1
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Bergh C, Heusser SA, Howard R, Lindahl E. Markov state models of proton- and pore-dependent activation in a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel. eLife 2021; 10:68369. [PMID: 34652272 PMCID: PMC8635979 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligand-gated ion channels conduct currents in response to chemical stimuli, mediating electrochemical signaling in neurons and other excitable cells. For many channels, the details of gating remain unclear, partly due to limited structural data and simulation timescales. Here, we used enhanced sampling to simulate the pH-gated channel GLIC, and construct Markov state models (MSMs) of gating. Consistent with new functional recordings, we report in oocytes, our analysis revealed differential effects of protonation and mutation on free-energy wells. Clustering of closed- versus open-like states enabled estimation of open probabilities and transition rates, while higher-order clustering affirmed conformational trends in gating. Furthermore, our models uncovered state- and protonation-dependent symmetrization. This demonstrates the applicability of MSMs to map energetic and conformational transitions between ion-channel functional states, and how they reproduce shifts upon activation or mutation, with implications for modeling neuronal function and developing state-selective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathrine Bergh
- Science for Life Laboratory and Swedish e-Science Research Center, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Stephanie A Heusser
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Howard
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Science for Life Laboratory and Swedish e-Science Research Center, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
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2
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Bu X, Li T, Wang H, Xia Z, Guo D, Wang J, Sun Y, Yang C, Liu G, Ma J, Yang Z, Wang G. Combination of Isoflurane and Propofol as General Anesthesia During Orthopedic Surgery of Perioperative Cerebral Hypoperfusion Rats to Avoid Cognitive Impairment. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:549081. [PMID: 33195298 PMCID: PMC7646644 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.549081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion (CH) is common, although the underlying mechanism of cognitive impairment that results due to perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion remains to be determined. Isoflurane anesthesia induces neuronal injury via endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, whereas a sub-anesthetic dose of propofol improves postoperative cognitive function. However, the effects of the combination of isoflurane plus propofol, which is a common aesthetic combination administered to patients, on ER stress and cognition remain unknown. Methods: We sought to determine the effects of isoflurane plus propofol on ER stress and cognitive function in rats insulted by cerebral hypoperfusion. Ligation of the bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA) was adopted to develop the cerebral hypoperfusion rat model. A second surgery, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), requiring general anesthesia, was performed 30 days later so that the effects of anesthetics on the cognitive function of CH rats could be assessed. Rats received isoflurane alone (1.9%), propofol alone (40 mg·kg-1·h-1) or a combination of isoflurane and propofol (1% and 20 mg·kg-1·h-1 or 1.4% and 10 mg·kg-1·h-1). Behavioral studies (contextual fear conditioning [FC] test), histological analyses (Nissl staining) and biochemical analyses (western blotting of the harvested rat brain tissues) were employed. Results: Hippocampus-dependent memory of rats in group IP1 (1% isoflurane plus 20 mg·kg-1·h-1 propofol) was not impaired, and expression level of γ-aminobutyric acid A type receptor α1 subunit, a key cognition-related protein, remained normal. ER stress alleviator, binding immunoglobulin protein, increased extremely while ER stress transcription factor, C/EBP homologous protein, showed no statistical difference compared with the control group. Numbers of surviving neurons confirmed the substantial neuronal damage caused by propofol or isoflurane alone. Conclusions: These data suggest that ER stress contributes to the underlying mechanism of cognitive impairment and that the combination of isoflurane and propofol did not aggravate cognitive impairment and ER stress in aging rats with CH that were further subjected to ORIF surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Bu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China
| | - Tang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China
| | - Haiyun Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China.,The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhengyuan Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Di Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China
| | - Yi Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China.,The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenyi Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China.,The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Guoqiang Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China.,The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Ji Ma
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Tianjin Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin, China.,The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials for Ministry of Education, College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guolin Wang
- Tianjin Research Institute of Anesthesiology, Tianjin, China
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3
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Faulkner C, Plant DF, de Leeuw NH. Modulation of the Gloeobacter violaceus Ion Channel by Fentanyl: A Molecular Dynamics Study. Biochemistry 2019; 58:4804-4808. [PMID: 31718178 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic, which is routinely used in general surgery to suppress the sensation of pain and as the analgesic component in the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Fentanyl is also used as the main component to induce anesthesia and as a potentiator to the general anesthetic propofol. The mechanism by which fentanyl induces its anesthetic action is still unclear, and we have therefore employed fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to probe this process by simulating the interactions of fentanyl with the Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC). In this paper, we identify multiple extracellular fentanyl binding sites, which are different from the transmembrane general anesthetic binding sites observed for propofol and other general anesthetics. Our simulations identify a novel fentanyl binding site within the GLIC that results in conformational changes that inhibit conduction through the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Faulkner
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff CF10 3AT , United Kingdom
| | - David F Plant
- Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) , Aldermaston, Reading RG7 4PR , United Kingdom
| | - Nora H de Leeuw
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff CF10 3AT , United Kingdom
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4
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Chen ZW, Bracamontes JR, Budelier MM, Germann AL, Shin DJ, Kathiresan K, Qian MX, Manion B, Cheng WWL, Reichert DE, Akk G, Covey DF, Evers AS. Multiple functional neurosteroid binding sites on GABAA receptors. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000157. [PMID: 30845142 PMCID: PMC6424464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurosteroids are endogenous modulators of neuronal excitability and nervous system development and are being developed as anesthetic agents and treatments for psychiatric diseases. While gamma amino-butyric acid Type A (GABAA) receptors are the primary molecular targets of neurosteroid action, the structural details of neurosteroid binding to these proteins remain ill defined. We synthesized neurosteroid analogue photolabeling reagents in which the photolabeling groups were placed at three positions around the neurosteroid ring structure, enabling identification of binding sites and mapping of neurosteroid orientation within these sites. Using middle-down mass spectrometry (MS), we identified three clusters of photolabeled residues representing three distinct neurosteroid binding sites in the human α1β3 GABAA receptor. Novel intrasubunit binding sites were identified within the transmembrane helical bundles of both the α1 (labeled residues α1-N408, Y415) and β3 (labeled residue β3-Y442) subunits, adjacent to the extracellular domains (ECDs). An intersubunit site (labeled residues β3-L294 and G308) in the interface between the β3(+) and α1(−) subunits of the GABAA receptor pentamer was also identified. Computational docking studies of neurosteroid to the three sites predicted critical residues contributing to neurosteroid interaction with the GABAA receptors. Electrophysiological studies of receptors with mutations based on these predictions (α1-V227W, N408A/Y411F, and Q242L) indicate that both the α1 intrasubunit and β3-α1 intersubunit sites are critical for neurosteroid action. Novel neurosteroid analogue photolabeling reagents identify three specific neurosteroid binding sites on α1β3 GABAA receptors, showing that a site between the α and β subunits, as well as a site within the α-subunit, contribute to neurosteroid-mediated enhancement of GABAA currents. Neurosteroids are cholesterol metabolites produced by neurons and glial cells that participate in central nervous system (CNS) development, regulate neuronal excitability, and modulate complex behaviors such as mood. Exogenously administered neurosteroid analogues are effective sedative hypnotics and are being developed as antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Gamma amino-butyric acid Type A (GABAA) receptors, the principal ionotropic inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the brain, are the primary functional target of neurosteroids. Understanding the molecular details of neurosteroid interactions with GABAA receptors is critical to understanding their mechanism of action and developing specific and effective therapeutic agents. In the current study, we developed a suite of neurosteroid analogue affinity labeling reagents, which we used to identify three distinct binding sites on GABAA receptors and to determine the orientation of neurosteroid binding in each site. Electrophysiological studies performed on receptors with mutations designed to disrupt the identified binding sites showed that two of the three sites contribute to neurosteroid modulation of GABAA currents. The distinct patterns of neurosteroid affinity, binding orientation, and effect provide the potential for the development of isoform-specific agonists, partial agonists, and antagonists with targeted therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Wei Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - John R Bracamontes
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Melissa M Budelier
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Allison L Germann
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Daniel J Shin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Krishnan Kathiresan
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Ming-Xing Qian
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Brad Manion
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Wayland W L Cheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David E Reichert
- Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Department of Radiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Gustav Akk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Douglas F Covey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Alex S Evers
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
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5
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Oakes V, Domene C. Capturing the Molecular Mechanism of Anesthetic Action by Simulation Methods. Chem Rev 2018; 119:5998-6014. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Oakes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Carmen Domene
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
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6
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Gianti E, Carnevale V. Computational Approaches to Studying Voltage-Gated Ion Channel Modulation by General Anesthetics. Methods Enzymol 2018; 602:25-59. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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7
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Ion BF, Wells MM, Chen Q, Xu Y, Tang P. Ketamine Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel GLIC. Biophys J 2017; 113:605-612. [PMID: 28793215 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ketamine inhibits pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), including the bacterial pLGIC from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC). The crystal structure of GLIC shows R-ketamine bound to an extracellular intersubunit cavity. Here, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of GLIC in the absence and presence of R- or S-ketamine. No stable binding of S-ketamine in the original cavity was observed in the simulations, largely due to its unfavorable access to residue D154, which provides important electrostatic interactions to stabilize R-ketamine binding. Contrary to the symmetric binding shown in the crystal structure, R-ketamine moved away from some of the binding sites and was bound to GLIC asymmetrically at the end of simulations. The asymmetric binding is consistent with the experimentally measured negative cooperativity of ketamine binding to GLIC. In the presence of R-ketamine, all subunits showed changes in structure and dynamics, irrespective of binding stability; the extracellular intersubunit cavity expanded and intersubunit electrostatic interactions involved in channel activation were altered. R-ketamine binding promoted a conformational shift toward closed GLIC. Conformational changes near the ketamine-binding site were propagated to the interface between the extracellular and transmembrane domains, and further to the pore-lining TM2 through two pathways: pre-TM1 and the β1-β2 loop. Both signaling pathways have been predicted previously using the perturbation-based Markovian transmission model. The study provides a structural and dynamics basis for the inhibitory modulation of ketamine on pLGICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan F Ion
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Marta M Wells
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Qiang Chen
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yan Xu
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Pei Tang
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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8
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Lev B, Murail S, Poitevin F, Cromer BA, Baaden M, Delarue M, Allen TW. String method solution of the gating pathways for a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E4158-E4167. [PMID: 28487483 PMCID: PMC5448215 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1617567114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels control synaptic neurotransmission by converting chemical signals into electrical signals. Agonist binding leads to rapid signal transduction via an allosteric mechanism, where global protein conformational changes open a pore across the nerve cell membrane. We use all-atom molecular dynamics with a swarm-based string method to solve for the minimum free-energy gating pathways of the proton-activated bacterial GLIC channel. We describe stable wetted/open and dewetted/closed states, and uncover conformational changes in the agonist-binding extracellular domain, ion-conducting transmembrane domain, and gating interface that control communication between these domains. Transition analysis is used to compute free-energy surfaces that suggest allosteric pathways; stabilization with pH; and intermediates, including states that facilitate channel closing in the presence of an agonist. We describe a switching mechanism that senses proton binding by marked reorganization of subunit interface, altering the packing of β-sheets to induce changes that lead to asynchronous pore-lining M2 helix movements. These results provide molecular details of GLIC gating and insight into the allosteric mechanisms for the superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Lev
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | - Samuel Murail
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, UPR9080, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Poitevin
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Brett A Cromer
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Marc Baaden
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, CNRS, UPR9080, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Toby W Allen
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia;
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9
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Arcario MJ, Mayne CG, Tajkhorshid E. A membrane-embedded pathway delivers general anesthetics to two interacting binding sites in the Gloeobacter violaceus ion channel. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:9480-9492. [PMID: 28420728 PMCID: PMC5465477 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.780197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics exert their effects on the central nervous system by acting on ion channels, most notably pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. Although numerous studies have focused on pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, the details of anesthetic binding and channel modulation are still debated. A better understanding of the anesthetic mechanism of action is necessary for the development of safer and more efficacious drugs. Herein, we present a computational study identifying two anesthetic binding sites in the transmembrane domain of the Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) channel, characterize the putative binding pathway, and observe structural changes associated with channel function. Molecular simulations of desflurane reveal a binding pathway to GLIC via a membrane-embedded tunnel using an intrasubunit protein lumen as the conduit, an observation that explains the Meyer-Overton hypothesis, or why the lipophilicity of an anesthetic and its potency are generally proportional. Moreover, employing high concentrations of ligand led to the identification of a second transmembrane site (TM2) that inhibits dissociation of anesthetic from the TM1 site and is consistent with the high concentrations of anesthetics required to achieve clinical effects. Finally, asymmetric binding patterns of anesthetic to the channel were found to promote an iris-like conformational change that constricts and dehydrates the ion pore, creating a 13.5 kcal/mol barrier to ion translocation. Together with previous studies, the simulations presented herein demonstrate a novel anesthetic binding site in GLIC that is accessed through a membrane-embedded tunnel and interacts with a previously known site, resulting in conformational changes that produce a non-conductive state of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Arcario
- From the Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology.,Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Christopher G Mayne
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- From the Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, .,Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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10
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Hénault CM, Baenziger JE. Functional characterization of two prokaryotic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel chimeras - role of the GLIC transmembrane domain in proton sensing. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2016; 1859:218-227. [PMID: 27845033 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
With the long-term goal of using a chimeric approach to dissect the distinct lipid sensitivities and thermal stabilities of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGIC), GLIC and ELIC, we constructed chimeras by cross-combining their extracellular (ECD) and transmembrane (TMD) domains. As expected, the chimera formed between GLIC-ECD and ELIC-TMD (GE) responded to protons, the agonist for GLIC, but not cysteamine, the agonist for ELIC, although GE exhibited a 25-fold decrease in proton-sensitivity relative to wild type. The chimera formed between ELIC-ECD and the GLIC-TMD (EG) was usually toxic, unless it contained a pore-lining Ile9'Ala gain-of-function mutation. No significant improvements in expression/toxicity were observed with extensive loop substitutions at the ECD/TMD interface. Surprisingly, oocytes expressing EG-I9'A responded to both the ELIC agonist, cysteamine and the GLIC agonist, protons - the latter at pH values ≤4.0. The cysteamine- and proton-induced currents in EG-I9'A were inhibited by the GLIC TMD pore blocker, amantadine. The cysteamine-induced response of EG-I9'A was also inhibited by protons at pH values down to 4.5, but potentiated at lower pH values. Proton-induced gating at low pH was not abolished by mutation of an intramembrane histidine residue previously implicated in GLIC TMD function. We show that the TMD plays a major role governing the thermal stability of a pLGIC, and identify three distinct mechanisms by which agonists and protons influence the gating of the EG chimera. A structural basis for the impaired function of GE is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille M Hénault
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - John E Baenziger
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada.
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11
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Mayne CG, Arcario MJ, Mahinthichaichan P, Baylon JL, Vermaas JV, Navidpour L, Wen PC, Thangapandian S, Tajkhorshid E. The cellular membrane as a mediator for small molecule interaction with membrane proteins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:2290-2304. [PMID: 27163493 PMCID: PMC4983535 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes the first element that encounters a wide variety of molecular species to which a cell might be exposed. Hosting a large number of structurally and functionally diverse proteins associated with this key metabolic compartment, the membrane not only directly controls the traffic of various molecules in and out of the cell, it also participates in such diverse and important processes as signal transduction and chemical processing of incoming molecular species. In this article, we present a number of cases where details of interaction of small molecular species such as drugs with the membrane, which are often experimentally inaccessible, have been studied using advanced molecular simulation techniques. We have selected systems in which partitioning of the small molecule with the membrane constitutes a key step for its final biological function, often binding to and interacting with a protein associated with the membrane. These examples demonstrate that membrane partitioning is not only important for the overall distribution of drugs and other small molecules into different compartments of the body, it may also play a key role in determining the efficiency and the mode of interaction of the drug with its target protein. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biosimulations edited by Ilpo Vattulainen and Tomasz Róg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Mayne
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Mark J Arcario
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Javier L Baylon
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Latifeh Navidpour
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Po-Chao Wen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Sundarapandian Thangapandian
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
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12
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Common Internal Allosteric Network Links Anesthetic Binding Sites in a Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158795. [PMID: 27403526 PMCID: PMC4942068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics bind reversibly to ion channels, modifying their global conformational distributions, but the underlying atomic mechanisms are not completely known. We examine this issue by way of the model protein Gloeobacter violaceous ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) using computational molecular dynamics, with a coarse-grained model to enhance sampling. We find that in flooding simulations, both propofol and a generic particle localize to the crystallographic transmembrane anesthetic binding region, and that propofol also localizes to an extracellular region shared with the crystallographic ketamine binding site. Subsequent simulations to probe these binding modes in greater detail demonstrate that ligand binding induces structural asymmetry in GLIC. Consequently, we employ residue interaction correlation analysis to describe the internal allosteric network underlying the coupling of ligand and distant effector sites necessary for conformational change. Overall, the results suggest that the same allosteric network may underlie the actions of various anesthetics, regardless of binding site.
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13
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying functionally relevant anesthetic-binding sites in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) is an important step toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying anesthetic action. The anesthetic propofol is known to inhibit cation-conducting pLGICs, including a prokaryotic pLGIC from Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC), but the sites responsible for functional inhibition remain undetermined. METHODS We photolabeled ELIC with a light-activated derivative of propofol (AziPm) and performed fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance experiments to support propofol binding to a transmembrane domain (TMD) intrasubunit pocket. To differentiate sites responsible for propofol inhibition from those that are functionally irrelevant, we made an ELIC-γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAAR) chimera that replaced the ELIC-TMD with the α1β3GABAAR-TMD and compared functional responses of ELIC-GABAAR and ELIC with propofol modulations. RESULTS Photolabeling showed multiple AziPm-binding sites in the extracellular domain (ECD) but only one site in the TMD with labeled residues M265 and F308 in the resting state of ELIC. Notably, this TMD site is an intrasubunit pocket that overlaps with binding sites for anesthetics, including propofol, found previously in other pLGICs. Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance experiments supported propofol binding to this TMD intrasubunit pocket only in the absence of agonist. Functional measurements of ELIC-GABAAR showed propofol potentiation of the agonist-elicited current instead of inhibition observed on ELIC. CONCLUSIONS The distinctly different responses of ELIC and ELIC-GABAAR to propofol support the functional relevance of propofol binding to the TMD. Combining the newly identified TMD intrasubunit pocket in ELIC with equivalent TMD anesthetic sites found previously in other cationic pLGICs, we propose this TMD pocket as a common site for anesthetic inhibition of pLGICs.
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14
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Laurent B, Murail S, Shahsavar A, Sauguet L, Delarue M, Baaden M. Sites of Anesthetic Inhibitory Action on a Cationic Ligand-Gated Ion Channel. Structure 2016; 24:595-605. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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15
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Direct Pore Binding as a Mechanism for Isoflurane Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channel ELIC. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13833. [PMID: 26346220 PMCID: PMC4561908 DOI: 10.1038/srep13833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are targets of general anesthetics, but molecular mechanisms underlying anesthetic action remain debatable. We found that ELIC, a pLGIC from Erwinia chrysanthemi, can be functionally inhibited by isoflurane and other anesthetics. Structures of ELIC co-crystallized with isoflurane in the absence or presence of an agonist revealed double isoflurane occupancies inside the pore near T237(6′) and A244(13′). A pore-radius contraction near the extracellular entrance was observed upon isoflurane binding. Electrophysiology measurements with a single-point mutation at position 6′ or 13′ support the notion that binding at these sites renders isoflurane inhibition. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that isoflurane binding was more stable in the resting than in a desensitized pore conformation. This study presents compelling evidence for a direct pore-binding mechanism of isoflurane inhibition, which has a general implication for inhibitory action of general anesthetics on pLGICs.
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16
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17
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Sieghart W. Allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors via multiple drug-binding sites. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2014; 72:53-96. [PMID: 25600367 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2014.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
GABAA receptors are ligand-gated ion channels composed of five subunits that can be opened by GABA and be modulated by multiple pharmacologically and clinically important drugs. Over the time, hundreds of compounds from different structural classes have been demonstrated to modulate, directly activate, or inhibit GABAA receptors, and most of these compounds interact with more than one binding site at these receptors. Crystal structures of proteins and receptors homologous to GABAA receptors as well as homology modeling studies have provided insights into the possible location of ligand interaction sites. Some of these sites have been identified by mutagenesis, photolabeling, and docking studies. For most of these ligands, however, binding sites are not known. Due to the high flexibility of GABAA receptors and the existence of multiple drug-binding sites, the unequivocal identification of interaction sites for individual drugs is extremely difficult. The existence of multiple GABAA receptor subtypes with distinct subunit composition, the contribution of distinct subunit sequences to binding sites of different receptor subtypes, as well as the observation that even subunits not directly contributing to a binding site are able to influence affinity and efficacy of drugs, contribute to a unique pharmacology of each GABAA receptor subtype. Thus, each receptor subtype has to be investigated to identify a possible subtype selectivity of a compound. Although multiple binding sites make GABAA receptor pharmacology even more complicated, the exploitation of ligand interaction with novel-binding sites also offers additional possibilities for a subtype-selective modulation of GABAA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Sieghart
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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18
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Arcario MJ, Mayne CG, Tajkhorshid E. Atomistic models of general anesthetics for use in in silico biological studies. J Phys Chem B 2014; 118:12075-86. [PMID: 25303275 PMCID: PMC4207551 DOI: 10.1021/jp502716m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
![]()
While small molecules have been used
to induce anesthesia in a
clinical setting for well over a century, a detailed understanding
of the molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we utilize
ab initio calculations to develop a novel set of CHARMM-compatible
parameters for the ubiquitous modern anesthetics desflurane, isoflurane,
sevoflurane, and propofol for use in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
The parameters generated were rigorously tested against known experimental
physicochemical properties including dipole moment, density, enthalpy
of vaporization, and free energy of solvation. In all cases, the anesthetic
parameters were able to reproduce experimental measurements, signifying
the robustness and accuracy of the atomistic models developed. The
models were then used to study the interaction of anesthetics with
the membrane. Calculation of the potential of mean force for inserting
the molecules into a POPC bilayer revealed a distinct energetic minimum
of 4–5 kcal/mol relative to aqueous solution at the level of
the glycerol backbone in the membrane. The location of this minimum
within the membrane suggests that anesthetics partition to the membrane
prior to binding their ion channel targets, giving context to the
Meyer–Overton correlation. Moreover, MD simulations of these
drugs in the membrane give rise to computed membrane structural parameters,
including atomic distribution, deuterium order parameters, dipole
potential, and lateral stress profile, that indicate partitioning
of anesthetics into the membrane at the concentration range studied
here, which does not appear to perturb the structural integrity of
the lipid bilayer. These results signify that an indirect, membrane-mediated
mechanism of channel modulation is unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Arcario
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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19
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Yu R, Hurdiss E, Greiner T, Lape R, Sivilotti L, Biggin PC. Agonist and antagonist binding in human glycine receptors. Biochemistry 2014; 53:6041-51. [PMID: 25184435 DOI: 10.1021/bi500815f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The human glycine receptor (hGlyR) is an anion-permeable ligand-gated channel that is part of a larger superfamily of receptors called the Cys-loop family. hGlyRs are particularly amenable to single-channel recordings, thus making them a model experimental system for understanding the Cys-loop receptor family in general. Understanding the relationship between agonist binding and efficacy in Cys-loop receptors should improve our future prospects for making specific agonists or antagonists. However, at present, there is no high-resolution structure for the complete hGlyR, and thus, modeling is needed to provide a physical framework on which to interpret single-channel data. The structure of the glutamate-gated chloride channel from Caenorhabditis elegans shows a much higher level of sequence identity to human hGlyR than previous templates such as AChBP or the bacterial channels, GLIC and ELIC. Thus, we constructed a model of the hGlyR and validated it against previously reported mutagenesis data. We used molecular dynamics to refine the model and to explore binding of both an agonist (glycine) and an antagonist (strychnine). The model shows excellent agreement with previous data but also suggests some unique features: (i) a water molecule that forms part of the binding site and allows us to account for some previous results that were difficult to reconcile, (ii) an interaction of the glycine agonist with S129, and (iii) an effect from E211, both of which we confirmed with new site-directed mutagenesis and patch clamp recordings. Finally, examination of the simulations suggests that strychnine binding induces movement to a conformational state distinct from the glycine-bound or apo state, not only within the ligand-binding domain but also in the transmembrane domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rilei Yu
- Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford , South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
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20
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Salari R, Murlidaran S, Brannigan G. Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channels : Insights from Computation. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2014; 40:821-829. [PMID: 25931676 PMCID: PMC4412168 DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2014.896462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) conduct upon the binding of an agonist and are fundamental to neurotransmission. New insights into the complex mechanisms underlying pLGIC gating, ion selectivity, and modulation have recently been gained via a series of crystal structures in prokaryotes and C .elegans, as well as computational studies relying on these structures. Here we review contributions from a variety of computational approaches, including normal mode analysis, automated docking, and fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulation. Examples from our own research, particularly concerning interactions with general anesthetics and lipids, are used to illustrate predictive results complementary to crystallographic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Salari
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
- Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
| | - Sruthi Murlidaran
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
| | - Grace Brannigan
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
- Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
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21
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Howard RJ, Trudell JR, Harris RA. Seeking structural specificity: direct modulation of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels by alcohols and general anesthetics. Pharmacol Rev 2014; 66:396-412. [PMID: 24515646 PMCID: PMC3973611 DOI: 10.1124/pr.113.007468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohols and other anesthetic agents dramatically alter neurologic function in a wide range of organisms, yet their molecular sites of action remain poorly characterized. Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, long implicated in important direct effects of alcohol and anesthetic binding, have recently been illuminated in renewed detail thanks to the determination of atomic-resolution structures of several family members from lower organisms. These structures provide valuable models for understanding and developing anesthetic agents and for allosteric modulation in general. This review surveys progress in this field from function to structure and back again, outlining early evidence for relevant modulation of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels and the development of early structural models for ion channel function and modulation. We highlight insights and challenges provided by recent crystal structures and resulting simulations, as well as opportunities for translation of these newly detailed models back to behavior and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Howard
- Department of Chemistry, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
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22
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Ghosh B, Satyshur KA, Czajkowski C. Propofol binding to the resting state of the gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) induces structural changes in the inter- and intrasubunit transmembrane domain (TMD) cavities. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:17420-31. [PMID: 23640880 PMCID: PMC3682542 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.464040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Revised: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics exert many of their CNS actions by binding to and modulating membrane-embedded pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). The structural mechanisms underlying how anesthetics modulate pLGIC function remain largely unknown. GLIC, a prokaryotic pLGIC homologue, is inhibited by general anesthetics, suggesting anesthetics stabilize a closed channel state, but in anesthetic-bound GLIC crystal structures the channel appears open. Here, using functional GLIC channels expressed in oocytes, we examined whether propofol induces structural rearrangements in the GLIC transmembrane domain (TMD). Residues in the GLIC TMD that frame intrasubunit and intersubunit water-accessible cavities were individually mutated to cysteine. We measured and compared the rates of modification of the introduced cysteines by sulfhydryl-reactive reagents in the absence and presence of propofol. Propofol slowed the rate of modification of L240C (intersubunit) and increased the rate of modification of T254C (intrasubunit), indicating that propofol binding induces structural rearrangements in these cavities that alter the local environment near these residues. Propofol acceleration of T254C modification suggests that in the resting state propofol does not bind in the TMD intrasubunit cavity as observed in the crystal structure of GLIC with bound propofol (Nury, H., Van Renterghem, C., Weng, Y., Tran, A., Baaden, M., Dufresne, V., Changeux, J. P., Sonner, J. M., Delarue, M., and Corringer, P. J. (2011) Nature 469, 428-431). In silico docking using a GLIC closed channel homology model suggests propofol binds to intersubunit sites in the TMD in the resting state. Propofol-induced motions in the intersubunit cavity were distinct from motions associated with channel activation, indicating propofol stabilizes a novel closed state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth A. Satyshur
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53711
| | - Cynthia Czajkowski
- From the Molecular Biophysics Program and
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53711
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23
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Raju SG, Barber AF, LeBard DN, Klein ML, Carnevale V. Exploring volatile general anesthetic binding to a closed membrane-bound bacterial voltage-gated sodium channel via computation. PLoS Comput Biol 2013; 9:e1003090. [PMID: 23785267 PMCID: PMC3681623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the clinical ubiquity of anesthesia, the molecular basis of anesthetic action is poorly understood. Amongst the many molecular targets proposed to contribute to anesthetic effects, the voltage gated sodium channels (VGSCs) should also be considered relevant, as they have been shown to be sensitive to all general anesthetics tested thus far. However, binding sites for VGSCs have not been identified. Moreover, the mechanism of inhibition is still largely unknown. The recently reported atomic structures of several members of the bacterial VGSC family offer the opportunity to shed light on the mechanism of action of anesthetics on these important ion channels. To this end, we have performed a molecular dynamics "flooding" simulation on a membrane-bound structural model of the archetypal bacterial VGSC, NaChBac in a closed pore conformation. This computation allowed us to identify binding sites and access pathways for the commonly used volatile general anesthetic, isoflurane. Three sites have been characterized with binding affinities in a physiologically relevant range. Interestingly, one of the most favorable sites is in the pore of the channel, suggesting that the binding sites of local and general anesthetics may overlap. Surprisingly, even though the activation gate of the channel is closed, and therefore the pore and the aqueous compartment at the intracellular side are disconnected, we observe binding of isoflurane in the central cavity. Several sampled association and dissociation events in the central cavity provide consistent support to the hypothesis that the "fenestrations" present in the membrane-embedded region of the channel act as the long-hypothesized hydrophobic drug access pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. G. Raju
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Annika F. Barber
- Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - David N. LeBard
- Department of Chemistry, Yeshiva University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael L. Klein
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Vincenzo Carnevale
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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24
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Mowrey D, Cheng MH, Liu LT, Willenbring D, Lu X, Wymore T, Xu Y, Tang P. Asymmetric ligand binding facilitates conformational transitions in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:2172-80. [PMID: 23339564 DOI: 10.1021/ja307275v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The anesthetic propofol inhibits the currents of the homopentameric ligand-gated ion channel GLIC, yet the crystal structure of GLIC with five propofol molecules bound symmetrically shows an open-channel conformation. To address this dilemma and determine if the symmetry of propofol binding sites affects the channel conformational transition, we performed a total of 1.5 μs of molecular dynamics simulations for different GLIC systems with propofol occupancies of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5. GLIC without propofol binding or with five propofol molecules bound symmetrically, showed similar channel conformation and hydration status over multiple replicates of 100-ns simulations. In contrast, asymmetric binding to one, two or three equivalent sites in different subunits accelerated the channel dehydration, increased the conformational heterogeneity of the pore-lining TM2 helices, and shifted the lateral and radial tilting angles of TM2 toward a closed-channel conformation. The results differentiate two groups of systems based on the propofol binding symmetry. The difference between symmetric and asymmetric groups is correlated with the variance in the propofol-binding cavity adjacent to the hydrophobic gate and the force imposed by the bound propofol. Asymmetrically bound propofol produced greater variance in the cavity size that could further elevate the conformation heterogeneity. The force trajectory generated by propofol in each subunit over the course of a simulation exhibits an ellipsoidal shape, which has the larger component tangential to the pore. Asymmetric propofol binding creates an unbalanced force that expedites the channel conformation transitions. The findings from this study not only suggest that asymmetric binding underlies the propofol functional inhibition of GLIC, but also advocate for the role of symmetry breaking in facilitating channel conformational transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mowrey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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25
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Spurny R, Billen B, Howard RJ, Brams M, Debaveye S, Price KL, Weston DA, Strelkov SV, Tytgat J, Bertrand S, Bertrand D, Lummis SCR, Ulens C. Multisite binding of a general anesthetic to the prokaryotic pentameric Erwinia chrysanthemi ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC). J Biol Chem 2013; 288:8355-8364. [PMID: 23364792 PMCID: PMC3605653 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.424507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), such as nicotinic acetylcholine, glycine, γ-aminobutyric acid GABAA/C receptors, and the Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC), are receptors that contain multiple allosteric binding sites for a variety of therapeutics, including general anesthetics. Here, we report the x-ray crystal structure of the Erwinia chrysanthemi ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC) in complex with a derivative of chloroform, which reveals important features of anesthetic recognition, involving multiple binding at three different sites. One site is located in the channel pore and equates with a noncompetitive inhibitor site found in many pLGICs. A second transmembrane site is novel and is located in the lower part of the transmembrane domain, at an interface formed between adjacent subunits. A third site is also novel and is located in the extracellular domain in a hydrophobic pocket between the β7–β10 strands. Together, these results extend our understanding of pLGIC modulation and reveal several specific binding interactions that may contribute to modulator recognition, further substantiating a multisite model of allosteric modulation in this family of ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radovan Spurny
- Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 601, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Billen
- Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 601, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
| | - Marijke Brams
- Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 601, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah Debaveye
- Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 601, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kerry L Price
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - David A Weston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Sergei V Strelkov
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 822, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Laboratory of Toxicology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 922, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sonia Bertrand
- HiQScreen Sàrl, 15 rue de l'Athénée, Case Postale 209, CH-1211 Geneva 12, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Bertrand
- HiQScreen Sàrl, 15 rue de l'Athénée, Case Postale 209, CH-1211 Geneva 12, Switzerland
| | - Sarah C R Lummis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Ulens
- Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, PB 601, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Tillman T, Cheng MH, Chen Q, Tang P, Xu Y. Reversal of ion-charge selectivity renders the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel GLIC insensitive to anaesthetics. Biochem J 2013; 449:61-8. [PMID: 22978431 PMCID: PMC3992983 DOI: 10.1042/bj20121072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
pLGICs (pentameric ligand-gated ion channels) are a family of structurally homologous cation and anion channels involved in neurotransmission. Cation-selective members of the pLGIC family are typically inhibited by general anaesthetics, whereas anion-selective members are potentiated. GLIC is a prokaryotic cation pLGIC and can be inhibited by clinical concentrations of general anaesthetics. The introduction of three mutations, Y221A (Y-3'A), E222P (E-2'P) and N224R (N0'R), at the selectivity filter and one, A237T (A13'T), at the hydrophobic gate, converted GLIC into an anion channel. The mutated GLIC (GLIC4) became insensitive to the anaesthetics propofol and etomidate, as well as the channel blocker picrotoxin. MD (molecular dynamics) simulations revealed changes in the structure and dynamics of GLIC4 in comparison with GLIC, particularly in the tilting angles of the pore-lining helix [TM2 (transmembrane helix 2)] that consequently resulted in different pore radius and hydration profiles. Propofol binding to an intra-subunit site of GLIC shifted the tilting angles of TM2 towards closure at the hydrophobic gate region, consistent with propofol inhibition of GLIC. In contrast, the pore of GLIC4 was much more resilient to perturbation from propofol binding. The present study underscores the importance of pore dynamics and conformation to anaesthetic effects on channel functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Tillman
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Mary H. Cheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- Department of Computational and System Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Pei Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- Department of Computational and System Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
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27
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Cheng MH, Coalson RD. Energetics and ion permeation characteristics in a glutamate-gated chloride (GluCl) receptor channel. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:13637-43. [PMID: 23088363 DOI: 10.1021/jp3074915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
An invertebrate glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) has recently been crystallized in an open-pore state. This channel is homologous to the human Cys-loop receptor family of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, including anion-selective GlyR and GABAR and cation-selective nAChR and 5HT(3). We implemented molecular dynamics (MD) in conjunction with an elastic network model to perturb the X-ray structure of GluCl and investigated the open channel stability and its ion permeation characteristics. Our study suggests that TM2 helical tilting may close GluCl near the hydrophobic constriction L254 (L9'), similar to its cation-selective homologues. Ion permeation characteristics were determined by Brownian dynamics simulations using a hybrid MD/continuum electrostatics approach to evaluate the free energy profiles for ion transport. Near the selectivity filter region (P243 or P-2'), the free energy barrier for Na(+) transport is over 4 k(B)T higher than that for Cl(-), indicating anion selectivity of the channel. Furthermore, three layers of positivity charged rings in the extracellular domain also contribute to charge selectivity and facilitate Cl(-) permeability over Na(+). Collectively, the charge selectivity of GluCl may be determined by overall electrostatic and ion dehydration effects, perhaps not deriving from a single region of the channel (the selectivity filter region near the intracellular entrance).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Hongying Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
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Abstract
Complex biological systems are intimately linked to their environment, a very crowded and equally complex solution compartmentalized by fluid membranes. Modeling such systems remains challenging and requires a suitable representation of these solutions and their interfaces. Here, we focus on particle-based modeling at an atomistic level using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. As an example, we discuss important steps in modeling the solution chemistry of an ion channel of the ligand-gated ion channel receptor family, a major target of many drugs including anesthetics and addiction treatments. The bacterial pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (pLGIC) called GLIC provides clues about the functional importance of solvation, in particular for mechanisms such as permeation and gating. We present some current challenges along with promising novel modeling approaches.
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Murail S, Howard RJ, Broemstrup T, Bertaccini EJ, Harris RA, Trudell JR, Lindahl E. Molecular mechanism for the dual alcohol modulation of Cys-loop receptors. PLoS Comput Biol 2012; 8:e1002710. [PMID: 23055913 PMCID: PMC3464191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cys-loop receptors constitute a superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), including receptors for acetylcholine, serotonin, glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid. Several bacterial homologues have been identified that are excellent models for understanding allosteric binding of alcohols and anesthetics in human Cys-loop receptors. Recently, we showed that a single point mutation on a prokaryotic homologue (GLIC) could transform it from a channel weakly potentiated by ethanol into a highly ethanol-sensitive channel. Here, we have employed molecular simulations to study ethanol binding to GLIC, and to elucidate the role of the ethanol-enhancing mutation in GLIC modulation. By performing 1-µs simulations with and without ethanol on wild-type and mutated GLIC, we observed spontaneous binding in both intra-subunit and inter-subunit transmembrane cavities. In contrast to the glycine receptor GlyR, in which we previously observed ethanol binding primarily in an inter-subunit cavity, ethanol primarily occupied an intra-subunit cavity in wild-type GLIC. However, the highly ethanol-sensitive GLIC mutation significantly enhanced ethanol binding in the inter-subunit cavity. These results demonstrate dramatic effects of the F(14′)A mutation on the distribution of ligands, and are consistent with a two-site model of pLGIC inhibition and potentiation. Communication from one nerve cell to the next is an essential process for brain and muscle function. Nerve impulses result in release of transmitter molecules from one cell that bind to receptors on the next cell. Transmitter binding opens a pore in each receptor and ions flow across the membrane, leading to either enhancement or inhibition of new nerve impulses. These receptors are modulated by numerous drugs, including alcohols and anesthetics; identifying the precise location of modulator binding is critical for drug development. We have used computer simulation methods to model alcohol diffusion and binding to a receptor. By modifying a single residue in the receptor, we were able to move the location of the binding site and dramatically alter alcohol modulation, which supports a model with two separate binding sites for enhancement and inhibition in this family of receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Murail
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J. Howard
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Torben Broemstrup
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Edward J. Bertaccini
- Department of Anesthesia, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesia and Beckman Program for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States of America
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - James R. Trudell
- Department of Anesthesia and Beckman Program for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States of America
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Barber AF, Liang Q, Covarrubias M. Novel activation of voltage-gated K(+) channels by sevoflurane. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:40425-32. [PMID: 23038249 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.405787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Halogenated inhaled anesthetics modulate voltage-gated ion channels by unknown mechanisms. RESULTS Biophysical analyses revealed novel activation of K(v) channels by the inhaled anesthetic sevoflurane. CONCLUSION K(v) channel activation by sevoflurane results from the positive allosteric modulation of activation gating. SIGNIFICANCE The unique activation of K(v) channels by sevoflurane demonstrates novel anesthetic specificity and offers new insights into allosteric modulation of channel gating. Voltage-gated ion channels are modulated by halogenated inhaled general anesthetics, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not understood. Alkanols and halogenated inhaled anesthetics such as halothane and isoflurane inhibit the archetypical voltage-gated Kv3 channel homolog K-Shaw2 by stabilizing the resting/closed states. By contrast, sevoflurane, a more heavily fluorinated ether commonly used in general anesthesia, specifically activates K-Shaw2 currents at relevant concentrations (0.05-1 mM) in a rapid and reversible manner. The concentration dependence of this modulation is consistent with the presence of high and low affinity interactions (K(D) = 0.06 and 4 mM, respectively). Sevoflurane (<1 mM) induces a negative shift in the conductance-voltage relation and increases the maximum conductance. Furthermore, suggesting possible roles in general anesthesia, mammalian Kv1.2 and Kv1.5 channels display similar changes. Quantitative description of the observations by an economical allosteric model indicates that sevoflurane binding favors activation gating and eliminates an unstable inactivated state outside the activation pathway. This study casts light on the mechanism of the novel sevoflurane-dependent activation of Kv channels, which helps explain how closely related inhaled anesthetics achieve specific actions and suggests strategies to develop novel Kv channel activators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika F Barber
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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NMR resolved multiple anesthetic binding sites in the TM domains of the α4β2 nAChR. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2012; 1828:398-404. [PMID: 23000369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2012.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Revised: 09/09/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has significant roles in nervous system function and disease. It is also a molecular target of general anesthetics. Anesthetics inhibit the α4β2 nAChR at clinically relevant concentrations, but their binding sites in α4β2 remain unclear. The recently determined NMR structures of the α4β2 nAChR transmembrane (TM) domains provide valuable frameworks for identifying the binding sites. In this study, we performed solution NMR experiments on the α4β2 TM domains in the absence and presence of halothane and ketamine. Both anesthetics were found in an intra-subunit cavity near the extracellular end of the β2 transmembrane helices, homologous to a common anesthetic binding site observed in X-ray structures of anesthetic-bound GLIC (Nury et al., [32]). Halothane, but not ketamine, was also found in cavities adjacent to the common anesthetic site at the interface of α4 and β2. In addition, both anesthetics bound to cavities near the ion selectivity filter at the intracellular end of the TM domains. Anesthetic binding induced profound changes in protein conformational exchanges. A number of residues, close to or remote from the binding sites, showed resonance signal splitting from single to double peaks, signifying that anesthetics decreased conformation exchange rates. It was also evident that anesthetics shifted population of two conformations. Altogether, the study comprehensively resolved anesthetic binding sites in the α4β2 nAChR. Furthermore, the study provided compelling experimental evidence of anesthetic-induced changes in protein dynamics, especially near regions of the hydrophobic gate and ion selectivity filter that directly regulate channel functions.
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Auzmendi J, Fernández Do Porto D, Pallavicini C, Moffatt L. Achieving maximal speed of solution exchange for patch clamp experiments. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42275. [PMID: 22879927 PMCID: PMC3411769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Resolving the kinetics of agonist binding events separately from the subsequent channel gating processes requires the ability of applying and removing the agonist before channel gating occurs. No reported system has yet achieved pulses shorter than 100 µs, necessary to study nicotinic ACh receptor or AMPA receptor activation. Methodology/Principal Findings Solution exchange systems deliver short agonist pulses by moving a sharp interface between a control and an experimental solution across a channel preparation. We achieved shorter pulses by means of an exchange system that combines a faster flow velocity, narrower partition between the two streams, and increased velocity and bandwidth of the movement of the interface. The measured response of the entire system was fed back to optimize the voltage signal applied to the piezoelectric actuator overcoming the spurious oscillations arising from the mechanical resonances when a high bandwidth driving function was applied. Optimization was accomplished by analyzing the transfer function of the solution exchange system. When driven by optimized command pulses the enhanced system provided pulses lasting 26 ± 1 µs and exchanging 93 ± 1% of the solution, as measured in the open tip of a patch pipette. Conclusions/Significance Pulses of this duration open the experimental study of the molecular events that occur between the agonist binding and the opening of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerónimo Auzmendi
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales Medio Ambiente y Energía, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Fernández Do Porto
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales Medio Ambiente y Energía, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carla Pallavicini
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales Medio Ambiente y Energía, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciano Moffatt
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales Medio Ambiente y Energía, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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Morstadt L, Meng QC, Johansson JS. Design and biophysical characterization of a monomeric four-alpha-helix bundle protein Aα₄ with affinity for the volatile anesthetic halothane. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2012; 1824:1409-15. [PMID: 22750405 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2012.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2011] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A monomeric four-α-helix bundle protein Aα₄ was designed as a step towards investigating the interaction of volatile general anesthetics with their putative membrane protein targets. The alpha helices, connected by glycine loops, have the sequence A, B, B', A'. The DNA sequence was designed to make the helices with the same amino acid sequences (helix A and A', B and B', respectively) as different as possible, while using codons which are favorable for expression in E. coli. The protein was bacterially expressed and purified to homogeneity using reversed-phase HPLC. Protein identity was verified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed the predominantly alpha-helical nature of the protein Aα₄. Guanidinium chloride induced denaturation showed that the monomeric four-α-helix bundle protein Aα₄ is considerably more stable compared to the dimeric di-α-helical protein (Aα₂-L38M)₂. The sigmoidal character of the unfolding reaction is conserved while the sharpness of the transition is increased 1.8-fold. The monomeric four-α-helix bundle protein Aα₄ bound halothane with a dissociation constant (K(d)) of 0.93 ± 0.02mM, as shown by both tryptophan fluorescence quenching and isothermal titration calorimetry. This monomeric four-α-helix bundle protein can now be used as a scaffold to incorporate natural central nervous system membrane protein sequences in order to examine general anesthetic interactions with putative targets in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Morstadt
- University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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General anesthetics predicted to block the GLIC pore with micromolar affinity. PLoS Comput Biol 2012; 8:e1002532. [PMID: 22693438 PMCID: PMC3364936 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2011] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although general anesthetics are known to modulate the activity of ligand-gated ion channels in the Cys-loop superfamily, there is at present neither consensus on the underlying mechanisms, nor predictive models of this modulation. Viable models need to offer quantitative assessment of the relative importance of several identified anesthetic binding sites. However, to date, precise affinity data for individual sites has been challenging to obtain by biophysical means. Here, the likely role of pore block inhibition by the general anesthetics isoflurane and propofol of the prokaryotic pentameric channel GLIC is investigated by molecular simulations. Microscopic affinities are calculated for both single and double occupancy binding of isoflurane and propofol to the GLIC pore. Computations are carried out for an open-pore conformation in which the pore is restrained to crystallographic radius, and a closed-pore conformation that results from unrestrained molecular dynamics equilibration of the structure. The GLIC pore is predicted to be blocked at the micromolar concentrations for which inhibition by isofluorane and propofol is observed experimentally. Calculated affinities suggest that pore block by propofol occurs at signifcantly lower concentrations than those for which inhibition is observed: we argue that this discrepancy may result from binding of propofol to an allosteric site recently identified by X-ray crystallography, which may cause a competing gain-of-function effect. Affinities of isoflurane and propofol to the allosteric site are also calculated, and shown to be 3 mM for isoflurane and for propofol; both anesthetics have a lower affinity for the allosteric site than for the unoccupied pore. Although general anesthesia is performed every day on thousands of people, its detailed microscopic mechanisms are not known. What is known is that general anesthetic drugs modulate the activity of ion channels in the central nervous system. These channels are proteins that open in response to binding of neurotransmitter molecules, creating an electric current through the cell membrane and thus propagating nerve impulses between cells. One possible mechanism for ion channel inhibition by anesthetics is that the drugs bind inside the pore of the channels, blocking ion current. Here we investigate such a pore block mechanism by computing the strength of the drugs' interaction with the pore – and hence the likelihood of binding, in the case of GLIC, a bacterial channel protein. The results, obtained from numerical simulations of atomic models of GLIC, indicate that the anesthetics isoflurane and propofol have a tendency to bind in the pore that is strong enough to explain blocking of the channel, even at low concentration of the drugs.
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