activation abilities, whereas binding of the membrane phosphoinositide PIP2 stabilizes a distinct partially activated conformational state. Our results further unveil a sparsely-populated activation intermediate as well as complex cross-talks between different binding partners, implying a highly multifaceted conformational energy landscape of βarr1 that can be intricately modulated during signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibo Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhuoqi Wang
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhaofei Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Joint Laboratory of the National Centers for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan and in Beijing, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaogang Niu
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Conggang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Joint Laboratory of the National Centers for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan and in Beijing, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Changwen Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Joint Laboratory of the National Centers for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan and in Beijing, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Yunfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Joint Laboratory of the National Centers for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan and in Beijing, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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22
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Che T, Roth BL. Molecular basis of opioid receptor signaling. Cell 2023; 186:5203-5219. [PMID: 37995655 PMCID: PMC10710086 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Opioids are used for pain management despite the side effects that contribute to the opioid crisis. The pursuit of non-addictive opioid analgesics remains unattained due to the unresolved intricacies of opioid actions, receptor signaling cascades, and neuronal plasticity. Advancements in structural, molecular, and computational tools illuminate the dynamic interplay between opioids and opioid receptors, as well as the molecular determinants of signaling pathways, which are potentially interlinked with pharmacological responses. Here, we review the molecular basis of opioid receptor signaling with a focus on the structures of opioid receptors bound to endogenous peptides or pharmacological agents. These insights unveil specific interactions that dictate ligand selectivity and likely their distinctive pharmacological profiles. Biochemical analysis further unveils molecular features governing opioid receptor signaling. Simultaneously, the synergy between computational biology and medicinal chemistry continues to expedite the discovery of novel chemotypes with the promise of yielding more efficacious and safer opioid compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Che
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599, NC, USA.
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23
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Custodio RJP, Ortiz DM, Lee HJ, Sayson LV, Kim M, Lee YS, Kim KM, Cheong JH, Kim HJ. Serotonin 2C receptors are also important in head-twitch responses in male mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023:10.1007/s00213-023-06482-9. [PMID: 37882810 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Serotonergic psychedelics exert their effects via their high affinity for serotonin (5-HT) receptors, particularly through activating 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2AR), employing the frontal cortex-dependent head-twitch response (HTR). Although universally believed to be so, studies have not yet fully ascertained whether 5-HT2AR activation is the sole initiator of these psychedelic effects. This is because not all 5-HT2AR agonists exhibit similar pharmacologic properties. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify and discriminate the roles of 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR in the HTR induced by Methallylescaline (MAL) and 4-Methyl-2,5,β-trimethoxyphenethylamine (BOD) in male mice. Also, an analysis of their potential neurotoxic properties was evaluated. METHODS Male mice treated with MAL and BOD were evaluated in different behavioral paradigms targeting HTR and neurotoxicity effects. Drug affinity, pharmacological blocking, and molecular analysis were also conducted to support the behavioral findings. The HTR induced by DOI has been extensively characterized in male mice, making it a good positive control for this study, specifically for comparing the pharmacological effects of our test compounds. RESULTS The activation of 5-HT2CR, alone or in concert with 5-HT2AR, produces a comparable degree of HTRs (at a dose of 1 mg·kg-1), with divergent 5-HT2CR- and 5-HT2AR-Gqα11-mediated signaling and enhanced neurotoxic properties (at a dose of 30 mg·kg-1) coupled with activated pro-inflammatory cytokines. These findings show these compounds' potential psychedelic and neurotoxic effects in male mice. CONCLUSION These findings showed that while 5-HT2AR is the main initiator of HTR, the 5-HT2CR also has a distinct property that renders it effective in inducing HTR in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raly James Perez Custodio
- Networking Group Aging, Department of Ergonomics, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors - IfADo, Ardeystrasse 67, Dortmund, 44139, Germany.
| | - Darlene Mae Ortiz
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jun Lee
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Leandro Val Sayson
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Mikyung Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sup Lee
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy & Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong-Man Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hoon Cheong
- Institute for New Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hee Jin Kim
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea.
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24
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Parajulee A, Kim K. Structural studies of serotonin receptor family. BMB Rep 2023; 56:527-536. [PMID: 37817438 PMCID: PMC10618075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonin receptors, also known as 5-HT receptors, belong to the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) superfamily. They mediate the effects of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in a wide range of functions including mood regulation, cognition and appetite. The functions of serotonin are mediated by a family of 5-HT receptors including 12 GPCRs belonging to six major families: 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6 and 5-HT7. Despite their distinct characteristics and functions, these receptors' subtypes share common structural features and signaling mechanisms. Understanding the structure, functions and pharmacology of the serotonin receptor family is essential for unraveling the complexities of serotonin signaling and developing targeted therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, developing drugs that selectively target specific receptor subtypes is challenging due to the structural similarities in their orthosteric binding sites. This review focuses on the recent advancements in the structural studies of 5-HT receptors, highlighting the key structural features of each subtype and shedding light on their potential as targets for mental health and neurological disorders (such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and migraine) drugs. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(10): 527-536].
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Affiliation(s)
- Apeksha Parajulee
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
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25
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Zheng C, Javitch JA, Lambert NA, Donthamsetti P, Gurevich VV. In-Cell Arrestin-Receptor Interaction Assays. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e890. [PMID: 37787634 PMCID: PMC10566372 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent ∼30% of current drug targets. Ligand binding to these receptors activates G proteins and arrestins, which function in different signaling pathways. Given that functionally selective or biased ligands preferentially activate one of these two groups of pathways, they may be superior medications for certain disease states. The identification of such ligands requires robust drug screening assays for both G protein and arrestin activity. This unit describes protocols for assays that monitor reversible arrestin recruitment to GPCRs in living cells using either bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) or nanoluciferase complementation (NanoLuc). Two types of assays can be used: one configuration directly measures arrestin recruitment to a GPCR fused to a protein tag at its intracellular C-terminus, whereas the other configuration detects arrestin translocation to the plasma membrane in response to activation of an unmodified GPCR. Together, these assays are powerful tools for studying dynamic interactions between GPCRs and arrestins. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Receptor-arrestin BRET assay to measure ligand-induced recruitment of arrestin to receptors Basic Protocol 2: Receptor-arrestin NANOBIT assay to measure ligand-induced recruitment of arrestin to receptors Alternative Protocol 1: BRET assay to measure ligand-induced recruitment of arrestin to the plasma membrane Alternative Protocol 2: NANOBIT assay to measure ligand-induced recruitment of arrestin to the plasma membrane Support Protocol 1: Optimization of polyethylenimine (PEI) concentration for transfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jonathan A. Javitch
- Departments of Psychiatry and Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Nevin A. Lambert
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
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26
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Ubhayarathna M, Langmead CJ, Diepenhorst NA, Stewart GD. Molecular and structural insights into the 5-HT 2C receptor as a therapeutic target for substance use disorders. Br J Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 37679998 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic condition, with maintained abuse of a substance leading to physiological and psychological alterations and often changes in cognitive and social behaviours. Current therapies include psychotherapy coupled with medication; however, high relapse rates reveal the shortcomings of these therapies. The signalling, expression profile, and neurological function of the serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C receptor) make it a candidate of interest for the treatment of SUD. Recently, psychedelics, which broadly act at 5-HT2 receptors, have indicated potential for the treatment of SUD, implicating the 5-HT2C receptor. The modern psychedelic movement has rekindled interest in the 5-HT2C receptor, resulting in many new studies, especially structural analyses. This review explores the structural, molecular and cellular mechanisms governing 5-HT2C receptor function in the context of SUD. This provides the basis of the preclinical and clinical evidence for their role in SUD and highlights the potential for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maleesha Ubhayarathna
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Christopher J Langmead
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Natalie A Diepenhorst
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Gregory D Stewart
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
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27
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Wess J, Oteng AB, Rivera-Gonzalez O, Gurevich EV, Gurevich VV. β-Arrestins: Structure, Function, Physiology, and Pharmacological Perspectives. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:854-884. [PMID: 37028945 PMCID: PMC10441628 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The two β-arrestins, β-arrestin-1 and -2 (systematic names: arrestin-2 and -3, respectively), are multifunctional intracellular proteins that regulate the activity of a very large number of cellular signaling pathways and physiologic functions. The two proteins were discovered for their ability to disrupt signaling via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) via binding to the activated receptors. However, it is now well recognized that both β-arrestins can also act as direct modulators of numerous cellular processes via either GPCR-dependent or -independent mechanisms. Recent structural, biophysical, and biochemical studies have provided novel insights into how β-arrestins bind to activated GPCRs and downstream effector proteins. Studies with β-arrestin mutant mice have identified numerous physiologic and pathophysiological processes regulated by β-arrestin-1 and/or -2. Following a short summary of recent structural studies, this review primarily focuses on β-arrestin-regulated physiologic functions, with particular focus on the central nervous system and the roles of β-arrestins in carcinogenesis and key metabolic processes including the maintenance of glucose and energy homeostasis. This review also highlights potential therapeutic implications of these studies and discusses strategies that could prove useful for targeting specific β-arrestin-regulated signaling pathways for therapeutic purposes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The two β-arrestins, structurally closely related intracellular proteins that are evolutionarily highly conserved, have emerged as multifunctional proteins able to regulate a vast array of cellular and physiological functions. The outcome of studies with β-arrestin mutant mice and cultured cells, complemented by novel insights into β-arrestin structure and function, should pave the way for the development of novel classes of therapeutically useful drugs capable of regulating specific β-arrestin functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Wess
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Antwi-Boasiako Oteng
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Osvaldo Rivera-Gonzalez
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Eugenia V Gurevich
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Vsevolod V Gurevich
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
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28
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Sanchez-Reyes OB, Zilberg G, McCorvy JD, Wacker D. Molecular insights into GPCR mechanisms for drugs of abuse. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105176. [PMID: 37599003 PMCID: PMC10514560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance abuse is on the rise, and while many people may use illicit drugs mainly due to their rewarding effects, their societal impact can range from severe, as is the case for opioids, to promising, as is the case for psychedelics. Common with all these drugs' mechanisms of action are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which lie at the center of how these drugs mediate inebriation, lethality, and therapeutic effects. Opioids like fentanyl, cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol, and psychedelics like lysergic acid diethylamide all directly bind to GPCRs to initiate signaling which elicits their physiological actions. We herein review recent structural studies and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of opioids, cannabinoids, and psychedelics at their respective GPCR subtypes. We further discuss how such mechanistic insights facilitate drug discovery, either toward the development of novel therapies to combat drug abuse or toward harnessing therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar B Sanchez-Reyes
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gregory Zilberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
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29
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Sadee W. Ligand-Free Signaling of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: Physiology, Pharmacology, and Genetics. Molecules 2023; 28:6375. [PMID: 37687205 PMCID: PMC10489045 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous sensors and regulators of cellular functions. Each GPCR exists in complex aggregates with multiple resting and active conformations. Designed to detect weak stimuli, GPCRs can also activate spontaneously, resulting in basal ligand-free signaling. Agonists trigger a cascade of events leading to an activated agonist-receptor G-protein complex with high agonist affinity. However, the ensuing signaling process can further remodel the receptor complex to reduce agonist affinity, causing rapid ligand dissociation. The acutely activated ligand-free receptor can continue signaling, as proposed for rhodopsin and μ opioid receptors, resulting in robust receptor activation at low agonist occupancy with enhanced agonist potency. Continued receptor stimulation can further modify the receptor complex, regulating sustained ligand-free signaling-proposed to play a role in opioid dependence. Basal, acutely agonist-triggered, and sustained elevated ligand-free signaling could each have distinct functions, reflecting multi-state conformations of GPCRs. This review addresses basal and stimulus-activated ligand-free signaling, its regulation, genetic factors, and pharmacological implications, focusing on opioid and serotonin receptors, and the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). The hypothesis is proposed that ligand-free signaling of 5-HT2A receptors mediate therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs. Research avenues are suggested to close the gaps in our knowledge of ligand-free GPCR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Sadee
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Aether Therapeutics Inc., Austin, TX 78756, USA
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30
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Tomašević N, Vujović M, Kostić E, Ragavendran V, Arsić B, Matić SL, Božović M, Fioravanti R, Proia E, Ragno R, Mladenović M. Molecular Docking Assessment of Cathinones as 5-HT 2AR Ligands: Developing of Predictive Structure-Based Bioactive Conformations and Three-Dimensional Structure-Activity Relationships Models for Future Recognition of Abuse Drugs. Molecules 2023; 28:6236. [PMID: 37687065 PMCID: PMC10488745 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Commercially available cathinones are drugs of long-term abuse drugs whose pharmacology is fairly well understood. While their psychedelic effects are associated with 5-HT2AR, the enclosed study summarizes efforts to shed light on the pharmacodynamic profiles, not yet known at the receptor level, using molecular docking and three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3-D QSAR) studies. The bioactive conformations of cathinones were modeled by AutoDock Vina and were used to build structure-based (SB) 3-D QSAR models using the Open3DQSAR engine. Graphical inspection of the results led to the depiction of a 3-D structure analysis-activity relationship (SAR) scheme that could be used as a guideline for molecular determinants by which any untested cathinone molecule can be predicted as a potential 5-HT2AR binder prior to experimental evaluation. The obtained models, which showed a good agreement with the chemical properties of co-crystallized 5-HT2AR ligands, proved to be valuable for future virtual screening campaigns to recognize unused cathinones and similar compounds, such as 5-HT2AR ligands, minimizing both time and financial resources for the characterization of their psychedelic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevena Tomašević
- Kragujevac Center for Computational Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, P.O. Box 60, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Maja Vujović
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar Dr. Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia; (M.V.); (E.K.)
| | - Emilija Kostić
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar Dr. Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia; (M.V.); (E.K.)
| | - Venkatesan Ragavendran
- Department of Physics, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya, Kanchipuram 631561, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Biljana Arsić
- Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia;
| | - Sanja Lj. Matić
- Department of Science, Institute for Informational Technologies, University of Kragujevac, Jovana Cvijića bb, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
| | - Mijat Božović
- Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Montenegro, Džordža Vašingtona bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro;
| | - Rossella Fioravanti
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Rome Sapienza University, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Eleonora Proia
- Rome Center for Molecular Design, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Rome Sapienza University, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (E.P.); (R.R.)
| | - Rino Ragno
- Rome Center for Molecular Design, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Rome Sapienza University, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (E.P.); (R.R.)
| | - Milan Mladenović
- Kragujevac Center for Computational Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, P.O. Box 60, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
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31
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Bender AM, Parr LC, Livingston WB, Lindsley CW, Merryman WD. 2B Determined: The Future of the Serotonin Receptor 2B in Drug Discovery. J Med Chem 2023; 66:11027-11039. [PMID: 37584406 PMCID: PMC11073569 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The cardiotoxicity associated with des-ethyl-dexfenfluramine (norDF) and related agonists of the serotonin receptor 2B (5-HT2B) has solidified the receptor's place as an "antitarget" in drug discovery. Conversely, a growing body of evidence has highlighted the utility of 5-HT2B antagonists for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), valvular heart disease (VHD), and related cardiopathies. In this Perspective, we summarize the link between the clinical failure of fenfluramine-phentermine (fen-phen) and the subsequent research on the role of 5-HT2B in disease progression, as well as the development of drug-like and receptor subtype-selective 5-HT2B antagonists. Such agents represent a promising class for the treatment of PAH and VHD, but their utility has been historically understudied due to the clinical disasters associated with 5-HT2B. Herein, it is our aim to examine the current state of 5-HT2B drug discovery, with an emphasis on the receptor's role in the central nervous system (CNS) versus the periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Bender
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Lauren C Parr
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - William B Livingston
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - W David Merryman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
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32
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Chen K, Zhang C, Lin S, Yan X, Cai H, Yi C, Ma L, Chu X, Liu Y, Zhu Y, Han S, Zhao Q, Wu B. Tail engagement of arrestin at the glucagon receptor. Nature 2023; 620:904-910. [PMID: 37558880 PMCID: PMC10447241 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06420-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Arrestins have pivotal roles in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling by desensitizing G protein activation and mediating receptor internalization1,2. It has been proposed that the arrestin binds to the receptor in two different conformations, 'tail' and 'core', which were suggested to govern distinct processes of receptor signalling and trafficking3,4. However, little structural information is available for the tail engagement of the arrestins. Here we report two structures of the glucagon receptor (GCGR) bound to β-arrestin 1 (βarr1) in glucagon-bound and ligand-free states. These structures reveal a receptor tail-engaged binding mode of βarr1 with many unique features, to our knowledge, not previously observed. Helix VIII, instead of the receptor core, has a major role in accommodating βarr1 by forming extensive interactions with the central crest of βarr1. The tail-binding pose is further defined by a close proximity between the βarr1 C-edge and the receptor helical bundle, and stabilized by a phosphoinositide derivative that bridges βarr1 with helices I and VIII of GCGR. Lacking any contact with the arrestin, the receptor core is in an inactive state and loosely binds to glucagon. Further functional studies suggest that the tail conformation of GCGR-βarr governs βarr recruitment at the plasma membrane and endocytosis of GCGR, and provides a molecular basis for the receptor forming a super-complex simultaneously with G protein and βarr to promote sustained signalling within endosomes. These findings extend our knowledge about the arrestin-mediated modulation of GPCR functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenhui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuling Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyu Yan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Heng Cai
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuiying Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Limin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojing Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Zhu
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China.
| | - Beili Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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33
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Wallach J, Cao AB, Calkins MM, Heim AJ, Lanham JK, Bonniwell EM, Hennessey JJ, Bock HA, Anderson EI, Sherwood AM, Morris H, de Klein R, Klein AK, Cuccurazzu B, Gamrat J, Fannana T, Zauhar R, Halberstadt AL, McCorvy JD. Identification of 5-HT 2A Receptor Signaling Pathways Responsible for Psychedelic Potential. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.29.551106. [PMID: 37577474 PMCID: PMC10418054 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.551106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics possess considerable therapeutic potential. Although 5-HT2A receptor activation mediates psychedelic effects, prototypical psychedelics activate both 5-HT2A-Gq/11 and β-arrestin2 signaling, making their respective roles unclear. To elucidate this, we developed a series of 5-HT2A-selective ligands with varying Gq efficacies, including β-arrestin-biased ligands. We show that 5-HT2A-Gq but not 5-HT2A-β-arrestin2 efficacy predicts psychedelic potential, assessed using head-twitch response (HTR) magnitude in male mice. We further show that disrupting Gq-PLC signaling attenuates the HTR and a threshold level of Gq activation is required to induce psychedelic-like effects, consistent with the fact that certain 5-HT2A partial agonists (e.g., lisuride) are non-psychedelic. Understanding the role of 5-HT2A-Gq efficacy in psychedelic-like psychopharmacology permits rational development of non-psychedelic 5-HT2A agonists. We also demonstrate that β-arrestin-biased 5-HT2A receptor agonists induce receptor downregulation and tachyphylaxis, and have an anti-psychotic-like behavioral profile. Overall, 5-HT2A receptor signaling can be fine-tuned to generate ligands with properties distinct from classical psychedelics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Wallach
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Andrew B. Cao
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Maggie M. Calkins
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Andrew J. Heim
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Janelle K. Lanham
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Emma M. Bonniwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Joseph J. Hennessey
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Hailey A. Bock
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Emilie I. Anderson
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | | | - Hamilton Morris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Robbin de Klein
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161, United States
| | - Adam K. Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Bruna Cuccurazzu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - James Gamrat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Tilka Fannana
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Randy Zauhar
- Department of Chemistry, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Adam L. Halberstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161, United States
| | - John D. McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
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34
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Chen Q, Schafer CT, Mukherjee S, Gustavsson M, Agrawal P, Yao XQ, Kossiakoff AA, Handel TM, Tesmer JJG. ACKR3-arrestin2/3 complexes reveal molecular consequences of GRK-dependent barcoding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.18.549504. [PMID: 37502840 PMCID: PMC10370059 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3, also known as CXCR7) is a scavenger receptor that regulates extracellular levels of the chemokine CXCL12 to maintain responsiveness of its partner, the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), CXCR4. ACKR3 is notable because it does not couple to G proteins and instead is completely biased towards arrestins. Our previous studies revealed that GRK2 and GRK5 install distinct distributions of phosphates (or "barcodes") on the ACKR3 carboxy terminal tail, but how these unique barcodes drive different cellular outcomes is not understood. It is also not known if arrestin2 (Arr2) and 3 (Arr3) bind to these barcodes in distinct ways. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of Arr2 and Arr3 in complex with ACKR3 phosphorylated by either GRK2 or GRK5. Unexpectedly, the finger loops of Arr2 and 3 directly insert into the detergent/membrane instead of the transmembrane core of ACKR3, in contrast to previously reported "core" GPCR-arrestin complexes. The distance between the phosphorylation barcode and the receptor transmembrane core regulates the interaction mode of arrestin, alternating between a tighter complex for GRK5 sites and heterogenous primarily "tail only" complexes for GRK2 sites. Arr2 and 3 bind at different angles relative to the core of ACKR3, likely due to differences in membrane/micelle anchoring at their C-edge loops. Our structural investigations were facilitated by Fab7, a novel Fab that binds both Arr2 and 3 in their activated states irrespective of receptor or phosphorylation status, rendering it a potentially useful tool to aid structure determination of any native GPCR-arrestin complex. The structures provide unprecedented insight into how different phosphorylation barcodes and arrestin isoforms can globally affect the configuration of receptor-arrestin complexes. These differences may promote unique downstream intracellular interactions and cellular responses. Our structures also suggest that the 100% bias of ACKR3 for arrestins is driven by the ability of arrestins, but not G proteins, to bind GRK-phosphorylated ACKR3 even when excluded from the receptor cytoplasmic binding pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907-2054, USA
| | - Christopher T Schafer
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Somnath Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, USA
| | - Martin Gustavsson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Parth Agrawal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, USA
| | - Xin-Qiu Yao
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Anthony A Kossiakoff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL60637, USA
| | - Tracy M Handel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - John J G Tesmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907-2054, USA
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35
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Schmitz GP, Roth BL. G protein-coupled receptors as targets for transformative neuropsychiatric therapeutics. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 325:C17-C28. [PMID: 37067459 PMCID: PMC10281788 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00397.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of druggable genes in the human genome. Even though perhaps 30% of approved medications target GPCRs, they interact with only a small number of them. Here, we consider whether there might be new opportunities for transformative therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders by specifically targeting both known and understudied GPCRs. Using psychedelic drugs that target serotonin receptors as an example, we show how recent insights into the structure, function, signaling, and cell biology of these receptors have led to potentially novel therapeutics. We next focus on the possibility that nonpsychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonists might prove to be safe and rapidly acting antidepressants. Finally, we examine understudied and orphan GPCRs using the MRGPR family of receptors as an example.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin P Schmitz
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
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Fouillen A, Bous J, Granier S, Mouillac B, Sounier R. Bringing GPCR Structural Biology to Medical Applications: Insights from Both V2 Vasopressin and Mu-Opioid Receptors. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:606. [PMID: 37367810 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13060606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are versatile signaling proteins that regulate key physiological processes in response to a wide variety of extracellular stimuli. The last decade has seen a revolution in the structural biology of clinically important GPCRs. Indeed, the improvement in molecular and biochemical methods to study GPCRs and their transducer complexes, together with advances in cryo-electron microscopy, NMR development, and progress in molecular dynamic simulations, have led to a better understanding of their regulation by ligands of different efficacy and bias. This has also renewed a great interest in GPCR drug discovery, such as finding biased ligands that can either promote or not promote specific regulations. In this review, we focus on two therapeutically relevant GPCR targets, the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) and the mu-opioid receptor (µOR), to shed light on the recent structural biology studies and show the impact of this integrative approach on the determination of new potential clinical effective compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Fouillen
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale (CBS), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Julien Bous
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sébastien Granier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Bernard Mouillac
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Remy Sounier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
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37
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Maharana J, Sarma P, Yadav MK, Saha S, Singh V, Saha S, Chami M, Banerjee R, Shukla AK. Structural snapshots uncover a key phosphorylation motif in GPCRs driving β-arrestin activation. Mol Cell 2023; 83:2091-2107.e7. [PMID: 37209686 PMCID: PMC7615930 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Agonist-induced GPCR phosphorylation is a key determinant for the binding and activation of β-arrestins (βarrs). However, it is not entirely clear how different GPCRs harboring divergent phosphorylation patterns impart converging active conformation on βarrs leading to broadly conserved functional responses such as desensitization, endocytosis, and signaling. Here, we present multiple cryo-EM structures of activated βarrs in complex with distinct phosphorylation patterns derived from the carboxyl terminus of different GPCRs. These structures help identify a P-X-P-P type phosphorylation motif in GPCRs that interacts with a spatially organized K-K-R-R-K-K sequence in the N-domain of βarrs. Sequence analysis of the human GPCRome reveals the presence of this phosphorylation pattern in a large number of receptors, and its contribution in βarr activation is demonstrated by targeted mutagenesis experiments combined with an intrabody-based conformational sensor. Taken together, our findings provide important structural insights into the ability of distinct GPCRs to activate βarrs through a significantly conserved mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagannath Maharana
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Parishmita Sarma
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Manish K Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Sayantan Saha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Vinay Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Shirsha Saha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Mohamed Chami
- BioEM Lab, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ramanuj Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India.
| | - Arun K Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India.
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38
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Zheng C, Weinstein LD, Nguyen KK, Grewal A, Gurevich EV, Gurevich VV. GPCR Binding and JNK3 Activation by Arrestin-3 Have Different Structural Requirements. Cells 2023; 12:1563. [PMID: 37371033 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Arrestins bind active phosphorylated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Among the four mammalian subtypes, only arrestin-3 facilitates the activation of JNK3 in cells. In available structures, Lys-295 in the lariat loop of arrestin-3 and its homologue Lys-294 in arrestin-2 directly interact with the activator-attached phosphates. We compared the roles of arrestin-3 conformational equilibrium and Lys-295 in GPCR binding and JNK3 activation. Several mutants with enhanced ability to bind GPCRs showed much lower activity towards JNK3, whereas a mutant that does not bind GPCRs was more active. The subcellular distribution of mutants did not correlate with GPCR recruitment or JNK3 activation. Charge neutralization and reversal mutations of Lys-295 differentially affected receptor binding on different backgrounds but had virtually no effect on JNK3 activation. Thus, GPCR binding and arrestin-3-assisted JNK3 activation have distinct structural requirements, suggesting that facilitation of JNK3 activation is the function of arrestin-3 that is not bound to a GPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Liana D Weinstein
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kevin K Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Abhijeet Grewal
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Eugenia V Gurevich
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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Gurevich VV, Gurevich EV. Mechanisms of Arrestin-Mediated Signaling. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e821. [PMID: 37367499 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Arrestins were first discovered as proteins that selectively bind active phosphorylated GPCRs and suppress (arrest) their G protein-mediated signaling. Nonvisual arrestins are also recognized as signaling proteins regulating a variety of cellular pathways. Arrestins are highly flexible; they can assume many different conformations. In their receptor-bound conformation, arrestins have higher affinity for a subset of binding partners. This explains how receptor activation regulates certain branches of arrestin-dependent signaling via arrestin recruitment to GPCRs. However, free arrestins are also active molecular entities that regulate other signaling pathways and localize signaling proteins to particular subcellular compartments. Recent findings suggest that the two visuals, arrestin-1 and arrestin-4, which are expressed in photoreceptor cells, not only regulate signaling via binding to photopigments but also interact with several nonreceptor partners, critically affecting the health and survival of photoreceptor cells. Detailed in this overview are GPCR-dependent and independent modes of arrestin-mediated regulation of cellular signaling. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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40
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Gusach A, García-Nafría J, Tate CG. New insights into GPCR coupling and dimerisation from cryo-EM structures. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 80:102574. [PMID: 36963163 PMCID: PMC10423944 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the past three years (2020-2022) more structures of GPCRs have been determined than in the previous twenty years (2000-2019), primarily of GPCR complexes that are large enough for structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM. This review will present some structural highlights that have advanced our molecular understanding of promiscuous G protein coupling, how a G protein receptor kinase and β-arrestins couple to GPCRs, and GPCR dimerisation. We will also discuss advances in the use of gene fusions, nanobodies, and Fab fragments to facilitate the structure determination of GPCRs in the inactive state that, on their own, are too small for structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Gusach
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK. https://twitter.com/GusachAnastasia
| | - Javier García-Nafría
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI) and Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), University of Zaragoza, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain. https://twitter.com/JGarciaNafria
| | - Christopher G Tate
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK.
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41
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Isaikina P, Petrovic I, Jakob RP, Sarma P, Ranjan A, Baruah M, Panwalkar V, Maier T, Shukla AK, Grzesiek S. A key GPCR phosphorylation motif discovered in arrestin2⋅CCR5 phosphopeptide complexes. Mol Cell 2023:S1097-2765(23)00326-X. [PMID: 37244255 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The two non-visual arrestins, arrestin2 and arrestin3, bind hundreds of GPCRs with different phosphorylation patterns, leading to distinct functional outcomes. Structural information on these interactions is available only for very few GPCRs. Here, we have characterized the interactions between the phosphorylated human CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and arrestin2. We identified several new CCR5 phosphorylation sites necessary for stable arrestin2 complex formation. Structures of arrestin2 in the apo form and complexes with CCR5 C-terminal phosphopeptides, together with NMR, biochemical, and functional assays, revealed three phosphoresidues in a pXpp motif that are essential for arrestin2 binding and activation. The identified motif appears responsible for robust arrestin2 recruitment in many other GPCRs. An analysis of receptor sequences and available structural and functional information provides hints on the molecular basis of arrestin2/arrestin3 isoform specificity. Our findings demonstrate how multi-site phosphorylation controls GPCR⋅arrestin interactions and provide a framework to probe the intricate details of arrestin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Isaikina
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Ivana Petrovic
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roman P Jakob
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Parishmita Sarma
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Ashutosh Ranjan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Minakshi Baruah
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Vineet Panwalkar
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Timm Maier
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arun K Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India.
| | - Stephan Grzesiek
- Focal Area Structural Biology and Biophysics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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42
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Vishnivetskiy SA, Weinstein LD, Zheng C, Gurevich EV, Gurevich VV. Functional Role of Arrestin-1 Residues Interacting with Unphosphorylated Rhodopsin Elements. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108903. [PMID: 37240250 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Arrestin-1, or visual arrestin, exhibits an exquisite selectivity for light-activated phosphorylated rhodopsin (P-Rh*) over its other functional forms. That selectivity is believed to be mediated by two well-established structural elements in the arrestin-1 molecule, the activation sensor detecting the active conformation of rhodopsin and the phosphorylation sensor responsive to the rhodopsin phosphorylation, which only active phosphorylated rhodopsin can engage simultaneously. However, in the crystal structure of the arrestin-1-rhodopsin complex there are arrestin-1 residues located close to rhodopsin, which do not belong to either sensor. Here we tested by site-directed mutagenesis the functional role of these residues in wild type arrestin-1 using a direct binding assay to P-Rh* and light-activated unphosphorylated rhodopsin (Rh*). We found that many mutations either enhanced the binding only to Rh* or increased the binding to Rh* much more than to P-Rh*. The data suggest that the native residues in these positions act as binding suppressors, specifically inhibiting the arrestin-1 binding to Rh* and thereby increasing arrestin-1 selectivity for P-Rh*. This calls for the modification of a widely accepted model of the arrestin-receptor interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liana D Weinstein
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Chen Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Eugenia V Gurevich
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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43
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Roth BL, Gumpper RH. Psychedelics as Transformative Therapeutics. Am J Psychiatry 2023; 180:340-347. [PMID: 37122272 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, psychedelic compounds have emerged as potentially transformative therapeutics for a variety of intractable neuropsychiatric conditions. However, historically most of the basic science has utilized these compounds as probes to interrogate various endogenous neurotransmitter systems-mainly the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. With the renewed interest in utilizing these compounds as therapeutics and the explosion in clinical trials, psychedelics have been purported to treat many neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, cluster headaches, migraines, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is therefore imperative to understand the biology and pharmacology behind their therapeutic mechanisms as well as expose any potential pitfalls in their widespread use as treatments. This review covers the latest advances in understanding the biological mechanisms, the newest efforts in drug discovery, and potential pitfalls when it comes to utilizing this class of compounds as emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
| | - Ryan H Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
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44
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Zheng C, Weinstein LD, Nguyen KK, Grewal A, Gurevich EV, Gurevich VV. GPCR binding and JNK3 activation by arrestin-3 have different structural requirements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.01.538990. [PMID: 37205393 PMCID: PMC10187157 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.01.538990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Arrestins bind active phosphorylated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Among the four mammalian subtypes, only arrestin-3 facilitates the activation of JNK3 in cells. In available structures, Lys-295 in the lariat loop of arrestin-3 and its homologue Lys-294 in arrestin-2 directly interact with the activator-attached phosphates. We compared the role of arrestin-3 conformational equilibrium and of Lys-295 in GPCR binding and JNK3 activation. Several mutants with enhanced ability to bind GPCRs showed much lower activity towards JNK3, whereas a mutant that does not bind GPCRs was more active. Subcellular distribution of mutants did not correlate with GPCR recruitment or JNK3 activation. Charge neutralization and reversal mutations of Lys-295 differentially affected receptor binding on different backgrounds, but had virtually no effect on JNK3 activation. Thus, GPCR binding and arrestin-3-assisted JNK3 activation have distinct structural requirements, suggesting that facilitation of JNK3 activation is the function of arrestin-3 that is not bound to a GPCR.
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45
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El Daibani A, Paggi JM, Kim K, Laloudakis YD, Popov P, Bernhard SM, Krumm BE, Olsen RHJ, Diberto J, Carroll FI, Katritch V, Wünsch B, Dror RO, Che T. Molecular mechanism of biased signaling at the kappa opioid receptor. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1338. [PMID: 36906681 PMCID: PMC10008561 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37041-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The κ-opioid receptor (KOR) has emerged as an attractive drug target for pain management without addiction, and biased signaling through particular pathways of KOR may be key to maintaining this benefit while minimizing side-effect liabilities. As for most G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), however, the molecular mechanisms of ligand-specific signaling at KOR have remained unclear. To better understand the molecular determinants of KOR signaling bias, we apply structure determination, atomic-level molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and functional assays. We determine a crystal structure of KOR bound to the G protein-biased agonist nalfurafine, the first approved KOR-targeting drug. We also identify an arrestin-biased KOR agonist, WMS-X600. Using MD simulations of KOR bound to nalfurafine, WMS-X600, and a balanced agonist U50,488, we identify three active-state receptor conformations, including one that appears to favor arrestin signaling over G protein signaling and another that appears to favor G protein signaling over arrestin signaling. These results, combined with mutagenesis validation, provide a molecular explanation of how agonists achieve biased signaling at KOR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal El Daibani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joseph M Paggi
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Petr Popov
- iMolecule, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sarah M Bernhard
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Reid H J Olsen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey Diberto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - F Ivy Carroll
- Research Triangle Institute, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 48, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Tao Che
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
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Aydin Y, Böttke T, Lam JH, Ernicke S, Fortmann A, Tretbar M, Zarzycka B, Gurevich VV, Katritch V, Coin I. Structural details of a Class B GPCR-arrestin complex revealed by genetically encoded crosslinkers in living cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1151. [PMID: 36859440 PMCID: PMC9977954 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36797-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular basis of arrestin-mediated regulation of GPCRs is critical for deciphering signaling mechanisms and designing functional selectivity. However, structural studies of GPCR-arrestin complexes are hampered by their highly dynamic nature. Here, we dissect the interaction of arrestin-2 (arr2) with the secretin-like parathyroid hormone 1 receptor PTH1R using genetically encoded crosslinking amino acids in live cells. We identify 136 intermolecular proximity points that guide the construction of energy-optimized molecular models for the PTH1R-arr2 complex. Our data reveal flexible receptor elements missing in existing structures, including intracellular loop 3 and the proximal C-tail, and suggest a functional role of a hitherto overlooked positively charged region at the arrestin N-edge. Unbiased MD simulations highlight the stability and dynamic nature of the complex. Our integrative approach yields structural insights into protein-protein complexes in a biologically relevant live-cell environment and provides information inaccessible to classical structural methods, while also revealing the dynamics of the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Aydin
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thore Böttke
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jordy Homing Lam
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Ernicke
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Fortmann
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maik Tretbar
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Barbara Zarzycka
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vsevolod V Gurevich
- Department of Phar-macology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232-0146, USA
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Irene Coin
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstr. 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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47
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Bous J, Fouillen A, Orcel H, Granier S, Bron P, Mouillac B. Structures of the arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin receptor signaling complexes. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2023; 123:67-107. [PMID: 37718002 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) are neurohypophysial hormones which share a high sequence and structure homology. These are two cyclic C-terminally amidated nonapeptides with different residues at position 3 and 8. In mammals, AVP and OT exert their multiple biological functions through a specific G protein-coupled receptor family: four receptors are identified, the V1a, V1b, V2 receptors (V1aR, V1bR and V2R) and the OT receptor (OTR). The chemical structure of AVP and OT was elucidated in the early 1950s. Thanks to X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, it took however 70 additional years to determine the three-dimensional structures of the OTR and the V2R in complex with their natural agonist ligands and with different signaling partners, G proteins and β-arrestins. Today, the comparison of the different AVP/OT receptor structures gives structural insights into their orthosteric ligand binding pocket, their molecular mechanisms of activation, and their interfaces with canonical Gs, Gq and β-arrestin proteins. It also paves the way to future rational drug design and therapeutic compound development. Indeed, agonist, antagonist, biased agonist, or pharmacological chaperone analogues of AVP and OT are promising candidates to regulate different physiological functions and treat several pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Bous
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France; CBS (Centre de Biologie Structurale), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Aurélien Fouillen
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France; CBS (Centre de Biologie Structurale), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Orcel
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Sébastien Granier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Bron
- CBS (Centre de Biologie Structurale), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Bernard Mouillac
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
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The Bright Side of Psychedelics: Latest Advances and Challenges in Neuropharmacology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021329. [PMID: 36674849 PMCID: PMC9865175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The need to identify effective therapies for the treatment of psychiatric disorders is a particularly important issue in modern societies. In addition, difficulties in finding new drugs have led pharmacologists to review and re-evaluate some past molecules, including psychedelics. For several years there has been growing interest among psychotherapists in psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, of depression, or of post-traumatic stress disorder, although results are not always clear and definitive. In fact, the mechanisms of action of psychedelics are not yet fully understood and some molecular aspects have yet to be well defined. Thus, this review aims to summarize the ethnobotanical uses of the best-known psychedelic plants and the pharmacological mechanisms of the main active ingredients they contain. Furthermore, an up-to-date overview of structural and computational studies performed to evaluate the affinity and binding modes to biologically relevant receptors of ibogaine, mescaline, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, psilocin, and lysergic acid diethylamide is presented. Finally, the most recent clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of psychedelic molecules in some psychiatric disorders are discussed and compared with drugs already used in therapy.
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Gurevich VV. Do arrestin oligomers have specific functions? CELL SIGNALING 2023; 1:42-46. [PMID: 37664541 PMCID: PMC10473880 DOI: 10.46439/signaling.1.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Arrestins are a small family of versatile regulators of cell signaling. Arrestins regulate signaling and trafficking of G protein-coupled receptors, regulate and direct to particular subcellular compartments numerous protein kinases, ubiquitin ligases, etc. Three out of four arrestin subtypes expressed in vertebrates self-associate, each forming oligomers of a distinct size and shape. While the structures of the solution oligomers of arrestin-1, -2, and -3 have been elucidated, no function specific for the oligomeric form of either of these three subtypes has been identified thus far. Considering how multi-functional average-sized (~45 kDa) arrestin proteins were found to be, it appears likely that certain functions are predominantly or exclusively fulfilled by monomeric and oligomeric forms of each subtype.
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The Role of Arrestin-1 Middle Loop in Rhodopsin Binding. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213887. [PMID: 36430370 PMCID: PMC9694801 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Arrestins preferentially bind active phosphorylated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The middle loop, highly conserved in all arrestin subtypes, is localized in the central crest on the GPCR-binding side. Upon receptor binding, it directly interacts with bound GPCR and demonstrates the largest movement of any arrestin element in the structures of the complexes. Comprehensive mutagenesis of the middle loop of rhodopsin-specific arrestin-1 suggests that it primarily serves as a suppressor of binding to non-preferred forms of the receptor. Several mutations in the middle loop increase the binding to unphosphorylated light-activated rhodopsin severalfold, which makes them candidates for improving enhanced phosphorylation-independent arrestins. The data also suggest that enhanced forms of arrestin do not bind GPCRs exactly like the wild-type protein. Thus, the structures of the arrestin-receptor complexes, in all of which different enhanced arrestin mutants and reengineered receptors were used, must be interpreted with caution.
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