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Jiang L, Liu N, Zhao F, Huang B, Kang D, Zhan P, Liu X. Discovery of GluN2A subtype-selective N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor ligands. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1987-2005. [PMID: 38799621 PMCID: PMC11119548 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which belong to the ionotropic Glutamate receptors, constitute a family of ligand-gated ion channels. Within the various subtypes of NMDA receptors, the GluN1/2A subtype plays a significant role in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The present article aims to provide a comprehensive review of ligands targeting GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors, encompassing negative allosteric modulators (NAMs), positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) and competitive antagonists. Moreover, the ligands' structure-activity relationships (SARs) and the binding models of representative ligands are also discussed, providing valuable insights for the clinical rational design of effective drugs targeting CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fabao Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Boshi Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Dongwei Kang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
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O'Connor EC, Kambara K, Bertrand D. Advancements in the use of xenopus oocytes for modelling neurological disease for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:173-187. [PMID: 37850233 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2270902] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Introduced about 50 years ago, the model of Xenopus oocytes for the expression of recombinant proteins has gained a broad spectrum of applications. The authors herein review the benefits brought from using this model system, with a focus on modeling neurological disease mechanisms and application to drug discovery. AREAS COVERED Using multiple examples spanning from ligand gated ion channels to transporters, this review presents, in the light of the latest publications, the benefits offered from using Xenopus oocytes. Studies range from the characterization of gene mutations to the discovery of novel treatments for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). EXPERT OPINION Development of new drugs targeting CNS disorders has been marked by failures in the translation from preclinical to clinical studies. As progress in genetics and molecular biology highlights large functional differences arising from a single to a few amino acid exchanges, the need for drug screening and functional testing against human proteins is increasing. The use of Xenopus oocytes to enable precise modeling and characterization of clinically relevant genetic variants constitutes a powerful model system that can be used to inform various aspects of CNS drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoin C O'Connor
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience & Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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GRIN2A-related epilepsy and speech disorders: A comprehensive overview with a focus on the role of precision therapeutics. Epilepsy Res 2023; 189:107065. [PMID: 36516565 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.107065] [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: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Language dysfunction is a common and serious comorbidity of epilepsy, especially in individuals with epilepsy aphasia spectrum syndromes. Childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes is on the mild end of the spectrum, while epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep syndrome is on the severe end. Traditional antiseizure medicines and immunotherapy are currently used to treat severely affected patients, but the results are usually disappointing. The discovery that GRIN2A is the primary monogenic etiology of these diseases has opened the door to precision treatments. The GRIN2A gene encodes GluN2A protein, which constitutes a subunit of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR). The GRIN2A pathogenic variants cause gain or loss of function of NMDAR; the former can be treated with uncompetitive NMDAR antagonists, such as memantine, while the latter with NMDAR co-agonist serine. Hyper-precision therapies with various other effective agents are likely to be developed shortly to target the diverse functional effects of different variants. Precision treatments for GRIN2A-related disorders will benefit those who suffer from the condition and pave the way for new therapeutic approaches to a variety of other NMDAR-linked neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases (schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and so on). Furthermore, more research into GRIN2A-related disorders will help us better understand the neuroinflammatory and neuroimmunological basis of epilepsy, as well as the pathological and physiological network activation mechanisms that cause sleep activation of central-temporal spikes and language impairment.
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Steigerwald R, Chou T, Furukawa H, Wünsch B. GluN2A-Selective NMDA Receptor Antagonists: Mimicking the U-Shaped Bioactive Conformation of TCN-201 by a [2.2]Paracyclophane System. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200484. [PMID: 36169098 PMCID: PMC9828697 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Under physiological conditions, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a crucial role for synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation and long-term depression. However, overactivation of NMDA receptors can result in excitotoxicity, which is associated with various neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The physiological properties of NMDA receptors are strongly dependent on the GluN2 subunit incorporated into the heterotetrameric NMDA receptor. Therefore, subtype selective NMDA receptor modulators are of high interest. Since prototypical GluN2A-NMDA receptor antagonists TCN-201 and its MPX-analogs adopt a U-shaped conformation within the binding pocket, paracyclophanes were designed containing the phenyl rings in an already parallel orientation. Docking studies of the designed paracyclophanes show a similar binding pose as TCN-201. [2.2]Paracyclophanes with a benzoate or benzamide side chain were prepared in four-step synthesis, respectively, starting with a radical bromination in benzylic 1-position of [2.2]paracyclophane. In two-electrode voltage clamp experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes transfected with cRNAs for the GluN1-4a and GluN2A subunits, the esters and amides (conc. 10 μM) did not show considerable inhibition of ion flux. It can be concluded that the GluN2A-NMDA receptor does not accept ligands with a paracyclophane scaffold functionalized in benzylic 1-position, although docking studies had revealed promising binding poses for benzoic acid esters and benzamides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Steigerwald
- Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany,Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieWestfälische Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Tsung‐Han Chou
- W.M. Keck Structural Biology LaboratoryCold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNew YorkNY11724USA
| | - Hiro Furukawa
- W.M. Keck Structural Biology LaboratoryCold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNew YorkNY11724USA
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany,Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieWestfälische Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
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A Novel Multi-Factor Three-Step Feature Selection and Deep Learning Framework for Regional GDP Prediction: Evidence from China. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14084408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Gross domestic product (GDP) is an important index reflecting the economic development of a region. Accurate GDP prediction of developing regions can provide technical support for sustainable urban development and economic policy formulation. In this paper, a novel multi-factor three-step feature selection and deep learning framework are proposed for regional GDP prediction. The core modeling process is mainly composed of the following three steps: In Step I, the feature crossing algorithm is used to deeply excavate hidden feature information of original datasets and fully extract key information. In Step II, BorutaRF and Q-learning algorithms analyze the deep correlation between extracted features and targets from two different perspectives and determine the features with the highest quality. In Step III, selected features are used as the input of TCN (Temporal convolutional network) to build a GDP prediction model and obtain final prediction results. Based on the experimental analysis of three datasets, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) The proposed three-stage feature selection method effectively improves the prediction accuracy of TCN by more than 10%. (2) The proposed GDP prediction framework proposed in the paper has achieved better forecasting performance than 14 benchmark models. In addition, the MAPE values of the models are lower than 5% in all cases.
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Rajan R, Schepmann D, Steigerwald R, Schreiber JA, El‐Awaad E, Jose J, Seebohm G, Wünsch B. [2.2]Paracyclophane-Based TCN-201 Analogs as GluN2A-Selective NMDA Receptor Antagonists. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:3201-3209. [PMID: 34265163 PMCID: PMC8596836 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown the involvement of GluN2A subunit-containing NMDA receptors in various neurological and pathological disorders. In the X-ray crystal structure, TCN-201 (1) and analogous pyrazine derivatives 2 and 3 adopt a U-shape (hairpin) conformation within the binding site formed by the ligand binding domains of the GluN1 and GluN2A subunits. In order to mimic the resulting π/π-interactions of two aromatic rings in the binding site, a [2.2]paracyclophane system was designed to lock these aromatic rings in a parallel orientation. Acylation of [2.2]paracyclophane (5) with oxalyl chloride and chloroacetyl chloride and subsequent transformations led to the oxalamide 7, triazole 10 and benzamides 12. The GluN2A inhibitory activities of the paracyclophane derivatives were tested with two-electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology using Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing selectively functional NMDA receptors with GluN2A subunit. The o-iodobenzamide 12 b with the highest similarity to TCN-201 showed the highest GuN2A inhibitory activity of this series of compounds. At a concentration of 10 μM, 12 b reached 36 % of the inhibitory activity of TCN-201 (1). This result indicates that the [2.2]paracyclophane system is well accepted by the TCN-201 binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remya Rajan
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 – CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
| | - Dirk Schepmann
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Ruben Steigerwald
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- GRK 2515Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
| | - Julian A. Schreiber
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cellular Electrophysiology and Molecular BiologyInstitute for Genetics of Heart Diseases (IfGH)University Hospital MünsterRobert-Koch-Str. 4548149MünsterGermany
| | - Ehab El‐Awaad
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Joachim Jose
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- GRK 2515Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
| | - Guiscard Seebohm
- GRK 2515Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
- Cellular Electrophysiology and Molecular BiologyInstitute for Genetics of Heart Diseases (IfGH)University Hospital MünsterRobert-Koch-Str. 4548149MünsterGermany
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie derWestfälischen Wilhelms-Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 – CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
- GRK 2515Chemical biology of ion channels (Chembion)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
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Rajan R, Schepmann D, Schreiber JA, Seebohm G, Wünsch B. Synthesis of GluN2A-selective NMDA receptor antagonists with an electron-rich aromatic B-ring. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 209:112939. [PMID: 33162207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Glutamatergic N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are heterotetrameric ion channels that can be comprised of different subunits. GluN2A subunit-containing NMDA receptors are associated with diseases like anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. However, the exact contribution of these NMDA receptor subtypes is still unclear. To understand better the role of the GluN2A-containing receptors, novel ligands were designed. In co-crystallization with the isolated binding site, TCN-201 (1) and analogs adopt a U-shape conformation with parallel orientation of rings A and B. In order to increase the π/π-interactions between these rings, ring B of TCN-201 was replaced bioisosterically by different electron-rich thiazole, oxazole, and isoxazole heterocycles. The inhibitory activity was measured by two-electrode voltage clamp experiments with Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors. It was found that 21c, 31a, 37a, and 37b were able to inhibit the ion channel. The isoxazole derivative 37b was the most potent negative allosteric modulator displaying 40% of the TCN-201 activity at a concentration of 10 μM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remya Rajan
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 48, D-48149, Münster, Germany; Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, D-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Dirk Schepmann
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 48, D-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Julian A Schreiber
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 48, D-48149, Münster, Germany; Cellular Electrophysiology and Molecular Biology, Institute for Genetics of Heart Diseases (IfGH), Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 45, D-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Guiscard Seebohm
- Cellular Electrophysiology and Molecular Biology, Institute for Genetics of Heart Diseases (IfGH), Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 45, D-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 48, D-48149, Münster, Germany; Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003 - CiM), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, D-48149, Münster, Germany.
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Synaptic GluN2A-Containing NMDA Receptors: From Physiology to Pathological Synaptic Plasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041538. [PMID: 32102377 PMCID: PMC7073220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic glutamate-gated receptors. NMDARs are tetramers composed by several homologous subunits of GluN1-, GluN2-, or GluN3-type, leading to the existence in the central nervous system of a high variety of receptor subtypes with different pharmacological and signaling properties. NMDAR subunit composition is strictly regulated during development and by activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Given the differences between GluN2 regulatory subunits of NMDAR in several functions, here we will focus on the synaptic pool of NMDARs containing the GluN2A subunit, addressing its role in both physiology and pathological synaptic plasticity as well as the contribution in these events of different types of GluN2A-interacting proteins.
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