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Zhang R, Chen J. Research progress on the role of orphan receptor GPR139 in neuropsychiatric behaviours. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 960:176150. [PMID: 38059447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176150] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The study of orphan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) holds much promise for increasing our understanding of neuropsychiatric diseases and for the development of new therapeutic strategies for these diseases. GPR139 is an orphan GPCR expressed in the central nervous system, especially in areas of the brain that control movement, motivation, and reward, and those that regulate neuropsychiatric behaviour. This review provides information about the discovery, tissue expression, signal transduction pathways, and physiological functions of GPR139, as well as how GPR139 interacts with other GPCRs, which form heteromeric complexes that affect their pharmacology and function. We also discuss the utility and therapeutic potential of ligands that target GPR139, including the pharmacological properties of reported agonists and antagonists. Finally, we highlight the pathologic role of GPR139 in neuropsychiatric behaviour and its potential as a therapeutic target in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumin Zhang
- Neurobiology Key Laboratory of Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China; School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Neurobiology Key Laboratory of Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China; School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China; Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV47AL, UK.
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Nguyen LP, Cho M, Nguyen TU, Park HK, Nguyen HT, Mykhailova K, Hurh S, Kim HR, Seong JY, Lee CS, Ham BJ, Hwang JI. Neurokinin-2 receptor negatively modulates substance P responses by forming complex with Neurokinin-1 receptor. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:212. [PMID: 37968728 PMCID: PMC10652611 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01165-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tachykinins and their cognate receptors, neurokinin receptors (NKs) including NK1, NK2, and NK3 play vital roles in regulating various physiological processes including neurotransmission, nociception, inflammation, smooth muscle contractility, and stimulation of endocrine and exocrine gland secretion. Their abnormal expression has been reported to be associated with neurological disorders, inflammation, and cancer. Even though NKs are expressed in the same cells with their expression being inversely correlated in some conditions, there is no direct evidence to prove their interaction. Understanding the functional crosstalk between NKs in mediated downstream signaling and cellular responses may elucidate the roles of each receptor in pathophysiology. RESULTS In this study, we showed that NKs were co-expressed in some cells. However, different from NK3, which only forms homodimerization, we demonstrated a direct interaction between NK1 and NK2 at the protein level using co-immunoprecipitation and NanoBiT-based protein interaction analysis. Through heterodimerization, NK2 downregulated substance P-stimulated NK1 signals, such as intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and ERK phosphorylation, by enhancing β-arrestin recruitment, even at the ligand concentration that could not activate NK2 itself or in the presence of NK1 specific antagonist, aprepitant. In A549 cells with receptors deleted and reconstituted, NK2 exerted a negative effect on substance P/NK1-mediated cell migration. CONCLUSION Our study has provided the first direct evidence of an interaction between NK1 and NK2, which highlights the functional relevance of their heterodimerization in cellular responses. Our findings demonstrated that through dimerization, NK2 exerts negative effects on downstream signaling and cellular response mediated by NK1. Moreover, this study has significant implications for understanding the complexity of GPCR dimerization and its effect on downstream signaling and cellular responses. Given the important roles of tachykinins and NKs in pathophysiology, these insights may provide clues for developing NKs-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Phuong Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minyeong Cho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Thai Uy Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Kyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Huong Thi Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kateryna Mykhailova
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghoon Hurh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Rae Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Young Seong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol Soon Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Ik Hwang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Di Marino D, Conflitti P, Motta S, Limongelli V. Structural basis of dimerization of chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6439. [PMID: 37833254 PMCID: PMC10575954 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42082-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are prominent drug targets responsible for extracellular-to-intracellular signal transduction. GPCRs can form functional dimers that have been poorly characterized so far. Here, we show the dimerization mechanism of the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 by means of an advanced free-energy technique named coarse-grained metadynamics. Our results reproduce binding events between the GPCRs occurring in the minute timescale, revealing a symmetric and an asymmetric dimeric structure for each of the three investigated systems, CCR5/CCR5, CXCR4/CXCR4, and CCR5/CXCR4. The transmembrane helices TM4-TM5 and TM6-TM7 are the preferred binding interfaces for CCR5 and CXCR4, respectively. The identified dimeric states differ in the access to the binding sites of the ligand and G protein, indicating that dimerization may represent a fine allosteric mechanism to regulate receptor activity. Our study offers structural basis for the design of ligands able to modulate the formation of CCR5 and CXCR4 dimers and in turn their activity, with therapeutic potential against HIV, cancer, and immune-inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Di Marino
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences - New York-Marche Structural Biology Centre (NY-MaSBiC), Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
- Neuronal Death and Neuroprotection Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research-IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Conflitti
- Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Euler Institute, Via G. Buffi 13, CH-6900, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Motta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Vittorio Limongelli
- Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Euler Institute, Via G. Buffi 13, CH-6900, Lugano, Switzerland.
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de Lima MRP, Bezerra RFS, Serafim DDB, Sena Junior DM. Dynamics of the Apo µ-Opioid Receptor in Complex with Gi Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13430. [PMID: 37686252 PMCID: PMC10487971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid receptors, particularly the µ-opioid receptor (μOR), play a pivotal role in mediating the analgesic and addictive effects of opioid drugs. G protein signaling is an important pathway of μOR function, usually associated with painkilling effects. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between the μOR and G protein remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed classical all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structural changes occurring with the μOR-G protein complex under two different conditions: with the G protein in the apo form (open) and with the GDP bound G protein (closed, holo form). The receptor was in the apo form and active conformation in both cases, and the simulation time comprised 1µs for each system. In order to assess the effect of the G protein coupling on the receptor activation state, three parameters were monitored: the correlation of the distance between TM3 and TM6 and the RMSD of the NPxxYA motif; the universal activation index (A100); and the χ2 dihedral distribution of residue W2936.48. When complexed with the open G protein, receptor conformations with intermediate activation state prevailed throughout the molecular dynamics, whereas in the condition with the closed G protein, mostly inactive conformations of the receptor were observed. The major effect of the G protein in the receptor conformation comes from a steric hindrance involving an intracellular loop of the receptor and a β-sheet region of the G protein. This suggests that G-protein precoupling is essential for receptor activation, but this fact is not sufficient for complete receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Raya Paula de Lima
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará—IFCE, Juazeiro do Norte 63040-540, CE, Brazil
| | - Rubem Francisco Silva Bezerra
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
| | - David Denis Bento Serafim
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
| | - Diniz Maciel Sena Junior
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
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Franco R, Navarro G. Neuroprotection afforded by targeting G protein-coupled receptors in heteromers and by heteromer-selective drugs. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1222158. [PMID: 37521478 PMCID: PMC10373065 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1222158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the target of hundreds of approved drugs. Although these drugs were designed to target individual receptors, it is becoming increasingly apparent that GPCRs interact with each other to form heteromers. Approved drug targets are often part of a GPCR heteromer, and therefore new drugs can be developed with heteromers in mind. This review presents several strategies to selectively target GPCRs in heteromeric contexts, namely, taking advantage of i) heteromer-mediated biased agonism/signalling, ii) discovery of drugs with higher affinity for the receptor if it is part of a heteromer (heteromer selective drugs), iii) allosteric compounds directed against the interacting transmembrane domains and, eventually, iv) antagonists that block both GPCRs in a heteromer. Heteromers provide unique allosteric sites that should help designing a new type of drug that by definition would be a heteromer selective drug. The review also provides examples of rhodopsin-like class A receptors in heteromers that could be targeted to neuroprotect and/or delay the progression of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. GPCRs in heteromers (GriH) with the potential to address dyskinesias, a common complication of dopaminergic replacement therapy in parkinsonian patients, are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Franco
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- School of Chemistry, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Navarro
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Konda Mani S, Thiyagarajan R, Yli-Harja O, Kandhavelu M, Murugesan A. Structural analysis of human G-protein-coupled receptor 17 ligand binding sites. J Cell Biochem 2023; 124:533-544. [PMID: 36791278 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30388] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The human G protein coupled membrane receptor (GPR17), the sensor of brain damage, is identified as a biomarker for many neurological diseases. In human brain tissue, GPR17 exist in two isoforms, long and short. While cryo-electron microscopy technology has provided the structure of the long isoform of GPR17 with Gi complex, the structure of the short isoform and its activation mechanism remains unclear. Recently, we theoretically modeled the structure of the short isoform of GPR17 with Gi signaling protein and identified novel ligands. In the present work, we demonstrated the presence of two distinct ligand binding sites in the short isoform of GPR17. The molecular docking of GPR17 with endogenous (UDP) and synthetic ligands (T0510.3657, MDL29950) found the presence of two distinct binding pockets. Our observations revealed that endogenous ligand UDP can bind stronger in two different binding pockets as evidenced by glide and autodock vina scores, whereas the other two ligand's binding with GPR17 has less docking score. The analysis of receptor-UDP interactions shows complexes' stability in the lipid environment by 100 ns atomic molecular dynamics simulations. The amino acid residues VAL83, ARG87, and PHE111 constitute ligand binding site 1, whereas site 2 constitutes ASN67, ARG129, and LYS232. Root mean square fluctuation analysis showed the residues 83, 87, and 232 with higher fluctuations during molecular dynamics simulation in both binding pockets. Our findings imply that the residues of GPR17's two binding sites are crucial, and their interaction with UDP reveals the protein's hidden signaling and communication properties. Furthermore, this finding may assist in the development of targeted therapies for the treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saravanan Konda Mani
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education & Research, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Ramesh Thiyagarajan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Olli Yli-Harja
- Computaional Systems Biology Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Meenakshisundaram Kandhavelu
- Molecular Signaling Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMeditech and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Akshaya Murugesan
- BioMeditech and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Biotechnology, Lady Doak College, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India
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