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Hochrainer N, Serafin P, D’Ingiullo S, Mollica A, Granica S, Brytan M, Kleczkowska P, Spetea M. In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacological Profiles of LENART01, a Dermorphin-Ranatensin Hybrid Peptide. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4007. [PMID: 38612817 PMCID: PMC11012005 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Diverse chemical and pharmacological strategies are currently being explored to minimize the unwanted side effects of currently used opioid analgesics while achieving effective pain relief. The use of multitarget ligands with activity at more than one receptor represents a promising therapeutic approach. We recently reported a bifunctional peptide-based hybrid LENART01 combining dermorphin and ranatensin pharmacophores, which displays activity to the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) in rat brains and spinal cords. In this study, we investigated the in vitro binding and functional activities to the human MOR and the in vivo pharmacology of LENART01 in mice after subcutaneous administration. In vitro binding assays showed LENART01 to bind and be selective to the human MOR over the other opioid receptor subtypes and delta, kappa and nociceptin receptors. In the [35S]GTPγS binding assay, LENART01 acted as a potent and full agonist to the human MOR. In mice, LENART01 produced dose-dependent antinociceptive effects in formalin-induced inflammatory pain, with increased potency than morphine. Antinociceptive effects were reversed by naloxone, indicating MOR activation in vivo. Behavioral studies also demonstrated LENART01's properties to induce less adverse effects without locomotor dysfunction and withdrawal syndrome compared to conventional opioid analgesics, such as morphine. LENART01 is the first peptide-based MOR-D2R ligand known to date and the first dual MOR-dopamine D2R ligand for which in vivo pharmacology is reported with antinociceptive efficacy and reduced opioid-related side effects. Our current findings may pave the way to new pain therapeutics with limited side effects in acute and chronic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Hochrainer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Pawel Serafin
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Sara D’Ingiullo
- Department of Pharmacy, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (S.D.); (A.M.)
| | - Adriano Mollica
- Department of Pharmacy, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (S.D.); (A.M.)
| | - Sebastian Granica
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Marek Brytan
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.)
| | | | - Mariana Spetea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Serafin P, Szeleszczuk Ł, Zhukov I, Szűcs E, Gombos D, Stefanucci A, Mollica A, Pisklak DM, Kleczkowska P. Opioid/Dopamine Receptor Binding Studies, NMR and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of LENART01 Chimera, an Opioid-Bombesin-like Peptide. Molecules 2024; 29:272. [PMID: 38202853 PMCID: PMC10780910 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010272] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The design and development of hybrid compounds as a new class of drug candidates remains an excellent opportunity to improve the pharmacological properties of drugs (including enzymatic stability, efficacy and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles). In addition, considering various complex diseases and/or disorders, the conjugate chemistry approach is highly acceptable and justified. Opioids have long been recognized as the most potent analgesics and serve as the basic pharmacophore for potent hybrid compounds that may be useful in pain management. However, a risk of tolerance and physical dependence exists. Since dopamine receptors have been implicated in the aforementioned adverse effects of opioids, the construction of a hybrid with dual action at opioid and dopamine receptors is of interest. Herein, we present nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation results for LENART01, an opioid-ranatensin hybrid peptide. Apart from molecular docking, protein-ligand interactions were also assessed in vitro using a receptor binding assay, which proved LENART01 to be bound to mu-opioid and dopamine receptors, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Serafin
- Department of Military Health Service, Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland, Niepodleglosci 211 Street, 00-911 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Łukasz Szeleszczuk
- Department of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (Ł.S.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Igor Zhukov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Edina Szűcs
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Research Network, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (D.G.)
| | - Dávid Gombos
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Research Network, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (D.G.)
- Doctoral School of Theoretical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Dugonics Square 13, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Azzurra Stefanucci
- Department of Pharmacy, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Adriano Mollica
- Department of Pharmacy, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Dariusz Maciej Pisklak
- Department of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (Ł.S.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Patrycja Kleczkowska
- Maria Sklodowska-Curie Medical Academy in Warsaw, Solidarnosci 12 Street, 03-411 Warsaw, Poland
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Serafin P, Kleczkowska P. Bombesins: A New Frontier in Hybrid Compound Development. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2597. [PMID: 38004575 PMCID: PMC10674911 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15112597] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, bombesin (BN) and its analogs have attracted much attention as excellent anticancer agents because they interact with specific receptors widely distributed on the surface of various cancer cells. However, their biological properties proceed far beyond this, given a broad spectrum of activity. Bombesin receptor ligands are effective drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis or gastrointestinal diseases. However, most diseases are complex, and the use of polytherapy may lead to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug-drug interactions, resulting in side effects. Therefore, there is a need to develop effective compounds that also contain BN or its analogs, which are combined with other structural entities, thus generating a so-called hybrid drug. Hybrid drugs that contain bombesin pharmacophore(s) may be proposed as a solution to the problem of polytherapy or the lack of an effective cure. Such structures have now demonstrated the desired efficacy, though information on these aforementioned compounds is relatively scarce. Therefore, our paper aims to encourage researchers to focus on bombesins. Herein, we indicate that the hybrid approach should also be firmly applied to bombesins and the BN receptor family. This paper's structure is divided into two main sections demonstrating bombesins and their properties, as well as recent data on bombesin-based hybrid compounds and their potential usefulness in medicine. Overall, it refers to the discovery and synthesis of modified bombesin-based hybrid compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Serafin
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Patrycja Kleczkowska
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland;
- Maria Sklodowska-Curie, Medical Academy in Warsaw, Solidarnosci 12 Str., 03-411 Warsaw, Poland
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