1
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Zilberg G, Parpounas AK, Warren AL, Yang S, Wacker D. Molecular basis of human trace amine-associated receptor 1 activation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:108. [PMID: 38168118 PMCID: PMC10762035 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44601-4] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (hTAAR1, hTA1) is a key regulator of monoaminergic neurotransmission and the actions of psychostimulants. Despite preclinical research demonstrating its tractability as a drug target, its molecular mechanisms of activation remain unclear. Moreover, poorly understood pharmacological differences between rodent and human TA1 complicate the translation of findings from preclinical disease models into novel pharmacotherapies. To elucidate hTA1's mechanisms on the molecular scale and investigate the underpinnings of its divergent pharmacology from rodent orthologs, we herein report the structure of the human TA1 receptor in complex with a Gαs heterotrimer. Our structure reveals shared structural elements with other TAARs, as well as with its closest monoaminergic orthologue, the serotonin receptor 5-HT4R. We further find that a single mutation dramatically shifts the selectivity of hTA1 towards that of its rodent orthologues, and report on the effects of substituting residues to those found in serotonin and dopamine receptors. Strikingly, we also discover that the atypical antipsychotic medication and pan-monoaminergic antagonist asenapine potently and efficaciously activates hTA1. Together our studies provide detailed insight into hTA1 structure and function, contrast its molecular pharmacology with that of related receptors, and uncover off-target activities of monoaminergic drugs at hTA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Zilberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Alexandra K Parpounas
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Audrey L Warren
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Shifan Yang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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2
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Shang P, Rong N, Jiang JJ, Cheng J, Zhang MH, Kang D, Qi L, Guo L, Yang GM, Liu Q, Zhou Z, Li XB, Zhu KK, Meng QB, Han X, Yan W, Kong Y, Yang L, Wang X, Lei D, Feng X, Liu X, Yu X, Wang Y, Li Q, Shao ZH, Yang F, Sun JP. Structural and signaling mechanisms of TAAR1 enabled preferential agonist design. Cell 2023; 186:5347-5362.e24. [PMID: 37963465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) senses a spectrum of endogenous amine-containing metabolites (EAMs) to mediate diverse psychological functions and is useful for schizophrenia treatment without the side effects of catalepsy. Here, we systematically profiled the signaling properties of TAAR1 activation and present nine structures of TAAR1-Gs/Gq in complex with EAMs, clinical drugs, and synthetic compounds. These structures not only revealed the primary amine recognition pocket (PARP) harboring the conserved acidic D3.32 for conserved amine recognition and "twin" toggle switch for receptor activation but also elucidated that targeting specific residues in the second binding pocket (SBP) allowed modulation of signaling preference. In addition to traditional drug-induced Gs signaling, Gq activation by EAM or synthetic compounds is beneficial to schizophrenia treatment. Our results provided a structural and signaling framework for molecular recognition by TAAR1, which afforded structural templates and signal clues for TAAR1-targeted candidate compounds design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Shang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Naikang Rong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Jing-Jing Jiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Ming-Hui Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Dongwei Kang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Lei Qi
- Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Biomedical Research Center for Structural Analysis, Shandong University, No.44 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Lulu Guo
- Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Gong-Ming Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Qun Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Li
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Kong-Kai Zhu
- Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Qing-Biao Meng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xiang Han
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Wenqi Yan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yalei Kong
- Songjiang Institute and Shanghai Songjiang District Central Hospital, Center for Brain Science in Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lejin Yang
- Department of Psychology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Dapeng Lei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xin Feng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.
| | - Qian Li
- Songjiang Institute and Shanghai Songjiang District Central Hospital, Center for Brain Science in Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhen-Hua Shao
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
| | - Fan Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
| | - Jin-Peng Sun
- NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Advanced Medical Research Institute and Meili Lake Translational Research Park, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
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3
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Nicoli A, Weber V, Bon C, Steuer A, Gustincich S, Gainetdinov RR, Lang R, Espinoza S, Di Pizio A. Structure-Based Discovery of Mouse Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 5 Antagonists. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6667-6680. [PMID: 37847527 PMCID: PMC10647090 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) were discovered in 2001 as new members of class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). With the only exception of TAAR1, TAAR members (TAAR2-9, also known as noncanonical olfactory receptors) were originally described exclusively in the olfactory epithelium and believed to mediate the innate perception of volatile amines. However, most noncanonical olfactory receptors are still orphan receptors. Given its recently discovered nonolfactory expression and therapeutic potential, TAAR5 has been the focus of deorphanization campaigns that led to the discovery of a few druglike antagonists. Here, we report four novel TAAR5 antagonists identified through high-throughput screening, which, along with the four ligands published in the literature, constituted our starting point to design a computational strategy for the identification of TAAR5 ligands. We developed a structure-based virtual screening protocol that allowed us to identify three new TAAR5 antagonists with a hit rate of 10%. Despite lacking an experimental structure, we accurately modeled the TAAR5 binding site by integrating comparative sequence- and structure-based analyses of serotonin receptors with homology modeling and side-chain optimization. In summary, we have identified seven new TAAR5 antagonists that could serve as lead candidates for the development of new treatments for depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Nicoli
- Leibniz
Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Chemoinformatics
and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School
of Life Sciences, Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Verena Weber
- Leibniz
Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Institute
for Advanced Simulations (IAS)-5/Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine
(INM)-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, 52062 Germany
| | - Carlotta Bon
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Alexandra Steuer
- Leibniz
Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Chemoinformatics
and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School
of Life Sciences, Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | | | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute
of Translational Biomedicine and Saint Petersburg University Hospital,
Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Roman Lang
- Leibniz
Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Stefano Espinoza
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Dipartimento
di Scienze della Salute, Università
del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Antonella Di Pizio
- Leibniz
Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Chemoinformatics
and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School
of Life Sciences, Technical University of
Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
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4
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Zilberg G, Parpounas AK, Warren AL, Yang S, Wacker D. Molecular Basis of Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 Activation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.06.556555. [PMID: 37986760 PMCID: PMC10659437 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.06.556555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (hTAAR1, hTA1) is a key regulator of monoaminergic neurotransmission and the actions of psychostimulants. Despite preclinical research demonstrating its tractability as a drug target, its molecular mechanisms of activation remain unclear. Moreover, poorly understood pharmacological differences between rodent and human TA1 complicate the translation of findings from preclinical disease models into novel pharmacotherapies. To elucidate hTA1's mechanisms on the molecular scale and investigate the underpinnings of its divergent pharmacology from rodent orthologs, we herein report the structure of the human TA1 receptor in complex with a Gαs heterotrimer. Our structure reveals shared structural elements with other TAARs, as well as with its closest monoaminergic ortholog, the serotonin receptor 5-HT4R. We further find that a single mutation dramatically shifts the selectivity of hTA1 towards that of its rodent orthologs, and report on the effects of substituting residues to those found in serotonin and dopamine receptors. Strikingly, we also discover that the atypical antipsychotic medication and pan-monoaminergic antagonist asenapine potently and efficaciously activates hTA1. Together our studies provide detailed insight into hTA1 structure and function, contrast its molecular pharmacology with that of related receptors, and uncover off-target activities of monoaminergic drugs at hTA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Zilberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Alexandra K. Parpounas
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Audrey L. Warren
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Shifan Yang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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5
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Kunke M, Knöfler H, Dahlke E, Zanon Rodriguez L, Böttner M, Larionov A, Saudenova M, Ohrenschall GM, Westermann M, Porubsky S, Bernardes JP, Häsler R, Magnin JL, Koepsell H, Jouret F, Theilig F. Targeted deletion of von-Hippel-Lindau in the proximal tubule conditions the kidney against early diabetic kidney disease. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:562. [PMID: 37626062 PMCID: PMC10457389 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06074-7] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Glomerular hyperfiltration and albuminuria subject the proximal tubule (PT) to a subsequent elevation of workload, growth, and hypoxia. Hypoxia plays an ambiguous role in the development and progression of DKD and shall be clarified in our study. PT-von-Hippel-Lindau (Vhl)-deleted mouse model in combination with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes mellitus (DM) was phenotyped. In contrary to PT-Vhl-deleted STZ-induced type 1 DM mice, proteinuria and glomerular hyperfiltration occurred in diabetic control mice the latter due to higher nitric oxide synthase 1 and sodium and glucose transporter expression. PT Vhl deletion and DKD share common alterations in gene expression profiles, including glomerular and tubular morphology, and tubular transport and metabolism. Compared to diabetic control mice, the most significantly altered in PT Vhl-deleted STZ-induced type 1 DM mice were Ldc-1, regulating cellular oxygen consumption rate, and Zbtb16, inhibiting autophagy. Alignment of altered genes in heat maps uncovered that Vhl deletion prior to STZ-induced DM preconditioned the kidney against DKD. HIF-1α stabilization leading to histone modification and chromatin remodeling resets most genes altered upon DKD towards the control level. These data demonstrate that PT HIF-1α stabilization is a hallmark of early DKD and that targeting hypoxia prior to the onset of type 1 DM normalizes renal cell homeostasis and prevents DKD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madlen Kunke
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Hannah Knöfler
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eileen Dahlke
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Martina Böttner
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Alexey Larionov
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Joana P Bernardes
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Robert Häsler
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Hermann Koepsell
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - François Jouret
- Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA), Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Division of Nephrology, CHU of Liège, University of Liège (CHU ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Franziska Theilig
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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6
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Gusach A, Lee Y, Khoshgrudi AN, Mukhaleva E, Ma N, Koers EJ, Chen Q, Edwards PC, Huang F, Kim J, Mancia F, Verprintsev DB, Vaidehi N, Weyand SN, Tate CG. Molecular recognition of an aversive odorant by the murine trace amine-associated receptor TAAR7f. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.07.547762. [PMID: 37461561 PMCID: PMC10350033 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.07.547762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
There are two main families of G protein-coupled receptors that detect odours in humans, the odorant receptors (ORs) and the trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). Their amino acid sequences are distinct, with the TAARs being most similar to the aminergic receptors such as those activated by adrenaline, serotonin and histamine. To elucidate the structural determinants of ligand recognition by TAARs, we have determined the cryo-EM structure of a murine receptor, mTAAR7f, coupled to the heterotrimeric G protein Gs and bound to the odorant N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine (DMCH) to an overall resolution of 2.9 Å. DMCH is bound in a hydrophobic orthosteric binding site primarily through van der Waals interactions and a strong charge-charge interaction between the tertiary amine of the ligand and an aspartic acid residue. This site is distinct and non-overlapping with the binding site for the odorant propionate in the odorant receptor OR51E2. The structure, in combination with mutagenesis data and molecular dynamics simulations suggests that the activation of the receptor follows a similar pathway to that of the β-adrenoceptors, with the significant difference that DMCH interacts directly with one of the main activation microswitch residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Gusach
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue,
Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Yang Lee
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue,
Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Armin Nikpour Khoshgrudi
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University
of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, NG7 2RD, UK
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, School
of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Elizaveta Mukhaleva
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman
Research Institute of the City of Hope, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA-91006, USA
| | - Ning Ma
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman
Research Institute of the City of Hope, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA-91006, USA
| | - Eline J. Koers
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University
of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, NG7 2RD, UK
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, School
of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Qingchao Chen
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue,
Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Patricia C. Edwards
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue,
Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Fanglu Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court
Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jonathan Kim
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia
University, Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Filippo Mancia
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia
University, Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dmitry B. Verprintsev
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University
of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, NG7 2RD, UK
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, School
of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Nagarajan Vaidehi
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman
Research Institute of the City of Hope, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA-91006, USA
| | - Simone N. Weyand
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court
Road, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Victor Phillip
Dahdaleh Building, Heart & Lung Research Institute, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical
Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0BB, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Keith Peters Building,
Biomedical Campus, Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
- EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI),
Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Christopher G. Tate
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue,
Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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7
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Vaganova AN, Katolikova NV, Murtazina RZ, Kuvarzin SR, Gainetdinov RR. Public Transcriptomic Data Meta-Analysis Demonstrates TAAR6 Expression in the Mental Disorder-Related Brain Areas in Human and Mouse Brain. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091259. [PMID: 36139098 PMCID: PMC9496192 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled trace amine-associated receptors (TAAR) recognize different classes of amine compounds, including trace amines or other exogenous and endogenous molecules. Yet, most members of the TAAR family (TAAR2-TAAR9) are considered olfactory receptors involved in sensing innate odors. In this study, TAAR6 mRNA expression was evaluated in the brain transcriptomic datasets available in the GEO, Allen Brain Atlas, and GTEx databases. Transcriptomic data analysis demonstrated ubiquitous weak TAAR6 mRNA expression in the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. RNA sequencing of isolated cells from the nucleus accumbens showed that the expression of TAAR6 in some cell populations may be more pronounced than in whole-tissue samples. Curiously, in D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens, TAAR6 expression was co-regulated with genes involved in G protein-coupled receptor signaling. However, in cholinergic interneurons of the nucleus accumbens, TAAR6 expression was not associated with the activation of any specific biological process. Finally, TAAR6 expression in the mouse prefrontal cortex was validated experimentally by RT-PCR analysis. These data demonstrated that TAAR6 is expressed at low levels in the human and mouse brain, particularly in limbic structures involved in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, and thus might represent a new pharmacotherapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia N. Vaganova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nataliia V. Katolikova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ramilya Z. Murtazina
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Savelii R. Kuvarzin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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8
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Abstract
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a potent psychedelic naturally produced by many plants and animals, including humans. Whether or not DMT is significant to mammalian physiology, especially within the central nervous system, is a debate that started in the early 1960s and continues to this day. This review integrates historical and recent literature to clarify this issue, giving special attention to the most controversial subjects of DMT's biosynthesis, its storage in synaptic vesicles and the activation receptors like sigma-1. Less discussed topics, like DMT's metabolic regulation or the biased activation of serotonin receptors, are highlighted. We conclude that most of the arguments dismissing endogenous DMT's relevance are based on obsolete data or misleading assumptions. Data strongly suggest that DMT can be relevant as a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, hormone and immunomodulator, as well as being important to pregnancy and development. Key experiments are addressed to definitely prove what specific roles DMT plays in mammalian physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Hidalgo Jiménez
- ICEERS Foundation (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services), Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Carlos Bouso
- ICEERS Foundation (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services), Barcelona, Spain
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9
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Efimova EV, Kuvarzin SR, Mor MS, Katolikova NV, Shemiakova TS, Razenkova V, Ptukha M, Kozlova AA, Murtazina RZ, Smirnova D, Veshchitskii AA, Merkulyeva NS, Volnova AB, Musienko PE, Korzhevskii DE, Budygin EA, Gainetdinov RR. Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 2 Is Expressed in the Limbic Brain Areas and Is Involved in Dopamine Regulation and Adult Neurogenesis. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:847410. [PMID: 35431833 PMCID: PMC9011332 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.847410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Trace amines are a group of biogenic amines that are structurally and functionally close to classical monoamine neurotransmitters. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are emerging as promising targets for treating neuropsychiatric disorders. It has been documented that all TAARs, apart from TAAR1, function as olfactory receptors involved in sensing innate odors encoded by volatile amines. However, recently, brain expression and function of TAAR5 were also demonstrated. In this study, we assessed the behavior, brain neurochemistry, and electrophysiology changes in knock-out mice lacking Trace amine-associated receptor 2 (TAAR2) but expressing beta-Galactosidase mapping expression of TAAR2 receptors. As expected, we detected beta-Galactosidase staining in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb. However, we also found staining in the deeper layers of the olfactory bulb and several brain regions, including the hippocampus, cerebellum, cortex, raphe nuclei, hypothalamus, and habenula, indicating that TAAR2 receptors are not only expressed in the olfactory system but are also present in the limbic brain areas that receive olfactory input. In behavioral experiments, TAAR2 knock-out (TAAR2-KO) mice showed increased locomotor activity and less immobility in the forced swim test, with no changes in anxiety level. Furthermore, TAAR2-KO mice showed alterations in brain electrophysiological activity—particularly, decreased spectral power of the cortex and striatum in the 0, 9–20 Hz range. TAAR2-KO mice also had elevated tissue dopamine levels in the striatum and an increased dopaminergic neuron number in the Substantia Nigra. In addition, an increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA level in the striatum and Monoamine Oxidase B (MAO-B) mRNA level in the striatum and midbrain was found in TAAR2-KO mice. Importantly, TAAR2-KO mice demonstrated an increased neuroblast-like and proliferating cell number in the subventricular and subgranular zone, indicating increased adult neurogenesis. These data indicate that in addition to its role in the innate olfaction of volatile amines, TAAR2 is expressed in limbic brain areas and regulates the brain dopamine system, neuronal electrophysiological activity, and adult neurogenesis. These findings further corroborated observations in TAAR1-KO and TAAR5-KO mice, indicating common for TAAR family pattern of expression in limbic brain areas and role in regulating monoamine levels and adult neurogenesis, but with variable involvement of each subtype of TAAR receptors in these functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniya V. Efimova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Saveliy R. Kuvarzin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikael S. Mor
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nataliia V. Katolikova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Taisiia S. Shemiakova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Maria Ptukha
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alena A. Kozlova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ramilya Z. Murtazina
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Daria Smirnova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Anna B. Volnova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Pavel E. Musienko
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Evgeny A. Budygin
- Department of Neurobiology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- *Correspondence: Raul R. Gainetdinov,
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10
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Xu Z, Guo L, Qian X, Yu C, Li S, Zhu C, Ma X, Li H, Zhu G, Zhou H, Dai W, Li Q, Gao X. Two entry tunnels in mouse TAAR9 suggest the possibility of multi-entry tunnels in olfactory receptors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2691. [PMID: 35177711 PMCID: PMC8854740 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06591-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Orthosteric binding sites of olfactory receptors have been well understood for ligand-receptor interactions. However, a lack of explanation for subtle differences in ligand profile of olfactory receptors even with similar orthosteric binding sites promotes more exploration into the entry tunnels of the receptors. An important question regarding entry tunnels is the number of entry tunnels, which was previously believed to be one. Here, we used TAAR9 that recognizes important biogenic amines such as cadaverine, spermine, and spermidine as a model for entry tunnel study. We identified two entry tunnels in TAAR9 and described the residues that form the tunnels. In addition, we found two vestibular binding pockets, each located in one tunnel. We further confirmed the function of two tunnels through site-directed mutagenesis. Our study challenged the existing views regarding the number of entry tunnels in the subfamily of olfactory receptors and demonstrated the possible mechanism how the entry tunnels function in odorant recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZhengRong Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - LingNa Guo
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - XiaoYun Qian
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - ChenJie Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - ShengJu Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - ChengWen Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - XiaoFeng Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - GuangJie Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Han Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - WenXuan Dai
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China. .,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Qian Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China. .,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China. .,Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Xia Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China. .,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.
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11
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Guo L, Dai W, Xu Z, Liang Q, Miller ET, Li S, Gao X, Baldwin MW, Chai R, Li Q. Evolution of brain-expressed biogenic amine receptors into olfactory trace amine-associated receptors. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6503506. [PMID: 35021231 PMCID: PMC8890504 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac006] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The family of trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) is distantly related to G protein-coupled biogenic aminergic receptors. TAARs are found in the brain as well as in the olfactory epithelium where they detect biogenic amines. However, the functional relationship of receptors from distinct TAAR subfamilies and in different species is still uncertain. Here, we perform a thorough phylogenetic analysis of 702 TAAR-like (TARL) and TAAR sequences from 48 species. We show that a clade of Tarl genes has greatly expanded in lampreys, whereas the other Tarl clade consists of only one or two orthologs in jawed vertebrates and is lost in amniotes. We also identify two small clades of Taar genes in sharks related to the remaining Taar genes in bony vertebrates, which are divided into four major clades. We further identify ligands for 61 orphan TARLs and TAARs from sea lamprey, shark, ray-finned fishes, and mammals, as well as novel ligands for two 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 4 orthologs, a serotonin receptor subtype closely related to TAARs. Our results reveal a pattern of functional convergence and segregation: TARLs from sea lamprey and bony vertebrate olfactory TAARs underwent independent expansions to function as chemosensory receptors, whereas TARLs from jawed vertebrates retain ancestral response profiles and may have similar functions to TAAR1 in the brain. Overall, our data provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and ligand recognition profiles of TAARs and TARLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingna Guo
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Wenxuan Dai
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhengrong Xu
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Qiaoyi Liang
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Eliot T Miller
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Shengju Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xia Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Nanjing, 210008, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Renjie Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.,Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Qian Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.,Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, 201210, China
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12
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Glyakina AV, Pavlov CD, Sopova JV, Gainetdinov RR, Leonova EI, Galzitskaya OV. Search for Structural Basis of Interactions of Biogenic Amines with Human TAAR1 and TAAR6 Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010209. [PMID: 35008636 PMCID: PMC8745718 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification and characterization of ligand-receptor binding sites are important for drug development. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs, members of the class A GPCR family) can interact with different biogenic amines and their metabolites, but the structural basis for their recognition by the TAARs is not well understood. In this work, we have revealed for the first time a group of conserved motifs (fingerprints) characterizing TAARs and studied the docking of aromatic (β-phenylethylamine, tyramine) and aliphatic (putrescine and cadaverine) ligands, including gamma-aminobutyric acid, with human TAAR1 and TAAR6 receptors. We have identified orthosteric binding sites for TAAR1 (Asp68, Asp102, Asp284) and TAAR6 (Asp78, Asp112, Asp202). By analyzing the binding results of 7500 structures, we determined that putrescine and cadaverine bind to TAAR1 at one site, Asp68 + Asp102, and to TAAR6 at two sites, Asp78 + Asp112 and Asp112 + Asp202. Tyramine binds to TAAR6 at the same two sites as putrescine and cadaverine and does not bind to TAAR1 at the selected Asp residues. β-Phenylethylamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid do not bind to the TAAR1 and TAAR6 receptors at the selected Asp residues. The search for ligands targeting allosteric and orthosteric sites of TAARs has excellent pharmaceutical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V. Glyakina
- Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia;
| | - Constantine D. Pavlov
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia;
| | - Julia V. Sopova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (J.V.S.); (R.R.G.)
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (J.V.S.); (R.R.G.)
| | - Elena I. Leonova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (J.V.S.); (R.R.G.)
- Animal Genetic Technologies Department, University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Correspondence: (E.I.L.); (O.V.G.)
| | - Oxana V. Galzitskaya
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia;
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
- Correspondence: (E.I.L.); (O.V.G.)
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13
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Jia L, Li S, Dai W, Guo L, Xu Z, Scott AM, Zhang Z, Ren J, Zhang Q, Dexheimer TS, Chung-Davidson YW, Neubig RR, Li Q, Li W. Convergent olfactory trace amine-associated receptors detect biogenic polyamines with distinct motifs via a conserved binding site. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101268. [PMID: 34600890 PMCID: PMC8546428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101268] [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: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biogenic amines activate G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the central nervous system in vertebrate animals. Several biogenic amines, when excreted, stimulate trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a group of GPCRs in the main olfactory epithelium, and elicit innate behaviors. How TAARs recognize amines with varying numbers of amino groups is largely unknown. We reasoned that a comparison between lamprey and mammalian olfactory TAARs, which are thought to have evolved independently but show convergent responses to polyamines, may reveal structural determinants of amine recognition. Here, we demonstrate that sea lamprey TAAR365 (sTAAR365) responds strongly to biogenic polyamines cadaverine, putrescine, and spermine, and shares a similar response profile as a mammalian TAAR (mTAAR9). Docking and site-directed mutagenesis analyses show that both sTAAR365 and mTAAR9 recognize the two amino groups of cadaverine with the conserved Asp3.32 and Tyr6.51 residues. sTAAR365, which has remarkable sensitivity for cadaverine (EC50 = 4 nM), uses an extra residue, Thr7.42, to stabilize ligand binding. These cadaverine recognition sites also interact with amines with four and three amino groups (spermine and spermidine, respectively). Glu7.36 of sTAAR365 cooperates with Asp3.32 and Thr7.42 to recognize spermine, whereas mTAAR9 recognizes spermidine through an additional aromatic residue, Tyr7.43. These results suggest a conserved mechanism whereby independently evolved TAAR receptors recognize amines with two, three, or four amino groups using the same recognition sites, at which sTAAR365 and mTAAR9 evolved distinct motifs. These motifs interact directly with the amino groups of the polyamines, a class of potent and ecologically important odorants, mediating olfactory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Jia
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA; College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengju Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxuan Dai
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingna Guo
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengrong Xu
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Anne M Scott
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jianfeng Ren
- College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Thomas S Dexheimer
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Yu-Wen Chung-Davidson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Richard R Neubig
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
| | - Qian Li
- Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, China.
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
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14
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Walsh-Messinger J, Kaouk S, Manis H, Kaye R, Cecchi G, Meyer P, Malaspina D. Impairments in odour detection and hedonic ratings of unpleasant smells in asymptomatic university students as SARS-Cov-2 emerged locally. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:6256-6266. [PMID: 34424569 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sudden olfactory loss in the absence of concurrent nasal congestion is now a well-recognized symptom of COVID-19. We examined olfaction using standardized objective tests of odour detection, identification and hedonics collected from asymptomatic university students before and as SARS-CoV-2 emerged locally. Olfactory performance of students who were tested when the virus is known to be endemic (n = 22) was compared to students tested in the month prior to viral circulation (n = 25), a normative sample assessed during the previous 4 years (n = 272) and those tested in prior years during the same time period. Analyses showed significantly reduced odour detection for the virus exposed cohort compared to students tested before (t = 2.60; P = .01; d = 0.77; CI 0.17, 1.36) and to the normative sample (D = 0.38; P = .005). Odour identification scores were similar, but the exposed cohort rated odours as less unpleasant (P < .001, CLES = 0.77). Hyposmia increased 4.4-fold for students tested 2 weeks before school closure (N = 22) and increased 13.6-fold for students tested in the final week (N = 11). While the unavailability of COVID-19 testing is a limitation, this naturalistic study demonstrates week-by-week increase in hyposmia in asymptomatic students as a virus was circulating on campus, consistent with increasing airborne viral loads. The specific hedonic deficit in unpleasantness appraisal suggests a deficit in the TAAR olfactory receptor class, which conveys the social salience of odours. Assessment of odour detection and hedonic ratings may aid in early detection of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Walsh-Messinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Sahar Kaouk
- Department of Psychology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Hannah Manis
- Department of Psychology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Rachel Kaye
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Guillermo Cecchi
- Computational Psychiatry and Neuroimaging, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, USA
| | - Pablo Meyer
- Biomedical analytics and Modeling, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, USA
| | - Dolores Malaspina
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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15
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Dieris M, Kowatschew D, Korsching SI. Olfactory function in the trace amine-associated receptor family (TAARs) evolved twice independently. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7807. [PMID: 33833329 PMCID: PMC8032801 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory receptor families have arisen independently several times during evolution. The origin of taar genes, one of the four major vertebrate olfactory receptor families, is disputed. We performed a phylogenetic analysis making use of 96 recently available genomes, and report that olfactory functionality has arisen twice independently within the TAAR family, once in jawed and once in jawless fish. In lamprey, an ancestral gene expanded to generate a large family of olfactory receptors, while the sister gene in jawed vertebrates did not expand and is not expressed in olfactory sensory neurons. Both clades do not exhibit the defining TAAR motif, and we suggest naming them taar-like receptors (tarl). We have identified the evolutionary origin of both taar and tarl genes in a duplication of the serotonergic receptor 4 that occurred in the most recent common ancestor of vertebrates. We infer two ancestral genes in bony fish (TAAR12, TAAR13) which gave rise to the complete repertoire of mammalian olfactory taar genes and to class II of the taar repertoire of teleost fish. We follow their evolution in seventy-one bony fish genomes and report a high evolutionary dynamic, with many late gene birth events and both early and late gene death events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Dieris
- Institute for Genetics, University At Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Daniel Kowatschew
- Institute for Genetics, University At Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sigrun I Korsching
- Institute for Genetics, University At Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47A, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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16
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Genetic Deletion of Trace-Amine Associated Receptor 9 (TAAR9) in Rats Leads to Decreased Blood Cholesterol Levels. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062942. [PMID: 33799339 PMCID: PMC7998418 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last two decades, interest has grown significantly in the investigation of the role of trace amines and their receptors in mammalian physiology and pathology. Trace amine-associated receptor 9 (TAAR9) is one of the least studied members of this receptor family with unidentified endogenous ligands and an unknown role in the central nervous system and periphery. In this study, we generated two new TAAR9 knockout (TAAR9-KO) rat strains by CRISPR-Cas9 technology as in vivo models to evaluate the role of TAAR9 in mammalian physiology. In these mutant rats, we performed a comparative analysis of a number of hematological and biochemical parameters in the blood. Particularly, we carried out a complete blood count, erythrocyte osmotic fragility test, and screening of a panel of basic biochemical parameters. No significant alterations in any of the hematological and most biochemical parameters were found between mutant and WT rats. However, biochemical studies revealed a significant decrease in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood of both strains of TAAR9-KO rats. Such role of TAAR9 in cholesterol regulation not only brings a new understanding of mechanisms and biological pathways of lipid exchange but also provides a new potential drug target for disorders involving cholesterol-related pathology, such as atherosclerosis.
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17
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Dewan A. Olfactory signaling via trace amine-associated receptors. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 383:395-407. [PMID: 33237477 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03331-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are a family of G protein-coupled receptors that function as odorant receptors in the main olfactory system of vertebrates. TAARs are monoallelically expressed in primary sensory neurons where they couple to the same transduction cascade as canonical olfactory receptors and are mapped onto glomeruli within a specific region of the olfactory bulb. TAARs have a high affinity for volatile amines, a class of chemicals that are generated during the decomposition of proteins and are ubiquitous physiological metabolites that are found in body fluids. Thus, amines are proposed to play an important role in intra- and interspecific communication such as signaling the sex of the conspecific, the quality of the food source, or even the proximity of a predator. TAARs have a crucial role in the perception of these behaviorally relevant compounds as the genetic deletion of all or even individual olfactory TAARs can alter the behavioral response and reduce the sensitivity to amines. The small size of this receptor family combined with the ethological relevance of their ligands makes the TAARs an attractive model system for probing olfactory perception. This review will summarize the current knowledge on the olfactory TAARs and discuss whether they represent a unique subsystem within the main olfactory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Dewan
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
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18
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McClintock TS, Khan N, Alimova Y, Aulisio M, Han DY, Breheny P. Encoding the Odor of Cigarette Smoke. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7043-7053. [PMID: 32801155 PMCID: PMC7480249 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1144-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The encoding of odors is believed to begin as a combinatorial code consisting of distinct patterns of responses from odorant receptors (ORs), trace-amine associated receptors (TAARs), or both. To determine how specific response patterns arise requires detecting patterns in vivo and understanding how the components of an odor, which are nearly always mixtures of odorants, give rise to parts of the pattern. Cigarette smoke, a common and clinically relevant odor consisting of >400 odorants, evokes responses from 144 ORs and 3 TAARs in freely behaving male and female mice, the first example of in vivo responses of both ORs and TAARs to an odor. As expected, a simplified artificial mimic of cigarette smoke odor tested at low concentration to identify highly sensitive receptors evokes responses from four ORs, all also responsive to cigarette smoke. Human subjects of either sex identify 1-pentanethiol as the odorant most critical for perception of the artificial mimic; and in mice the OR response patterns to these two odors are significantly similar. Fifty-eight ORs respond to the headspace above 25% 1-pentanethiol, including 9 ORs responsive to cigarette smoke. The response patterns to both cigarette smoke and 1-pentanethiol have strongly responsive ORs spread widely across OR sequence diversity, consistent with most other combinatorial codes previously measured in vivo The encoding of cigarette smoke is accomplished by a broad receptor response pattern, and 1-pentanethiol is responsible for a small subset of the responsive ORs in this combinatorial code.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Complex odors are usually perceived as distinct odor objects. Cigarette smoke is the first complex odor whose in vivo receptor response pattern has been measured. It is also the first pattern shown to include responses from both odorant receptors and trace-amine associated receptors, confirming that the encoding of complex odors can be enriched by signals coming through both families of receptors. Measures of human perception and mouse receptor physiology agree that 1-pentanethiol is a critical component of a simplified odorant mixture designed to mimic cigarette smoke odor. Its receptor response pattern helps to link those of the artificial mimic and real cigarette smoke, consistent with expectations about perceptual similarity arising from shared elements in receptor response patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naazneen Khan
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Yelena Alimova
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Madeline Aulisio
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Dong Y Han
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Patrick Breheny
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
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19
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Abstract
The encoding of odors is believed to begin as a combinatorial code consisting of distinct patterns of responses from odorant receptors (ORs), trace-amine associated receptors (TAARs), or both. To determine how specific response patterns arise requires detecting patterns in vivo and understanding how the components of an odor, which are nearly always mixtures of odorants, give rise to parts of the pattern. Cigarette smoke, a common and clinically relevant odor consisting of >400 odorants, evokes responses from 144 ORs and 3 TAARs in freely behaving male and female mice, the first example of in vivo responses of both ORs and TAARs to an odor. As expected, a simplified artificial mimic of cigarette smoke odor tested at low concentration to identify highly sensitive receptors evokes responses from four ORs, all also responsive to cigarette smoke. Human subjects of either sex identify 1-pentanethiol as the odorant most critical for perception of the artificial mimic; and in mice the OR response patterns to these two odors are significantly similar. Fifty-eight ORs respond to the headspace above 25% 1-pentanethiol, including 9 ORs responsive to cigarette smoke. The response patterns to both cigarette smoke and 1-pentanethiol have strongly responsive ORs spread widely across OR sequence diversity, consistent with most other combinatorial codes previously measured in vivo The encoding of cigarette smoke is accomplished by a broad receptor response pattern, and 1-pentanethiol is responsible for a small subset of the responsive ORs in this combinatorial code.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Complex odors are usually perceived as distinct odor objects. Cigarette smoke is the first complex odor whose in vivo receptor response pattern has been measured. It is also the first pattern shown to include responses from both odorant receptors and trace-amine associated receptors, confirming that the encoding of complex odors can be enriched by signals coming through both families of receptors. Measures of human perception and mouse receptor physiology agree that 1-pentanethiol is a critical component of a simplified odorant mixture designed to mimic cigarette smoke odor. Its receptor response pattern helps to link those of the artificial mimic and real cigarette smoke, consistent with expectations about perceptual similarity arising from shared elements in receptor response patterns.
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20
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Baldwin MW, Ko MC. Functional evolution of vertebrate sensory receptors. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104771. [PMID: 32437717 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sensory receptors enable animals to perceive their external world, and functional properties of receptors evolve to detect the specific cues relevant for an organism's survival. Changes in sensory receptor function or tuning can directly impact an organism's behavior. Functional tests of receptors from multiple species and the generation of chimeric receptors between orthologs with different properties allow for the dissection of the molecular basis of receptor function and identification of the key residues that impart functional changes in different species. Knowledge of these functionally important sites facilitates investigation into questions regarding the role of epistasis and the extent of convergence, as well as the timing of sensory shifts relative to other phenotypic changes. However, as receptors can also play roles in non-sensory tissues, and receptor responses can be modulated by numerous other factors including varying expression levels, alternative splicing, and morphological features of the sensory cell, behavioral validation can be instrumental in confirming that responses observed in heterologous systems play a sensory role. Expression profiling of sensory cells and comparative genomics approaches can shed light on cell-type specific modifications and identify other proteins that may affect receptor function and can provide insight into the correlated evolution of complex suites of traits. Here we review the evolutionary history and diversity of functional responses of the major classes of sensory receptors in vertebrates, including opsins, chemosensory receptors, and ion channels involved in temperature-sensing, mechanosensation and electroreception.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meng-Ching Ko
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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21
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Zhang Z, Gao X, Zhang Q, Li W. Constitutive activity of a spermine receptor is maintained by a single site in the C-terminal. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 526:389-395. [PMID: 32222281 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.03.053] [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: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory receptors are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that enable olfactory epithelia to detect odorants. These GPCRs may also show constitutive activity, which play important roles in the development and responses of odorant receptor neurons. However, little is known about the molecular characteristics that support the constitutive activities in olfactory receptors. Here, we characterize a pair of olfactory receptor orthologs that show similar ligand-dependent activity but different levels of constitutive activity, and elucidate the molecular characteristics that maintain the constitutive activity. Previously, PmTAAR348, a sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) olfactory receptor that is activated by the male sex pheromone spermine has been reported. In this study, we identified LmTAAR348 of Northeast Chinese lamprey (Lethenteron morii) as an ortholog of PmTAAR348. When expressed in HEK293T cell lines, both receptors showed similar levels of activation when exposed to spermine. However, the constitutive activity of LmTAAR348 was 100-fold higher than that of PmTAAR348. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we screened all 13 amino acid residues (aa) that differed between the two orthologs and found that a switch in position 340 reversed the constitutive activity levels between LmTAAR348 and PmTAAR348. Mutating the remaining 12 aa did not affect the ligand-dependent or constitutive activation. Moreover, both the ligand-dependent and constitutive activation of TAAR348 are Golf (G protein ⍺ subunit olfactory type) independent. We conclude that a single aa in the C-terminal maintains the constitutive activity in a spermine receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Weming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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22
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Cripps MJ, Bagnati M, Jones TA, Ogunkolade BW, Sayers SR, Caton PW, Hanna K, Billacura MP, Fair K, Nelson C, Lowe R, Hitman GA, Berry MD, Turner MD. Identification of a subset of trace amine-associated receptors and ligands as potential modulators of insulin secretion. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 171:113685. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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23
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Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are a family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates. The first discovered TAAR1 is mainly expressed in the brain, and is able to detect low abundant trace amines. TAAR1 is also activated by several synthetic compounds and psychostimulant drugs like amphetamine. Activation of TAAR1 by specific agonists can regulate the classical monoaminergic systems in the brain. Further studies have revealed that other TAAR family members are highly expressed in the olfactory system which are termed olfactory TAARs. In vertebrates, olfactory TAARs can specifically recognize volatile or water-soluble amines. Some of these TAAR agonists are produced by decarboxylation of amino acids. In addition, some TAAR agonists are ethological odors that mediate animal innate behaviors. In this study, we provide a comprehensive review of TAAR agonists, including their structures, biosynthesis pathways, and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengrong Xu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline (Laboratory), Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
- Research Institute of Otolaryngology, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Qian Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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24
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Abstract
For over a century, mice have been used to model human disease, leading to many fundamental discoveries about mammalian biology and the development of new therapies. Mouse genetics research has been further catalysed by a plethora of genomic resources developed in the last 20 years, including the genome sequence of C57BL/6J and more recently the first draft reference genomes for 16 additional laboratory strains. Collectively, the comparison of these genomes highlights the extreme diversity that exists at loci associated with the immune system, pathogen response, and key sensory functions, which form the foundation for dissecting phenotypic traits in vivo. We review the current status of the mouse genome across the diversity of the mouse lineage and discuss the value of mice to understanding human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtao Lilue
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anu Shivalikanjli
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Thomas M. Keane
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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25
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Molecular Variants in Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptors and Their Implications in Mental and Metabolic Disorders. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2019; 40:239-255. [PMID: 31643000 PMCID: PMC7028809 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-019-00743-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence on the pathophysiological implications of genetic variants in the human trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR) superfamily. Genes coding for trace amine-associated receptors (taars) represent a multigene family of G-protein-coupled receptors, clustered to a small genomic region of 108 kb located in chromosome 6q23, which has been consistently identified by linkage analyses as a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia and affective disorders. Most TAARs are expressed in brain areas involved in emotions, reward and cognition. TAARs are activated by endogenous trace amines and thyronamines, and evidence for a modulatory action on other monaminergic systems has been reported. Therefore, linkage analyses were followed by fine mapping association studies in schizophrenia and affective disorders. However, none of these reports has received sufficient universal replication, so their status remains uncertain. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in taars have emerged as susceptibility loci from genome-wide association studies investigating migraine and brain development, but none of the detected variants reached the threshold for genome-wide significance. In the last decade, technological advances enabled single-gene or whole-exome sequencing, thus allowing the detection of rare genetic variants, which may have a greater impact on the risk of complex disorders. Using these approaches, several taars (especially taar1) variants have been detected in patients with mental and metabolic disorders, and in some cases, defective receptor function has been demonstrated in vitro. Finally, with the use of transcriptomic and peptidomic techniques, dysregulations of TAARs (especially TAAR6) have been identified in brain disorders characterized by cognitive impairment.
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26
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Abstract
Olfaction is the primary sense used by most animals to perceive the external world. The mouse olfactory system is composed of several sensory structures, the largest of which is the main olfactory epithelium (MOE). Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) located within the MOE detect odors and pheromones using dedicated seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Two families of GPCRs are expressed in the MOE and are conserved in humans and other vertebrates: odorant receptors (ORs) and trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). TAARs are distantly related to biogenic amine receptors, such as dopamine and serotonin receptors. Several TAARs detect volatile amines including ethological odors that evoke innate animal behavioral responses. Mouse TAAR4 recognizes the aversive predator odor 2-phenylethylamine, while mouse TAAR5 detects the attractive male mouse odor trimethylamine. In zebrafish, TAAR13c detects the foul death-associated odor cadaverine that mediates innate avoidance behavior. TAARs thus provide an excellent model subsystem to study odor valence. And identification of additional high-affinity ligands for TAARs will provide extra tools for such study. Therefore, this chapter focuses on the so-called SEAP assay that has been successfully applied for TAAR deorphanization in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Neuroscience Division, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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27
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Di Pizio A, Behrens M, Krautwurst D. Beyond the Flavour: The Potential Druggability of Chemosensory G Protein-Coupled Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1402. [PMID: 30897734 PMCID: PMC6471708 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) belong to the largest class of drug targets. Approximately half of the members of the human GPCR superfamily are chemosensory receptors, including odorant receptors (ORs), trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs), sweet and umami taste receptors (TAS1Rs). Interestingly, these chemosensory GPCRs (csGPCRs) are expressed in several tissues of the body where they are supposed to play a role in biological functions other than chemosensation. Despite their abundance and physiological/pathological relevance, the druggability of csGPCRs has been suggested but not fully characterized. Here, we aim to explore the potential of targeting csGPCRs to treat diseases by reviewing the current knowledge of csGPCRs expressed throughout the body and by analysing the chemical space and the drug-likeness of flavour molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Di Pizio
- Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Maik Behrens
- Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Dietmar Krautwurst
- Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany.
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28
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Eyun SI. Accelerated pseudogenization of trace amine-associated receptor genes in primates. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 18:e12543. [PMID: 30536583 PMCID: PMC6849804 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Trace amines (TAs) in the mammalian brain have been investigated for four decades. Trace amine‐associated receptors (TAARs) were discovered during the search for receptors activated by TAs. TAARs are considered a second class of vertebrate olfactory receptors and successfully proliferated in conjunction with adaptation to living on the ground to detect carnivore odors. Thus, therian mammals have a high number of TAAR genes due to rapid species‐specific gene duplications. In primate lineages, however, their genomes have significantly smaller numbers of TAAR genes than do other mammals. To elucidate the evolutionary force driving these patterns, exhaustive data mining of TAAR genes was performed for 13 primate genomes (covering all four infraorders) and two nonprimate euarchontan genomes. This study identified a large number of pseudogenes in many of these primate genomes and thus investigated the pseudogenization event process for the TAAR repertoires. The degeneration of TAARs is likely associated with arboreal inhabitants reducing their exposure to carnivores, and this was accelerated by the change in the nose shape of haplorhines after their divergence from strepsirrhines. Arboreal life may have decreased the reliance on the chemosensing of predators, suggestive of leading to the depauperation of TAAR subfamilies. The evolutionary deterioration of TAARs in primates has been reestablished in recently derived primates due to high selection pressure and probably functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Il Eyun
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea
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29
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Abstract
Trace amines are endogenous compounds classically regarded as comprising β-phenylethyalmine, p-tyramine, tryptamine, p-octopamine, and some of their metabolites. They are also abundant in common foodstuffs and can be produced and degraded by the constitutive microbiota. The ability to use trace amines has arisen at least twice during evolution, with distinct receptor families present in invertebrates and vertebrates. The term "trace amine" was coined to reflect the low tissue levels in mammals; however, invertebrates have relatively high levels where they function like mammalian adrenergic systems, involved in "fight-or-flight" responses. Vertebrates express a family of receptors termed trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). Humans possess six functional isoforms (TAAR1, TAAR2, TAAR5, TAAR6, TAAR8, and TAAR9), whereas some fish species express over 100. With the exception of TAAR1, TAARs are expressed in olfactory epithelium neurons, where they detect diverse ethological signals including predators, spoiled food, migratory cues, and pheromones. Outside the olfactory system, TAAR1 is the most thoroughly studied and has both central and peripheral roles. In the brain, TAAR1 acts as a rheostat of dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and serotonergic neurotransmission and has been identified as a novel therapeutic target for schizophrenia, depression, and addiction. In the periphery, TAAR1 regulates nutrient-induced hormone secretion, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity. TAAR1 may also regulate immune responses by regulating leukocyte differentiation and activation. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge of the evolution, physiologic functions, pharmacology, molecular mechanisms, and therapeutic potential of trace amines and their receptors in vertebrates and invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia (R.R.G.); Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Moscow, Russia (R.R.G.); Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, pRED, Roche Innovation Centre Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (M.C.H.); and Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (M.D.B.)
| | - Marius C Hoener
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia (R.R.G.); Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Moscow, Russia (R.R.G.); Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, pRED, Roche Innovation Centre Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (M.C.H.); and Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (M.D.B.)
| | - Mark D Berry
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia (R.R.G.); Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Moscow, Russia (R.R.G.); Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, pRED, Roche Innovation Centre Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (M.C.H.); and Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (M.D.B.)
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30
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Harmeier A, Meyer CA, Staempfli A, Casagrande F, Petrinovic MM, Zhang YP, Künnecke B, Iglesias A, Höner OP, Hoener MC. How Female Mice Attract Males: A Urinary Volatile Amine Activates a Trace Amine-Associated Receptor That Induces Male Sexual Interest. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:924. [PMID: 30158871 PMCID: PMC6104183 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals of many species rely on odors to communicate, find breeding partners, locate resources and sense dangers. In vertebrates, odorants are detected by chemosensory receptors of the olfactory system. One class of these receptors, the trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), was recently suggested to mediate male sexual interest and mate choice. Here we tested this hypothesis in mice by generating a cluster deletion mouse (Taar2-9−/−) lacking all TAARs expressed in the olfactory epithelium, and evaluating transduction pathways from odorants to TAARs, neural activity and behaviors reflecting sexual interest. We found that a urinary volatile amine, isobutylamine (IBA), was a potent ligand for TAAR3 (but not TAAR1, 4, 5, and 6). When males were exposed to IBA, brain regions associated with sexual behaviors were less active in Taar2-9−/− than in wild type males. Accordingly, Taar2-9−/− males spent less time sniffing both the urine of females and pure IBA than wild type males. This is the first demonstration of a comprehensive transduction pathway linking odorants to TAARs and male sexual interest. Interestingly, the concentration of IBA in female urine varied across the estrus cycle with a peak during estrus. This variation in IBA concentration may represent a simple olfactory cue for males to recognize receptive females. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that IBA and TAARs play an important role in the recognition of breeding partners and mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Harmeier
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claas A Meyer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Staempfli
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Casagrande
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marija M Petrinovic
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yan-Ping Zhang
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Basil Künnecke
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Iglesias
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marius C Hoener
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Neurosymptomatic Domains, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
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Christian SL, Berry MD. Trace Amine-Associated Receptors as Novel Therapeutic Targets for Immunomodulatory Disorders. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:680. [PMID: 30013475 PMCID: PMC6036138 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Trace amines and their receptors (trace amine-associated receptors; TAARs) are an emerging pharmacological target for the treatment of human disorders. While most studies have focused on their therapeutic potential for neurologic and psychiatric disorders, TAARs are also expressed throughout the periphery, including prominent expression in human leukocytes. Furthermore, recent independent, unbiased metabolomic studies have consistently identified one or more TAAR ligands as potential etiologic factors in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The putative role of TAARs in diseases such as IBD that are associated with hyperactive immune responses has not, however, previously been systematically addressed. Here, we review the current state of the knowledge of the effects of TAARs on leukocyte function, in particular in the context of mucosal epithelial cells that interface with the environment; developing a model whereby TAARs may be considered as a novel therapeutic target for disorders associated with dysregulated immune responses to environmental factors. In this model, we hypothesize that altered trace amine homeostasis results in hyperactivity of the immune system. Such loss of homeostasis can occur through many different mechanisms including TAAR polymorphisms and altered trace amine load due to changes in host synthesis and/or degradative enzymes, diet, or microbial dysbiosis. The resulting alterations in TAAR functioning can then lead to a loss of homeostasis of leukocyte chemotaxis, differentiation, and activation, as well as an altered ability of members of the microbiota to adhere to and penetrate the epithelial cell layers. Such changes would generate a pro-inflammatory state at mucosal epithelial barrier layers that can manifest as clinical symptomatology such as that seen in IBD. These alterations may also have the potential to induce systemic effects, which could possibly contribute to immunomodulatory disorders in other systems, including neurological diseases.
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Izquierdo C, Gómez-Tamayo JC, Nebel JC, Pardo L, Gonzalez A. Identifying human diamine sensors for death related putrescine and cadaverine molecules. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1005945. [PMID: 29324768 PMCID: PMC5783396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pungent chemical compounds originating from decaying tissue are strong drivers of animal behavior. Two of the best-characterized death smell components are putrescine (PUT) and cadaverine (CAD), foul-smelling molecules produced by decarboxylation of amino acids during decomposition. These volatile polyamines act as ‘necromones’, triggering avoidance or attractive responses, which are fundamental for the survival of a wide range of species. The few studies that have attempted to identify the cognate receptors for these molecules have suggested the involvement of the seven-helix trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), localized in the olfactory epithelium. However, very little is known about the precise chemosensory receptors that sense these compounds in the majority of organisms and the molecular basis of their interactions. In this work, we have used computational strategies to characterize the binding between PUT and CAD with the TAAR6 and TAAR8 human receptors. Sequence analysis, homology modeling, docking and molecular dynamics studies suggest a tandem of negatively charged aspartates in the binding pocket of these receptors which are likely to be involved in the recognition of these small biogenic diamines. The distinctive dead smell comes largely from molecules like cadaverine and putrescine that are produced during decomposition of organic tissues. These volatile compounds act as powerful chemical signals important for the survival of a wide range of species. Previous studies have identified the trace amine-associated receptor 13c (or TAAR13c) in zebrafish as the cognate receptor of cadaverine in bony fishes. In this work, we employed computational strategies to disclose the human TAAR6 and TAAR8 receptors as sensors of the putrescine and cadaverine molecules. Our results indicate that several negatively charged residues in the ligand binding pocket of these receptors constitute the molecular basis for recognition of these necromones in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Izquierdo
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - José C. Gómez-Tamayo
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jean-Christophe Nebel
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo Pardo
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Angel Gonzalez
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Chiellini G, Bellusci L, Sabatini M, Zucchi R. Thyronamines and Analogues - The Route from Rediscovery to Translational Research on Thyronergic Amines. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2017; 458:149-155. [PMID: 28069535 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Thyronamines are a novel class of endogenous signaling compounds, structurally related to thyroid hormones (THs). Specific thyronamines, particularly 3-iodothyronamine (T1AM), stimulate with nanomolar affinity trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), a G protein-coupled membrane receptor, and may also interact with other TAAR subtypes (particularly TAAR5), adrenergic receptors (particularly α2 receptors), amine transporters, and mitochondrial proteins. In addition to its structural similarities with THs, T1AM also contains the arylethylamine scaffold as in monoamine neurotransmitters, implicating an intriguing role for T1AM as both a neuromodulator and a hormone-like molecule constituting a part of thyroid hormone signaling. A large number of T1AM derivatives have already been synthesized. We discuss the different chemical strategies followed to obtain thyronamine analogues, their potency at TAAR1, and their structure-activity relationship. Preliminary characterization of the functional effects of these synthetic compounds is also provided.
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Berry MD, Gainetdinov RR, Hoener MC, Shahid M. Pharmacology of human trace amine-associated receptors: Therapeutic opportunities and challenges. Pharmacol Ther 2017; 180:161-180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Sánchez M, Suárez L, Andrés MT, Flórez BH, Bordallo J, Riestra S, Cantabrana B. Modulatory effect of intestinal polyamines and trace amines on the spontaneous phasic contractions of the isolated ileum and colon rings of mice. Food Nutr Res 2017; 61:1321948. [PMID: 28659731 PMCID: PMC5475348 DOI: 10.1080/16546628.2017.1321948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastrointestinal motility modulatory factors include substances of the intestinal content, such as polyamines and trace amines (TAs), the focus of this study. Methods: The amines of food, intestinal content and from faecal bacteria of Swiss mice were determined by HPLC and functionally characterised in isolated distal ileum and medial colon rings. Results: Mouse food and intestinal content contain polyamines (spermidine>putrescine>spermine) and TAs (isoamylamine>cadaverine). Intestinal bacteria mainly produce putrescine and cadaverine. The amines inhibited the spontaneous motility of the ileum (0.1-3 mM) and colon rings (0.01-3 mM, with lower IC50), with: spermine~isoamylamine~spermidine. Spermine inhibition was tetrodotoxin (TTX)-insensitive, while isoamylamine was TTX-sensitive, suggesting neural control. Mainly in the ileum, isoamylamine (3 mM) elicited acute effects modified by TTX, atropine and propranolol, and suppressed by spermine (3 mM), not being localized at the smooth muscle level. The amines assayed (3 mM), except putrescine and cadaverine in the ileum and isoamylamine in the colon, antagonised acetylcholine (ACh, 0.1 mM)-elicited phasic contractions. Isoamylamine and spermine in colon relaxed KCl (100 mM)-elicited tonic contractions, suggesting an effect on smooth muscle, but did not justify the suppression of motility caused by spermine and isoamylamine. Conclusions: Polyamines and TAs of the intestinal content might act on chemosensors and modulate intestinal peristalsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Sánchez
- Farmacología, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Lorena Suárez
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - María Teresa Andrés
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Oral, Escuela de Estomatología, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Blanca Henar Flórez
- Farmacología, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Javier Bordallo
- Farmacología, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Sabino Riestra
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Unidad de Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Begoña Cantabrana
- Farmacología, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Oviedo, Spain
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Park BB, Lee N, Kim Y, Jae Y, Choi S, Kang N, Hong YR, Ok K, Cho J, Jeon YH, Lee EH, Byun Y, Koo J. Analogues of Dehydroacetic Acid as Selective and Potent Agonists of an Ectopic Odorant Receptor through a Combination of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Interactions. ChemMedChem 2017; 12:477-482. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201600612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - NaHye Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; DGIST; Daegu 42988 South Korea
- Department of New Biology; DGIST
| | - YunHye Kim
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | - YoonGyu Jae
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; DGIST; Daegu 42988 South Korea
- Department of New Biology; DGIST
| | - Seunghyun Choi
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | | | | | - Kiwon Ok
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | - Jeonghee Cho
- Department of NanoBio Medical Science; Dankook University; Cheonan 31116 South Korea
| | - Young Ho Jeon
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | - Eun Hee Lee
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | - Youngjoo Byun
- College of Pharmacy; Korea University; Sejong 30019 South Korea
| | - JaeHyung Koo
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; DGIST; Daegu 42988 South Korea
- Department of New Biology; DGIST
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A single identified glomerulus in the zebrafish olfactory bulb carries the high-affinity response to death-associated odor cadaverine. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40892. [PMID: 28102357 PMCID: PMC5244376 DOI: 10.1038/srep40892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The death-associated odor cadaverine, generated by bacteria-mediated decarboxylation of lysine, has been described as the principal activator of a particular olfactory receptor in zebrafish, TAAR13c. Low concentrations of cadaverine activated mainly TAAR13c-expressing olfactory sensory neurons, suggesting TAAR13c as an important element of the neuronal processing pathway linking cadaverine stimulation to a strongly aversive innate behavioral response. Here, we characterized the initial steps of this neuronal pathway. First we identified TAAR13c-expressing cells as ciliated neurons, equivalent to the situation for mammalian taar genes, which shows a high degree of conservation despite the large evolutionary distance between teleost fishes and mammals. Next we identified the target area of cadaverine-responsive OSNs in the olfactory bulb. We report that cadaverine dose-dependently activates a group of dorsolateral glomeruli, at the lowest concentration down to a single invariant glomerulus, situated at the medial border of the dorsolateral cluster. This is the first demonstration of a single stereotyped target glomerulus in the fish olfactory system for a non-pheromone odor. A mix of different amines activates many glomeruli within the same dorsolateral cluster, suggesting this area to function as a general amine response region.
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Santos PSC, Courtiol A, Heidel AJ, Höner OP, Heckmann I, Nagy M, Mayer F, Platzer M, Voigt CC, Sommer S. MHC-dependent mate choice is linked to a trace-amine-associated receptor gene in a mammal. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38490. [PMID: 27941813 PMCID: PMC5150237 DOI: 10.1038/srep38490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes play a pivotal role in vertebrate self/nonself recognition, parasite resistance and life history decisions. In evolutionary terms, the MHC’s exceptional diversity is likely maintained by sexual and pathogen-driven selection. Even though MHC-dependent mating preferences have been confirmed for many species, the sensory and genetic mechanisms underlying mate recognition remain cryptic. Since olfaction is crucial for social communication in vertebrates, variation in chemosensory receptor genes could explain MHC-dependent mating patterns. Here, we investigated whether female mate choice is based on MHC alleles and linked to variation in chemosensory trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) in the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata). We sequenced several MHC and TAAR genes and related their variation to mating and paternity data. We found strong evidence for MHC class I-dependent female choice for genetically diverse and dissimilar males. We also detected a significant interaction between mate choice and the female TAAR3 genotype, with TAAR3-heterozygous females being more likely to choose MHC-diverse males. These results suggest that TAARs and olfactory cues may be key mediators in mammalian MHC-dependent mate choice. Our study may help identify the ligands involved in the chemical communication between potential mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo S C Santos
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexandre Courtiol
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew J Heidel
- Leibniz Institute on Age - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frieder Mayer
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Platzer
- Leibniz Institute on Age - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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Gao S, Liu S, Yao J, Li N, Yuan Z, Zhou T, Li Q, Liu Z. Genomic organization and evolution of olfactory receptors and trace amine-associated receptors in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2016; 1861:644-651. [PMID: 27773705 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) live in turbid waters with limited visibility to chase prey within a certain distance. This can be compensated through detecting specific water-soluble substances by the olfactory receptors (ORs) and trace amine associated receptors (TAARs) expressed on the olfactory epithelium. METHODS We identified the OR and TAAR repertoires in channel catfish, and characterized the genomic organizations of these two gene families by data mining available genomic resources. RESULTS A total of 47 putative OR genes and 36 putative TAAR genes were identified in the channel catfish genome, including 27 functional OR genes and 28 functional TAAR genes. Phylogenetic and orthogroup analyses were conducted to illustrate the evolutionary dynamics of the vertebrate ORs and TAARs. Collinear analysis revealed the presence of two conserved orthologous blocks that contain OR genes between the catfish genome and zebrafish genome. The complete loss of a conserved motif in fish OR family H may contribute to the divergence of family H from other families. The dN/dS analysis indicated that the highest degree of selection pressure was imposed on TAAR subfamily 14 among all fish ORs and TAARs. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of the two gene families (OR and TAAR) associated with olfaction in channel catfish. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This is the first systematic study of ORs and TAARs in catfish, which could provide valuable genomic resources for further investigation of olfactory mechanisms in teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Gao
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Shikai Liu
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Jun Yao
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Ning Li
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Zihao Yuan
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Tao Zhou
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Qi Li
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhanjiang Liu
- The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Aquatic Genomics Unit, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
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Huang JY, Tian Y, Wang HJ, Shen H, Wang H, Long S, Liao MH, Liu ZR, Wang ZM, Li D, Tao RR, Cui TT, Moriguchi S, Fukunaga K, Han F, Lu YM. Functional Genomic Analyses Identify Pathways Dysregulated in Animal Model of Autism. CNS Neurosci Ther 2016; 22:845-53. [PMID: 27321591 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders that display complicated behavioral symptoms. METHODS Using gene expressing profiling and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we studied genes coregulated by similar factors such as genetic variants or environmental effects in the hippocampus in an animal model of autism. RESULTS From microarray data, we identified 21,388 robustly expressed genes of which 721 genes were found to be differently expressed in the valproic acid-treated group compared to the control group. WGCNA identified multiple co-expression modules known to associate with cognitive function, inflammation, synaptic, and positive regulation of protein kinase activating. Many of these modules, however, have not been previously linked to autism spectrum disorders which included G-protein signaling, immunity, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. The downregulation of the highly connected (hub) genes Taar7h and Taar7b in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway was validated by qRT-PCR. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry further showed that TAAR7 expression was downregulated not only in valproic acid-treated animals, but also BTBR T+tf/J mice. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the advantages of gene microarrays to uncover co-expression modules associated with autism and suggests that Taars and related gene regulation networks may play a significant role in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yun Huang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yun Tian
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui-Juan Wang
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Shen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sen Long
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou No. 7 People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mei-Hua Liao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhi-Rong Liu
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ze-Ming Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou No. 7 People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Li
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rong-Rong Tao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tian-Tian Cui
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shigeki Moriguchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Feng Han
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ying-Mei Lu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Abstract
The mechanisms by which odors induce instinctive behaviors are largely unknown. Odor detection in the mouse nose is mediated by >1, 000 different odorant receptors (ORs) and trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). Odor perceptions are encoded combinatorially by ORs and can be altered by slight changes in the combination of activated receptors. However, the stereotyped nature of instinctive odor responses suggests the involvement of specific receptors and genetically programmed neural circuits relatively immune to extraneous odor stimuli and receptor inputs. Here, we report that, contrary to expectation, innate odor-induced behaviors can be context-dependent. First, different ligands for a given TAAR can vary in behavioral effect. Second, when combined, some attractive and aversive odorants neutralize one another's behavioral effects. Both a TAAR ligand and a common odorant block aversion to a predator odor, indicating that this ability is not unique to TAARs and can extend to an aversive response of potential importance to survival. In vitro testing of single receptors with binary odorant mixtures indicates that behavioral blocking can occur without receptor antagonism in the nose. Moreover, genetic ablation of a single receptor prevents its cognate ligand from blocking predator odor aversion, indicating that the blocking requires sensory input from the receptor. Together, these findings indicate that innate odor-induced behaviors can depend on context, that signals from a single receptor can block innate odor aversion, and that instinctive behavioral responses to odors can be modulated by interactions in the brain among signals derived from different receptors.
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Eyun SI, Moriyama H, Hoffmann FG, Moriyama EN. Molecular Evolution and Functional Divergence of Trace Amine-Associated Receptors. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151023. [PMID: 26963722 PMCID: PMC4786312 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily and are known to be expressed in olfactory sensory neurons. A limited number of molecular evolutionary studies have been done for TAARs so far. To elucidate how lineage-specific evolution contributed to their functional divergence, we examined 30 metazoan genomes. In total, 493 TAAR gene candidates (including 84 pseudogenes) were identified from 26 vertebrate genomes. TAARs were not identified from non-vertebrate genomes. An ancestral-type TAAR-like gene appeared to have emerged in lamprey. We found four therian-specific TAAR subfamilies (one eutherian-specific and three metatherian-specific) in addition to previously known nine subfamilies. Many species-specific TAAR gene duplications and losses contributed to a large variation of TAAR gene numbers among mammals, ranging from 0 in dolphin to 26 in flying fox. TAARs are classified into two groups based on binding preferences for primary or tertiary amines as well as their sequence similarities. Primary amine-detecting TAARs (TAAR1-4) have emerged earlier, generally have single-copy orthologs (very few duplication or loss), and have evolved under strong functional constraints. In contrast, tertiary amine-detecting TAARs (TAAR5-9) have emerged more recently and the majority of them experienced higher rates of gene duplications. Protein members that belong to the tertiary amine-detecting TAAR group also showed the patterns of positive selection especially in the area surrounding the ligand-binding pocket, which could have affected ligand-binding activities and specificities. Expansions of the tertiary amine-detecting TAAR gene family may have played important roles in terrestrial adaptations of therian mammals. Molecular evolution of the TAAR gene family appears to be governed by a complex, species-specific, interplay between environmental and evolutionary factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-il Eyun
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, United States of America
- Center for Biotechnology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, United States of America
| | - Hideaki Moriyama
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, United States of America
| | - Federico G. Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology and Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing, and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, United States of America
| | - Etsuko N. Moriyama
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, United States of America
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wallrabenstein I, Singer M, Panten J, Hatt H, Gisselmann G. Timberol® Inhibits TAAR5-Mediated Responses to Trimethylamine and Influences the Olfactory Threshold in Humans. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144704. [PMID: 26684881 PMCID: PMC4684214 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In mice, trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are interspersed in the olfactory epithelium and constitute a chemosensory subsystem that is highly specific for detecting volatile amines. Humans possess six putative functional TAAR genes. Human TAAR5 (hTAAR5) is highly expressed in the olfactory mucosa and was shown to be specifically activated by trimethylamine. In this study, we were challenged to uncover an effective blocker substance for trimethylamine-induced hTAAR5 activation. To monitor blocking effects, we recombinantly expressed hTAAR5 and employed a commonly used Cre-luciferase reporter gene assay. Among all tested potential blocker substances, Timberol®, an amber-woody fragrance, is able to inhibit the trimethylamine-induced hTAAR5 activation up to 96%. Moreover, human psychophysical data showed that the presence of Timberol® increases the olfactory detection threshold for the characteristic fishy odor of trimethylamine by almost one order of magnitude. In conclusion, our results show that among tested receptors Timberol® is a specific and potent antagonist for the hTAAR5-mediated response to trimethylamine in a heterologous system. Furthermore, our data concerning the observed shift of the olfactory detection threshold in vivo implicate that hTAAR5 or other receptors that may be inhibited by Timberol® could be involved in the high affinity olfactory perception of trimethylamine in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hanns Hatt
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Günter Gisselmann
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Li Q, Tachie-Baffour Y, Liu Z, Baldwin MW, Kruse AC, Liberles SD. Non-classical amine recognition evolved in a large clade of olfactory receptors. eLife 2015; 4:e10441. [PMID: 26519734 PMCID: PMC4695389 DOI: 10.7554/elife.10441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biogenic amines are important signaling molecules, and the structural basis for their recognition by G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) is well understood. Amines are also potent odors, with some activating olfactory trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). Here, we report that teleost TAARs evolved a new way to recognize amines in a non-classical orientation. Chemical screens de-orphaned eleven zebrafish TAARs, with agonists including serotonin, histamine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, and agmatine. Receptors from different clades contact ligands through aspartates on transmembrane α-helices III (canonical Asp3.32) or V (non-canonical Asp5.42), and diamine receptors contain both aspartates. Non-classical monoamine recognition evolved in two steps: an ancestral TAAR acquired Asp5.42, gaining diamine sensitivity, and subsequently lost Asp3.32. Through this transformation, the fish olfactory system dramatically expanded its capacity to detect amines, ecologically significant aquatic odors. The evolution of a second, alternative solution for amine detection by olfactory receptors highlights the tremendous structural versatility intrinsic to GPCRs. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10441.001 Many organisms make molecules called biogenic amines. These molecules, which include the human hormones adrenaline and histamine, have important roles in regulating the biology and behaviour of many animals. Some biogenic amines bind to receptor proteins called GPCRs on the surface of cells. Many drugs can affect the activity of GPCRs, so understanding how different GPCRs work is an important goal of the pharmaceutical industry. Like all proteins, GPCRs are made of chains of molecules called amino acids. The GPCRs that can detect biogenic amines use a particular amino acid named Asp3.32, and when this amino acid is mutated, these GPCRs become unable to bind to their target amine. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are a type of GPCR that are found in many animals to detect odors. Most TAARs in mammals contain the Asp3.32 residue, and recognize amine odors. However, many fish TAARs do not contain Asp3.32, and it was not clear what molecules these fish receptors detect. Here Li et al. find that these fish TAARs also recognize amines, and use a different amino acid called Asp5.42. Also, some TAARs contain both Asp3.32 and Asp5.42, and recognize chemicals with two amines named diamines. Some diamines that bind to TAARs are foul smelling odors; for example, cadaverine and putrescine are repulsive smells emitted by decomposing flesh. In total, the experiments identified amines that can bind to eleven zebrafish TAARs that previously had no odor partner. Li et al. propose that some fish TAARs lost the Asp3.32 during the course of evolution to leave the Asp5.42 as the main interaction site for amines. This change dramatically altered how these TAARs interact with amines, which probably expanded the number of different amines that fish can detect. These findings open up new ways to study how the fish brain processes information about its surroundings. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10441.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Yaw Tachie-Baffour
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Zhikai Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Andrew C Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Stephen D Liberles
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
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Abstract
Sensory cues that predict reward or punishment are fundamental drivers of animal behavior. For example, attractive odors of palatable food or a potential mate predict reward, while aversive odors of pathogen-laced food or a predator predict punishment. Aversive and attractive odors can be detected by intermingled sensory neurons that express highly related olfactory receptors and display similar central projections. These findings raise basic questions of how innate odor valence is extracted from olfactory circuits, how such circuits are developmentally endowed and modulated by state, and how innate and learned odor responses are related. Here, we review odors, receptors and neural circuits associated with stimulus valence, discussing salient principles derived from studies on nematodes, insects and vertebrates. Understanding the organization of neural circuitry that mediates odor aversion and attraction will provide key insights into how the brain functions.
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Abstract
The senses provide a means by which data on the physical and chemical properties of the environment may be collected and meaningfully interpreted. Sensation begins at the periphery, where a multitude of different sensory cell types are activated by environmental stimuli as different as photons and odorant molecules. Stimulus sensitivity is due to expression of different cell surface sensory receptors, and therefore the receptive field of each sense is defined by the aggregate of expressed receptors in each sensory tissue. Here, we review current understanding on patterns of expression and modes of regulation of sensory receptors.
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Wallrabenstein I, Gerber J, Rasche S, Croy I, Kurtenbach S, Hummel T, Hatt H. The smelling of Hedione results in sex-differentiated human brain activity. Neuroimage 2015; 113:365-73. [PMID: 25797832 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A large family of vomeronasal receptors recognizes pheromone cues in many animals including most amphibia, reptiles, rhodents, and other mammals. Humans possess five vomeronasal-type 1 receptor genes (VN1R1-VN1R5), which code for proteins that are functional in recombinant expression systems. We used two different recombinant expression systems and identified Hedione as a ligand for the putative human pheromone receptor VN1R1 expressed in the human olfactory mucosa. Following the ligand identification, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy volunteers to characterize the in vivo action of the VN1R1 ligand Hedione. In comparison to a common floral odor (phenylethyl alcohol), Hedione exhibited significantly enhanced activation in limbic areas (amygdala, hippocampus) and elicited a sex-differentiated response in a hypothalamic region that is associated with hormonal release. Utilizing a novel combination of methods, our results indicate that the putative human pheromone receptor VN1R1 is involved in extra-olfactory neuronal activations induced by the odorous substance Hedione. The activation of VN1R1 might play a role in gender-specific modulation of hormonal secretion in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Wallrabenstein
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
| | - J Gerber
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - S Rasche
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
| | - I Croy
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - S Kurtenbach
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
| | - T Hummel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - H Hatt
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
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Dinter J, Mühlhaus J, Wienchol CL, Yi CX, Nürnberg D, Morin S, Grüters A, Köhrle J, Schöneberg T, Tschöp M, Krude H, Kleinau G, Biebermann H. Inverse agonistic action of 3-iodothyronamine at the human trace amine-associated receptor 5. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117774. [PMID: 25706283 PMCID: PMC4382497 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Application of 3-iodothyronamine (3-T1AM) results in decreased body temperature and body weight in rodents. The trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR) 1, a family A G protein-coupled receptor, is a target of 3-T1AM. However, 3-T1AM effects still persist in mTaar1 knockout mice, which suggest so far unknown further receptor targets that are of physiological relevance. TAAR5 is a highly conserved TAAR subtype among mammals and we here tested TAAR5 as a potential 3-T1AM target. First, we investigated mouse Taar5 (mTaar5) expression in several brain regions of the mouse in comparison to mTaar1. Secondly, to unravel the full spectrum of signaling capacities, we examined the distinct Gs-, Gi/o-, G12/13-, Gq/11- and MAP kinase-mediated signaling pathways of mouse and human TAAR5 under ligand-independent conditions and after application of 3-T1AM. We found overlapping localization of mTaar1 and mTaar5 in the amygdala and ventromedial hypothalamus of the mouse brain. Second, the murine and human TAAR5 (hTAAR5) display significant basal activity in the Gq/11 pathway but show differences in the basal activity in Gs and MAP kinase signaling. In contrast to mTaar5, 3-T1AM application at hTAAR5 resulted in significant reduction in basal IP3 formation and MAP kinase signaling. In conclusion, our data suggest that the human TAAR5 is a target for 3-T1AM, exhibiting inhibitory effects on IP3 formation and MAP kinase signaling pathways, but does not mediate Gs signaling effects as observed for TAAR1. This study also indicates differences between TAAR5 orthologs with respect to their signaling profile. In consequence, 3-T1AM-mediated effects may differ between rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Dinter
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jessica Mühlhaus
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carolin Leonie Wienchol
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chun-Xia Yi
- Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, München, Germany
| | - Daniela Nürnberg
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Morin
- Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, München, Germany
| | - Annette Grüters
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josef Köhrle
- Institut für Experimentelle Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Schöneberg
- Institut für Biochemie, Molekulare Biochemie, Medizinische Fakultät, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Tschöp
- Institut für Experimentelle Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heiko Krude
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gunnar Kleinau
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Biebermann
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
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49
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Liberles SD. Trace amine-associated receptors: ligands, neural circuits, and behaviors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2015; 34:1-7. [PMID: 25616211 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are G Protein-Coupled Receptors that function as vertebrate olfactory receptors. Like odorant receptors, TAARs constitute an ever-evolving sensory subsystem, with individual TAARs recognizing particular chemicals and some evoking stereotyped behaviors. Several TAARs mediate aversion or attraction towards volatile amines that include the mouse odor trimethylamine, the predator odor 2-phenylethylamine, and the death-associated odor cadaverine. TAAR-expressing sensory neurons achieve monoallelic receptor expression, use canonical olfactory signaling molecules, and target a dedicated olfactory bulb region. In mouse, TAAR4 and TAAR5 are encoded by adjacent genes and localize to adjacent glomeruli, yet mediate opposing behaviors. Future studies are needed to understand how TAAR-expressing sensory neurons engage higher-order neural circuits to encode odor valence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Liberles
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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50
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Lam VM, Rodríguez D, Zhang T, Koh EJ, Carlsson J, Salahpour A. Discovery of trace amine-associated receptor 1 ligands by molecular docking screening against a homology model. MEDCHEMCOMM 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5md00400d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
An in silico screen of a TAAR1 homology model identifies novel ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. M. Lam
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
- University of Toronto
- Toronto
- Canada
| | - D. Rodríguez
- Science for Life Laboratory
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Center for Biomembrane Research
- Stockholm University
- SE-106 91 Stockholm
- Sweden
| | - T. Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
- University of Toronto
- Toronto
- Canada
| | - E. J. Koh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
- University of Toronto
- Toronto
- Canada
| | - J. Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry
- BMC
- Uppsala University
- SE-751 23 Uppsala
| | - A. Salahpour
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
- University of Toronto
- Toronto
- Canada
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