1
|
Pliushcheuskaya P, Künze G. Recent Advances in Computer-Aided Structure-Based Drug Design on Ion Channels. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119226. [PMID: 37298178 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels play important roles in fundamental biological processes, such as electric signaling in cells, muscle contraction, hormone secretion, and regulation of the immune response. Targeting ion channels with drugs represents a treatment option for neurological and cardiovascular diseases, muscular degradation disorders, and pathologies related to disturbed pain sensation. While there are more than 300 different ion channels in the human organism, drugs have been developed only for some of them and currently available drugs lack selectivity. Computational approaches are an indispensable tool for drug discovery and can speed up, especially, the early development stages of lead identification and optimization. The number of molecular structures of ion channels has considerably increased over the last ten years, providing new opportunities for structure-based drug development. This review summarizes important knowledge about ion channel classification, structure, mechanisms, and pathology with the main focus on recent developments in the field of computer-aided, structure-based drug design on ion channels. We highlight studies that link structural data with modeling and chemoinformatic approaches for the identification and characterization of new molecules targeting ion channels. These approaches hold great potential to advance research on ion channel drugs in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Palina Pliushcheuskaya
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Brüderstr. 34, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Georg Künze
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Brüderstr. 34, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guidelli R. An Insight into the Potassium Currents of hERG and Their Simulation. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28083514. [PMID: 37110748 PMCID: PMC10142355 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083514] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
By assuming that a stepwise outward movement of the four S4 segments of the hERG potassium channel determines a concomitant progressive increase in the flow of the permeant potassium ions, the inward and outward potassium currents can be simulated by using only one or two adjustable (i.e., free) parameters. This deterministic kinetic model differs from the stochastic models of hERG available in the literature, which usually require more than 10 free parameters. The K+ outward current of hERG contributes to the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. On the other hand, the K+ inward current increases with a positive shift in the transmembrane potential, in apparent contrast to both the electric and osmotic forces, which would concur in moving K+ ions outwards. This peculiar behavior can be explained by the appreciable constriction of the central pore midway along its length, with a radius < 1 Å and hydrophobic sacks surrounding it, as reported in an open conformation of the hERG potassium channel. This narrowing raises a barrier to the outward movement of K+ ions, inducing them to move increasingly inwards under a gradually more positive transmembrane potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rolando Guidelli
- Retired Professor, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", Florence University, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kudaibergenova M, Guo J, Khan HM, Lees-Miller J, Mousaei M, Miranda W, Ngo VA, Noskov SY, Tieleman DP, Duff HJ. The voltage-sensing domain of a hERG1 mutant is a cation-selective channel. Biophys J 2022; 121:4585-4599. [PMID: 36815709 PMCID: PMC9748372 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A cationic leak current known as an "omega current" may arise from mutations of the first charged residue in the S4 of the voltage sensor domains of sodium and potassium voltage-gated channels. The voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) in these mutated channels act as pores allowing nonspecific passage of cations, such as Li+, K+, Cs+, and guanidinium. Interestingly, no omega currents have been previously detected in the nonswapped voltage-gated potassium channels such as the human-ether-a-go-go-related (hERG1), hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated, and ether-a-go-go channels. In this work, we discovered a novel omega current by mutating the first charged residue of the S4 of the hERG1, K525 to serine. To characterize this omega current, we used various probes, including the hERG1 pore domain blocker, dofetilide, to show that the omega current does not require cation flux via the canonical pore domain. In addition, the omega flux does not cross the conventional selectivity filter. We also show that the mutated channel (K525S hERG1) conducts guanidinium. These data are indicative of the formation of an omega current channel within the VSD. Using molecular dynamics simulations with replica-exchange umbrella sampling simulations of the wild-type hERG1 and the K525S hERG1, we explored the molecular underpinnings governing the cation flow in the VSD of the mutant. We also show that the wild-type hERG1 may form water crevices supported by the biophysical surface accessibility data. Overall, our multidisciplinary study demonstrates that the VSD of hERG1 may act as a cation-selective channel wherein a mutation of the first charged residue in the S4 generates an omega current. Our simulation uncovers the atomistic underpinning of this mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meruyert Kudaibergenova
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jiqing Guo
- Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Hanif M Khan
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - James Lees-Miller
- Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mahdi Mousaei
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Williams Miranda
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Van A Ngo
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sergei Yu Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - D Peter Tieleman
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Henry J Duff
- Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lee KH, Fant AD, Guo J, Guan A, Jung J, Kudaibergenova M, Miranda WE, Ku T, Cao J, Wacker S, Duff HJ, Newman AH, Noskov SY, Shi L. Toward Reducing hERG Affinities for DAT Inhibitors with a Combined Machine Learning and Molecular Modeling Approach. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:4266-4279. [PMID: 34420294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Psychostimulant drugs, such as cocaine, inhibit dopamine reuptake via blockading the dopamine transporter (DAT), which is the primary mechanism underpinning their abuse. Atypical DAT inhibitors are dissimilar to cocaine and can block cocaine- or methamphetamine-induced behaviors, supporting their development as part of a treatment regimen for psychostimulant use disorders. When developing these atypical DAT inhibitors as medications, it is necessary to avoid off-target binding that can produce unwanted side effects or toxicities. In particular, the blockade of a potassium channel, human ether-a-go-go (hERG), can lead to potentially lethal ventricular tachycardia. In this study, we established a counter screening platform for DAT and against hERG binding by combining machine learning-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling, experimental validation, and molecular modeling and simulations. Our results show that the available data are adequate to establish robust QSAR models, as validated by chemical synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a validation set of DAT inhibitors. Furthermore, the QSAR models based on subsets of the data according to experimental approaches used have predictive power as well, which opens the door to target specific functional states of a protein. Complementarily, our molecular modeling and simulations identified the structural elements responsible for a pair of DAT inhibitors having opposite binding affinity trends at DAT and hERG, which can be leveraged for rational optimization of lead atypical DAT inhibitors with desired pharmacological properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kuo Hao Lee
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Andrew D Fant
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Jiqing Guo
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Andy Guan
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Joslyn Jung
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Mary Kudaibergenova
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Williams E Miranda
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Therese Ku
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Jianjing Cao
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Soren Wacker
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.,Achlys Inc., 7-126 Li Ka Shing Center for Health and Innovation, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Henry J Duff
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Sergei Y Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Lei Shi
- Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Colombian Scorpion Centruroides margaritatus: Purification and Characterization of a Gamma Potassium Toxin with Full-Block Activity on the hERG1 Channel. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13060407. [PMID: 34201318 PMCID: PMC8273696 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13060407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Colombian scorpion Centruroides margaritatus produces a venom considered of low toxicity. Nevertheless, there are known cases of envenomation resulting in cardiovascular disorders, probably due to venom components that target ion channels. Among them, the humanether-à-go-go-Related gene (hERG1) potassium channels are critical for cardiac action potential repolarization and alteration in its functionality are associated with cardiac disorders. This work describes the purification and electrophysiological characterization of a Centruroides margaritatus venom component acting on hERG1 channels, the CmERG1 toxin. This novel peptide is composed of 42 amino acids with a MW of 4792.88 Da, folded by four disulfide bonds and it is classified as member number 10 of the γ-KTx1 toxin family. CmERG1 inhibits hERG1 currents with an IC50 of 3.4 ± 0.2 nM. Despite its 90.5% identity with toxin ɣ-KTx1.1, isolated from Centruroides noxius, CmERG1 completely blocks hERG1 current, suggesting a more stable plug of the hERG channel, compared to that formed by other ɣ-KTx.
Collapse
|