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Giorgioni G, Bonifazi A, Botticelli L, Cifani C, Matteucci F, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Giannella M, Piergentili A, Piergentili A, Quaglia W, Del Bello F. Advances in drug design and therapeutic potential of selective or multitarget 5-HT1A receptor ligands. Med Res Rev 2024. [PMID: 38808959 DOI: 10.1002/med.22049] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
5-HT1A receptor (5-HT1A-R) is a serotoninergic G-protein coupled receptor subtype which contributes to several physiological processes in both central nervous system and periphery. Despite being the first 5-HT-R identified, cloned and studied, it still represents a very attractive target in drug discovery and continues to be the focus of a myriad of drug discovery campaigns due to its involvement in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. The structure-activity relationship studies (SAR) performed over the last years have been devoted to three main goals: (i) design and synthesis of 5-HT1A-R selective/preferential ligands; (ii) identification of 5-HT1A-R biased agonists, differentiating pre- versus post-synaptic agonism and signaling cellular mechanisms; (iii) development of multitarget compounds endowed with well-defined poly-pharmacological profiles targeting 5-HT1A-R along with other serotonin receptors, serotonin transporter (SERT), D2-like receptors and/or enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase and phosphodiesterase, as a promising strategy for the management of complex psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, medicinal chemistry aspects of ligands acting as selective/preferential or multitarget 5-HT1A-R agonists and antagonists belonging to different chemotypes and developed in the last 7 years (2017-2023) have been discussed. The development of chemical and pharmacological 5-HT1A-R tools for molecular imaging have also been described. Finally, the pharmacological interest of 5-HT1A-R and the therapeutic potential of ligands targeting this receptor have been considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfabio Giorgioni
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bonifazi
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Luca Botticelli
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Federica Matteucci
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | | | | | - Mario Giannella
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Piergentili
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Wilma Quaglia
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Fabio Del Bello
- Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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2
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Zhang M, Chen T, Lu X, Lan X, Chen Z, Lu S. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): advances in structures, mechanisms, and drug discovery. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:88. [PMID: 38594257 PMCID: PMC11004190 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01803-6] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of human membrane proteins and an important class of drug targets, play a role in maintaining numerous physiological processes. Agonist or antagonist, orthosteric effects or allosteric effects, and biased signaling or balanced signaling, characterize the complexity of GPCR dynamic features. In this study, we first review the structural advancements, activation mechanisms, and functional diversity of GPCRs. We then focus on GPCR drug discovery by revealing the detailed drug-target interactions and the underlying mechanisms of orthosteric drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the past five years. Particularly, an up-to-date analysis is performed on available GPCR structures complexed with synthetic small-molecule allosteric modulators to elucidate key receptor-ligand interactions and allosteric mechanisms. Finally, we highlight how the widespread GPCR-druggable allosteric sites can guide structure- or mechanism-based drug design and propose prospects of designing bitopic ligands for the future therapeutic potential of targeting this receptor family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Protection, Development and Utilization of Medicinal Resources in Liupanshan Area, Ministry of Education, Peptide & Protein Drug Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Changzheng Hospital, Affiliated to Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Xun Lu
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xiaobing Lan
- Key Laboratory of Protection, Development and Utilization of Medicinal Resources in Liupanshan Area, Ministry of Education, Peptide & Protein Drug Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Ziqiang Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Changhai Hospital, Affiliated to Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Shaoyong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Protection, Development and Utilization of Medicinal Resources in Liupanshan Area, Ministry of Education, Peptide & Protein Drug Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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3
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Gaitonde SA, Avet C, de la Fuente Revenga M, Blondel-Tepaz E, Shahraki A, Pastor AM, Talagayev V, Robledo P, Kolb P, Selent J, González-Maeso J, Bouvier M. Pharmacological fingerprint of antipsychotic drugs at the serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02531-7. [PMID: 38561467 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02531-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The intricate involvement of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) both in schizophrenia and in the activity of antipsychotic drugs is widely acknowledged. The currently marketed antipsychotic drugs, although effective in managing the symptoms of schizophrenia to a certain extent, are not without their repertoire of serious side effects. There is a need for better therapeutics to treat schizophrenia for which understanding the mechanism of action of the current antipsychotic drugs is imperative. With bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays, we trace the signaling signature of six antipsychotic drugs belonging to three generations at the 5-HT2AR for the entire spectrum of signaling pathways activated by serotonin (5-HT). The antipsychotic drugs display previously unidentified pathway preference at the level of the individual Gα subunits and β-arrestins. In particular, risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine and haloperidol showed G protein-selective inverse agonist activity. In addition, G protein-selective partial agonism was found for aripiprazole and cariprazine. Pathway-specific apparent dissociation constants determined from functional analyses revealed distinct coupling-modulating capacities of the tested antipsychotics at the different 5-HT-activated pathways. Computational analyses of the pharmacological and structural fingerprints support a mechanistically based clustering that recapitulate the clinical classification (typical/first generation, atypical/second generation, third generation) of the antipsychotic drugs. The study provides a new framework to functionally classify antipsychotics that should represent a useful tool for the identification of better and safer neuropsychiatric drugs and allows formulating hypotheses on the links between specific signaling cascades and in the clinical outcomes of the existing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya A Gaitonde
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Charlotte Avet
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Elodie Blondel-Tepaz
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Aida Shahraki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Adrian Morales Pastor
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Valerij Talagayev
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Patricia Robledo
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Peter Kolb
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jana Selent
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Michel Bouvier
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Li H, Cheng J. 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) as a privileged scaffold for central nervous system drug design. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 101:129654. [PMID: 38360418 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129654] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The use of privileged scaffolds in medicinal chemistry is an effective way to accelerate the drug discovery process, especially at the hit/lead optimization stage. 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) is a less commonly used chemical scaffold in medicinal chemistry, but many PCPMA-containing compounds exert therapeutic effects for various diseases, in particular central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, sleep disorder, and Parkinson's disease. The backbone of the PCPMA scaffold enables a unique structure of an amino group linked to a benzene ring through an alkyl linker, making it a useful template for the design of bioactive compounds especially for CNS drug targets including aminergic GPCRs and transporters. This review summarizes the medicinal chemistry studies of PCPMA-containing drugs and drug-like molecules, their mechanisms of action, and biological activities. We conclude that PCPMA is a unique and useful privileged scaffold for CNS drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiqiong Li
- iHuman Institute and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
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5
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Kumar S, Teli MK, Kim MH. GPCR-IPL score: multilevel featurization of GPCR-ligand interaction patterns and prediction of ligand functions from selectivity to biased activation. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae105. [PMID: 38517694 PMCID: PMC10959162 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae105] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate diverse cell signaling cascades after recognizing extracellular ligands. Despite the successful history of known GPCR drugs, a lack of mechanistic insight into GPCR challenges both the deorphanization of some GPCRs and optimization of the structure-activity relationship of their ligands. Notably, replacing a small substituent on a GPCR ligand can significantly alter extracellular GPCR-ligand interaction patterns and motion of transmembrane helices in turn to occur post-binding events of the ligand. In this study, we designed 3D multilevel features to describe the extracellular interaction patterns. Subsequently, these 3D features were utilized to predict the post-binding events that result from conformational dynamics from the extracellular to intracellular areas. To understand the adaptability of GPCR ligands, we collected the conformational information of flexible residues during binding and performed molecular featurization on a broad range of GPCR-ligand complexes. As a result, we developed GPCR-ligand interaction patterns, binding pockets, and ligand features as score (GPCR-IPL score) for predicting the functional selectivity of GPCR ligands (agonism versus antagonism), using the multilevel features of (1) zoomed-out 'residue level' (for flexible transmembrane helices of GPCRs), (2) zoomed-in 'pocket level' (for sophisticated mode of action) and (3) 'atom level' (for the conformational adaptability of GPCR ligands). GPCR-IPL score demonstrated reliable performance, achieving area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.938 and area under the precision-recall curve of 0.907 (available in gpcr-ipl-score.onrender.com). Furthermore, we used the molecular features to predict the biased activation of downstream signaling (Gi/o, Gq/11, Gs and β-arrestin) as well as the functional selectivity. The resulting models are interpreted and applied to out-of-set validation with three scenarios including the identification of a new MRGPRX antagonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Kumar
- Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoeiro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mahesh K Teli
- Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoeiro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-hyun Kim
- Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoeiro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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Duan W, Cao D, Wang S, Cheng J. Serotonin 2A Receptor (5-HT 2AR) Agonists: Psychedelics and Non-Hallucinogenic Analogues as Emerging Antidepressants. Chem Rev 2024; 124:124-163. [PMID: 38033123 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics make up a group of psychoactive compounds that induce hallucinogenic effects by activating the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR). Clinical trials have demonstrated the traditional psychedelic substances like psilocybin as a class of rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressants. However, there is a pressing need for rationally designed 5-HT2AR agonists that possess optimal pharmacological profiles in order to fully reveal the therapeutic potential of these agonists and identify safer drug candidates devoid of hallucinogenic effects. This Perspective provides an overview of the structure-activity relationships of existing 5-HT2AR agonists based on their chemical classifications and discusses recent advancements in understanding their molecular pharmacology at a structural level. The encouraging clinical outcomes of psychedelics in depression treatment have sparked drug discovery endeavors aimed at developing novel 5-HT2AR agonists with improved subtype selectivity and signaling bias properties, which could serve as safer and potentially nonhallucinogenic antidepressants. These efforts can be significantly expedited through the utilization of structure-based methods and functional selectivity-directed screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Duan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Dongmei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
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7
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Addis P, Bali U, Baron F, Campbell A, Harborne S, Jagger L, Milne G, Pearce M, Rosethorne EM, Satchell R, Swift D, Young B, Unitt JF. Key aspects of modern GPCR drug discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2024; 29:1-22. [PMID: 37625784 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most versatile cell surface receptor family with a broad repertoire of ligands and functions. We've learned an enormous amount about discovering drugs of this receptor class since the first GPCR was cloned and expressed in 1986, such that it's now well-recognized that GPCRs are the most successful target class for approved drugs. Here we take the reader through a GPCR drug discovery journey from target to the clinic, highlighting the key learnings, best practices, challenges, trends and insights on discovering drugs that ultimately modulate GPCR function therapeutically in patients. The future of GPCR drug discovery is inspiring, with more desirable drug mechanisms and new technologies enabling the delivery of better and more successful drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phil Addis
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Utsav Bali
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Frank Baron
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Adrian Campbell
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Steven Harborne
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Liz Jagger
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Gavin Milne
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Martin Pearce
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Rosethorne
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Rupert Satchell
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Denise Swift
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Barbara Young
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK
| | - John F Unitt
- Bioscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Protein Science Departments, Sygnature Discovery Ltd, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GR, UK.
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Rodriguez P, Laskowski LJ, Pallais JP, Bock HA, Cavalco NG, Anderson EI, Calkins MM, Razzoli M, Sham YY, McCorvy JD, Bartolomucci A. Functional profiling of the G protein-coupled receptor C3aR1 reveals ligand-mediated biased agonism. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105549. [PMID: 38072064 PMCID: PMC10796979 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105549] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are leading druggable targets for several medicines, but many GPCRs are still untapped for their therapeutic potential due to poor understanding of specific signaling properties. The complement C3a receptor 1 (C3aR1) has been extensively studied for its physiological role in C3a-mediated anaphylaxis/inflammation, and in TLQP-21-mediated lipolysis, but direct evidence for the functional relevance of the C3a and TLQP-21 ligands and signal transduction mechanisms are still limited. In addition, C3aR1 G protein coupling specificity is still unclear, and whether endogenous ligands, or drug-like compounds, show ligand-mediated biased agonism is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that C3aR1 couples preferentially to Gi/o/z proteins and can recruit β-arrestins to cause internalization. Furthermore, we showed that in comparison to C3a63-77, TLQP-21 exhibits a preference toward Gi/o-mediated signaling compared to β-arrestin recruitment and internalization. We also show that the purported antagonist SB290157 is a very potent C3aR1 agonist, where antagonism of ligand-stimulated C3aR1 calcium flux is caused by potent β-arrestin-mediated internalization. Finally, ligand-mediated signaling bias impacted cell function as demonstrated by the regulation of calcium influx, lipolysis in adipocytes, phagocytosis in microglia, and degranulation in mast cells. Overall, we characterize C3aR1 as a Gi/o/z-coupled receptor and demonstrate the functional relevance of ligand-mediated signaling bias in key cellular models. Due to C3aR1 and its endogenous ligands being implicated in inflammatory and metabolic diseases, these results are of relevance toward future C3aR1 drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Rodriguez
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lauren J Laskowski
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jean Pierre Pallais
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Hailey A Bock
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Natalie G Cavalco
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Emilie I Anderson
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Maggie M Calkins
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Maria Razzoli
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yuk Y Sham
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Alessandro Bartolomucci
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
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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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10
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Cameron LP, Benetatos J, Lewis V, Bonniwell EM, Jaster AM, Moliner R, Castrén E, McCorvy JD, Palner M, Aguilar-Valles A. Beyond the 5-HT 2A Receptor: Classic and Nonclassic Targets in Psychedelic Drug Action. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7472-7482. [PMID: 37940583 PMCID: PMC10634557 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1384-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential therapeutic effects and unique mechanisms of action. These compounds exert their primary effects through activating serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, found predominantly in cortical regions. By interacting with these receptors, serotonergic psychedelics induce alterations in perception, cognition, and emotions, leading to the characteristic psychedelic experience. One of the most crucial aspects of serotonergic psychedelics is their ability to promote neuroplasticity, the formation of new neural connections, and rewire neuronal networks. This neuroplasticity is believed to underlie their therapeutic potential for various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. In this mini-review, we will discuss how the 5-HT2A receptor activation is just one facet of the complex mechanisms of action of serotonergic psychedelics. They also interact with other serotonin receptor subtypes, such as 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, and with neurotrophin receptors (e.g., tropomyosin receptor kinase B). These interactions contribute to the complexity of their effects on perception, mood, and cognition. Moreover, as psychedelic research advances, there is an increasing interest in developing nonhallucinogenic derivatives of these drugs to create safer and more targeted medications for psychiatric disorders by removing the hallucinogenic properties while retaining the potential therapeutic benefits. These nonhallucinogenic derivatives would offer patients therapeutic advantages without the intense psychedelic experience, potentially reducing the risks of adverse reactions. Finally, we discuss the potential of psychedelics as substrates for post-translational modification of proteins as part of their mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay P Cameron
- Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University, Palo Alto 94305, California
| | - Joseph Benetatos
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California
| | - Vern Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Ontario Canada
| | - Emma M Bonniwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, Wisconsin
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, Virginia
| | - Rafael Moliner
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE and Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE and Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, Wisconsin
| | - Mikael Palner
- Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK-2100, Denmark
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11
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Leo LM, Al-Zoubi R, Hurst DP, Stephan AP, Zhao P, Tilley DG, Miess E, Schulz S, Abood ME, Reggio PH. The NPXXY Motif Regulates β-Arrestin Recruitment by the CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023; 8:731-748. [PMID: 35792570 PMCID: PMC10589503 DOI: 10.1089/can.2021.0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Activation of signaling effectors by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) depends on different molecular mechanisms triggered by conserved amino acid residues. Although studies have focused on the G-protein signaling state, the mechanism for β-arrestin signaling by CB1 is not yet well defined. Studies have indicated that transmembrane helix 7 (TMH7) and the highly conserved NPXXY motif can be subject to different conformational changes in response to biased ligands and could therefore participate in a molecular mechanism to trigger β-arrestin recruitment. Objective: To investigate the effect of mutations in the NPXXY motif on different signaling pathways activated by the CB1 receptor. Materials and Methods: Point mutations of the NPXXY motif and associated residues were generated in the CB1 receptor using site-directed mutagenesis and transfection into HEK-293 cells. Signaling by wild-type and mutant receptors was analyzed by quantifying inhibition of cAMP, and by β-arrestin recruitment assays. Results: We found that N7.49 and Y7.53 are essential for β-arrestin recruitment by CB1. N7.49A and Y7.53F impair β-arrestin signaling, with no effect on G-protein signaling. We found a regulatory role for residue I2.43; I2.43 interacts with Y7.53, affecting its positioning. Reducing steric bulk at I2.43 (I2.43A) enhances β-arrestin1 recruitment, while introducing a polar residue (I2.43T) reduces β-arrestin recruitment. Conclusions: These findings point to a novel mechanism for β-arrestin recruitment, implicating amino acids in the NPXXY motif as critical for the putative β-arrestin biased conformational state of Class A GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana M. Leo
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rufaida Al-Zoubi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Dow P. Hurst
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anna P. Stephan
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Pingwei Zhao
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Douglas G. Tilley
- Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elke Miess
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Mary E. Abood
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Patricia H. Reggio
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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12
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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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13
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Malcolm NJ, Palkovic B, Sprague DJ, Calkins MM, Lanham JK, Halberstadt AL, Stucke AG, McCorvy JD. Mu-opioid receptor selective superagonists produce prolonged respiratory depression. iScience 2023; 26:107121. [PMID: 37416459 PMCID: PMC10320493 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic opioids are increasingly challenging to combat the opioid epidemic and act primarily at opioid receptors, chiefly the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) μ-opioid receptor (MOR), which signals through G protein-dependent and β-arrestin pathways. Using a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) system, we investigate GPCR-signaling profiles by synthetic nitazenes, which are known to cause overdose and death due to respiratory depression. We show that isotonitazene and its metabolite, N-desethyl isotonitazene, are very potent MOR-selective superagonists, surpassing both DAMGO G protein and β-arrestin recruitment activity, which are properties distinct from other conventional opioids. Both isotonitazene and N-desethyl isotonitazene show high potency in mouse analgesia tail-flick assays, but N-desethyl isotonitazene shows longer-lasting respiratory depression compared to fentanyl. Overall, our results suggest that potent MOR-selective superagonists may be a pharmacological property predictive of prolonged respiratory depression resulting in fatal consequences and should be examined for future opioid analgesics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Malcolm
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Barbara Palkovic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Daniel J. Sprague
- 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
| | - Janelle K. Lanham
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Adam L. Halberstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92108, USA
| | - Astrid G. Stucke
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - John D. McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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14
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Graßl F, Bock L, Huete-Huerta González Á, Schiller M, Gmeiner P, König J, Fromm MF, Hübner H, Heinrich MR. Exploring Structural Determinants of Bias among D4 Subtype-Selective Dopamine Receptor Agonists. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37450764 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The high affinity dopamine D4 receptor ligand APH199 and derivatives thereof exhibit bias toward the Gi signaling pathway over β-arrestin recruitment compared to quinpirole. Based on APH199, two novel groups of D4 subtype selective ligands were designed and evaluated, in which the original benzyl phenylsemicarbazide substructure was replaced by either a biphenylmethyl urea or a biphenyl urea moiety. Functional assays revealed a range of different bias profiles among the newly synthesized compounds, namely, with regard to efficacy, potency, and GRK2 dependency, in which bias factors range from 1 to over 300 and activation from 15% to over 98% compared to quinpirole. These observations demonstrate that within bias, an even more precise tuning toward a particular profile is possible, which─in a general sense─could become an important aspect in future drug development. Docking studies enabled further insight into the role of the ECL2 and the EPB in the emergence of bias, thereby taking advantage of the diversity of functionally selective D4 agonists now available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Graßl
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Leonard Bock
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Álvaro Huete-Huerta González
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Schiller
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg König
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin F Fromm
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus R Heinrich
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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15
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Liu R, Qi J, Wang H, Fan L, Zhang P, Yu J, Tan L, Wang S, Cheng J. Transformation of a Dopamine D 2 Receptor Agonist to Partial Agonists as Novel Antipsychotic Agents. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6274-6287. [PMID: 37130037 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Designed ligands of G protein-coupled receptors can exert a spectrum of modulating effects, varying from full agonists and partial agonists to antagonists and inverse agonists. For the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R), partial agonist activity is the pharmacological feature of the third-generation antipsychotics, including aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, and cariprazine. Started from a benzofuran-derived D2R full agonist O4LE6 (4), which was identified using a structure-based method by us in previous studies, a series of D2R partial agonists were designed and synthesized by introducing different tail groups. Among them, compound 10b showed excellent activity in D2R pharmacological assays. Further optimizations using a structural rigidification approach led to the discovery of brain-penetrant compounds 29c and 29d, which exhibited potent antipsychotic effects in the mouse hyperlocomotion model. Compound 29c also showed excellent drug-like pharmacokinetic properties in rats and qualifies as an antipsychotic agent that is worth further evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiquan Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jianzhong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huan Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Luyu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Liang Tan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
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16
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Liessmann F, Künze G, Meiler J. Improving the Modeling of Extracellular Ligand Binding Pockets in RosettaGPCR for Conformational Selection. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7788. [PMID: 37175495 PMCID: PMC10178219 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097788] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of drug targets and undergo substantial conformational changes in response to ligand binding. Despite recent progress in GPCR structure determination, static snapshots fail to reflect the conformational space of putative binding pocket geometries to which small molecule ligands can bind. In comparative modeling of GPCRs in the absence of a ligand, often a shrinking of the orthosteric binding pocket is observed. However, the exact prediction of the flexible orthosteric binding site is crucial for adequate structure-based drug discovery. In order to improve ligand docking and guide virtual screening experiments in computer-aided drug discovery, we developed RosettaGPCRPocketSize. The algorithm creates a conformational ensemble of biophysically realistic conformations of the GPCR binding pocket between the TM bundle, which is consistent with a knowledge base of expected pocket geometries. Specifically, tetrahedral volume restraints are defined based on information about critical residues in the orthosteric binding site and their experimentally observed range of Cα-Cα-distances. The output of RosettaGPCRPocketSize is an ensemble of binding pocket geometries that are filtered by energy to ensure biophysically probable arrangements, which can be used for docking simulations. In a benchmark set, pocket shrinkage observed in the default RosettaGPCR was reduced by up to 80% and the binding pocket volume range and geometric diversity were increased. Compared to models from four different GPCR homology model databases (RosettaGPCR, GPCR-Tasser, GPCR-SSFE, and GPCRdb), the here-created models showed more accurate volumes of the orthosteric pocket when evaluated with respect to the crystallographic reference structure. Furthermore, RosettaGPCRPocketSize was able to generate an improved realistic pocket distribution. However, while being superior to other homology models, the accuracy of generated model pockets was comparable to AlphaFold2 models. Furthermore, in a docking benchmark using small-molecule ligands with a higher molecular weight between 400 and 700 Da, a higher success rate in creating native-like binding poses was observed. In summary, RosettaGPCRPocketSize can generate GPCR models with realistic orthosteric pocket volumes, which are useful for structure-based drug discovery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Liessmann
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
| | - Georg Künze
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
| | - Jens Meiler
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Leipzig University, 04105 Leipzig, Germany
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17
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Li H, Urs NM, Horenstein N. Computational insights into ligand-induced G protein and β-arrestin signaling of the dopamine D1 receptor. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:227-244. [PMID: 37060492 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00503-7] [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: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine D1 receptor (D1R), is a class A G protein coupled-receptor (GPCR) which has been a promising drug target for psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies have suggested that therapeutic effects can be realized by targeting the β-arrestin signaling pathway of dopamine receptors, while overactivation of the G protein-dependent pathways leads to side effects, such as dyskinesias. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop a D1R ligand that selectively regulates the β-arrestin pathway. Currently, most D1R agonists are signaling-balanced and stimulate both G protein and β-arrestin pathways, with a few reports of G protein biased ligands. However, identification and characterization of β-arrestin biased D1R agonists has been a challenge thus far. In this study, we implemented Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations to provide valuable computational insights into the possible underlying molecular mechanism of the different signaling properties of two catechol and two non-catechol D1R agonists that are either G protein biased or signaling-balanced. Dynamic network analysis further identified critical residues in the allosteric signaling network of D1R for each ligand at different conformational or binding states. Some of these residues are crucial for G protein or arrestin signals of GPCRs based on previous studies. Finally, we provided a molecular design strategy which can be utilized by medicinal chemists to develop potential β-arrestin biased D1R ligands. The proposed hypotheses are experimentally testable and can guide the development of safer and more effective medications for a variety of CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxi Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Nikhil M Urs
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Nicole Horenstein
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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18
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Li Z, Liu J, Dong F, Chang N, Huang R, Xia M, Patterson TA, Hong H. Three-Dimensional Structural Insights Have Revealed the Distinct Binding Interactions of Agonists, Partial Agonists, and Antagonists with the µ Opioid Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087042. [PMID: 37108204 PMCID: PMC10138646 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The United States is experiencing the most profound and devastating opioid crisis in history, with the number of deaths involving opioids, including prescription and illegal opioids, continuing to climb over the past two decades. This severe public health issue is difficult to combat as opioids remain a crucial treatment for pain, and at the same time, they are also highly addictive. Opioids act on the opioid receptor, which in turn activates its downstream signaling pathway that eventually leads to an analgesic effect. Among the four types of opioid receptors, the µ subtype is primarily responsible for the analgesic cascade. This review describes available 3D structures of the µ opioid receptor in the protein data bank and provides structural insights for the binding of agonists and antagonists to the receptor. Comparative analysis on the atomic details of the binding site in these structures was conducted and distinct binding interactions for agonists, partial agonists, and antagonists were observed. The findings in this article deepen our understanding of the ligand binding activity and shed some light on the development of novel opioid analgesics which may improve the risk benefit balance of existing opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Li
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Jie Liu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Fan Dong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Nancy Chang
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20903, USA
| | - Ruili Huang
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tucker A Patterson
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
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19
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Lewis V, Bonniwell EM, Lanham JK, Ghaffari A, Sheshbaradaran H, Cao AB, Calkins MM, Bautista-Carro MA, Arsenault E, Telfer A, Taghavi-Abkuh FF, Malcolm NJ, El Sayegh F, Abizaid A, Schmid Y, Morton K, Halberstadt AL, Aguilar-Valles A, McCorvy JD. A non-hallucinogenic LSD analog with therapeutic potential for mood disorders. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112203. [PMID: 36884348 PMCID: PMC10112881 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112203] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hallucinations limit widespread therapeutic use of psychedelics as rapidly acting antidepressants. Here we profiled the non-hallucinogenic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) analog 2-bromo-LSD (2-Br-LSD) at more than 33 aminergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). 2-Br-LSD shows partial agonism at several aminergic GPCRs, including 5-HT2A, and does not induce the head-twitch response (HTR) in mice, supporting its classification as a non-hallucinogenic 5-HT2A partial agonist. Unlike LSD, 2-Br-LSD lacks 5-HT2B agonism, an effect linked to cardiac valvulopathy. Additionally, 2-Br-LSD produces weak 5-HT2A β-arrestin recruitment and internalization in vitro and does not induce tolerance in vivo after repeated administration. 2-Br-LSD induces dendritogenesis and spinogenesis in cultured rat cortical neurons and increases active coping behavior in mice, an effect blocked by the 5-HT2A-selective antagonist volinanserin (M100907). 2-Br-LSD also reverses the behavioral effects of chronic stress. Overall, 2-Br-LSD has an improved pharmacological profile compared with LSD and may have profound therapeutic value for mood disorders and other indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vern Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Emma M Bonniwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Janelle K Lanham
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Abdi Ghaffari
- BetterLife Pharma Inc., Vancouver, BC V6H 1A6, Canada
| | | | - 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
| | | | - Emily Arsenault
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Andre Telfer
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | | | - Nicholas J Malcolm
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Fatema El Sayegh
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Alfonso Abizaid
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Yasmin Schmid
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kathleen Morton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Adam L Halberstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, 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.
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20
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Yang Y, Kang HJ, Gao R, Wang J, Han GW, DiBerto JF, Wu L, Tong J, Qu L, Wu Y, Pileski R, Li X, Zhang XC, Zhao S, Kenakin T, Wang Q, Stevens RC, Peng W, Roth BL, Rao Z, Liu ZJ. Structural insights into the human niacin receptor HCA2-G i signalling complex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1692. [PMID: 36973264 PMCID: PMC10043007 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37177-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2) agonist niacin has been used as treatment for dyslipidemia for several decades albeit with skin flushing as a common side-effect in treated individuals. Extensive efforts have been made to identify HCA2 targeting lipid lowering agents with fewer adverse effects, despite little being known about the molecular basis of HCA2 mediated signalling. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the HCA2-Gi signalling complex with the potent agonist MK-6892, along with crystal structures of HCA2 in inactive state. These structures, together with comprehensive pharmacological analysis, reveal the ligand binding mode and activation and signalling mechanisms of HCA2. This study elucidates the structural determinants essential for HCA2 mediated signalling and provides insights into ligand discovery for HCA2 and related receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hye Jin Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Ruogu Gao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Gye Won Han
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jiahui Tong
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Lu Qu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ryan Pileski
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xuemei Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuejun Cai Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Quan Wang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | | | - Wei Peng
- Innovation Center for Pathogen Research, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510320, China.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
| | - Zihe Rao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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21
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Genome-Wide Identification of G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Ciliated Eukaryotes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043869. [PMID: 36835283 PMCID: PMC9960496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of transmembrane receptors and play important roles in many physiological processes. As a representative group of protozoa, ciliates represent the highest stage of eukaryotic cell differentiation and evolution in terms of their reproductive mode, two-state karyotype, and extremely diverse cytogenesis patterns. GPCRs have been poorly reported in ciliates. In this study, we identified 492 GPCRs in 24 ciliates. Using the existing classification system for animals, GPCRs in ciliates can be assigned to four families, including families A, B, E, and F. Most (377 members) belong to family A. The number of GPCRs is extremely different in different ciliates; the Heterotrichea ciliates usually have more GPCRs than other ciliates. Parasitic or symbiotic ciliates usually have only a few GPCRs. Gene/genome duplication events seem to play important roles in the expansion of the GPCR superfamily in ciliates. GPCRs in ciliates displayed seven typical domain organizations. GPCRs in an ortholog group are common and conserved in all ciliates. The gene expression analysis of the members in this conserved ortholog group in the model ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, suggested that these GPCRs play important roles in the life cycle of ciliates. In summary, this study provides the first comprehensive genome-wide identification of GPCRs in ciliates, improving our understanding of the evolution and function of GPCR in ciliates.
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22
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Shi Y, Chen Y, Deng L, Du K, Lu S, Chen T. Structural Understanding of Peptide-Bound G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Peptide-Target Interactions. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1083-1111. [PMID: 36625741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is triggered by ligand binding to their orthosteric sites, which induces ligand-specific conformational changes. Agonists and antagonists bound to GPCR orthosteric sites provide detailed information on ligand-binding modes. Among these, peptide ligands play an instrumental role in GPCR pharmacology and have attracted increased attention as therapeutic drugs. The recent breakthrough in GPCR structural biology has resulted in the remarkable availability of peptide-bound GPCR complexes. Despite the several structural similarities shared by these receptors, they exhibit distinct features in terms of peptide recognition and receptor activation. From this perspective, we have summarized the current status of peptide-bound GPCR structural complexes, largely focusing on the interactions between the receptor and its peptide ligand at the orthosteric site. In-depth structural investigations have yielded valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying peptide recognition. This study would contribute to the discovery of GPCR peptide drugs with improved therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Shi
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Interventional, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Navy Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Liping Deng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Kui Du
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Shaoyong Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,Institute of Energy Metabolism and Health, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China
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23
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New Insights into Bitopic Orthosteric/Allosteric Ligands of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032135. [PMID: 36768458 PMCID: PMC9917213 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032135] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Very recently, we have developed a new generation of ligands targeting the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R), namely JR compounds, which combine the pharmacophoric portion of the CB2R positive allosteric modulator (PAM), EC21a, with that of the CB2R selective orthosteric agonist LV62, both synthesized in our laboratories. The functional examination enabled us to identify JR14a, JR22a, and JR64a as the most promising compounds of the series. In the current study, we focused on the assessment of the bitopic (dualsteric) nature of these three compounds. Experiments in cAMP assays highlighted that only JR22a behaves as a CB2R bitopic (dualsteric) ligand. In parallel, computational studies helped us to clarify the binding mode of these three compounds at CB2R, confirming the bitopic (dualsteric) nature of JR22a. Finally, the potential of JR22a to prevent neuroinflammation was investigated on a human microglial cell inflammatory model.
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24
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Intranuovo F, Brunetti L, DelRe P, Mangiatordi GF, Stefanachi A, Laghezza A, Niso M, Leonetti F, Loiodice F, Ligresti A, Kostrzewa M, Brea J, Loza MI, Sotelo E, Saviano M, Colabufo NA, Riganti C, Abate C, Contino M. Development of N-(1-Adamantyl)benzamides as Novel Anti-Inflammatory Multitarget Agents Acting as Dual Modulators of the Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor and Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase. J Med Chem 2023; 66:235-250. [PMID: 36542836 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R), belonging to the endocannabinoid system, is overexpressed in pathologies characterized by inflammation, and its activation counteracts inflammatory states. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an enzyme responsible for the degradation of the main endocannabinoid anandamide; thus, the simultaneous CB2R activation and FAAH inhibition may be a synergistic anti-inflammatory strategy. Encouraged by principal component analysis (PCA) data identifying a wide chemical space shared by CB2R and FAAH ligands, we designed a small library of adamantyl-benzamides, as potential dual agents, CB2R agonists, and FAAH inhibitors. The new compounds were tested for their CB2R affinity/selectivity and CB2R and FAAH activity. Derivatives 13, 26, and 27, displaying the best pharmacodynamic profile as CB2R full agonists and FAAH inhibitors, decreased pro-inflammatory and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines production. Molecular docking simulations complemented the experimental findings by providing a molecular rationale behind the observed activities. These multitarget ligands constitute promising anti-inflammatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Intranuovo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Leonardo Brunetti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Pietro DelRe
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola, 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | | | - Angela Stefanachi
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Antonio Laghezza
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Mauro Niso
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Francesco Leonetti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Fulvio Loiodice
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy
| | - Jose Brea
- Innopharma Screening Platform, BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Loza
- Innopharma Screening Platform, BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Eddy Sotelo
- ComBioMed Research Group, Centro de Química Biológica y Materiales Moleculares (CIQUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Vivaldi, 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
| | - Nicola Antonio Colabufo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Dipartimento di Oncologia, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Torino 10126, Italy
| | - Carmen Abate
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy.,Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola, 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | - Marialessandra Contino
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
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25
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Hillman T. A Predictive Model for Identifying the Most Effective Anti-CCR5 Monoclonal Antibody. ARCHIVES OF PHARMACY PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.51847/d9m2zufqr4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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26
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Nordvall G, Forsell P, Sandin J. Neurotrophin-targeted therapeutics: A gateway to cognition and more? Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103318. [PMID: 35850433 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurotrophins, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), are small proteins expressed in the brain and peripheral tissues, which regulate several key aspects of neuronal function, including neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection, but also programmed cell death. This broad range of effects is a result of a complex downstream signaling pathway, with differential spatial and temporal activation patterns further diversifying their physiological effects. Alterations in neurotrophin levels, or known polymorphisms in neurotrophin genes, have been linked to a variety of disorders, including depression and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Historically, their therapeutic potential in these disorders has been hampered by the lack of suitable tool molecules for clinical studies. However, recent advancements have led to the development of new therapeutic candidates, which are now in clinical testing.
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27
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Martin SF. Bridging Known and Unknown Unknowns: From Natural Products and Their Mimics to Unmet Needs in Neuroscience. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:2397-2408. [PMID: 35960884 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Scientific excursions into the unknown are often characterized by unanticipated twists and turns that may lead in directions that never could have been predicted. Decisions made during the course of these explorations determine what we discover. This Account chronicles one such journey that began with a challenge encountered during the synthesis of a natural product and then unfolded over more than 30 years to focus on unmet needs in neuroscience. Specifically, while developing a concise approach to tetrahydroalstonine, a heteroyohimboid alkaloid having α-adrenergic activity, we faced the predicament of assembling a key intermediate. Solving this problem resulted in the serendipitous discovery of the vinylogous Mannich reaction and a productive program wherein we used this powerful construction as a key step in the syntheses of numerous alkaloids. However, we also realized that lessons learned from the synthesis of tetrahydroalstonine could be generalized to invent a new strategy for preparing diverse collections of substituted nitrogen heterocycles that could be screened against biological targets. The approach featured the combination of several reactants in a multicomponent assembly process to give a functionalized intermediate that could be elaborated by various ring-forming reactions to give heterocyclic scaffolds that could be further diversified. Screening these compound sets against a broad range of biological targets revealed some intriguing hits, but none of them led to a productive collaboration in translational research. Notwithstanding this setback, we screened curated members of our collections against proteins in the central nervous system and discovered some substituted B-norbenzomorphans that were selective for the enigmatic sigma-2 receptor (σ2R), an understudied protein that had been primarily associated with cancer. With scant knowledge of its role in neuroscience, we posited that small molecules that bind to σ2R might be neuroprotective, thus launching a new venture. In parallel investigations we prepared analogues of the initial hits, explored their effects in animal models of neurodegenerative and neurological conditions, and identified σ2R as transmembrane protein 97 (TMEM97). After first establishing the neuroprotective effects of several σ2R/TMEM97 ligands in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model of neurodegeneration, we showed that one of these has procognitive effects and reduces levels of proinflammatory cytokines in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. We then identified a closely related σ2R/TMEM97 ligand that mitigates hippocampal-dependent memory deficits, prevents axon degeneration, and protects neurons and oligodendrocytes after traumatic brain injury. In a recent study, this compound was shown to protect retinal ganglion cells from retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury. In other collaborative investigations, we have shown that related, but structurally distinct, σ2R/TMEM97 ligands alleviate neuropathic pain, while a σ2R/TMEM97 ligand representing yet another chemotype reduces impairments associated with alcohol withdrawal. More recently, we have shown that σ2R/TMEM97 ligands enhance survival of cortical neurons in a neuronal model of Huntington's disease. Translational and mechanistic studies in these and other areas are in progress. Solving a problem we faced in natural product synthesis thus served as an unexpected gateway to discoveries that could lead to entirely new approaches to treat neurodegenerative and neurological conditions by targeting σ2R/TMEM97, a protein that has never been associated with these afflictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F Martin
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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28
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Zhang X, Zhou W, Niu Y, Zhu S, Zhang Y, Li X, Yu C. Lysyl oxidase promotes renal fibrosis via accelerating collagen cross-link driving by β-arrestin/ERK/STAT3 pathway. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22427. [PMID: 35792886 PMCID: PMC9544652 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200573r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper‐dependent monoamine oxidase whose primary function is the covalent cross‐linking of collagen in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Evidence has shown that LOX is associated with cancer and some fibrotic conditions. We recently found that serum LOX is a potential diagnostic biomarker for renal fibrosis, but the mechanism by which LOX is regulated and contributes to renal fibrosis remains unknown. The current study demonstrates the following: (1) LOX expression was increased in fibrotic kidneys including ischemia‐reperfusion injury‐(IRI‐), unilateral ureteral obstruction‐(UUO‐), and folic acid‐ (FA‐) induced fibrotic kidneys as well as in the paraffin‐embedded sections of human kidneys from the patients with renal fibrosis. (2) The increasing deposition and cross‐linking of collagen induced by LOX was observed in IRI‐, UUO‐ and FA‐kidneys. (3) LOX was regulated by the β‐arrestin‐ERK‐STAT3 pathway in renal fibrosis. STAT3 was the downstream of AT1R‐β‐arrestin‐ERK, ERK entered the nucleus and activated STAT3‐pY705 but not STAT3‐pS727. (4) STAT3 nuclear subtranslocation and binding to the LOX promoter may be responsible for the upregulation of LOX expression. (5) Pharmacologic inhibition of LOX with BAPN in vivo inhibited the upregulation of LOX, decreased collagen over cross‐linking and ameliorated renal fibrosis after ischemic injury. Collectively, these observations suggest that LOX plays an essential role in the development of renal fibrosis by catalyzing collagen over cross‐linking. Thus, strategies targeting LOX could be a new avenue in developing therapeutics against renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqian Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangyang Niu
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Saiya Zhu
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Dpartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chen Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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29
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Myslivecek J. Dopamine and Dopamine-Related Ligands Can Bind Not Only to Dopamine Receptors. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12050606. [PMID: 35629274 PMCID: PMC9147915 DOI: 10.3390/life12050606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic system is one of the most important neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system (CNS). It acts mainly by activation of the D1-like receptor family at the target cell. Additionally, fine-tuning of the signal is achieved via pre-synaptic modulation by the D2-like receptor family. Some dopamine drugs (both agonists and antagonists) bind in addition to DRs also to α2-ARs and 5-HT receptors. Unfortunately, these compounds are often considered subtype(s) specific. Thus, it is important to consider the presence of these receptor subtypes in specific CNS areas as the function virtually elicited by one receptor type could be an effect of other—or the co-effect of multiple receptors. However, there are enough molecules with adequate specificity. In this review, we want to give an overview of the most common off-targets for established dopamine receptor ligands. To give an overall picture, we included a discussion on subtype selectivity. Molecules used as antipsychotic drugs are reviewed too. Therefore, we will summarize reported affinities and give an outline of molecules sufficiently specific for one or more subtypes (i.e., for subfamily), the presence of DR, α2-ARs, and 5-HT receptors in CNS areas, which could help avoid ambiguous results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaromir Myslivecek
- Institute of Physiology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 5, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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30
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Mao Q, Zhang B, Tian S, Qin W, Chen J, Huang XP, Xin Y, Yang H, Zhen XC, Shui W, Ye N. Structural optimizations and bioevaluation of N-H aporphine analogues as Gq-biased and selective serotonin 5-HT2C receptor agonists. Bioorg Chem 2022; 123:105795. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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31
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Xu J, Cao S, Hübner H, Weikert D, Chen G, Lu Q, Yuan D, Gmeiner P, Liu Z, Du Y. Structural insights into ligand recognition, activation, and signaling of the α 2A adrenergic receptor. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj5347. [PMID: 35245122 PMCID: PMC8896805 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The α2A adrenergic receptor (α2AAR) is a G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptor that mediates important physiological functions in response to the endogenous neurotransmitters norepinephrine and epinephrine, as well as numerous chemically distinct drugs. However, the molecular mechanisms of drug actions remain poorly understood. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the human α2AAR-GoA complex bound to norepinephrine and three imidazoline derivatives (brimonidine, dexmedetomidine, and oxymetazoline). Together with mutagenesis and functional data, these structures provide important insights into the molecular basis of ligand recognition, activation, and signaling at the α2AAR. Further structural analyses uncover different molecular determinants between α2AAR and βARs for recognition of norepinephrine and key regions that determine the G protein coupling selectivity. Overall, our studies provide a framework for understanding the signal transduction of the adrenergic system at the atomic level, which will facilitate rational structure-based discovery of safer and more effective medications for α2AAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Sheng Cao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dorothée Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Geng Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Qiuyuan Lu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Daopeng Yuan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Zheng Liu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
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32
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Guo P, Tai Y, Wang M, Sun H, Zhang L, Wei W, Xiang YK, Wang Q. Gα 12 and Gα 13: Versatility in Physiology and Pathology. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:809425. [PMID: 35237598 PMCID: PMC8883321 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.809425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), as the largest family of receptors in the human body, are involved in the pathological mechanisms of many diseases. Heterotrimeric G proteins represent the main molecular switch and receive cell surface signals from activated GPCRs. Growing evidence suggests that Gα12 subfamily (Gα12/13)-mediated signaling plays a crucial role in cellular function and various pathological processes. The current research on the physiological and pathological function of Gα12/13 is constantly expanding, Changes in the expression levels of Gα12/13 have been found in a wide range of human diseases. However, the mechanistic research on Gα12/13 is scattered. This review briefly describes the structural sequences of the Gα12/13 isoforms and introduces the coupling of GPCRs and non-GPCRs to Gα12/13. The effects of Gα12/13 on RhoA and other signaling pathways and their roles in cell proliferation, migration, and immune cell function, are discussed. Finally, we focus on the pathological impacts of Gα12/13 in cancer, inflammation, metabolic diseases, fibrotic diseases, and circulatory disorders are brought to focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paipai Guo
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yu Tai
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Manman Wang
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hanfei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yang K Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA, United States
| | - Qingtong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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33
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Zhang F, Yuan Y, Chen Y, Chen J, Guo Y, Pu X. Molecular insights into the allosteric coupling mechanism between an agonist and two different transducers for μ-opioid receptors. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:5282-5293. [PMID: 35170592 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05736g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as the most important class of pharmacological targets regulate G-protein and β-arrestin-mediated signaling through allosteric interplay, which are responsible for different biochemical and physiological actions like therapeutic efficacy and side effects. However, the allosteric mechanism underlying preferentially recruiting one transducer versus the other has been poorly understood, limiting drug design. Motivated by this issue, we utilize accelerated molecular dynamics simulation coupled with potential of mean force (PMF), molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) and protein structure network (PSN) to study two ternary complex systems of a representative class A GPCR (μ-opioid receptor (μOR)) bound by an agonist and one specific transducer (G-protein and β-arrestin). The results show that no significant difference exists in the whole structure of μOR between two transducer couplings, but displays transducer-dependent changes in the intracellular binding region of μOR, where the β-arrestin coupling results in a narrower crevice with TM7 inward movement compared with the G-protein. In addition, both the G-protein and β-arrestin coupling can increase the binding affinity of the agonist to the receptor. However, the interactions between the agonist and μOR also exhibit transducer-specific changes, in particular for the interaction with ECL2 that plays an important role in recruiting β-arrestin. The allosteric network analysis further indicates that Y1483.33, F1523.37, F1563.41, N1914.49, T1603.45, Y1062.42, W2936.48, F2896.44, I2485.54 and Y2525.58 play important roles in equally activating G-protein and β-arrestin. In contrast, M1613.46 and R1653.50 devote important contributions to preferentially recruit G-protein while D1643.49 and R179ICL2 are revealed to be important for selectively activating β-arrestin. The observations provide useful information for understanding the biased activation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuhui Zhang
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuan Yuan
- College of Management, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Yichi Chen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianfang Chen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanzhi Guo
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xuemei Pu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
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34
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Somogyi AA, Musolino ST, Barratt DT. New pharmacological perspectives and therapeutic options for opioids: Differences matter. Anaesth Intensive Care 2022; 50:127-140. [PMID: 35112584 DOI: 10.1177/0310057x211063891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Opioids remain the major drug class for the treatment of acute, chronic and cancer pain, but have major harmful effects such as dependence and opioid-induced ventilatory impairment. Although no new typical opioids have come onto the market in the past almost 50 years, a plethora of new innovative formulations has been developed to meet the clinical need. This review is intended to shed light on new understanding of the molecular pharmacology of opioids, which has arisen largely due to the genomic revolution, and what new drugs may become available in the coming years. Atypical opioids have and are being developed which not only target the mu opioid receptor but other targets in the pain pathway. Biased mu agonists have been developed but remain 'unbiased' clinically. The contribution of drugs targeting non-mu opioid receptors either alone or as heterodimers shows potential promise but remains understudied. That gene splice variants of the mu opioid receptor produce multiple receptor isoforms in different brain regions, and may change with pain chronicity and phenotype, presents new challenges but also opportunities for precision pain medicine. Finally, that opioids also have pro-inflammatory effects not aligned with mu opioid receptor binding affinity implicates a fresh understanding of their role in chronic pain, whether cancer or non-cancer. Hopefully, a new understanding of opioid analgesic drug action may lead to new drug development and better precision medicine in acute and chronic pain relief with less patient harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Somogyi
- Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Stefan T Musolino
- Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Daniel T Barratt
- Discipline of Physiology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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35
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Ippolito M, De Pascali F, Inoue A, Benovic JL. Phenylalanine 193 in Extracellular Loop 2 of the β 2-Adrenergic Receptor Coordinates β-Arrestin Interaction. Mol Pharmacol 2022; 101:87-94. [PMID: 34853152 PMCID: PMC8969133 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.121.000332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce a diverse variety of extracellular stimuli into intracellular signaling. These receptors are the most clinically productive drug targets at present. Despite decades of research on the signaling consequences of molecule-receptor interactions, conformational components of receptor-effector interactions remain incompletely described. The β 2-adrenergic receptor (β 2AR) is a prototypical and extensively studied GPCR that can provide insight into this aspect of GPCR signaling thanks to robust structural data and rich pharmacopeia. Using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer -based biosensors, second messenger assays, and biochemical techniques, we characterize the properties of β 2AR-F193A. This single point mutation in extracellular loop 2 of the β 2AR is sufficient to intrinsically bias the β 2AR away from β-arrestin interaction and demonstrates altered regulatory outcomes downstream of this functional selectivity. This study highlights the importance of extracellular control of intracellular response to stimuli and suggests a previously undescribed role for the extracellular loops of the receptor and the extracellular pocket formed by transmembrane domains 2, 3, and 7 in GPCR regulation that may contribute to biased signaling at GPCRs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The role of extracellular G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) domains in mediating intracellular interactions is poorly understood. We characterized the effects of extracellular loop mutations on agonist-promoted interactions of GPCRs with G protein and β-arrestin. Our studies reveal that F193 in extracellular loop 2 in the β2-adrenergic receptor mediates interactions with G protein and β-arrestin with a biased loss of β-arrestin binding. These results provide new insights on the role of the extracellular domain in differentially modulating intracellular interactions with GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ippolito
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (M.I., F.D.P., J.L.B.); and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan (A.I.)
| | - Francesco De Pascali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (M.I., F.D.P., J.L.B.); and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan (A.I.)
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (M.I., F.D.P., J.L.B.); and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan (A.I.)
| | - Jeffrey L Benovic
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (M.I., F.D.P., J.L.B.); and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan (A.I.)
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36
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Yan W, Fan L, Yu J, Liu R, Wang H, Tan L, Wang S, Cheng J. 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine Derivatives as Dopamine D 2 Receptor Partial Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17239-17258. [PMID: 34797051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Partial agonist activity at the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) is the primary pharmacological feature of the third-generation antipsychotics─aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, and cariprazine. However, all these drugs share a common phenyl-piperazine moiety as the primary pharmacophore. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel compounds based on the 2-phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) scaffold and studied their pharmacological activity at the D2R. A number of potent D2R partial agonists were identified through binding affinity screening and functional activity profiling in both G protein and β-arrestin assays. The structure-functional activity relationship results showed that the spacer group is crucial for fine-tuning the intrinsic activity of these compounds. Compounds (+)-14j and (+)-14l showed good pharmacokinetic properties and an unexpected selectivity against the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. Preliminary suppressive effects in a mouse hyperlocomotion model proved that these PCPMA-derived D2R partial agonists are effective as potential novel antipsychotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhong Yan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Luyu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ruiquan Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Huan Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Liang Tan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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37
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Chen J, Liu J, Yuan Y, Chen X, Zhang F, Pu X. Molecular Mechanisms of Diverse Activation Stimulated by Different Biased Agonists for the β2-Adrenergic Receptor. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 62:5175-5192. [PMID: 34802238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
β2AR is an important drug target protein involving many diseases. Biased drugs induce specific signaling and provide additional clinical utility to optimize β2AR-based therapies. However, the biased signaling mechanism has not been elucidated. Motivated by the issue, we chose four agonists with divergent bias (balanced agonist, G-protein-biased agonist, and β-arrestin-biased agonists) and utilized Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulation coupled with a dynamic network to probe the molecular mechanisms of distinct biased activation induced by the structural differences between the four agonists. Our simulations reveal that the G-protein-biased agonist induces an open conformation with the outward shifts of TM6 and TM7 for the intracellular domain, which will be beneficial to couple G protein. In contrast, the β-arrestin-biased agonists regulate an occluded conformation with a slightly outward movement of TM6 and an inward shift of TM7, which should favor β-arrestin signaling. The balanced agonist does not induce an observable outward shift for TM6 but, along with a slight tilt for TM7, leads to an inactive-like conformation. In addition, our results reveal the first time that ICL3 presents specific conformations with different agonists. The G-protein-biased agonist drives ICL3 to open so that the G protein-binding pocket can be available, while the β-arrestin-biased agonists induce ICL3 to form a closed conformation with a stable local α-helix. MM/PBSA analysis further reveals that the hydroxyl groups in the resorcinol of the G-protein-biased agonist form strong interactions with Y5.38 and S5.42, thus preventing tilting of the TM5 extracellular end. The catechol of the balanced agonist and the β-arrestin-biased ones induces the rearrangement of two hydrophobic residues F6.52 and W6.48. However, different from the balanced agonist, the ethyl substituent of β-arrestin-biased agonists forms additional hydrophobic interactions with W6.48 and F6.51 after the rearrangement, which should contribute to the β-arrestin bias. The shortest pathway analysis further reveals that the three residues Y7.43, N7.45, and N7.49 are crucial for allosterically regulating G-protein-biased signaling, while the two residues W6.48 and F6.44 make an important contribution to regulate β-arrestin-biased signaling. For the balanced agonist NE, the allosteric regulation pathway simultaneously involves the residue associated with G-protein-biased signaling like S5.46 and the residues related to β-arrestin-biased signaling like W6.48 and F6.44, thus producing unbiased signaling. The observations could advance our understanding of the biased activation mechanism on class A GPCRs and provide a useful guideline for the design of biased drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfang Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jiangting Liu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- College of Management, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Fuhui Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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38
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Sanchez JE, Kc GB, Franco J, Allen WJ, Garcia JD, Sirimulla S. BiasNet: A Model to Predict Ligand Bias Toward GPCR Signaling. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:4190-4199. [PMID: 34397210 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Signaling bias is a feature of many G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targeting drugs with potential clinical implications. Whether it is therapeutically advantageous for a drug to be G protein biased or β-arrestin biased depends on the context of the signaling pathway. Here, we explored GPCR ligands that exhibit biased signaling to gain insights into scaffolds and pharmacophores that lead to bias. More specifically, we considered BiasDB, a database containing information about GPCR biased ligands, and focused our analysis on ligands which show either a G protein or β-arrestin bias. Five different machine learning models were trained on these ligands using 15 different sets of features. Molecular fragments which were important for training the models were analyzed. Two of these fragments (number of secondary amines and number of aromatic amines) were more prevalent in β-arrestin biased ligands. After training a random forest model on HierS scaffolds, we found five scaffolds, which demonstrated G protein or β-arrestin bias. We also conducted t-SNE clustering, observing correspondence between unsupervised and supervised machine learning methods. To increase the applicability of our work, we developed a web implementation of our models, which can predict bias based on user-provided SMILES, drug names, or PubChem CID. Our web implementation is available at: drugdiscovery.utep.edu/biasnet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E Sanchez
- Computational Science Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Govinda B Kc
- Computational Science Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Julian Franco
- Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - William J Allen
- Texas Advanced Computing Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Jesus David Garcia
- Computer Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Suman Sirimulla
- Computational Science Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States.,Computer Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
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Garai S, Leo LM, Szczesniak AM, Hurst DP, Schaffer PC, Zagzoog A, Black T, Deschamps JR, Miess E, Schulz S, Janero DR, Straiker A, Pertwee RG, Abood ME, Kelly MEM, Reggio PH, Laprairie RB, Thakur GA. Discovery of a Biased Allosteric Modulator for Cannabinoid 1 Receptor: Preclinical Anti-Glaucoma Efficacy. J Med Chem 2021; 64:8104-8126. [PMID: 33826336 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We apply the magic methyl effect to improve the potency/efficacy of GAT211, the prototypic 2-phenylindole-based cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) agonist-positive allosteric modulator (ago-PAM). Introducing a methyl group at the α-position of nitro group generated two diastereomers, the greater potency and efficacy of erythro, (±)-9 vs threo, (±)-10 constitutes the first demonstration of diastereoselective CB1R-allosteric modulator interaction. Of the (±)-9 enantiomers, (-)-(S,R)-13 evidenced improved potency over GAT211 as a CB1R ago-PAM, whereas (+)-(R,S)-14 was a CB1R allosteric agonist biased toward G protein- vs β-arrestin1/2-dependent signaling. (-)-(S,R)-13 and (+)-(R,S)-14 were devoid of undesirable side effects (triad test), and (+)-(R,S)-14 reduced intraocular pressure with an unprecedentedly long duration of action in a murine glaucoma model. (-)-(S,R)-13 docked into both a CB1R extracellular PAM and intracellular allosteric-agonist site(s), whereas (+)-(R,S)-14 preferentially engaged only the latter. Exploiting G-protein biased CB1R-allosteric modulation can offer safer therapeutic candidates for glaucoma and, potentially, other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumanta Garai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Luciana M Leo
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - Anna-Maria Szczesniak
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Dow P Hurst
- Center for Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27402, United States
| | - Peter C Schaffer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ayat Zagzoog
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Pl, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N2Z4, Canada
| | - Tallan Black
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Pl, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N2Z4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R Deschamps
- Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6930, 4555 Overlook Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia 20375, United States
| | - Elke Miess
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07747 Jena, Germany
| | - David R Janero
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Alex Straiker
- The Gill Center and the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th St, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Roger G Pertwee
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Mary E Abood
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - Melanie E M Kelly
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Patricia H Reggio
- Center for Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27402, United States
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Pl, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N2Z4, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Ganesh A Thakur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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40
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De Neve J, Barlow TMA, Tourwé D, Bihel F, Simonin F, Ballet S. Comprehensive overview of biased pharmacology at the opioid receptors: biased ligands and bias factors. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:828-870. [PMID: 34223156 PMCID: PMC8221262 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00041a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main challenges in contemporary medicinal chemistry is the development of safer analgesics, used in the treatment of pain. Currently, moderate to severe pain is still treated with the "gold standard" opioids whose long-term often leads to severe side effects. With the discovery of biased agonism, the importance of this area of pharmacology has grown exponentially over the past decade. Of these side effects, tolerance, opioid misuse, physical dependence and substance use disorder (SUD) stand out, since these have led to many deaths over the past decades in both USA and Europe. New therapeutic molecules that induce a biased response at the opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR and NOP receptor) are able to circumvent these side effects and, consequently, serve as more advantageous therapies with great promise. The concept of biased signaling extends far beyond the already sizeable field of GPCR pharmacology and covering everything would be vastly outside the scope of this review which consequently covers the biased ligands acting at the opioid family of receptors. The limitation of quantifying bias, however, makes this a controversial subject, where it is dependent on the reference ligand, the equation or the assay used for the quantification. Hence, the major issue in the field of biased ligands remains the translation of the in vitro profiles of biased signaling, with corresponding bias factors to in vivo profiles showing the presence or the lack of specific side effects. This review comprises a comprehensive overview of biased ligands in addition to their bias factors at individual members of the opioid family of receptors, as well as bifunctional ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien De Neve
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Thomas M A Barlow
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Dirk Tourwé
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Frédéric Bihel
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR 7200, CNRS Université de Strasbourg Illkirch France
| | - Frédéric Simonin
- Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, UMR 7242, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg Illkirch France
| | - Steven Ballet
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
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41
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Mallo-Abreu A, Reyes-Resina I, Azuaje J, Franco R, García-Rey A, Majellaro M, Miranda-Pastoriza D, García-Mera X, Jespers W, Gutiérrez-de-Terán H, Navarro G, Sotelo E. Potent and Subtype-Selective Dopamine D 2 Receptor Biased Partial Agonists Discovered via an Ugi-Based Approach. J Med Chem 2021; 64:8710-8726. [PMID: 34110150 PMCID: PMC8552448 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Using
a previously unexplored, efficient, and versatile multicomponent
method, we herein report the rapid generation of novel potent and
subtype-selective DRD2 biased partial agonists. This strategy
exemplifies the search for diverse and previously unexplored moieties
for the secondary/allosteric pharmacophore of the common phenyl-piperazine
scaffold. The pharmacological characterization of the new compound
series led to the identification of several ligands with excellent
DRD2 affinity and subtype selectivity and remarkable functional
selectivity for either the cAMP (22a and 24d) or the β-arrestin (27a and 29c)
signaling pathways. These results were further interpreted on the
basis of molecular models of these ligands in complex with the recent
DRD2 crystal structures, highlighting the critical role
of the secondary/allosteric pharmacophore in modulating the functional
selectivity profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Mallo-Abreu
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Irene Reyes-Resina
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jhonny Azuaje
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rafael Franco
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Aitor García-Rey
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria Majellaro
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Darío Miranda-Pastoriza
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Xerardo García-Mera
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Willem Jespers
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-75124, Sweden
| | | | - Gemma Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eddy Sotelo
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Farmacia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Maeda S, Shiimura Y, Asada H, Hirata K, Luo F, Nango E, Tanaka N, Toyomoto M, Inoue A, Aoki J, Iwata S, Hagiwara M. Endogenous agonist-bound S1PR3 structure reveals determinants of G protein-subtype bias. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/24/eabf5325. [PMID: 34108205 PMCID: PMC8189593 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf5325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) regulates numerous important physiological functions, including immune response and vascular integrity, via its cognate receptors (S1PR1 to S1PR5); however, it remains unclear how S1P activates S1PRs upon binding. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the active human S1PR3 in complex with its natural agonist S1P at 3.2-Å resolution. S1P exhibits an unbent conformation in the long tunnel, which penetrates through the receptor obliquely. Compared with the inactive S1PR1 structure, four residues surrounding the alkyl tail of S1P (the "quartet core") exhibit orchestrating rotamer changes that accommodate the moiety, thereby inducing an active conformation. In addition, we reveal that the quartet core determines G protein selectivity of S1PR3. These results offer insight into the structural basis of activation and biased signaling in G protein-coupled receptors and will help the design of biased ligands for optimized therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaro Maeda
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Drug Discovery Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuki Shiimura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hidetsugu Asada
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kunio Hirata
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5165, Japan
| | - Fangjia Luo
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5165, Japan
| | - Eriko Nango
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5165, Japan
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Nobuo Tanaka
- Medical Research Support Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Masayasu Toyomoto
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Junken Aoki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5165, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Hagiwara
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
- Department of Drug Discovery Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Medical Research Support Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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43
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Buprenorphine: Far Beyond the "Ceiling". Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11060816. [PMID: 34072706 PMCID: PMC8230089 DOI: 10.3390/biom11060816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, represents an untreated disease with important repercussions on the quality of life and huge costs on the national health system. It is well known that opioids are the most powerful analgesic drugs, but they represent the second or third line in neuropathic pain, that remain difficult to manage. Moreover, these drugs show several side effects that limit their use. In addition, opioids possess addictive properties that are associated with misuse and drug abuse. Among available opioids compounds, buprenorphine has been suggested advantageous for a series of clinical reasons, including the effectiveness in neuropathic pain. Some properties are partly explained by its unique pharmacological characteristics. However, questions on the dynamic profile remain to be answered. Pharmacokinetics optimization strategies, and additional potentialities, are still to be explored. In this paper, we attempt to conceptualize the potential undiscovered dynamic profile of buprenorphine.
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44
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Azevedo Neto J, Ruzza C, Sturaro C, Malfacini D, Pacifico S, Zaveri NT, Calò G. Functional Selectivity Does Not Predict Antinociceptive/Locomotor Impairing Potencies of NOP Receptor Agonists. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:657153. [PMID: 33859548 PMCID: PMC8042269 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.657153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ controls several functions, including pain transmission, via stimulation of the N/OFQ peptide (NOP) receptor. Here we tested the hypothesis that NOP biased agonism may be instrumental for identifying innovative analgesics. In vitro experiments were performed with the dynamic mass redistribution label free assay and the NOP non-peptide agonists Ro 65-6570, AT-403 and MCOPPB. In vivo studies were performed in wild type and β-arrestin 2 knockout mice using the formalin, rotarod and locomotor activity tests. In vitro all compounds mimicked the effects of N/OFQ behaving as potent NOP full agonists. In vivo Ro 65-6570 demonstrated a slightly higher therapeutic index (antinociceptive vs. motor impairment effects) in knockout mice. However, all NOP agonists displayed very similar therapeutic index in normal mice despite significant differences in G protein biased agonism. In conclusion the different ability of inducing G protein vs. β-arrestin 2 recruitment of a NOP agonist cannot be applied to predict its antinociceptive vs. motor impairment properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim Azevedo Neto
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Ruzza
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Technopole of Ferrara, LTTA Laboratory for Advanced Therapies, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Sturaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Davide Malfacini
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pacifico
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Girolamo Calò
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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45
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Jiang S, Iliopoulos-Tsoutsouvas C, Tong F, Brust CA, Keenan CM, Raghav JG, Hua T, Wu S, Ho JH, Wu Y, Grim TW, Zvonok N, Thakur GA, Liu ZJ, Sharkey KA, Bohn LM, Nikas SP, Makriyannis A. Novel Functionalized Cannabinoid Receptor Probes: Development of Exceptionally Potent Agonists. J Med Chem 2021; 64:3870-3884. [PMID: 33761251 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We report the development of novel cannabinergic probes that can stabilize the cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) through tight binding interactions. Ligand design involves the introduction of select groups at a judiciously chosen position within the classical hexahydrocannabinol template (monofunctionalized probes). Such groups include the electrophilic isothiocyanato, the photoactivatable azido, and the polar cyano moieties. These groups can also be combined to produce bifunctionalized probes potentially capable of interacting at two distinct sites within the CBR-binding domains. These novel compounds display remarkably high binding affinities for CBRs and are exceptionally potent agonists. A key ligand (27a, AM11245) exhibits exceptionally high potency in both in vitro and in vivo assays and was designated as "megagonist," a property attributed to its tight binding profile. By acting both centrally and peripherally, 27a distinguishes itself from our previously reported "megagonist" AM841, whose functions are restricted to the periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christina A Brust
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Catherine M Keenan
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | | | - Tian Hua
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | | | - Jo-Hao Ho
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Travis W Grim
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | | | | | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Laura M Bohn
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
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46
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Craft BM, Baker DE. Oliceridine. Hosp Pharm 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/0018578720987137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Each month, subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service receive 5 to 6 well-documented monographs on drugs that are newly released or are in late phase 3 trials. The monographs are targeted to Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committees. Subscribers also receive monthly 1-page summary monographs on agents that are useful for agendas and pharmacy/nursing in-services. A comprehensive target drug utilization evaluation/medication use evaluation (DUE/MUE) is also provided each month. With a subscription, the monographs are available online to subscribers. Monographs can be customized to meet the needs of a facility. Through the cooperation of The Formulary, Hospital Pharmacy publishes selected reviews in this column. For more information about The Formulary Monograph Service, contact Wolters Kluwer customer service at 866-397-3433.
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47
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Yang D, Zhou Q, Labroska V, Qin S, Darbalaei S, Wu Y, Yuliantie E, Xie L, Tao H, Cheng J, Liu Q, Zhao S, Shui W, Jiang Y, Wang MW. G protein-coupled receptors: structure- and function-based drug discovery. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:7. [PMID: 33414387 PMCID: PMC7790836 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00435-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the most successful therapeutic target families, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have experienced a transformation from random ligand screening to knowledge-driven drug design. We are eye-witnessing tremendous progresses made recently in the understanding of their structure-function relationships that facilitated drug development at an unprecedented pace. This article intends to provide a comprehensive overview of this important field to a broader readership that shares some common interests in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Yang
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.,The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingtong Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Viktorija Labroska
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Qin
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Sanaz Darbalaei
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Elita Yuliantie
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Linshan Xie
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Houchao Tao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Liu
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.,The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqing Shui
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- The National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China. .,The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203, Shanghai, China. .,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 200032, Shanghai, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China. .,School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 201203, Shanghai, China.
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48
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Giorgioni G, Del Bello F, Pavletić P, Quaglia W, Botticelli L, Cifani C, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Piergentili A. Recent findings leading to the discovery of selective dopamine D 4 receptor ligands for the treatment of widespread diseases. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 212:113141. [PMID: 33422983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Since its discovery, the dopamine D4 receptor (D4R) has been suggested to be an attractive target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases. Novel findings have renewed the interest in such a receptor as an emerging target for the management of different diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, alcohol or substance use disorders, eating disorders, erectile dysfunction and cognitive deficits. The recently resolved crystal structures of D4R in complexes with the potent ligands nemonapride and L-745870 strongly improved the knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involving the D4R functions and may help medicinal chemists in drug design. This review is focused on the recent development of the subtype selective D4R ligands belonging to classical or new chemotypes. Moreover, ligands showing functional selectivity toward G protein activation or β-arrestin recruitment and the effects of selective D4R ligands on the above-mentioned diseases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfabio Giorgioni
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Fabio Del Bello
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Pegi Pavletić
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Wilma Quaglia
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Luca Botticelli
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri 9, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri 9, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessandro Piergentili
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy
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49
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Wang Y, Yu Z, Xiao W, Lu S, Zhang J. Allosteric binding sites at the receptor-lipid bilayer interface: novel targets for GPCR drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:690-703. [PMID: 33301977 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
As a superfamily of membrane receptors, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have significant roles in human physiological processes, including cell proliferation, metabolism, and neuromodulation. GPCRs are vital targets of therapeutic drugs, and their allosteric regulation represents a novel direction for drug discovery. Given the numerous breakthroughs in structural biology, diverse allosteric sites on GPCRs have been identified within the extracellular and intracellular loops, and the seven core transmembrane helices. However, a unique type of allosteric site has also been discovered at the interface of the receptor-lipid bilayer, similar to the β2-adrenergic receptor. Here, we review recent identifications of these allosteric sites and the detailed modulator-target interactions within the interface for each modulator to highlight the role of lipids in GPCR allosteric drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhengtian Yu
- Nutshell Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Xiao
- Nutshell Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Shaoyong Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China; Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China; Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
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50
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Pottie E, Dedecker P, Stove CP. Identification of psychedelic new psychoactive substances (NPS) showing biased agonism at the 5-HT2AR through simultaneous use of β-arrestin 2 and miniGαq bioassays. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 182:114251. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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