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Kenakin T. Know your molecule: pharmacological characterization of drug candidates to enhance efficacy and reduce late-stage attrition. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024:10.1038/s41573-024-00958-9. [PMID: 38890494 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-024-00958-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Despite advances in chemical, computational and biological sciences, the rate of attrition of drug candidates in clinical development is still high. A key point in the small-molecule discovery process that could provide opportunities to help address this challenge is the pharmacological characterization of hit and lead compounds, culminating in the selection of a drug candidate. Deeper characterization is increasingly important, because the 'quality' of drug efficacy, at least for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), is now understood to be much more than activation of commonly evaluated pathways such as cAMP signalling, with many more 'efficacies' of ligands that could be harnessed therapeutically. Such characterization is being enabled by novel assays to characterize the complex behaviour of GPCRs, such as biased signalling and allosteric modulation, as well as advances in structural biology, such as cryo-electron microscopy. This article discusses key factors in the assessments of the pharmacology of hit and lead compounds in the context of GPCRs as a target class, highlighting opportunities to identify drug candidates with the potential to address limitations of current therapies and to improve the probability of them succeeding in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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2
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Kenakin T. Allostery: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 388:110-120. [PMID: 37918859 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of functional screening, more allosteric molecules are being discovered and developed as possible therapeutic entities. Allosteric proteins are unique because of two specific properties: 1) separate binding sites for allosteric modulators and guests and 2) mandatory alteration of receptor conformation upon binding of allosteric modulators. For G protein-coupled receptors, these properties produce many beneficial effects on pharmacologic systems that are described here. Allosteric discovery campaigns also bring with them added considerations that must be addressed for the endeavor to be successful, and these are described herein as well. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Recent years have seen the increasing presence of allosteric molecules as possible therapeutic drug candidates. The scientific procedures to characterize these are unique and require special techniques, so it is imperative that scientists understand the new concepts involved in allosteric function. This review examines the reasons why allosteric molecules should be considered as new drug entities and the techniques required to optimize the discovery process for allosteric molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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3
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Xie X, Yu T, Li X, Zhang N, Foster LJ, Peng C, Huang W, He G. Recent advances in targeting the "undruggable" proteins: from drug discovery to clinical trials. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:335. [PMID: 37669923 PMCID: PMC10480221 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01589-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Undruggable proteins are a class of proteins that are often characterized by large, complex structures or functions that are difficult to interfere with using conventional drug design strategies. Targeting such undruggable targets has been considered also a great opportunity for treatment of human diseases and has attracted substantial efforts in the field of medicine. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the recent development of drug discovery targeting "undruggable" proteins and their application in clinic. To make this review well organized, we discuss the design strategies targeting the undruggable proteins, including covalent regulation, allosteric inhibition, protein-protein/DNA interaction inhibition, targeted proteins regulation, nucleic acid-based approach, immunotherapy and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Tingting Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China
- Department of Dermatology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Leonard J Foster
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China.
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China.
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4
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Domin H. Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors as promising targets for neuroprotective therapy: Particular emphasis on the role of mGlu4 and mGlu7 receptors. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 219:173452. [PMID: 36030890 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There is still no effective treatment for central nervous system (CNS) pathologies, including cerebral ischemia, neurotrauma, and neurodegenerative diseases in which the Glu/GABA balance is disturbed with associated excitotoxicity. It is thus important to search for new efficacious therapeutic strategies. Preclinical studies on the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in neuroprotection conducted over the years show that these receptors may have therapeutic potential in these CNS disorders. However, clinical trials, especially for treating Parkinson's disease, have been unsatisfactory. This review focuses on the specific role of group III mGluRs in neuroprotection in experimental in vitro and in vivo models of excitotoxicity/neurotoxicity using neurotoxins as well as ischemia, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's diseases, and multiple sclerosis. The review highlights recent preclinical studies in which group III mGluR ligands (especially those acting at mGluR4 or mGluR7) were administered after damage, thus emphasizing the importance of the therapeutic time window in the treatment of ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury. From a clinical standpoint, the review also highlights studies using group III mGluR agonists with favorable neuroprotective efficacy (histological and functional) in experimental ischemic stroke, including healthy normotensive and-hypertensive rats. This review also summarizes possible mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective activity of the group III mGluR ligands, which may be helpful in developing more effective and safe therapeutic strategies. Therefore, to fully assess the role of these receptors in neuroprotection, it is necessary to uncover new selective ligands, primarily those stimulating mGlu4 and mGlu7 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Domin
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, 12 Smętna Street, 31-343 Kraków, Poland.
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5
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Fan J, Liu Y, Kong R, Ni D, Yu Z, Lu S, Zhang J. Harnessing Reversed Allosteric Communication: A Novel Strategy for Allosteric Drug Discovery. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17728-17743. [PMID: 34878270 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Allostery is a fundamental and extensive mechanism of intramolecular signal transmission. Allosteric drugs possess several unique pharmacological advantages over traditional orthosteric drugs, including greater selectivity, better physicochemical properties, and lower off-target toxicity. However, owing to the complexity of allosteric regulation, experimental approaches for the development of allosteric modulators are traditionally serendipitous. Recently, the reversed allosteric communication theory has been proposed, providing a feasible tool for the unbiased detection of allosteric sites. Herein, we review the latest research on the reversed allosteric communication effect using the examples of sirtuin 6, epidermal growth factor receptor, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1, and Related to A and C kinases (RAC) serine/threonine protein kinase B and recapitulate the methodologies of reversed allosteric communication strategy. The novel reversed allosteric communication strategy greatly expands the horizon of allosteric site identification and allosteric mechanism exploration and is expected to accelerate an end-to-end framework for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jigang Fan
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,Zhiyuan Innovative Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yaqin Liu
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Ren Kong
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China
| | - Duan Ni
- The Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | | | - Shaoyong Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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6
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Fasciani I, Petragnano F, Aloisi G, Marampon F, Carli M, Scarselli M, Maggio R, Rossi M. Allosteric Modulators of G Protein-Coupled Dopamine and Serotonin Receptors: A New Class of Atypical Antipsychotics. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13110388. [PMID: 33202534 PMCID: PMC7696972 DOI: 10.3390/ph13110388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia was first described by Emil Krapelin in the 19th century as one of the major mental illnesses causing disability worldwide. Since the introduction of chlorpromazine in 1952, strategies aimed at modifying the activity of dopamine receptors have played a major role for the treatment of schizophrenia. The introduction of atypical antipsychotics with clozapine broadened the range of potential targets for the treatment of this psychiatric disease, as they also modify the activity of the serotoninergic receptors. Interestingly, all marketed drugs for schizophrenia bind to the orthosteric binding pocket of the receptor as competitive antagonists or partial agonists. In recent years, a strong effort to develop allosteric modulators as potential therapeutic agents for schizophrenia was made, mainly for the several advantages in their use. In particular, the allosteric binding sites are topographically distinct from the orthosteric pockets, and thus drugs targeting these sites have a higher degree of receptor subunit specificity. Moreover, “pure” allosteric modulators maintain the temporal and spatial fidelity of native orthosteric ligand. Furthermore, allosteric modulators have a “ceiling effect”, and their modulatory effect is saturated above certain concentrations. In this review, we summarize the progresses made in the identification of allosteric drugs for dopamine and serotonin receptors, which could lead to a new generation of atypical antipsychotics with a better profile, especially in terms of reduced side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Fasciani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of l’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (I.F.); (F.P.); (G.A.)
| | - Francesco Petragnano
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of l’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (I.F.); (F.P.); (G.A.)
| | - Gabriella Aloisi
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of l’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (I.F.); (F.P.); (G.A.)
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiotherapy, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marco Carli
- Department of Translational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Marco Scarselli
- Department of Translational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Roberto Maggio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of l’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (I.F.); (F.P.); (G.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mario Rossi
- Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
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7
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Conradi Smith GD. Allostery in oligomeric receptor models. MATHEMATICAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE IMA 2020; 37:313-333. [PMID: 31822901 DOI: 10.1093/imammb/dqz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We show how equilibrium binding curves of receptor homodimers can be expressed as rational polynomial functions of the equilibrium binding curves of the constituent monomers, without approximation and without assuming independence of receptor monomers. Using a distinguished spanning tree construction for reduced graph powers, the method properly accounts for thermodynamic constraints and allosteric interactions between receptor monomers (i.e. conformational coupling). The method is completely general; it begins with an arbitrary undirected graph representing the topology of a monomer state-transition diagram and ends with an algebraic expression for the equilibrium binding curve of a receptor oligomer composed of two or more identical and indistinguishable monomers. Several specific examples are analysed, including guanine nucleotide-binding protein-coupled receptor dimers and tetramers composed of multiple 'ternary complex' monomers.
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8
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Evenseth LSM, Gabrielsen M, Sylte I. The GABA B Receptor-Structure, Ligand Binding and Drug Development. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25133093. [PMID: 32646032 PMCID: PMC7411975 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25133093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type B receptor (GABAB-R) belongs to class C of the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Together with the GABAA receptor, the receptor mediates the neurotransmission of GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). In recent decades, the receptor has been extensively studied with the intention being to understand pathophysiological roles, structural mechanisms and develop drugs. The dysfunction of the receptor is linked to a broad variety of disorders, including anxiety, depression, alcohol addiction, memory and cancer. Despite extensive efforts, few compounds are known to target the receptor, and only the agonist baclofen is approved for clinical use. The receptor is a mandatory heterodimer of the GABAB1 and GABAB2 subunits, and each subunit is composed of an extracellular Venus Flytrap domain (VFT) and a transmembrane domain of seven α-helices (7TM domain). In this review, we briefly present the existing knowledge about the receptor structure, activation and compounds targeting the receptor, emphasizing the role of the receptor in previous and future drug design and discovery efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn Samira Mari Evenseth
- Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mari Gabrielsen
- Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ingebrigt Sylte
- Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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9
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Tan Y, Xu Y, Cheng C, Zheng C, Zeng W, Wang J, Zhang X, Yang X, Wang J, Yang X, Nie S, Cao X. LY354740 Reduces Extracellular Glutamate Concentration, Inhibits Phosphorylation of Fyn/NMDARs, and Expression of PLK2/pS129 α-Synuclein in Mice Treated With Acute or Sub-Acute MPTP. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:183. [PMID: 32180729 PMCID: PMC7059821 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate overactivity in basal ganglia critically contributes to the exacerbation of dopaminergic neuron degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Activation of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu2/3 receptors), which can decrease excitatory glutamate neurotransmission, provides an opportunity to slow down the degeneration of the dopaminergic system. However, the roles of mGlu2/3 receptors in relation to PD pathology were partially recognized. By using mGlu2/3 receptors agonist (LY354740) and mGlu2/3 receptors antagonist (LY341495) in mice challenged with different cumulative doses of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), we demonstrated that systemic injection of LY354740 reduced the level of extracellular glutamate and the extent of nigro-striatal degeneration in both acute and sub-acute MPTP mice, while LY341495 amplified the lesions in sub-acute MPTP mice only. LY354740 treatment improved behavioral dysfunctions mainly in acute MPTP mice and LY341495 treatment seemed to aggravate motor deficits in sub-acute MPTP mice. In addition, ligands of mGlu2/3 receptors also influenced the total amount of glutamate and dopamine in brain tissue. Interestingly, compared with normal mice, MPTP-treated mice abnormally up-regulated the expression of polo-like kinase 2 (PLK2)/pS129 α-synuclein and phosphorylation of Fyn/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2A/2B (GluN2A/2B). Both acute and sub-acute MPTP mice treated with LY354740 dose-dependently reduced all the above abnormal expression. Compared with MPTP mice treated with vehicle, mice pretreated with LY341495 exhibited much higher expression of p-Fyn Tyr416/p-GluN2B Tyr1472 and PLK2/pS129 α-synuclein in sub-acute MPTP mice models. Thus, our current data indicated that mGlu2/3 receptors ligands could influence MPTP-induced toxicity, which supported a role for mGlu2/3 receptors in PD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tan
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chi Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Cong Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiqi Zeng
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji Wang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoqian Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoman Yang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jialing Wang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaomei Yang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuke Nie
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuebing Cao
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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10
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Murai N, Kondo Y, Akuzawa S, Mihara T, Shiraishi N, Kakimoto S, Matsumoto M. A novel GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulator, ASP8062, exerts analgesic effects in a rat model of fibromyalgia. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 865:172750. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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11
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Dal Prà I, Armato U, Chiarini A. Family C G-Protein-Coupled Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease and Therapeutic Implications. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1282. [PMID: 31719824 PMCID: PMC6826475 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), particularly its sporadic or late-onset form (SAD/LOAD), is the most prevalent (96–98% of cases) neurodegenerative dementia in aged people. AD’s neuropathology hallmarks are intrabrain accumulation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβs) and of hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) proteins, diffuse neuroinflammation, and progressive death of neurons and oligodendrocytes. Mounting evidences suggest that family C G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which include γ-aminobutyric acid B receptors (GABABRs), metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1-8), and the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), are involved in many neurotransmitter systems that dysfunction in AD. This review updates the available knowledge about the roles of GPCRs, particularly but not exclusively those expressed by brain astrocytes, in SAD/LOAD onset and progression, taking stock of their respective mechanisms of action and of their potential as anti-AD therapeutic targets. In particular, GABABRs prevent Aβs synthesis and neuronal hyperexcitability and group I mGluRs play important pathogenetic roles in transgenic AD-model animals. Moreover, the specific binding of Aβs to the CaSRs of human cortical astrocytes and neurons cultured in vitro engenders a pathological signaling that crucially promotes the surplus synthesis and release of Aβs and hyperphosphorylated Tau proteins, and also of nitric oxide, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and proinflammatory agents. Concurrently, Aβs•CaSR signaling hinders the release of soluble (s)APP-α peptide, a neurotrophic agent and GABABR1a agonist. Altogether these effects progressively kill human cortical neurons in vitro and likely also in vivo. Several CaSR’s negative allosteric modulators suppress all the noxious effects elicited by Aβs•CaSR signaling in human cortical astrocytes and neurons thus safeguarding neurons’ viability in vitro and raising hopes about their potential therapeutic benefits in AD patients. Further basic and clinical investigations on these hot topics are needed taking always heed that activation of the several brain family C GPCRs may elicit divergent upshots according to the models studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Dal Prà
- Human Histology and Embryology Unit, University of Verona Medical School, Verona, Italy
| | - Ubaldo Armato
- Human Histology and Embryology Unit, University of Verona Medical School, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Chiarini
- Human Histology and Embryology Unit, University of Verona Medical School, Verona, Italy
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12
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Presley C, Perry CK, Childress ES, Mulder MJ, Luscombe VB, Rodriguez AL, Niswender CM, Conn PJ, Lindsley CW. Evaluation of Synthetic Cytochrome P 450-Mimetic Metalloporphyrins To Facilitate "Biomimetic" Biotransformation of a Series of mGlu 5 Allosteric Ligands. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:12782-12789. [PMID: 31460402 PMCID: PMC6690571 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric ligands within a given chemotype can have the propensity to display a wide range of pharmacology, as well as unexpected changes in GPCR subtype selectivity, typically mediated by single-atom modifications to the ligand. Due to the unexpected nature of these "molecular switches", chemotypes with this property are typically abandoned in lead optimization. Recently, we have found that in vivo oxidative metabolism by CYP450s can also engender molecular switches within allosteric ligands, changing the mode of pharmacology and leading to unwanted toxicity. We required a higher-throughput approach to assess in vivo metabolic molecular switches, and we turned to a "synthetic liver", a 96 well kit of biomimetic catalysts (e.g., metalloporphyrins) to rapidly survey a broad panel of synthetic CYP450s' ability to oxidize/"metabolize" an mGlu5 PAM (VU0403602) known to undergo an in vivo CYP450-mediated molecular switch. While the synthetic CYP450s did generate a number of oxidative "metabolites" at known "hot spots", several of which proved to be pure mGlu5 PAMs comparable in potency to the parent, the known CYP450-mediated in vivo ago-PAM metabolite, namely, VU0453103, was not formed. Thus, this technology platform has potential to identify hot spots for oxidative metabolism and produce active metabolites of small-molecule ligands in a high-throughput, scalable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher
C. Presley
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Charles K. Perry
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Elizabeth S. Childress
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Matthew J. Mulder
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Vincent B. Luscombe
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Alice L. Rodriguez
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Colleen M. Niswender
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Vanderbilt Institute
of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - P. Jeffrey Conn
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Vanderbilt Institute
of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Craig W. Lindsley
- Vanderbilt
Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, and Vanderbilt Kennedy
Center, Vanderbilt University School of
Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Vanderbilt Institute
of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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13
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He X, Ni D, Lu S, Zhang J. Characteristics of Allosteric Proteins, Sites, and Modulators. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1163:107-139. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-8719-7_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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14
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Hill CA, Sharan S, Watts VJ. Genomics, GPCRs and new targets for the control of insect pests and vectors. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 30:99-106. [PMID: 30553493 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The pressing need for new pest control products with novel modes of action has spawned interest in small molecules and peptides targeting arthropod GPCRs. Genome sequence data and tools for reverse genetics have enabled the prediction and characterization of GPCRs from many invertebrates. We review recent work to identify, characterize and de-orphanize arthropod GPCRs, with a focus on studies that reveal exciting new functional roles for these receptors, including the regulation of metabolic resistance. We explore the potential for insecticides targeting Class A biogenic amine-binding and peptide-binding receptors, and consider the innovation required to generate pest-selective leads for development, within the context of new PCR-targeting products to control arthropod vectors of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Hill
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2089, USA.
| | - Shruti Sharan
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2089, USA
| | - Val J Watts
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2089, USA
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15
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Caprioli D, Justinova Z, Venniro M, Shaham Y. Effect of Novel Allosteric Modulators of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors on Drug Self-administration and Relapse: A Review of Preclinical Studies and Their Clinical Implications. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:180-192. [PMID: 29102027 PMCID: PMC5837933 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Results from preclinical rodent studies during the last 20 years implicated glutamate neurotransmission in different brain regions in drug self-administration and rodent models of relapse. These results, along with evidence for drug-induced neuroadaptations in glutamatergic neurons and receptors, suggested that addiction might be treatable by medications that inhibit glutamatergic responses to drugs of abuse, drug-associated cues, and stressors. This idea is supported by findings in rodent and primate models that drug self-administration and relapse are reduced by systemic injections of antagonists of ionotropic glutamate receptors or metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) or orthosteric agonists of mGluR2/3. However, these compounds have not advanced to clinical use because of potential side effects and other factors. This state of affairs has led to the development of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) and negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) of mGluRs. PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs, either of which can inhibit evoked glutamate release, may be suitable for testing in humans. We reviewed results from recent studies of systemically injected PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs in rodents and monkeys, focusing on whether they reduce drug self-administration, reinstatement of drug seeking, and incubation of drug craving. We also review results from rat studies in which PAMs or NAMs of mGluRs were injected intracranially to reduce drug self-administration and reinstatement. We conclude that PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs should be considered for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Caprioli
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Zuzana Justinova
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marco Venniro
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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Frangaj A, Fan QR. Structural biology of GABA B receptor. Neuropharmacology 2018; 136:68-79. [PMID: 29031577 PMCID: PMC5897222 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Metabotropic GABAB receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that mediates slow and prolonged inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain. It functions as a constitutive heterodimer composed of the GABAB1 and GABAB2 subunits. Each subunit contains three domains; the extracellular Venus flytrap module, seven-helix transmembrane region and cytoplasmic tail. In recent years, the three-dimensional structures of GABAB receptor extracellular and intracellular domains have been elucidated. These structures reveal the molecular basis of ligand recognition, receptor heterodimerization and receptor activation. Here we provide a brief review of the GABAB receptor structures, with an emphasis on describing the different ligand-bound states of the receptor. We will also compare these with the known structures of related GPCRs to shed light on the molecular mechanisms of activation and regulation in the GABAB system, as well as GPCR dimers in general. This article is part of the "Special Issue Dedicated to Norman G. Bowery".
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Frangaj
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Qing R Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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17
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Kannampalli P, Poli SM, Boléa C, Sengupta JN. Analgesic effect of ADX71441, a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of GABA B receptor in a rat model of bladder pain. Neuropharmacology 2017; 126:1-11. [PMID: 28823612 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic use of GABAB receptor agonists for conditions like chronic abdominal pain, overactive bladder (OAB) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is severely affected by poor blood-brain barrier permeability and potential side effects. ADX71441 is a novel positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the GABAB receptor that has shown encouraging results in pre-clinical models of anxiety, pain, OAB and alcohol addiction. The present study investigates the analgesic effect of ADX71441 to noxious stimulation of the urinary bladder and colon in rats. In female Sprague-Dawley rats, systemic (i.p), but not intrathecal (i.t), administration of ADX71441 produced a dose-dependent decrease in viscero-motor response (VMR) to graded urinary bladder distension (UBD) and colorectal distension (CRD). Additionally, intra-cerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of ADX71441 significantly decreased the VMRs to noxious UBD. In electrophysiology experiments, the drug did not attenuate the responses of UBD-sensitive pelvic nerve afferent (PNA) fibers to UBD. In contrast, ADX71441 significantly decreased the responses of UBD-responsive lumbosacral (LS) spinal neurons in spinal intact rats. However, ADX71441 did not attenuate these LS neurons in cervical (C1-C2) spinal transected rats. During cystometrogram (CMG) recordings, ADX71441 (i.p.) significantly decreased the VMR to slow infusion without affecting the number of voiding contraction. These results indicate that ADX71441 modulate bladder nociception via its effect at the supra-spinal sites without affecting the normal bladder motility and micturition reflex in naïve adult rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Kannampalli
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Sonia-Maria Poli
- Addex Therapeutics, 14 Chemin des Aulx, CH-1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christelle Boléa
- Addex Therapeutics, 14 Chemin des Aulx, CH-1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jyoti N Sengupta
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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18
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Yamamoto K, Suzuki T, Imamura R, Nagano T, Okabe T, Miyachi H. Synthesis of both enantiomers of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivative IPPAM-1 and enantio-dependency of its positive allosteric modulation of prostacyclin receptor. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 27:2567-2570. [PMID: 28462839 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.03.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
We present a practical synthesis of both enantiomers of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivative IPPAM-1 (1), which is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of prostacyclin receptor (IP) and a candidate for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension without the side effects caused by IP agonists. Assay of cAMP production by CHO-K1 cells stably expressing human IP clearly demonstrated that the IPPAM activity resides exclusively on the R-form of 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohki Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1, Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Suzuki
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Riyo Imamura
- Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Nagano
- Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Okabe
- Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Miyachi
- Lead Exploration Unit, Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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19
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Palazzo E, Marabese I, Luongo L, Guida F, de Novellis V, Maione S. Nociception modulation by supraspinal group III metabotropic glutamate receptors. J Neurochem 2017; 141:507-519. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Enza Palazzo
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
| | - Ida Marabese
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
| | - Livio Luongo
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
| | - Francesca Guida
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
| | - Vito de Novellis
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
| | - Sabatino Maione
- Department of Experimental Medicine; The Second University of Naples; Naples Italy
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20
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O'Brien DE, Conn PJ. Neurobiological Insights from mGlu Receptor Allosteric Modulation. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 19:pyv133. [PMID: 26647381 PMCID: PMC4886670 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulation of metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors offers a promising pharmacological approach to normalize neural circuit dysfunction associated with various psychiatric and neurological disorders. As mGlu receptor allosteric modulators progress through discovery and clinical development, both technical advances and novel tool compounds are providing opportunities to better understand mGlu receptor pharmacology and neurobiology. Recent advances in structural biology are elucidating the structural determinants of mGlu receptor-negative allosteric modulation and supplying the means to resolve active, allosteric modulator-bound mGlu receptors. The discovery and characterization of allosteric modulators with novel pharmacological profiles is uncovering the biological significance of their intrinsic agonist activity, biased mGlu receptor modulation, and novel mGlu receptor heterodimers. The development and exploitation of optogenetic and optopharmacological tools is permitting a refined spatial and temporal understanding of both mGlu receptor functions and their allosteric modulation in intact brain circuits. Together, these lines of research promise to provide a more refined understanding of mGlu receptors and their allosteric modulation that will inform the development of mGlu receptor allosteric modulators as neurotherapeutics in the years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E O'Brien
- Department of Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (Drs O'Brien and Conn)
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (Drs O'Brien and Conn).
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21
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Bruno V, Caraci F, Copani A, Matrisciano F, Nicoletti F, Battaglia G. The impact of metabotropic glutamate receptors into active neurodegenerative processes: A "dark side" in the development of new symptomatic treatments for neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Neuropharmacology 2016; 115:180-192. [PMID: 27140693 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.04.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor ligands are under clinical development for the treatment of CNS disorders with high social and economic burden, such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), and are promising drug candidates for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). So far, clinical studies have shown symptomatic effects of mGlu receptor ligands, but it is unknown whether these drugs act as disease modifiers or, at the opposite end, they accelerate disease progression by enhancing neurodegeneration. This is a fundamental issue in the treatment of PD and AD, and is also an emerging theme in the treatment of schizophrenia and MDD, in which neurodegeneration is also present and contribute to disease progression. Moving from in vitro data and preclinical studies, we discuss the potential impact of drugs targeting mGlu2, mGlu3, mGlu4 and mGlu5 receptor ligands on active neurodegeneration associated with AD, PD, schizophrenia, and MDD. We wish to highlight that our final comments on the best drug candidates are not influenced by commercial interests or by previous or ongoing collaborations with drug companies. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, 5 years on'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Bruno
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Associazione Oasi Maria S.S., Institute for Research on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging, 94018 Troina, Italy
| | - Agata Copani
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy; National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging (IBB-CNR), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Matrisciano
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
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22
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Jiang L, Li Y, Qiao L, Chen X, He Y, Zhang Y, Li G. Discovery of potential negative allosteric modulators of mGluR5 from natural products using pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation studies. CAN J CHEM 2015. [DOI: 10.1139/cjc-2015-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
mGluR5, which belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily, is believed to be associated with many human diseases, such as a wide range of neurological disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and cancer. Comparing with compounds that target on the orthosteric binding site, significant roles have been established for mGluR5 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) due to their higher subtype selectivity and more suitable pharmacokinetic profiles. Nevertheless, to date, none of them have come to market for various reasons. In this study, a 3D quantitative pharmacophore model was generated by using the HypoGen module in Discovery Studio 4.0. With several validation methods ultilized, the optimal pharmacophore model Hypo2 was selected to discover potential mGluR5 NAMs from natural products. Two hundred and seventeen potential NAMs were obtained after being filtered by Lipinski’s rule (≥4). Then, molecular docking was used to refine the pharmacophore-based screening results and analyze the binding mode of NAMs and mGluR5. Three compounds, aglaiduline, 5-O-ethyl-hirsutanonol, and yakuchinone A, with good ADMET properties, acceptable Fit value and estimated value, and high docking score, were reserved for a molecular dynamics simulation study. All of them have stability of ligand binding. From our computational results, there might exhibit drug-like negative allosteric moderating effects on mGluR5 in these natural products. This work provides a reliable method for discovering mGluR5 NAMs from natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludi Jiang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Yong Li
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Liansheng Qiao
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Xi Chen
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Yusu He
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Yanling Zhang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
| | - Gongyu Li
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100102, China
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23
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Garcia-Barrantes PM, Cho HP, Niswender CM, Byers FW, Locuson CW, Blobaum AL, Xiang Z, Rook JM, Conn PJ, Lindsley CW. Development of Novel, CNS Penetrant Positive Allosteric Modulators for the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 1 (mGlu1), Based on an N-(3-Chloro-4-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)phenyl)-3-methylfuran-2-carboxamide Scaffold, That Potentiate Wild Type and Mutant mGlu1 Receptors Found in Schizophrenics. J Med Chem 2015; 58:7959-71. [PMID: 26426481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The therapeutic potential of selective mGlu1 activation is vastly unexplored relative to the other group I mGlu receptor, mGlu5; therefore, our lab has focused considerable effort toward developing mGlu1 positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) suitable as in vivo proof of concept tool compounds. Optimization of a series of mGlu1 PAMs based on an N-(3-chloro-4-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)phenyl)-3-methylfuran-2-carboxamide scaffold provided 17e, a potent (mGlu1 EC50 = 31.8 nM) and highly CNS penetrant (brain to plasma ratio (Kp) of 1.02) mGlu1 PAM tool compound, that potentiated not only wild-type human mGlu1 but also mutant mGlu1 receptors derived from deleterious GRM1 mutations found in schizophrenic patients. Moreover, both electrophysiological and in vivo studies indicate the mGlu1 ago-PAMs/PAMs do not possess the same epileptiform adverse effect liability as mGlu5 ago-PAMs/PAMs and maintain temporal activity suggesting a broader therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Craig W Lindsley
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37232-6600, United States
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24
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Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamics Study of Potential Negative Allosteric Modulators of mGluR1 from Chinese Herbs. Molecules 2015; 20:12769-86. [PMID: 26184151 PMCID: PMC6332408 DOI: 10.3390/molecules200712769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The metabotropic glutamate subtype 1 (mGluR1), a member of the metabotropic glutamate receptors, is a therapeutic target for neurological disorders. However, due to the lower subtype selectivity of mGluR1 orthosteric compounds, a new targeted strategy, known as allosteric modulators research, is needed for the treatment of mGluR1-related diseases. Recently, the structure of the seven-transmembrane domain (7TMD) of mGluR1 has been solved, which reveals the binding site of allosteric modulators and provides an opportunity for future subtype-selectivity drug design. In this study, a series of computer-aided drug design methods were utilized to discover potential mGluR1 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs). Pharmacophore models were constructed based on three different structure types of mGluR1 NAMs. After validation using the built-in parameters and test set, the optimal pharmacophore model of each structure type was selected and utilized as a query to screen the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD). Then, three different hit lists of compounds were obtained. Molecular docking was used based on the latest crystal structure of mGluR1-7TMD to further filter these hits. As a compound with high QFIT and LibDock Score was preferred, a total of 30 compounds were retained. MD simulation was utilized to confirm the stability of potential compounds binding. From the computational results, thesinine-4'-O-β-d-glucoside, nigrolineaxanthone-P and nodakenin might exhibit negative allosteric moderating effects on mGluR1. This paper indicates the applicability of molecular simulation technologies for discovering potential natural mGluR1 NAMs from Chinese herbs.
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25
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Tobo A, Tobo M, Nakakura T, Ebara M, Tomura H, Mogi C, Im DS, Murata N, Kuwabara A, Ito S, Fukuda H, Arisawa M, Shuto S, Nakaya M, Kurose H, Sato K, Okajima F. Characterization of Imidazopyridine Compounds as Negative Allosteric Modulators of Proton-Sensing GPR4 in Extracellular Acidification-Induced Responses. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129334. [PMID: 26070068 PMCID: PMC4466532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4), previously proposed as the receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine, has recently been identified as the proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) coupling to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including the Gs protein/cAMP and G13 protein/Rho. In the present study, we characterized some imidazopyridine compounds as GPR4 modulators that modify GPR4 receptor function. In the cells that express proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4, OGR1, TDAG8, and G2A, extracellular acidification stimulates serum responsive element (SRE)-driven transcriptional activity, which has been shown to reflect Rho activity, with different proton sensitivities. Imidazopyridine compounds inhibited the moderately acidic pH-induced SRE activity only in GPR4-expressing cells. Acidic pH-stimulated cAMP accumulation, mRNA expression of inflammatory genes, and GPR4 internalization within GPR4-expressing cells were all inhibited by the GPR4 modulator. We further compared the inhibition property of the imidazopyridine compound with psychosine, which has been shown to selectively inhibit actions induced by proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4. In the GPR4 mutant, in which certain histidine residues were mutated to phenylalanine, proton sensitivity was significantly shifted to the right, and psychosine failed to further inhibit acidic pH-induced SRE activation. On the other hand, the imidazopyridine compound almost completely inhibited acidic pH-induced action in mutant GPR4. We conclude that some imidazopyridine compounds show specificity to GPR4 as negative allosteric modulators with a different action mode from psychosine, an antagonist susceptible to histidine residues, and are useful for characterizing GPR4-mediated acidic pH-induced biological actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Tobo
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masayuki Tobo
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakakura
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masashi Ebara
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tomura
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Chihiro Mogi
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Dong-Soon Im
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Naoya Murata
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kuwabara
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Saki Ito
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hayato Fukuda
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Arisawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Michio Nakaya
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kurose
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Koichi Sato
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
- * E-mail: (FO); (KS)
| | - Fumikazu Okajima
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
- * E-mail: (FO); (KS)
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26
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What is the potential of G protein-coupled receptor [corrected] allosteric sites in drug design? Future Med Chem 2015; 6:729-32. [PMID: 24941868 DOI: 10.4155/fmc.14.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
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Cho H, Garcia-Barrantes PM, Brogan JT, Hopkins CR, Niswender CM, Rodriguez AL, Venable DF, Morrison RD, Bubser M, Daniels JS, Jones CK, Conn PJ, Lindsley CW. Chemical modulation of mutant mGlu1 receptors derived from deleterious GRM1 mutations found in schizophrenics. ACS Chem Biol 2014; 9:2334-46. [PMID: 25137254 PMCID: PMC4201332 DOI: 10.1021/cb500560h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex and highly heterogeneous psychiatric disorder whose precise etiology remains elusive. While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified risk genes, they have failed to determine if rare coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) contribute in schizophrenia. Recently, two independent studies identified 12 rare, deleterious nsSNPS in the GRM1 gene, which encodes the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 (mGlu1), in schizophrenic patients. Here, we generated stable cell lines expressing the mGlu1 mutant receptors and assessed their pharmacology. Using both the endogenous agonist glutamate and the synthetic agonist DHPG, we found that several of the mutant mGlu1 receptors displayed a loss of function that was not due to a loss in plasma membrane expression. Due to a lack of mGlu1 positive allosteric modulators (PAM) tool compounds active at human mGlu1, we optimized a known mGlu4 PAM/mGlu1 NAM chemotype into a series of potent and selective mGlu1 PAMs by virtue of a double "molecular switch". Employing mGlu1 PAMs from multiple chemotypes, we demonstrate that the mutant receptors can be potentiated by small molecules and in some cases efficacy restored to that comparable to wild type mGlu1 receptors, suggesting deficits in patients with schizophrenia due to these mutations may be amenable to intervention with an mGlu1 PAM. However, in wild type animals, mGlu1 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) are efficacious in classic models predictive of antipsychotic activity, whereas we show that mGlu1 PAMs have no effect to slight potentiation in these models. These data further highlight the heterogeneity of schizophrenia and the critical role of patient selection strategies in psychiatric clinical trials to match genotype with therapeutic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyekyung
P. Cho
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Pedro M. Garcia-Barrantes
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - John T. Brogan
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Corey R. Hopkins
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Colleen M. Niswender
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Alice L. Rodriguez
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Daryl F. Venable
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Ryan D. Morrison
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Michael Bubser
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - J. Scott Daniels
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Carrie K. Jones
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - P. Jeffrey Conn
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
| | - Craig W. Lindsley
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience
Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 United States
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28
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Lu S, Huang W, Zhang J. Recent computational advances in the identification of allosteric sites in proteins. Drug Discov Today 2014; 19:1595-600. [PMID: 25107670 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric modulators have the potential to fine-tune protein functional activity. Therefore, the targeting of allosteric sites, as a strategy in drug design, is gaining increasing attention. Currently, it is not trivial to find and characterize new allosteric sites by experimental approaches. Alternatively, computational approaches are useful in helping researchers analyze and select potential allosteric sites for drug discovery. Here, we review state-of-the-art computational approaches directed at predicting putative allosteric sites in proteins, along with examples of successes in identifying allosteric sites utilizing these methods. We also discuss the challenges in developing reliable methods for predicting allosteric sites and tactics to resolve demanding tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyong Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai JiaoTong University, School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Wenkang Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai JiaoTong University, School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai JiaoTong University, School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025, China.
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29
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Williams CJ, Dexter DT. Neuroprotective and symptomatic effects of targeting group III mGlu receptors in neurodegenerative disease. J Neurochem 2013; 129:4-20. [PMID: 24224472 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2013] [Revised: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders possess common pathological mechanisms, such as protein aggregation, inflammation, oxidative stress (OS) and excitotoxicity, raising the possibility of shared therapeutic targets. As a result of the selective cellular and regional expression of group III metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors, drugs targeting such receptors have demonstrated both neuroprotective properties and symptomatic improvements in several models of neurodegeneration. In recent years, the discovery and development of subtype-selective ligands for the group III mGlu receptors has gained pace, allowing further research into the functions of these receptors and revealing their roles in health and disease. Activation of this class of receptors results in neuroprotection, with a variety of underlying mechanisms implicated. Group III mGlu receptor stimulation prevents excitotoxicity by inhibiting glutamate release from neurons and microglia and increasing glutamate uptake by astrocytes. It also attenuates the neuroinflammatory response by reducing glial reactivity and encourages neurotrophic phenotypes. This article will review the current literature with regard to the neuroprotective and symptomatic effects of group III mGlu receptor activation and discuss their promise as therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative disease. We review the neuroprotective and symptomatic effects of targeting group III mGlu receptors in neurodegenerative disease: Excess extracellular glutamate causes overactivation of NMDA receptors resulting in excitotoxicity. Externalization of phosphatidylserine stimulates phagocytosis of neurons by activated microglia, which contribute to damage through glutamate and pro-inflammatory factor release. Reactive astrocytes produce cytotoxic factors enhancing neuronal cell death. Activation of group III mGlu receptors by glutamate and/or mGlu receptor ligands results in inhibition of glutamate release from presynaptic terminals and microglia, reducing excitotoxicity. Astrocytic glutamate uptake is increased and microglia produce neurotrophic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire J Williams
- Parkinson's Disease Research Group, Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
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