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Kallinen A, Mardon K, Lane S, Montgomery AP, Bhalla R, Stimson DHR, Ahamed M, Cowin GJ, Hibbs D, Werry EL, Fulton R, Connor M, Kassiou M. Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of Fluorinated 5-Azaindoles as CB2 PET Radioligands. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:2902-2921. [PMID: 37499194 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several classes of cannabinoid receptor type 2 radioligands have been evaluated for imaging of neuroinflammation, with successful clinical translation yet to take place. Here we describe the synthesis of fluorinated 5-azaindoles and pharmacological characterization and in vivo evaluation of 18F-radiolabeled analogues. [18F]2 (hCB2 Ki = 96.5 nM) and [18F]9 (hCB2 Ki = 7.7 nM) were prepared using Cu-mediated 18F-fluorination with non-decay-corrected radiochemical yields of 15 ± 6% and 18 ± 2% over 85 and 80 min, respectively, with high radiochemical purities (>97%) and molar activities (140-416 GBq/μmol). In PET imaging studies in rats, both [18F]2 and [18F]9 demonstrated specific binding in CB2-rich spleen after pretreatment with CB2-specific GW405833. Moreover, [18F]9 exhibited higher brain uptake at later time points in a murine model of neuroinflammation compared with a healthy control group. The results suggest further evaluation of azaindole based CB2 radioligands is warranted in other neuroinflammation models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annukka Kallinen
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Karine Mardon
- ARC Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Samuel Lane
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Muneer Ahamed
- ARC Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Gary J Cowin
- ARC Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David Hibbs
- Sydney Pharmacy School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Eryn L Werry
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Roger Fulton
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Mark Connor
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Michael Kassiou
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Huang SM, Xiong MY, Liu L, Mu J, Wang MW, Jia YL, Cai K, Tie L, Zhang C, Cao S, Wen X, Wang JL, Guo SC, Li Y, Qu CX, He QT, Cai BY, Xue C, Gan S, Xie Y, Cong X, Yang Z, Kong W, Li S, Li Z, Xiao P, Yang F, Yu X, Guan YF, Zhang X, Liu Z, Yang BX, Du Y, Sun JP. Single hormone or synthetic agonist induces G s/G i coupling selectivity of EP receptors via distinct binding modes and propagating paths. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216329120. [PMID: 37478163 PMCID: PMC10372679 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216329120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
To accomplish concerted physiological reactions, nature has diversified functions of a single hormone at at least two primary levels: 1) Different receptors recognize the same hormone, and 2) different cellular effectors couple to the same hormone-receptor pair [R.P. Xiao, Sci STKE 2001, re15 (2001); L. Hein, J. D. Altman, B.K. Kobilka, Nature 402, 181-184 (1999); Y. Daaka, L. M. Luttrell, R. J. Lefkowitz, Nature 390, 88-91 (1997)]. Not only these questions lie in the heart of hormone actions and receptor signaling but also dissecting mechanisms underlying these questions could offer therapeutic routes for refractory diseases, such as kidney injury (KI) or X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Here, we identified that Gs-biased signaling, but not Gi activation downstream of EP4, showed beneficial effects for both KI and NDI treatments. Notably, by solving Cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM) structures of EP3-Gi, EP4-Gs, and EP4-Gi in complex with endogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)or two synthetic agonists and comparing with PGE2-EP2-Gs structures, we found that unique primary sequences of prostaglandin E2 receptor (EP) receptors and distinct conformational states of the EP4 ligand pocket govern the Gs/Gi transducer coupling selectivity through different structural propagation paths, especially via TM6 and TM7, to generate selective cytoplasmic structural features. In particular, the orientation of the PGE2 ω-chain and two distinct pockets encompassing agonist L902688 of EP4 were differentiated by their Gs/Gi coupling ability. Further, we identified common and distinct features of cytoplasmic side of EP receptors for Gs/Gi coupling and provide a structural basis for selective and biased agonist design of EP4 with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-Ming Huang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Meng-Yao Xiong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Jianqiang Mu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Ying-Li Jia
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Kui Cai
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Lu Tie
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Sheng Cao
- School of Medicine, Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong518172, China
| | - Xin Wen
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Jia-Le Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Sheng-Chao Guo
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Chang-Xiu Qu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Qing-Tao He
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Bo-Yang Cai
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Chenyang Xue
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Shiyi Gan
- School of Medicine, Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong518172, China
| | - Yihe Xie
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Xin Cong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Wei Kong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Zijian Li
- Department of Cardiology, Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Research, Beijing100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Peking University, Beijing100191, P. R. China
| | - Peng Xiao
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
| | - You-Fei Guan
- Advanced Institute for Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian116044, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Advanced Institute for Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian116044, China
| | - Zhongmin Liu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Bao-Xue Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
| | - Yang Du
- School of Medicine, Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong518172, China
| | - Jin-Peng Sun
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing100191, China
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Peking University, Beijing100191, P. R. China
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250012, China
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53
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Yuan J, Yang B, Hou G, Xie XQ, Feng Z. Targeting the endocannabinoid system: Structural determinants and molecular mechanism of allosteric modulation. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103615. [PMID: 37172889 PMCID: PMC10330941 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although drugs targeting the orthosteric binding site of cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) have several therapeutic effects on human physiological and pathological conditions, they can also cause serious adverse effects. Only a few orthosteric ligands have successfully passed clinical trials. Recently, allosteric modulation has become a novel option for drug discovery, with fewer adverse effects and the potential to avoid drug overdose. In this review, we highlight novel findings related to the drug discovery of allosteric modulators (AMs) targeting CBRs. We summarize newly synthesized AMs and the reported/predicted allosteric binding sites. We also discuss the structural determinants of the AMs binding as well as the molecular mechanism of CBR allostery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research; Drug Discovery Institute; Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research; Drug Discovery Institute; Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Guanyu Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research; Drug Discovery Institute; Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research; Drug Discovery Institute; Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, and Pharmacometrics & System Pharmacology PharmacoAnalytics, School of Pharmacy; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research; Drug Discovery Institute; Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States.
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54
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Zhu Y, Huang R, Wang D, Yu L, Liu Y, Huang R, Yin S, He X, Chen B, Liu Z, Cheng L, Zhu R. EVs-mediated delivery of CB2 receptor agonist for Alzheimer's disease therapy. Asian J Pharm Sci 2023; 18:100835. [PMID: 37645682 PMCID: PMC10460952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2023.100835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a typical neurodegenerative disease that leads to irreversible neuronal degeneration, and effective treatment remains elusive due to the unclear mechanism. We utilized biocompatible mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles as carriers loaded with the CB2 target medicine AM1241 (EVs-AM1241) to protect against neurodegenerative progression and neuronal function in AD model mice. According to the results, EVs-AM1241 were successfully constructed and exhibited better bioavailability and therapeutic effects than bare AM1241. The Morris water maze (MWM) and fear conditioning tests revealed that the learning and memory of EVs-AM1241-treated model mice were significantly improved. In vivo electrophysiological recording of CA1 neurons indicated enhanced response to an auditory conditioned stimulus following fear learning. Immunostaining and Western blot analysis showed that amyloid plaque deposition and amyloid β (Aβ)-induced neuronal apoptosis were significantly suppressed by EVs-AM1241. Moreover, EVs-AM1241 increased the number of neurons and restored the neuronal cytoskeleton, indicating that they enhanced neuronal regeneration. RNA sequencing revealed that EVs-AM1241 facilitated Aβ phagocytosis, promoted neurogenesis and ultimately improved learning and memory through the calcium-Erk signaling pathway. Our study showed that EVs-AM1241 efficiently reversed neurodegenerative pathology and enhanced neurogenesis in model mice, indicating that they are very promising particles for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Ruiqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Deheng Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Liqun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Runzhi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Shuai Yin
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Xiaolie He
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Bairu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Zhibo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Liming Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Clinical Center For Brain And Spinal Cord Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Rongrong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Department of Orthopaedics, Tongji Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
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55
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Mugnaini C, Kostrzewa M, Casini M, Kumar P, Catallo V, Allarà M, Guastaferro L, Brizzi A, Paolino M, Tafi A, Kapatais C, Giorgi G, Vacondio F, Mor M, Corelli F, Ligresti A. Systematic Modification of the Substitution Pattern of the 7-Hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3- b]pyridine-6-carboxamide Scaffold Enabled the Discovery of New Ligands with High Affinity and Selectivity for the Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor. Molecules 2023; 28:4958. [PMID: 37446625 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28134958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective ligands of the CB2 receptor are receiving considerable attention due to their potential as therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases. Recently, 7-hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-6-carboxamide derivatives were shown to act at the CB2 receptor either as agonists or as inverse agonists/antagonists in vitro and to have anti-osteoarthritic activity in vivo. In this article, we report the synthesis, pharmacological profile, and molecular modeling of a series of twenty-three new 7-hydroxy-5-oxopyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-6-carboxamides with the aim of further developing this new class of selective CB2 ligands. In addition to these compounds, seven other analogs that had been previously synthesized were included in this study to better define the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Ten of the new compounds studied were found to be potent and selective ligands of the CB2 receptor, with Ki values ranging from 48.46 to 0.45 nM and CB1/CB2 selectivity indices (SI) ranging from >206 to >4739. In particular, compounds 54 and 55 were found to be high-affinity CB2 inverse agonists that were not active at all at the CB1 receptor, whereas 57 acted as an agonist. The functional activity profile of the compounds within this structural class depends mainly on the substitution pattern of the pyrazole ring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mugnaini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Marta Casini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Poulami Kumar
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Valeria Catallo
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Allarà
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Laura Guastaferro
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Antonella Brizzi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Paolino
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Andrea Tafi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Christelos Kapatais
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Gianluca Giorgi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Federica Vacondio
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Mor
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Federico Corelli
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
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56
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Yano H, Chitsazi R, Lucaj C, Tran P, Hoffman AF, Baumann MH, Lupica CR, Shi L. A subtle structural modification of a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist drastically increases its efficacy at the CB1 receptor. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.10.544442. [PMID: 37398099 PMCID: PMC10312643 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.10.544442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) as illicit psychoactive substances has posed considerable public health risks that include fatalities. Many SCRAs exhibit much higher efficacy and potency, compared with the phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), at the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R), a G protein-coupled receptor involved in modulating neurotransmitter release. In this study, we investigated structure activity relationships (SAR) of aminoalkylindole SCRAs at CB1Rs, focusing on 5F-pentylindoles containing an amide linker attached to different head moieties. Using in vitro bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays, we identified a few of SCRAs exhibiting significantly higher efficacy in engaging the Gi protein and recruiting β-arrestin than the reference CB1R full agonist CP55940. Importantly, adding a methyl group at the head moiety of 5F-MMB-PICA yielded 5F-MDMB-PICA, an agonist exhibiting a large increase in efficacy and potency at the CB1R. This pharmacological observation was supported by a functional assay of the effects of these SCRAs on glutamate field potentials recorded in hippocampal slices. Molecular modeling and simulations of the CB1R bound with either of the SCRAs revealed critical structural determinants contributing to the higher efficacy of 5F-MDMB-PICA, and how these subtle differences propagated to the receptor-G protein interface. Thus, we find that apparently minor structural changes in the head moiety of SCRAs can cause major changes in efficacy. Our results highlight the need for close monitoring of structural modifications of newly emerging SCRAs and their potential for toxic drug responses in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki Yano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University
| | - Rezvan Chitsazi
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Christopher Lucaj
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University
| | - Phuong Tran
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Alexander F Hoffman
- Electrophysiology Research Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Michael H Baumann
- Designer Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Carl R Lupica
- Electrophysiology Research Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Lei Shi
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
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57
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Persia D, Mangiavacchi F, Marcotullio MC, Rosati O. Cannabinoids as multifaceted compounds. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2023; 212:113718. [PMID: 37196772 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Since ancient times, Cannabis and its preparations have found various applications such as for medical, recreational and industrial purposes. Subsequently the 1930s, legislation in many countries has restricted its use due to its psychotropic properties. More recently, the discovery of endocannabinoid system, including new receptors, ligands, and mediators, its role in maintaining the homeostasis of the human body and the possible implication in various physiological and pathophysiological processes has also been understood. Based on this evidence, researchers were able to develop new therapeutic targets for the treatment of various pathological disorders. For this purpose, Cannabis and cannabinoids were subjected for the evaluation of their pharmacological activities. The renewed interest in the medical use of cannabis for its potential therapeutic application has prompted legislators to take action to regulate the safe use of cannabis and products containing cannabinoids. However, each country has an enormous heterogeneity in the regulation of laws. Here, we are pleased to show a general and prevailing overview of the findings regarding cannabinoids and the multiple research fields such as chemistry, phytochemistry, pharmacology and analytics in which they are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Persia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Del Liceo, 1 - Università Degli Studi di Perugia, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesca Mangiavacchi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Del Liceo, 1 - Università Degli Studi di Perugia, 06123, Perugia, Italy; Current Address: Department of Chemistry 'Ugo Schiff', Via Della Lastruccia, 16 - Università Degli Studi di Firenze, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Maria Carla Marcotullio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Del Liceo, 1 - Università Degli Studi di Perugia, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Ornelio Rosati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Del Liceo, 1 - Università Degli Studi di Perugia, 06123, Perugia, Italy.
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58
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Krishna Kumar K, Robertson MJ, Thadhani E, Wang H, Suomivuori CM, Powers AS, Ji L, Nikas SP, Dror RO, Inoue A, Makriyannis A, Skiniotis G, Kobilka B. Structural basis for activation of CB1 by an endocannabinoid analog. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2672. [PMID: 37160876 PMCID: PMC10169858 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37864-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are endogenous ligands of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), a G protein-coupled receptor that regulates a number of therapeutically relevant physiological responses. Hence, understanding the structural and functional consequences of eCB-CB1 interactions has important implications for designing effective drugs targeting this receptor. To characterize the molecular details of eCB interaction with CB1, we utilized AMG315, an analog of the eCB anandamide to determine the structure of the AMG315-bound CB1 signaling complex. Compared to previous structures, the ligand binding pocket shows some differences. Using docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and signaling assays we investigated the functional consequences of ligand interactions with the "toggle switch" residues F2003.36 and W3566.48. Further, we show that ligand-TM2 interactions drive changes to residues on the intracellular side of TM2 and are a determinant of efficacy in activating G protein. These intracellular TM2 rearrangements are unique to CB1 and are exploited by a CB1-specific allosteric modulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaavya Krishna Kumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael J Robertson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Elina Thadhani
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Haoqing Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Carl-Mikael Suomivuori
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Alexander S Powers
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lipin Ji
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Spyros P Nikas
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Photon Science, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
| | - Brian Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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59
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Dutta S, Shukla D. Distinct activation mechanisms regulate subtype selectivity of Cannabinoid receptors. Commun Biol 2023; 6:485. [PMID: 37147497 PMCID: PMC10163236 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04868-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Design of cannabinergic subtype selective ligands is challenging because of high sequence and structural similarities of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2). We hypothesize that the subtype selectivity of designed selective ligands can be explained by the ligand binding to the conformationally distinct states between cannabinoid receptors. Analysis of ~ 700 μs of unbiased simulations using Markov state models and VAMPnets identifies the similarities and distinctions between the activation mechanism of both receptors. Structural and dynamic comparisons of metastable intermediate states allow us to observe the distinction in the binding pocket volume change during CB1 and CB2 activation. Docking analysis reveals that only a few of the intermediate metastable states of CB1 show high affinity towards CB2 selective agonists. In contrast, all the CB2 metastable states show a similar affinity for these agonists. These results mechanistically explain the subtype selectivity of these agonists by deciphering the activation mechanism of cannabinoid receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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60
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Sano FK, Akasaka H, Shihoya W, Nureki O. Cryo-EM structure of the endothelin-1-ET B-G i complex. eLife 2023; 12:85821. [PMID: 37096326 PMCID: PMC10129325 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The endothelin ETB receptor is a promiscuous G-protein coupled receptor that is activated by vasoactive peptide endothelins. ETB signaling induces reactive astrocytes in the brain and vasorelaxation in vascular smooth muscle. Consequently, ETB agonists are expected to be drugs for neuroprotection and improved anti-tumor drug delivery. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the endothelin-1-ETB-Gi complex at 2.8 Å resolution, with complex assembly stabilized by a newly established method. Comparisons with the inactive ETB receptor structures revealed how endothelin-1 activates the ETB receptor. The NPxxY motif, essential for G-protein activation, is not conserved in ETB, resulting in a unique structural change upon G-protein activation. Compared with other GPCR-G-protein complexes, ETB binds Gi in the shallowest position, further expanding the diversity of G-protein binding modes. This structural information will facilitate the elucidation of G-protein activation and the rational design of ETB agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiya K Sano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Akasaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wataru Shihoya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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61
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Liessmann F, Künze G, Meiler J. Improving the Modeling of Extracellular Ligand Binding Pockets in RosettaGPCR for Conformational Selection. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7788. [PMID: 37175495 PMCID: PMC10178219 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of drug targets and undergo substantial conformational changes in response to ligand binding. Despite recent progress in GPCR structure determination, static snapshots fail to reflect the conformational space of putative binding pocket geometries to which small molecule ligands can bind. In comparative modeling of GPCRs in the absence of a ligand, often a shrinking of the orthosteric binding pocket is observed. However, the exact prediction of the flexible orthosteric binding site is crucial for adequate structure-based drug discovery. In order to improve ligand docking and guide virtual screening experiments in computer-aided drug discovery, we developed RosettaGPCRPocketSize. The algorithm creates a conformational ensemble of biophysically realistic conformations of the GPCR binding pocket between the TM bundle, which is consistent with a knowledge base of expected pocket geometries. Specifically, tetrahedral volume restraints are defined based on information about critical residues in the orthosteric binding site and their experimentally observed range of Cα-Cα-distances. The output of RosettaGPCRPocketSize is an ensemble of binding pocket geometries that are filtered by energy to ensure biophysically probable arrangements, which can be used for docking simulations. In a benchmark set, pocket shrinkage observed in the default RosettaGPCR was reduced by up to 80% and the binding pocket volume range and geometric diversity were increased. Compared to models from four different GPCR homology model databases (RosettaGPCR, GPCR-Tasser, GPCR-SSFE, and GPCRdb), the here-created models showed more accurate volumes of the orthosteric pocket when evaluated with respect to the crystallographic reference structure. Furthermore, RosettaGPCRPocketSize was able to generate an improved realistic pocket distribution. However, while being superior to other homology models, the accuracy of generated model pockets was comparable to AlphaFold2 models. Furthermore, in a docking benchmark using small-molecule ligands with a higher molecular weight between 400 and 700 Da, a higher success rate in creating native-like binding poses was observed. In summary, RosettaGPCRPocketSize can generate GPCR models with realistic orthosteric pocket volumes, which are useful for structure-based drug discovery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Liessmann
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
| | - Georg Künze
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
| | - Jens Meiler
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.L.)
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Leipzig University, 04105 Leipzig, Germany
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62
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Yang Y, Kang HJ, Gao R, Wang J, Han GW, DiBerto JF, Wu L, Tong J, Qu L, Wu Y, Pileski R, Li X, Zhang XC, Zhao S, Kenakin T, Wang Q, Stevens RC, Peng W, Roth BL, Rao Z, Liu ZJ. Structural insights into the human niacin receptor HCA2-G i signalling complex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1692. [PMID: 36973264 PMCID: PMC10043007 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37177-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2) agonist niacin has been used as treatment for dyslipidemia for several decades albeit with skin flushing as a common side-effect in treated individuals. Extensive efforts have been made to identify HCA2 targeting lipid lowering agents with fewer adverse effects, despite little being known about the molecular basis of HCA2 mediated signalling. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the HCA2-Gi signalling complex with the potent agonist MK-6892, along with crystal structures of HCA2 in inactive state. These structures, together with comprehensive pharmacological analysis, reveal the ligand binding mode and activation and signalling mechanisms of HCA2. This study elucidates the structural determinants essential for HCA2 mediated signalling and provides insights into ligand discovery for HCA2 and related receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hye Jin Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Ruogu Gao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Gye Won Han
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jiahui Tong
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Lu Qu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ryan Pileski
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xuemei Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuejun Cai Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Quan Wang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | | | - Wei Peng
- Innovation Center for Pathogen Research, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510320, China.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, and NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
| | - Zihe Rao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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63
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Li X, Chang H, Bouma J, de Paus LV, Mukhopadhyay P, Paloczi J, Mustafa M, van der Horst C, Kumar SS, Wu L, Yu Y, van den Berg RJBHN, Janssen APA, Lichtman A, Liu ZJ, Pacher P, van der Stelt M, Heitman LH, Hua T. Structural basis of selective cannabinoid CB 2 receptor activation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1447. [PMID: 36922494 PMCID: PMC10017709 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37112-9] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R) agonists are investigated as therapeutic agents in the clinic. However, their molecular mode-of-action is not fully understood. Here, we report the discovery of LEI-102, a CB2R agonist, used in conjunction with three other CBR ligands (APD371, HU308, and CP55,940) to investigate the selective CB2R activation by binding kinetics, site-directed mutagenesis, and cryo-EM studies. We identify key residues for CB2R activation. Highly lipophilic HU308 and the endocannabinoids, but not the more polar LEI-102, APD371, and CP55,940, reach the binding pocket through a membrane channel in TM1-TM7. Favorable physico-chemical properties of LEI-102 enable oral efficacy in a chemotherapy-induced nephropathy model. This study delineates the molecular mechanism of CB2R activation by selective agonists and highlights the role of lipophilicity in CB2R engagement. This may have implications for GPCR drug design and sheds light on their activation by endogenous ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Hao Chang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jara Bouma
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Laura V de Paus
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Partha Mukhopadhyay
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury, National Institute of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Janos Paloczi
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury, National Institute of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mohammed Mustafa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Cas van der Horst
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sanjay Sunil Kumar
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Yu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Richard J B H N van den Berg
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Antonius P A Janssen
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Aron Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Pal Pacher
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury, National Institute of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Oncode Institute, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Tian Hua
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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64
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Nan J, Liu J, Lin G, Zhang S, Xia A, Zhou P, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Zhao J, Zhang S, Huang C, Wang Y, Hu Q, Chen J, Xiang M, Yang X, Yang S. Discovery of 4-(1,2,4-Oxadiazol-5-yl)azepan-2-one Derivatives as a New Class of Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Inflammatory Pain. J Med Chem 2023; 66:3460-3483. [PMID: 36821347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Selectively targeting the cannabinoid receptor CB2 is an attractive therapeutic strategy for the treatment of inflammatory pain without psychiatric side effects mediated by the cannabinoid receptor CB1. Herein, we report the discovery of 4-(1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)azepan-2-one derivatives as a new class of CB2 agonists. Systematic structure-activity relationship investigations resulted in the identification of the most potent compound 25r. This compound displayed high selectivity for CB2 against CB1 (CB2 EC50 = 21.0 nM, Emax = 87%, CB1 EC50 > 30 μM, ratio CB1/CB2 > 1428) with favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Especially, 25r demonstrated significant efficacy in the analgesic model of rodent inflammatory pain. All the results suggest that compound 25r could serve as a lead compound for treating inflammatory pain and deserves further in-depth studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshan Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jingming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Guifeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Anjie Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Pei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yangli Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jiahao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jinlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Shiyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Chong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Qian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Junxian Chen
- Key Laboratory of General Chemistry of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, School of Chemistry and Environment, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Mingli Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Shengyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
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65
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Grimm JAA, Zhou H, Properzi R, Leutzsch M, Bistoni G, Nienhaus J, List B. Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of cannabinoids and menthol from neral. Nature 2023; 615:634-639. [PMID: 36859552 PMCID: PMC10033408 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05747-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
The selective conversion of natural or synthetic neral to (1R,6S)-trans-isopiperitenol would enable and expedite sustainable routes to menthol1,2 and cannabinoids3-5. However, this reaction has been considered impossible because its product is more reactive to the required acid catalysts than its starting material, resulting in several side products6-9. We now show that an unsymmetric, strong and confined chiral acid, a highly fluorinated imino-imidodiphosphate, catalyses this process with excellent efficiency and selectivity. Expanding the method to other α,β-unsaturated aldehydes could enable access to new cannabinoids and menthol derivatives not readily accessible previously. Mechanistic studies suggest that the confined catalyst accomplishes this reaction by binding the product in an unreactive conformation, thereby preventing its decomposition. We also show how (1R,6S)-trans-isopiperitenol can be readily converted to pharmaceutically useful cannabinoids and menthol, each in the shortest and most atom-economic routes so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce A A Grimm
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Hui Zhou
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Roberta Properzi
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Markus Leutzsch
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Giovanni Bistoni
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Johanna Nienhaus
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Benjamin List
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
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66
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Lin X, Jiang S, Wu Y, Wei X, Han GW, Wu L, Liu J, Chen B, Zhang Z, Zhao S, Cherezov V, Xu F. The activation mechanism and antibody binding mode for orphan GPR20. Cell Discov 2023; 9:23. [PMID: 36849514 PMCID: PMC9971246 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00520-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
GPR20 is a class-A orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and a potential therapeutic target for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) owing to its differentially high expression. An antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) containing a GPR20-binding antibody (Ab046) was recently developed in clinical trials for GIST treatment. GPR20 constitutively activates Gi proteins in the absence of any known ligand, but it remains obscure how this high basal activity is achieved. Here we report three cryo-EM structures of human GPR20 complexes including Gi-coupled GPR20 in the absence or presence of the Fab fragment of Ab046 and Gi-free GPR20. Remarkably, the structures demonstrate a uniquely folded N-terminal helix capping onto the transmembrane domain and our mutagenesis study suggests a key role of this cap region in stimulating the basal activity of GPR20. We also uncover the molecular interactions between GPR20 and Ab046, which may enable the design of tool antibodies with enhanced affinity or new functionality for GPR20. Furthermore, we report the orthosteric pocket occupied by an unassigned density which might be essential for exploring opportunities for deorphanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Lin
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohu Wei
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gye-Won Han
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Lijie Wu
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Junlin Liu
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Chen
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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67
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Graziano G, Delre P, Carofiglio F, Brea J, Ligresti A, Kostrzewa M, Riganti C, Gioè-Gallo C, Majellaro M, Nicolotti O, Colabufo NA, Abate C, Loza MI, Sotelo E, Mangiatordi GF, Contino M, Stefanachi A, Leonetti F. N-adamantyl-anthranil amide derivatives: New selective ligands for the cannabinoid receptor subtype 2 (CB2R). Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115109. [PMID: 36657299 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R) is a G-protein-coupled receptor that, together with Cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R), endogenous cannabinoids and enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation, forms the EndoCannabinoid System (ECS). In the last decade, several studies have shown that CB2R is overexpressed in activated central nervous system (CNS) microglia cells, in disorders based on an inflammatory state, such as neurodegenerative diseases, neuropathic pain, and cancer. For this reason, the anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory potentials of CB2R ligands are emerging as a novel therapeutic approach. The design of selective ligands is however hampered by the high sequence homology of transmembrane domains of CB1R and CB2R. Based on a recent three-arm pharmacophore hypothesis and latest CB2R crystal structures, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of new N-adamantyl-anthranil amide derivatives as CB2R selective ligands. Interestingly, this new class of compounds displayed a high affinity for human CB2R along with an excellent selectivity respect to CB1R. In this respect, compounds exhibiting the best pharmacodynamic profile in terms of CB2R affinity were also evaluated for the functional behavior and molecular docking simulations provided a sound rationale by highlighting the relevance of the arm 1 substitution to prompt CB2R action. Moreover, the modulation of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines production was also investigated to exert the ability of the best compounds to modulate the inflammatory cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Graziano
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Pietro Delre
- CNR - Institute of Crystallography, Via Giovanni Amendola, 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Carofiglio
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Josè Brea
- Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Av. Barcelona, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Claudia Gioè-Gallo
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - Maria Majellaro
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - Orazio Nicolotti
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Antonio Colabufo
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Carmen Abate
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy; CNR - Institute of Crystallography, Via Giovanni Amendola, 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Isabel Loza
- Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Av. Barcelona, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Eddy Sotelo
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | | | - Marialessandra Contino
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy.
| | - Angela Stefanachi
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy.
| | - Francesco Leonetti
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of the Studies of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via E.Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
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68
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Zhang X, Wang Y, Supekar S, Cao X, Zhou J, Dang J, Chen S, Jenkins L, Marsango S, Li X, Liu G, Milligan G, Feng M, Fan H, Gong W, Zhang C. Pro-phagocytic function and structural basis of GPR84 signaling. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2535247. [PMID: 36824923 PMCID: PMC9949259 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2535247/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
GPR84 is a unique orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that can be activated by endogenous medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The signaling of GPR84 is largely pro-inflammatory, which can augment inflammatory response, and GPR84 also functions as a pro-phagocytic receptor to enhance the phagocytic activities of macrophages. In this study, we first showed that the activation of GPR84 by the synthetic agonist 6-OAU could synergize with the blockade of CD47 on cancer cells to induce phagocytosis of cancer cells by macrophages. Then, we determined a high-resolution structure of the GPR84-Gi signaling complex with 6-OAU. This structure revealed a completely occluded binding pocket for 6-OAU, the molecular basis of receptor activation involving non-conserved structural motifs of GPR84, and an unusual Gi-coupling interface. Together with computational docking and simulations studies, our structure also suggested the mechanism for the high selectivity of GPR84 for MCFAs and the potential routes of ligand binding and dissociation. Our results provide a framework for understanding GPR84 signaling and developing new drugs targeting GPR84.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Zhang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Yujing Wang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shreyas Supekar
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore
| | - Xu Cao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jingkai Zhou
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jessica Dang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Siqi Chen
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Laura Jenkins
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K
| | - Sara Marsango
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K
| | - Xiu Li
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Guibing Liu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K
| | - Mingye Feng
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Hao Fan
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore
| | - Weimin Gong
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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69
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Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Assessments of Depsidones as Possible Selective Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 Agonists. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041761. [PMID: 36838749 PMCID: PMC9965315 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of natural drug metabolites is a leading contributor to fulfilling the sustainable development goal of finding solutions to global health challenges. Depsidones are a class of polyketides that have been separated from lichens, fungi, sponges, and plants and possess various bioactivities, including cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antimalarial, antituberculosis, acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and anti-inflammatory effects. Endocannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and their activation mediates many physiological processes. CB1 is the dominant subtype in the central nervous system, while CB2 is mainly expressed in the immune system. The two receptors exhibit high heterogeneity, making developing selective ligands a great challenge. Attempts to develop CB2 selective agonists for treating inflammatory diseases and neuropathic pain have not been successful due to the high homology of the binding sites of the CB receptors. In this work, 235 depsidones from various sources were investigated for the possibility of identifying CB2-selective agonists by performing multiple docking studies, including induced fit docking and Prime/molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) calculations to predict the binding mode and free energy. Simplicildone J (10), lobaric acid (110), mollicellin Q (101), garcinisidone E (215), mollicellin P (100), paucinervin Q (149), and boremexin C (161) had the highest binding scores (-12.134 kcal/mol, -11.944 kcal/mol, -11.479 kcal/mol, -11.394 kcal/mol, -11.322 kcal/mol, -11.305 kcal/mol, and -11.254 kcal/mol, respectively) when screened against the CB2 receptor (PDB ID: 6KPF). The molecular dynamic simulation was performed on the compounds with the highest binding scores. The computational outcomes show that garcinisidone E (215) and paucinervin Q (149) could be substantial candidates for CB2 receptor activation and warrant further in vivo and in vitro investigations.
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70
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Stella N. THC and CBD: Similarities and differences between siblings. Neuron 2023; 111:302-327. [PMID: 36638804 PMCID: PMC9898277 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its sibling, cannabidiol (CBD), are produced by the same Cannabis plant and have similar chemical structures but differ dramatically in their mechanisms of action and effects on brain functions. Both THC and CBD exhibit promising therapeutic properties; however, impairments and increased incidence of mental health diseases are associated with acute and chronic THC use, respectively, and significant side effects are associated with chronic use of high-dose CBD. This review covers recent molecular and preclinical discoveries concerning the distinct mechanisms of action and bioactivities of THC and CBD and their impact on human behavior and diseases. These discoveries provide a foundation for the development of cannabinoid-based therapeutics for multiple devastating diseases and to assure their safe use in the growing legal market of Cannabis-based products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nephi Stella
- Department of Pharmacology, Department Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Cannabis Research, Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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71
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Stasiulewicz A, Lesniak A, Bujalska-Zadrożny M, Pawiński T, Sulkowska JI. Identification of Novel CB2 Ligands through Virtual Screening and In Vitro Evaluation. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1012-1027. [PMID: 36693026 PMCID: PMC9930120 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) is a very promising therapeutic target for a variety of potential indications. However, despite the existence of multiple high affinity CB2 ligands, none have yet been approved as a drug. Therefore, it would be beneficial to explore new chemotypes of CB2 ligands. The recent elucidation of CB2 tertiary structure allows for rational hit identification with structure-based (SB) methods. In this study, we established a virtual screening workflow based on SB techniques augmented with ligand-based ones, including molecular docking, MM-GBSA binding energy calculations, pharmacophore screening, and QSAR. We screened nearly 7 million drug-like, commercially available compounds. We selected 16 molecules for in vitro evaluation and identified two novel, selective CB2 antagonists with Ki values of 65 and 210 nM. Both compounds are structurally diverse from CB2 ligands known to date. The established virtual screening protocol may prove useful for hit identification for CB2 and similar molecular targets. The two novel CB2 ligands provide a desired starting point for future optimization and development of potential drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Stasiulewicz
- Department
of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,Centre
of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Lesniak
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bujalska-Zadrożny
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Pawiński
- Department
of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna I. Sulkowska
- Centre
of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,E-mail:
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72
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Wang Y, Zhuang Y, DiBerto JF, Zhou XE, Schmitz GP, Yuan Q, Jain MK, Liu W, Melcher K, Jiang Y, Roth BL, Xu HE. Structures of the entire human opioid receptor family. Cell 2023; 186:413-427.e17. [PMID: 36638794 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Opioids are effective analgesics, but their use is beset by serious side effects, including addiction and respiratory depression, which contribute to the ongoing opioid crisis. The human opioid system contains four opioid receptors (μOR, δOR, κOR, and NOPR) and a set of related endogenous opioid peptides (EOPs), which show distinct selectivity toward their respective opioid receptors (ORs). Despite being key to the development of safer analgesics, the mechanisms of molecular recognition and selectivity of EOPs to ORs remain unclear. Here, we systematically characterize the binding of EOPs to ORs and present five structures of EOP-OR-Gi complexes, including β-endorphin- and endomorphin-bound μOR, deltorphin-bound δOR, dynorphin-bound κOR, and nociceptin-bound NOPR. These structures, supported by biochemical results, uncover the specific recognition and selectivity of opioid peptides and the conserved mechanism of opioid receptor activation. These results provide a structural framework to facilitate rational design of safer opioid drugs for pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Youwen Zhuang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - X Edward Zhou
- Department of Structural Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gavin P Schmitz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Qingning Yuan
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; The Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Manish K Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Weiyi Liu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Karsten Melcher
- Department of Structural Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Yi Jiang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - H Eric Xu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research and the State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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73
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Li H, Zhang J, Yu Y, Luo F, Wu L, Liu J, Chen N, Liu Z, Hua T. Structural insight into the constitutive activity of human orphan receptor GPR12. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:95-104. [PMID: 36593162 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor 12 (GPR12) is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor that is highly expressed in the thalamus of the brain and plays a vital role in driving thalamocortical functions in short-term memory. GPR12 performs high constitutive activity and couples with Gs, increasing the intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level when it is expressed. However, exploitation for drug development is limited since it is unclear how GPR12 initiates self-activation and signal transduction, and whether it can be modulated by endogenous or synthetic ligands. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the GPR12-Gs complex in the absence of agonists. Our structure reveals the key determinants for the intrinsically high basal activity of GPR12, including extracellular loop 2 partially occupying the orthosteric binding pocket, a tight-packed TM1 and TM7, and unique activation-related residues in TM6 and TM7. Together with mutagenesis data, this study will improve our understanding of the function and self-activation of the orphan receptor GPR12, enable the identification of endogenous ligands, and guide drug discovery efforts that target GPR12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jinyi Zhang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yanan Yu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Feng Luo
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Junlin Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Na Chen
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhijie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Tian Hua
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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74
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Intranuovo F, Brunetti L, DelRe P, Mangiatordi GF, Stefanachi A, Laghezza A, Niso M, Leonetti F, Loiodice F, Ligresti A, Kostrzewa M, Brea J, Loza MI, Sotelo E, Saviano M, Colabufo NA, Riganti C, Abate C, Contino M. Development of N-(1-Adamantyl)benzamides as Novel Anti-Inflammatory Multitarget Agents Acting as Dual Modulators of the Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor and Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase. J Med Chem 2023; 66:235-250. [PMID: 36542836 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R), belonging to the endocannabinoid system, is overexpressed in pathologies characterized by inflammation, and its activation counteracts inflammatory states. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an enzyme responsible for the degradation of the main endocannabinoid anandamide; thus, the simultaneous CB2R activation and FAAH inhibition may be a synergistic anti-inflammatory strategy. Encouraged by principal component analysis (PCA) data identifying a wide chemical space shared by CB2R and FAAH ligands, we designed a small library of adamantyl-benzamides, as potential dual agents, CB2R agonists, and FAAH inhibitors. The new compounds were tested for their CB2R affinity/selectivity and CB2R and FAAH activity. Derivatives 13, 26, and 27, displaying the best pharmacodynamic profile as CB2R full agonists and FAAH inhibitors, decreased pro-inflammatory and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines production. Molecular docking simulations complemented the experimental findings by providing a molecular rationale behind the observed activities. These multitarget ligands constitute promising anti-inflammatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Intranuovo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Leonardo Brunetti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Pietro DelRe
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola, 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | | | - Angela Stefanachi
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Antonio Laghezza
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Mauro Niso
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Francesco Leonetti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Fulvio Loiodice
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy
| | - Jose Brea
- Innopharma Screening Platform, BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Loza
- Innopharma Screening Platform, BioFarma Research Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Eddy Sotelo
- ComBioMed Research Group, Centro de Química Biológica y Materiales Moleculares (CIQUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Vivaldi, 43, Caserta 81100, Italy
| | - Nicola Antonio Colabufo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Dipartimento di Oncologia, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Torino 10126, Italy
| | - Carmen Abate
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy.,Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola, 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | - Marialessandra Contino
- Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze Del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari ALDO MORO, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70125, Italy
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75
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Martinez Ramirez CE, Ruiz-Pérez G, Stollenwerk TM, Behlke C, Doherty A, Hillard CJ. Endocannabinoid signaling in the central nervous system. Glia 2023; 71:5-35. [PMID: 36308424 PMCID: PMC10167744 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24280] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
It is hard to overestimate the influence of the endocannabinoid signaling (ECS) system on central nervous system (CNS) function. In the 40 years since cannabinoids were found to trigger specific cell signaling cascades, studies of the ECS system continue to cause amazement, surprise, and confusion! CB1 cannabinoid receptors are expressed widely in the CNS and regulate cell-cell communication via effects on the release of both neurotransmitters and gliotransmitters. CB2 cannabinoid receptors are difficult to detect in the CNS but seem to "punch above their weight" as compounds targeting these receptors have significant effects on inflammatory state and behavior. Positive and negative allosteric modulators for both receptors have been identified and examined in preclinical studies. Concentrations of the endocannabinoid ligands, N-arachidonoylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), are regulated by a combination of enzymatic synthesis and degradation and inhibitors of these processes are available and making their way into clinical trials. Importantly, ECS regulates many essential brain functions, including regulation of reward, anxiety, inflammation, motor control, and cellular development. While the field is on the cusp of preclinical discoveries providing impactful clinical and therapeutic insights into many CNS disorders, there is still much to be learned about this remarkable and versatile modulatory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- César E Martinez Ramirez
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Gonzalo Ruiz-Pérez
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Todd M Stollenwerk
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christina Behlke
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ashley Doherty
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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76
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Brierley SM, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Sarnelli G, Sharkey KA, Storr M, Tack J. Targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:5-25. [PMID: 36168049 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00682-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The management of visceral pain in patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction, notably irritable bowel syndrome, presents a considerable clinical challenge, with few available treatment options. Patients are increasingly using cannabis and cannabinoids to control abdominal pain. Cannabis acts on receptors of the endocannabinoid system, an endogenous system of lipid mediators that regulates gastrointestinal function and pain processing pathways in health and disease. The endocannabinoid system represents a logical molecular therapeutic target for the treatment of pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Here, we review the physiological and pathophysiological functions of the endocannabinoid system with a focus on the peripheral and central regulation of gastrointestinal function and visceral nociception. We address the use of cannabinoids in pain management, comparing them to other treatment modalities, including opioids and neuromodulators. Finally, we discuss emerging therapeutic candidates targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of pain in irritable bowel syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Giovanni Sarnelli
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. .,Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. .,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Martin Storr
- Department of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.,Zentrum für Endoskopie, Starnberg, Germany
| | - Jan Tack
- Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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77
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Omar AM, Aljahdali AS, Safo MK, Mohamed GA, Ibrahim SRM. Docking and Molecular Dynamic Investigations of Phenylspirodrimanes as Cannabinoid Receptor-2 Agonists. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 28:molecules28010044. [PMID: 36615238 PMCID: PMC9821895 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor ligands are renowned as being therapeutically crucial for treating diverse health disorders. Phenylspirodrimanes are meroterpenoids with unique and varied structural scaffolds, which are mainly reported from the Stachybotrys genus and display an array of bioactivities. In this work, 114 phenylspirodrimanes reported from Stachybotrys chartarum were screened for their CB2 agonistic potential using docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies. Compound 56 revealed the highest docking score (-11.222 kcal/mol) compared to E3R_6KPF (native agonist, gscore value -12.12 kcal/mol). The molecular docking and molecular simulation results suggest that compound 56 binds to the putative binding site in the CB2 receptor with good affinity involving key interacting amino acid residues similar to that of the native ligands, E3R. The molecular interactions displayed π-π stacking with Phe183 and hydrogen bond interactions with Thr114, Leu182, and Ser285. These findings identified the structural features of these metabolites that might lead to the design of selective novel ligands for CB2 receptors. Additionally, phenylspirodrimanes should be further investigated for their potential as a CB2 ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelsattar M. Omar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt
- Center for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.M.O.); (S.R.M.I.); Tel.: +966-56-768-1466 (A.M.O.); +966-58-118-3034 (S.R.M.I.)
| | - Anfal S. Aljahdali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Martin K. Safo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Gamal A. Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin R. M. Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry, Preparatory Year Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
- Correspondence: (A.M.O.); (S.R.M.I.); Tel.: +966-56-768-1466 (A.M.O.); +966-58-118-3034 (S.R.M.I.)
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78
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Liu T, Gu J, Yuan Y, Yang Q, Zheng PF, Shan C, Wang F, Li H, Xie XQ, Chen XH, Ouyang Q. Discovery of a pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine derivative YX-2102 as a cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist for alleviating lung fibrosis. J Transl Med 2022; 20:565. [PMID: 36474298 PMCID: PMC9724349 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03773-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pharmacological modulation of cannabinoid 2 receptor (CB2R) is a promising therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Thus, to develop CB2R selective ligands with new chemical space has attracted much research interests. This work aims to discover a novel CB2R agonist from an in-house library, and to evaluate its therapeutic effects on PF model, as well as to disclose the pharmacological mechanism. METHODS Virtual screening was used to identify the candidate ligand for CB2R from a newly established in-house library. Both in vivo experiments on PF rat model and in vitro experiments on cells were performed to investigate the therapeutic effects of the lead compound and underlying mechanism. RESULTS A "natural product-like" pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine derivative, YX-2102 was identified that bound to CB2R with high affinity. Intraperitoneal YX-2102 injections significantly ameliorated lung injury, inflammation and fibrosis in a rat model of PF induced by bleomycin (BLM). On one hand, YX-2102 inhibited inflammatory response at least partially through modulating macrophages polarization thereby exerting protective effects. Whereas, on the other hand, YX-2102 significantly upregulated CB2R expression in alveolar epithelial cells in vivo. Its pretreatment inhibited lung alveolar epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and PF model induced by transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) via a CB2 receptor-dependent pathway. Further studies suggested that the Nrf2-Smad7 pathway might be involved in. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that CB2R is a potential target for PF treatment and YX-2102 is a promising CB2R agonist with new chemical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jing Gu
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Qunfang Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Peng-Fei Zheng
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Changyu Shan
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Fangqin Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Hongwei Li
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Xiao-Hong Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Qin Ouyang
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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79
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Casajuana-Martin N, Navarro G, Gonzalez A, Llinas del Torrent C, Gómez-Autet M, Quintana García A, Franco R, Pardo L. A Single Point Mutation Blocks the Entrance of Ligands to the Cannabinoid CB 2 Receptor via the Lipid Bilayer. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:5771-5779. [PMID: 36302505 PMCID: PMC9709915 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations have become a common tool to study the pathway of ligand entry to the orthosteric binding site of G protein-coupled receptors. Here, we have combined MD simulations and site-directed mutagenesis to study the binding process of the potent JWH-133 agonist to the cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R). In CB2R, the N-terminus and extracellular loop 2 fold over the ligand binding pocket, blocking access to the binding cavity from the extracellular environment. We, thus, hypothesized that the binding pathway is a multistage process consisting of the hydrophobic ligand diffusing in the lipid bilayer to contact a lipid-facing vestibule, from which the ligand enters an allosteric site inside the transmembrane bundle through a tunnel formed between TMs 1 and 7 and finally moving from the allosteric to the orthosteric binding cavity. This pathway was experimentally validated by the Ala2827.36Phe mutation that blocks the entrance of the ligand, as JWH-133 was not able to decrease the forskolin-induced cAMP levels in cells expressing the mutant receptor. This proposed ligand entry pathway defines transient binding sites that are potential cavities for the design of synthetic modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Casajuana-Martin
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Navarro
- Department
of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain,Centro
de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Gonzalez
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Claudia Llinas del Torrent
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Gómez-Autet
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix Quintana García
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Franco
- Centro
de Investigación en Red, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain,Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonardo Pardo
- Laboratory
of Computational Medicine, Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain,E-mail:
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80
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Gianquinto E, Sodano F, Rolando B, Kostrzewa M, Allarà M, Mahmoud AM, Kumar P, Spyrakis F, Ligresti A, Chegaev K. N-[1,3-Dialkyl(aryl)-2-oxoimidazolidin-4-ylidene]-aryl(alkyl)sulphonamides as Novel Selective Human Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor (hCB2R) Ligands; Insights into the Mechanism of Receptor Activation/Deactivation. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238152. [PMID: 36500256 PMCID: PMC9738591 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type 1 (hCB1) and type 2 (hCB2) receptors are pleiotropic and crucial targets whose signaling contributes to physiological homeostasis and its restoration after injury. Being predominantly expressed in peripheral tissues, hCB2R represents a safer therapeutic target than hCB1R, which is highly expressed in the brain, where it regulates processes related to cognition, memory, and motor control. The development of hCB2R ligands represents a therapeutic opportunity for treating diseases such as pain, inflammation and cancer. Identifying new selective scaffolds for cannabinoids and determining the structural determinants responsible for agonism and antagonism are priorities in drug design. In this work, a series of N-[1,3-dialkyl(aryl)-2-oxoimidazolidin-4-ylidene]-aryl(alkyl)sulfonamides is designed and synthesized and their affinity for human hCB1R and hCB2R is determined. Starting with a scaffold selected from the NIH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program Repository, through a combination of molecular modeling and structure-activity relationship studies, we were able to identify the chemical features leading to finely tuned hCB2R selectivity. In addition, an in silico model capable of predicting the functional activity of hCB2R ligands was proposed and validated. The proposed receptor activation/deactivation model enabled the identification of four pure hCB2R-selective agonists that can be used as a starting point for the development of more potent ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Gianquinto
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Sodano
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, “Federico II” University of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Rolando
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Marco Allarà
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Ali Mokhtar Mahmoud
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Poulami Kumar
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Francesca Spyrakis
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (K.C.); Tel.: +39-0818675093 (A.L.); +39-0116707140 (K.C.)
| | - Konstantin Chegaev
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.L.); (K.C.); Tel.: +39-0818675093 (A.L.); +39-0116707140 (K.C.)
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81
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Qian Y, Wang J, Yang L, Liu Y, Wang L, Liu W, Lin Y, Yang H, Ma L, Ye S, Wu S, Qiao A. Activation and signaling mechanism revealed by GPR119-G s complex structures. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7033. [PMID: 36396650 PMCID: PMC9671963 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34696-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Agonists selectively targeting cannabinoid receptor-like G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR119 hold promise for treating metabolic disorders while avoiding unwanted side effects. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the human GPR119-Gs signaling complexes bound to AR231453 and MBX-2982, two representative agonists reported for GPR119. The structures reveal a one-amino acid shift of the conserved proline residue of TM5 that forms an outward bulge, opening up a hydrophobic cavity between TM4 and TM5 at the middle of the membrane for its endogenous ligands-monounsaturated lipid metabolites. In addition, we observed a salt bridge between ICL1 of GPR119 and Gβs. Disruption of the salt bridge eliminates the cAMP production of GPR119, indicating an important role of Gβs in GPR119-mediated signaling. Our structures, together with mutagenesis studies, illustrate the conserved binding mode of the chemically different agonists, and provide insights into the conformational changes in receptor activation and G protein coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Qian
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Jiening Wang
- grid.34418.3a0000 0001 0727 9022State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei China
| | - Linlin Yang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanru Liu
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Lina Wang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Yun Lin
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Hong Yang
- grid.34418.3a0000 0001 0727 9022State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei China
| | - Lixin Ma
- grid.34418.3a0000 0001 0727 9022State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei China
| | - Sheng Ye
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLife Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang China
| | - Shan Wu
- grid.34418.3a0000 0001 0727 9022State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei China
| | - Anna Qiao
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China
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82
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Hsiao WC, Hsin KY, Wu ZW, Song JS, Yeh YN, Chen YF, Tsai CH, Chen PH, Shia KS, Chang CP, Hung MS. Modulating the affinity and signaling bias of cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonists. Bioorg Chem 2022; 130:106236. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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83
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Díaz O, Renault P, Giraldo J. Evaluating Allosteric Perturbations in Cannabinoid Receptor 1 by In Silico Single-Point Mutation. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:37873-37884. [PMID: 36312415 PMCID: PMC9608382 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is a promising drug target involved in many physiological processes. Using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we examined the structural effect of F237L mutation on CB1, a mutation that has qualitatively similar effects to allosteric ligand ORG27569 binding. This mutation showed a global effect on CB1 conformations. Among the observed effects, TM6 outward movement and the conformational change of the NPxxY motif upon receptor activation by CB1 agonist CP55940 were hindered compared to wt CB1. Within the orthosteric binding site, CP55940 interactions with CB1 were altered. Our results revealed that allosteric perturbations introduced by the mutation had a global impact on receptor conformations, suggesting that the mutation site is a key region for allosteric modulation in CB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Díaz
- Laboratory
of Molecular Neuropharmacology and Bioinformatics, Unitat de Bioestadística
and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
- Instituto
de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación
Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid 28029, Spain
- Unitat
de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari,
Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí
(I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Pedro Renault
- Laboratory
of Molecular Neuropharmacology and Bioinformatics, Unitat de Bioestadística
and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
- Instituto
de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación
Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid 28029, Spain
- Unitat
de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari,
Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí
(I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Jesús Giraldo
- Laboratory
of Molecular Neuropharmacology and Bioinformatics, Unitat de Bioestadística
and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
- Instituto
de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación
Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid 28029, Spain
- Unitat
de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari,
Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí
(I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
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84
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Raïch I, Rebassa JB, Lillo J, Cordomi A, Rivas-Santisteban R, Lillo A, Reyes-Resina I, Franco R, Navarro G. Antagonization of OX 1 Receptor Potentiates CB 2 Receptor Function in Microglia from APP Sw/Ind Mice Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12801. [PMID: 36361598 PMCID: PMC9656664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microdialysis assays demonstrated a possible role of orexin in the regulation of amyloid beta peptide (Aß) levels in the hippocampal interstitial fluid in the APP transgenic model. CB2R is overexpressed in activated microglia, showing a neuroprotective effect. These two receptors may interact, forming CB2-OX1-Hets and becoming a new target to combat Alzheimer's disease. Aims: Demonstrate the potential role of CB2-OX1-Hets expression and function in microglia from animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Receptor heteromer expression was detected by immunocytochemistry, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and proximity ligation assay (PLA) in transfected HEK-293T cells and microglia primary cultures. Quantitation of signal transduction events in a heterologous system and in microglia cells was performed using the AlphaScreen® SureFire® kit, western blot, the GCaMP6 calcium sensor and the Lance Ultra cAMP kit (PerkinElmer). The formation of CB2-OX1 receptor complexes in transfected HEK-293T cells has been demonstrated. The tetrameric complex is constituted by one CB2R homodimer, one OX1R homodimer and two G proteins, a Gi and a Gq. The use of TAT interfering peptides showed that the CB2-OX1 receptor complex interface is TM4-TM5. At the functional level it has been observed that the OX1R antagonist, SB334867, potentiates the action induced by CB2R agonist JWH133. This effect is observed in transfected HEK-293T cells and microglia, and it is stronger in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) animal model APPSw/Ind where the expression of the complex assessed by the proximity ligation assay indicates an increase in the number of complexes compared to resting microglia. The CB2-OX1 receptor complex is overexpressed in microglia from AD animal models where OX1R antagonists potentiate the neuroprotective actions of CB2R activation. Taken together, these results point to OX1R antagonists as drugs with therapeutic potential to combat AD. Data access statement: Raw data will be provided by the corresponding author upon reasonable requirement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iu Raïch
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Biel Rebassa
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Lillo
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Rafael Rivas-Santisteban
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Lillo
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Reyes-Resina
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Franco
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- School of Chemistry, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Navarro
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Neurosciences Institut, University of Barcelona (NeuroUB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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85
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Stasiulewicz A, Lesniak A, Setny P, Bujalska-Zadrożny M, Sulkowska JI. Identification of CB1 Ligands among Drugs, Phytochemicals and Natural-Like Compounds: Virtual Screening and In Vitro Verification. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2991-3007. [PMID: 36197801 PMCID: PMC9585589 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) is an important modulator of many key physiological functions and thus a compelling molecular target. However, safe CB1 targeting is a non-trivial task. In recent years, there has been a surge of data indicating that drugs successfully used in the clinic for years (e.g. paracetamol) show CB1 activity. Moreover, there is a lot of promise in finding CB1 ligands in plants other than Cannabis sativa. In this study, we searched for possible CB1 activity among already existing drugs, their metabolites, phytochemicals, and natural-like molecules. We conducted two iterations of virtual screening, verifying the results with in vitro binding and functional assays. The in silico procedure consisted of a wide range of structure- and ligand-based methods, including docking, molecular dynamics, and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR). As a result, we identified travoprost and ginkgetin as CB1 ligands, which provides a starting point for future research on the impact of their metabolites or preparations on the endocannabinoid system. Moreover, we found five natural-like compounds with submicromolar or low micromolar affinity to CB1, including one mixed partial agonist/antagonist viable for hit-to-lead phase. Finally, the computational procedure established in this work will be of use for future screening campaigns for novel CB1 ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Stasiulewicz
- Department
of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,Centre of
New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Lesniak
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Setny
- Centre of
New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bujalska-Zadrożny
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna I. Sulkowska
- Centre of
New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,
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86
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Xu W, Wu L, Liu S, Liu X, Cao X, Zhou C, Zhang J, Fu Y, Guo Y, Wu Y, Tan Q, Wang L, Liu J, Jiang L, Fan Z, Pei Y, Yu J, Cheng J, Zhao S, Hao X, Liu ZJ, Hua T. Structural basis for strychnine activation of human bitter taste receptor TAS2R46. Science 2022; 377:1298-1304. [DOI: 10.1126/science.abo1633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Taste sensing is a sophisticated chemosensory process, and bitter taste perception is mediated by type 2 taste receptors (TAS2Rs), or class T G protein–coupled receptors. Understanding the detailed molecular mechanisms behind taste sensation is hindered by a lack of experimental receptor structures. Here, we report the cryo–electron microscopy structures of human TAS2R46 complexed with chimeric mini–G protein gustducin, in both strychnine-bound and apo forms. Several features of TAS2R46 are disclosed, including distinct receptor structures that compare with known GPCRs, a new “toggle switch,” activation-related motifs, and precoupling with mini–G protein gustducin. Furthermore, the dynamic extracellular and more-static intracellular parts of TAS2R46 suggest possible diverse ligand-recognition and activation processes. This study provides a basis for further exploration of other bitter taste receptors and their therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiu Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Shenhui Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiaoling Cao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Cui Zhou
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jinyi Zhang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - You Fu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yu Guo
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qiwen Tan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ling Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Junlin Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Longquan Jiang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhongbo Fan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yuan Pei
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jingyi Yu
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiaojiang Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resource in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650210, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Tian Hua
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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87
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Akasaka H, Tanaka T, Sano FK, Matsuzaki Y, Shihoya W, Nureki O. Structure of the active Gi-coupled human lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 complexed with a potent agonist. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5417. [PMID: 36109516 PMCID: PMC9477835 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33121-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA1) is one of the six G protein-coupled receptors activated by the bioactive lipid, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA1 is a drug target for various diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and neuropathic pain. Notably, LPA1 agonists have potential therapeutic value for obesity and urinary incontinence. Here, we report a cryo-electron microscopy structure of the active human LPA1-Gi complex bound to ONO-0740556, an LPA analog with more potent activity against LPA1. Our structure elucidated the details of the agonist binding mode and receptor activation mechanism mediated by rearrangements of transmembrane segment 7 and the central hydrophobic core. A structural comparison of LPA1 and other phylogenetically-related lipid-sensing GPCRs identified the structural determinants for lipid preference of LPA1. Moreover, we characterized the structural polymorphisms at the receptor-G-protein interface, which potentially reflect the G-protein dissociation process. Our study provides insights into the detailed mechanism of LPA1 binding to agonists and paves the way toward the design of drug-like agonists targeting LPA1. LPA1 is one of the GPCRs that are drug targets for various diseases. Here the authors report a cryo-EM structure of the active human LPA1-Gi complex bound to an LPA analog with more potent activity against LPA1 and clarified the ligand recognition mechanism.
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88
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Suno R, Sugita Y, Morimoto K, Takazaki H, Tsujimoto H, Hirose M, Suno-Ikeda C, Nomura N, Hino T, Inoue A, Iwasaki K, Kato T, Iwata S, Kobayashi T. Structural insights into the G protein selectivity revealed by the human EP3-G i signaling complex. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111323. [PMID: 36103815 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandin receptors have been implicated in a wide range of functions, including inflammation, immune response, reproduction, and cancer. Our group has previously determined the crystal structure of the active-like EP3 bound to its endogenous agonist, prostaglandin E2. Here, we present the single-particle cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the human EP3-Gi signaling complex at a resolution of 3.4 Å. The structure reveals the binding mode of Gi to EP3 and the structural changes induced in EP3 by Gi binding. In addition, we compare the structure of the EP3-Gi complex with other subtypes of prostaglandin receptors (EP2 and EP4) bound to Gs that have been previously reported and examine the differences in amino acid composition at the receptor-G protein interface. Mutational analysis reveals that the selectivity of the G protein depends on specific amino acid residues in the second intracellular loop and TM5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoji Suno
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan.
| | - Yukihiko Sugita
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan; Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazushi Morimoto
- Physical Chemistry for Life Science Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Hiroko Takazaki
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tsujimoto
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Mika Hirose
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Chiyo Suno-Ikeda
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan
| | - Norimichi Nomura
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tomoya Hino
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan; Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kenji Iwasaki
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kato
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan; Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.
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89
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Ye L, Wang X, McFarland A, Madsen JJ. 19F NMR: A promising tool for dynamic conformational studies of G protein-coupled receptors. Structure 2022; 30:1372-1384. [PMID: 36130592 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Advances in X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy enabled unprecedented insights into the activation processes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). However, these static receptor structures provide limited information about dynamics and conformational transitions that play pivotal roles in mediating signaling diversity through the multifaceted interactions between ligands, receptors, and transducers. Developing NMR approaches to probe the dynamics of conformational transitions will push the frontier of receptor science toward a more comprehensive understanding of these signaling processes. Although much progress has been made during the last decades, it remains challenging to delineate receptor conformational states and interrogate the functions of the individual states at a quantitative level. Here we cover the progress of 19F NMR applications in GPCR conformational and dynamic studies during the past 20 years. Current challenges and limitations of 19F NMR for studying GPCR dynamics are also discussed, along with experimental strategies that will drive this field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libin Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Xudong Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Aidan McFarland
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Jesper J Madsen
- Global and Planetary Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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90
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Welling MT, Deseo MA, Bacic A, Doblin MS. Biosynthetic origins of unusual cannabimimetic phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa L: A review. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2022; 201:113282. [PMID: 35718133 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants of Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) produce an array of more than 160 isoprenylated resorcinyl polyketides, commonly referred to as phytocannabinoids. These compounds represent molecules of therapeutic importance due to their modulation of the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). While understanding of the biosynthesis of the major phytocannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) has grown rapidly in recent years, the biosynthetic origin and genetic regulation of many potentially therapeutically relevant minor phytocannabinoids remain unknown, which limits the development of chemotypically elite varieties of C. sativa. This review provides an up-to-date inventory of unusual phytocannabinoids which exhibit cannabimimetic-like activities and proposes putative metabolic origins. Metabolic branch points exploitable for combinatorial biosynthesis and engineering of phytocannabinoids with augmented therapeutic activities are also described, as is the role of phytocannabinoid remodelling to accelerate the therapeutic portfolio expansion in C. sativa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Welling
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Myrna A Deseo
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Antony Bacic
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Monika S Doblin
- La Trobe Institute for Agriculture & Food, AgriBio Building, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Australian Research Council Research Hub for Medicinal Agriculture, AgriBio Building, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
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91
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Zhang LY, Kim AY, Cheer JF. Regulation of glutamate homeostasis in the nucleus accumbens by astrocytic CB1 receptors and its role in cocaine-motivated behaviors. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 3:100022. [PMID: 36419922 PMCID: PMC9681119 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs) orchestrate brain reward circuitry and are prevalent neurobiological targets for endocannabinoids and cannabis in the mammalian brain. Decades of histological and electrophysiological studies have established CB1R as presynaptic G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that inhibit neurotransmitter release through retrograde signaling mechanisms. Recent seminal work demonstrates CB1R expression on astrocytes and the pivotal function of glial cells in endocannabinoid-mediated modulation of neuron-astrocyte signaling. Here, we review key facets of CB1R-mediated astroglia regulation of synaptic glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens with a specific emphasis on cocaine-directed behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Yuan Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Andrew Y. Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Joseph F. Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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92
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Ferranti AS, Foster DJ. Cannabinoid type-2 receptors: An emerging target for regulating schizophrenia-relevant brain circuits. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:925792. [PMID: 36033626 PMCID: PMC9403189 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.925792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the cannabinoid type-2 receptor (CB2) is highly expressed in the immune system, emerging evidence points to CB2 playing a key role in regulating neuronal function in the central nervous system. Recent anatomical studies, combined with electrophysiological studies, indicate that CB2 receptors are expressed in specific dopaminergic and glutamatergic brain circuits that are hyperactive in schizophrenia patients. The ability of CB2 receptors to inhibit dopaminergic and hippocampal circuits, combined with the anti-inflammatory effects of CB2 receptor activation, make this receptor an intriguing target for treating schizophrenia, a disease where novel interventions that move beyond dopamine receptor antagonists are desperately needed. The development of new CB2-related pharmacological and genetic tools, including the first small molecule positive allosteric modulator of CB2 receptors, has greatly advanced our understanding of this receptor. While more work is needed to further elucidate the translational value of selectively targeting CB2 receptors with respect to schizophrenia, the studies discussed below could suggest that CB2 receptors are anatomically located in schizophrenia-relevant circuits, where the physiological consequence of CB2 receptor activation could correct circuit-based deficits commonly associated with positive and cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S. Ferranti
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Daniel J. Foster
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
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93
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Dafun AS, Marcoux J. Structural mass spectrometry of membrane proteins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2022; 1870:140813. [PMID: 35750312 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2022.140813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of proteins and protein complexes by mass spectrometry (MS) has come a long way since the invention of electrospray ionization (ESI) in the mid 80s. Originally used to characterize small soluble polypeptide chains, MS has progressively evolved over the past 3 decades towards the analysis of samples of ever increasing heterogeneity and complexity, while the instruments have become more and more sensitive and resolutive. The proofs of concepts and first examples of most structural MS methods appeared in the early 90s. However, their application to membrane proteins, key targets in the biopharma industry, is more recent. Nowadays, a wealth of information can be gathered from such MS-based methods, on all aspects of membrane protein structure: sequencing (and more precisely proteoform characterization), but also stoichiometry, non-covalent ligand binding (metals, drug, lipids, carbohydrates), conformations, dynamics and distance restraints for modelling. In this review, we present the concept and some historical and more recent applications on membrane proteins, for the major structural MS methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique Sanchez Dafun
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Julien Marcoux
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
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94
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Benzothiazole Derivatives Endowed with Antiproliferative Activity in Paraganglioma and Pancreatic Cancer Cells: Structure–Activity Relationship Studies and Target Prediction Analysis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15080937. [PMID: 36015085 PMCID: PMC9412555 DOI: 10.3390/ph15080937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The antiproliferative effects played by benzothiazoles in different cancers have aroused the interest for these molecules as promising antitumor agents. In this work, a library of phenylacetamide derivatives containing the benzothiazole nucleus was synthesized and compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activity in paraganglioma and pancreatic cancer cell lines. The novel synthesized compounds induced a marked viability reduction at low micromolar concentrations both in paraganglioma and pancreatic cancer cells. Derivative 4l showed a greater antiproliferative effect and higher selectivity index against cancer cells, as compared to other compounds. Notably, combinations of derivative 4l with gemcitabine at low concentrations induced enhanced and synergistic effects on pancreatic cancer cell viability, thus supporting the relevance of compound 4l in the perspective of clinical translation. A target prediction analysis was also carried out on 4l by using multiple computational tools, identifying cannabinoid receptors and sentrin-specific proteases as putative targets contributing to the observed antiproliferative activity.
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95
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Whiting ZM, Yin J, de la Harpe SM, Vernall AJ, Grimsey NL. Developing the Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2) pharmacopoeia: past, present, and future. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:754-771. [PMID: 35906103 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) with considerable, though as yet unrealised, therapeutic potential. Promising preclinical data supports the applicability of CB2 activation in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, pain, neurodegeneration, and osteoporosis. A diverse pharmacopoeia of cannabinoid ligands is available, which has led to considerable advancements in the understanding of CB2 function and extensive preclinical evaluation. However, until recently, most CB2 ligands were highly lipophilic and as such not optimal for clinical application due to unfavourable physicochemical properties. A number of strategies have been applied to develop CB2 ligands to achieve closer to 'drug-like' properties and a few such compounds have now undergone clinical trial. We review the current state of CB2 ligand development and progress in optimising physicochemical properties, understanding advanced molecular pharmacology such as functional selectivity, and clinical evaluation of CB2-targeting compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zak M Whiting
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jiazhen Yin
- Department of Chemistry, Division of Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sara M de la Harpe
- Department of Chemistry, Division of Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Andrea J Vernall
- Department of Chemistry, Division of Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Natasha L Grimsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand.
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96
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Gado F, Ferrisi R, Polini B, Mohamed KA, Ricardi C, Lucarini E, Carpi S, Domenichini F, Stevenson LA, Rapposelli S, Saccomanni G, Nieri P, Ortore G, Pertwee RG, Ghelardini C, Di Cesare Mannelli L, Chiellini G, Laprairie RB, Manera C. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activity of New CB2 Receptor Ligands: from Orthosteric and Allosteric Modulators to Dualsteric/Bitopic Ligands. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9918-9938. [PMID: 35849804 PMCID: PMC10168668 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The design of dualsteric/bitopic agents as single chemical entities able to simultaneously interact with both the orthosteric and an allosteric binding site represents a novel approach in medicinal chemistry. Biased dualsteric/bitopic agents could enhance certain signaling pathways while diminishing the others that cause unwanted side effects. We have designed, synthesized, and functionally characterized the first CB2R heterobivalent bitopic ligands. In contrast to the parent orthosteric compound, our bitopic ligands selectively target CB2R versus CB1R and show a functional selectivity for the cAMP signaling pathway versus βarrestin2 recruitment. Moreover, the most promising bitopic ligand FD-22a displayed anti-inflammatory activity in a human microglial cell inflammatory model and antinociceptive activity in vivo in an experimental mouse model of neuropathic pain. Finally, computational studies clarified the binding mode of these compounds inside the CB2R, further confirming their bitopic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gado
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Rebecca Ferrisi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Beatrice Polini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy.,Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Kawthar A Mohamed
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | | | - Elena Lucarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence 50139, Italy
| | - Sara Carpi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy.,NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | | | - Lesley A Stevenson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Simona Rapposelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy.,CISUP, Centre for Instrumentation Sharing Pisa University, Lungarno Pacinotti 43, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | | | - Paola Nieri
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | | | - Roger G Pertwee
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K
| | - Carla Ghelardini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence 50139, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence 50139, Italy
| | - Grazia Chiellini
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy.,CISUP, Centre for Instrumentation Sharing Pisa University, Lungarno Pacinotti 43, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Clementina Manera
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy.,CISUP, Centre for Instrumentation Sharing Pisa University, Lungarno Pacinotti 43, Pisa 56126, Italy
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97
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Uba AI, Aluwala H, Liu H, Wu C. Elucidation of partial activation of cannabinoid receptor type 2 and identification of potential partial agonists: Molecular dynamics simulation and structure-based virtual screening. Comput Biol Chem 2022; 99:107723. [PMID: 35850049 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) is a member of the class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCRs) family and a component of the endocannabinoid system that is modulated by the psychoactive chemical from Cannabis sativa, partial agonist Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Selective activation of CB2R allows for the treatment of inflammatory and immune-related conditions without the psychotropic effects of CB1R. While CB2R-selective agonists are available, CB2R partial agonists are scarce. Hence, the pharmacological difference between CB2R full agonists and partial agonists remains to be deciphered, prompting the search for novel partial agonists. Here, using an induced-fit docking approach, we built a partial agonist Δ9-THC bound CB2R system from the inactive CB2R structure (PDB ID: 5ZTY) and performed microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The simulations reveal an upward shift of the "toggle switch" W6.48(258) and minor outward movement of the transmembrane helix 6 (TM6). Dynamic network model identifies a possible communication path between the ligand and the toggle switch" W6.48(258). Furthermore, to identify potential CB2R partial agonists, we conducted structure-based virtual screening of ZINC15 "Druglike" library containing 17,900742 compounds against 3 conformations derived from MD simulation of CB2R complexed with partial agonist Δ9-THC using Glide virtual screening protocol comprising various filters with increasing accuracy. Nine diverse compounds predicted to have high MM-GBSA binding energy scores and good ADMET properties (including high gastrointestinal absorption and low toxicity) are proposed as potential CB2R partial agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullahi Ibrahim Uba
- Complex Systems Division, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Harika Aluwala
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Haiguang Liu
- Complex Systems Division, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Chun Wu
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA.
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98
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Yue Y, Liu L, Wu LJ, Wu Y, Wang L, Li F, Liu J, Han GW, Chen B, Lin X, Brouillette RL, Breault É, Longpré JM, Shi S, Lei H, Sarret P, Stevens RC, Hanson MA, Xu F. Structural insight into apelin receptor-G protein stoichiometry. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2022; 29:688-697. [PMID: 35817871 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-022-00797-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The technique of cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized the field of membrane protein structure and function with a focus on the dominantly observed molecular species. This report describes the structural characterization of a fully active human apelin receptor (APJR) complexed with heterotrimeric G protein observed in both 2:1 and 1:1 stoichiometric ratios. We use cryo-EM single-particle analysis to determine the structural details of both species from the same sample preparation. Protein preparations, in the presence of the endogenous peptide ligand ELA or a synthetic small molecule, both demonstrate these mixed stoichiometric states. Structural differences in G protein engagement between dimeric and monomeric APJR suggest a role for the stoichiometry of G protein-coupled receptor- (GPCR-)G protein coupling on downstream signaling and receptor pharmacology. Furthermore, a small, hydrophobic dimer interface provides a starting framework for additional class A GPCR dimerization studies. Together, these findings uncover a mechanism of versatile regulation through oligomerization by which GPCRs can modulate their signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yue
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lier Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Jie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junlin Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gye-Won Han
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bo Chen
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Lin
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rebecca L Brouillette
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology at Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Émile Breault
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology at Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Michel Longpré
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology at Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Songting Shi
- Structure Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hui Lei
- Structure Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philippe Sarret
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology at Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Raymond C Stevens
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,Structure Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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99
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Bondar AN. Graphs of Hydrogen-Bond Networks to Dissect Protein Conformational Dynamics. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3973-3984. [PMID: 35639610 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic hydrogen bonds and hydrogen-bond networks are ubiquitous in proteins and protein complexes. Functional roles that have been assigned to hydrogen-bond networks include structural plasticity for protein function, allosteric conformational coupling, long-distance proton transfers, and transient storage of protons. Advances in structural biology provide invaluable insights into architectures of large proteins and protein complexes of direct interest to human physiology and disease, including G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) and the SARS-Covid-19 spike protein S, and give rise to the challenge of how to identify those interactions that are more likely to govern protein dynamics. This Perspective discusses applications of graph-based algorithms to dissect dynamical hydrogen-bond networks of protein complexes, with illustrations for GPCRs and spike protein S. H-bond graphs provide an overview of sites in GPCR structures where hydrogen-bond dynamics would be required to assemble longer-distance networks between functionally important motifs. In the case of spike protein S, graphs identify regions of the protein where hydrogen bonds rearrange during the reaction cycle and where local hydrogen-bond networks likely change in a virus variant of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, Str. Atomiştilor 405, 077125 Bucharest-Măgurele, Romania.,Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine and Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5/INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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100
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Huang S, Xu P, Shen DD, Simon IA, Mao C, Tan Y, Zhang H, Harpsøe K, Li H, Zhang Y, You C, Yu X, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Gloriam DE, Xu HE. GPCRs steer G i and G s selectivity via TM5-TM6 switches as revealed by structures of serotonin receptors. Mol Cell 2022; 82:2681-2695.e6. [PMID: 35714614 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin (or 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is an important neurotransmitter that activates 12 different G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) through selective coupling of Gs, Gi, or Gq proteins. The structural basis for G protein subtype selectivity by these GPCRs remains elusive. Here, we report the structures of the serotonin receptors 5-HT4, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 with Gs, and 5-HT4 with Gi1. The structures reveal that transmembrane helices TM5 and TM6 alternate lengths as a macro-switch to determine receptor's selectivity for Gs and Gi, respectively. We find that the macro-switch by the TM5-TM6 length is shared by class A GPCR-G protein structures. Furthermore, we discover specific residues within TM5 and TM6 that function as micro-switches to form specific interactions with Gs or Gi. Together, these results present a common mechanism of Gs versus Gi protein coupling selectivity or promiscuity by class A GPCRs and extend the basis of ligand recognition at serotonin receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Huang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Peiyu Xu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Icaro A Simon
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; SARomics Biostructures AB, Scheelevägen 2, 223 63 Lund, Sweden; Present address: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Faculty of Science, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Chunyou Mao
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yangxia Tan
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Huibing Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Kasper Harpsøe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Huadong Li
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yumu Zhang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Chongzhao You
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuekui Yu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China; MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammatory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - H Eric Xu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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