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Öz-Arslan D, Yavuz M, Kan B. Exploring orphan GPCRs in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1394516. [PMID: 38895631 PMCID: PMC11183337 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1394516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders represent a significant and growing health burden worldwide. Unfortunately, limited therapeutic options are currently available despite ongoing efforts. Over the past decades, research efforts have increasingly focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these devastating conditions. Orphan receptors, a class of receptors with no known endogenous ligands, emerge as promising druggable targets for diverse diseases. This review aims to direct attention to a subgroup of orphan GPCRs, in particular class A orphans that have roles in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Multiple sclerosis. We highlight the diverse roles orphan receptors play in regulating critical cellular processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal survival and neuro-inflammation. Moreover, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting orphan receptors for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing recent advances in drug discovery and preclinical studies. Finally, we outline future directions and challenges in orphan receptor research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devrim Öz-Arslan
- Department of Biophysics, Acibadem MAA University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Neurosciences, Acibadem MAA University, Institute of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Melis Yavuz
- Department of Neurosciences, Acibadem MAA University, Institute of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Pharmacology, Acibadem MAA University, School of Pharmacy, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Beki Kan
- Department of Biophysics, Acibadem MAA University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Neurosciences, Acibadem MAA University, Institute of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye
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Ali S, Wang P, Murphy RE, Allen JA, Zhou J. Orphan GPR52 as an emerging neurotherapeutic target. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103922. [PMID: 38387741 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
GPR52 is a highly conserved, brain-enriched, Gs/olf-coupled orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that controls various cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent physiological and pathological processes. Stimulation of GPR52 activity might be beneficial for the treatment of schizophrenia, psychiatric disorders and other human neurological diseases, whereas inhibition of its activity might provide a potential therapeutic approach for Huntington's disease. Excitingly, HTL0048149 (HTL'149), an orally available GPR52 agonist, has been advanced into phase I human clinical trials for the treatment of schizophrenia. In this concise review, we summarize the current understanding of GPR52 receptor distribution as well as its structure and functions, highlighting the recent advances in drug discovery efforts towards small-molecule GPR52 ligands. The opportunities and challenges presented by targeting GPR52 for novel therapeutics are also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saghir Ali
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Pingyuan Wang
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Ryan E Murphy
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - John A Allen
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| | - Jia Zhou
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
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Poulter S, Austin N, Armstrong R, Barnes M, Bucknell SJ, Higueruelo A, Banerjee J, Mead A, Mould R, MacSweeney C, O’Brien MA, Stott LA, Watson SP. The Identification of GPR52 Agonist HTL0041178, a Potential Therapy for Schizophrenia and Related Psychiatric Disorders. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:499-505. [PMID: 37077397 PMCID: PMC10107915 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
HTL0041178 (1), a potent GPR52 agonist with a promising pharmacokinetic profile and exhibiting oral activity in preclinical models, has been identified. This molecule was the outcome of a judicious molecular property-based optimization approach, focusing on balancing potency against metabolic stability, solubility, permeability, and P-gp efflux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Poulter
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Austin
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Armstrong
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Matt Barnes
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Joanne Bucknell
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Higueruelo
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Joydeep Banerjee
- Syngene
International, Biocon Park, Bommasandra, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Andy Mead
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Mould
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Cliona MacSweeney
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - M. Alistair O’Brien
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Alice Stott
- Sosei
Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6DG, United Kingdom
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Komatsu H. Innovative Therapeutic Approaches for Huntington's Disease: From Nucleic Acids to GPCR-Targeting Small Molecules. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:785703. [PMID: 34899193 PMCID: PMC8662694 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.785703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder due to an extraordinarily expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene that confers a gain-of-toxic function in the mutant protein. There is currently no effective cure that attenuates progression and severity of the disease. Since HD is an inherited monogenic disorder, lowering the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Huntingtin lowering strategies mostly focus on nucleic acid approaches, such as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). While these approaches seem to be effective, the drug delivery to the brain poses a great challenge and requires direct injection into the central nervous system (CNS) that results in substantial burden for patients. This review discusses the topics on Huntingtin lowering strategies with clinical trials in patients already underway and introduce an innovative approach that has the potential to deter the disease progression through the inhibition of GPR52, a striatal-enriched class A orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that represents a promising therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders. Chemically simple, potent, and selective GPR52 antagonists have been discovered through high-throughput screening and subsequent structure-activity relationship studies. These small molecule antagonists not only diminish both soluble and aggregated mHTT in the striatum, but also ameliorate HD-like defects in HD mice. This therapeutic approach offers great promise as a novel strategy for HD therapy, while nucleic acid delivery still faces considerable challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Komatsu
- Business Strategy, Kyowa Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.,Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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