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Zhang H, Yin YL, Dai A, Zhang T, Zhang C, Wu C, Hu W, He X, Pan B, Jin S, Yuan Q, Wang MW, Yang D, Xu HE, Jiang Y. Dimerization and antidepressant recognition at noradrenaline transporter. Nature 2024; 630:247-254. [PMID: 38750358 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07437-6] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The noradrenaline transporter has a pivotal role in regulating neurotransmitter balance and is crucial for normal physiology and neurobiology1. Dysfunction of noradrenaline transporter has been implicated in numerous neuropsychiatric diseases, including depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder2. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of noradrenaline transporter in apo and substrate-bound forms, and as complexes with six antidepressants. The structures reveal a noradrenaline transporter dimer interface that is mediated predominantly by cholesterol and lipid molecules. The substrate noradrenaline binds deep in the central binding pocket, and its amine group interacts with a conserved aspartate residue. Our structures also provide insight into antidepressant recognition and monoamine transporter selectivity. Together, these findings advance our understanding of noradrenaline transporter regulation and inhibition, and provide templates for designing improved antidepressants to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Antao Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianwei Zhang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Canrong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Qingning Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- Research Center for Deepsea Bioresources, Sanya, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Dehua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Adeniran C, Yuan Y, Davis SE, Lin C, Xu J, Zhu J, Zhan CG. Binding Mode of Human Norepinephrine Transporter Interacting with HIV-1 Tat. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1519-1527. [PMID: 33886267 PMCID: PMC8562539 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase of HIV infection in macrophages results in HIV proteins being released, like HIV Tat which impairs the function of monoamine transporters. HIV-infected patients have displayed increased synaptic levels of dopamine (DA) due to reduced binding and function of monoamine transporters such as the norepinephrine transporter (NET) and the dopamine transporter (DAT). Development of a three-dimensional model of the HIV-1 Tat-human NET (hNET) binding complex would help reveal how HIV-1 Tat causes toxicity in the neuron by affecting DA uptake. Here we use computational techniques such as molecular modeling to study microscopic properties and molecular dynamics of the HIV-1 Tat-hNET binding. These modeling techniques allow us to analyze noncovalent interactions and observe residue-residue contacts to verify a model structure. The modeling results studied here show that HIV-1 Tat-hNET binding is highly dynamic and that HIV-1 Tat preferentially binds to hNET in its outward-open state. In particular, HIV-1 Tat forms hydrogen bond interactions with side chains of hNET residues Y84, K88, and T544. The favorable hydrogen bonding interactions of HIV-1 Tat with the hNET side chain residues Y84 and T544 have been validated by our subsequently performed DA uptake activity assays and site-directed mutagenesis, suggesting that the modeled HIV-1 Tat-hNET binding mode is reasonable. These mechanistic and structural insights gained through homology models discussed in this study are expected to encourage the pursuit of pharmacological and biochemical studies on HIV-1 Tat interacting with hNET mechanisms and detailed structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Adeniran
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, 505 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40506
| | - Yaxia Yuan
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
| | - Sarah E. Davis
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Ciai Lin
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Jiahui Xu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Chang-Guo Zhan
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536
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Xu L, Chen LY. Identification of a New Allosteric Binding Site for Cocaine in Dopamine Transporter. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:3958-3968. [PMID: 32649824 PMCID: PMC7484383 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) is a major target for psychostimulant drugs of abuse such as cocaine that competitively binds to DAT, inhibits DA reuptake, and consequently increases synaptic DA levels. In addition to the central binding site inside DAT, the available experimental evidence suggests the existence of alternative binding sites on DAT, but detection and characterization of these sites are challenging by experiments alone. Here, we integrate multiple computational approaches to probe the potential binding sites on the wild-type Drosophila melanogaster DAT and identify a new allosteric site that displays high affinity for cocaine. This site is located on the surface of DAT, and binding of cocaine is primarily dominated by interactions with hydrophobic residues surrounding the site. We show that cocaine binding to this new site allosterically reduces the binding of DA/cocaine to the central binding pocket, and simultaneous binding of two cocaine molecules to a single DAT seems infeasible. Furthermore, we find that binding of cocaine to this site stabilizes the conformation of DAT but alters the conformational population and thereby reduces the accessibility by DA, providing molecular insights into the inhibitory mechanism of cocaine. In addition, our results indicate that the conformations induced by cocaine binding to this site may be relevant to the oligomerization of DAT, highlighting a potential role of this new site in modulating the function of DAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Xu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Liao Y Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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4
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Xue W, Fu T, Zheng G, Tu G, Zhang Y, Yang F, Tao L, Yao L, Zhu F. Recent Advances and Challenges of the Drugs Acting on Monoamine Transporters. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:3830-3876. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181009123218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Background:
The human Monoamine Transporters (hMATs), primarily including hSERT,
hNET and hDAT, are important targets for the treatment of depression and other behavioral disorders
with more than the availability of 30 approved drugs.
Objective:
This paper is to review the recent progress in the binding mode and inhibitory mechanism of
hMATs inhibitors with the central or allosteric binding sites, for the benefit of future hMATs inhibitor
design and discovery. The Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) and the selectivity for hit/lead compounds
to hMATs that are evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments will be highlighted.
Methods:
PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for protein-ligand interaction, novel
inhibitors design and synthesis studies related to hMATs.
Results:
Literature data indicate that since the first crystal structure determinations of the homologous
bacterial Leucine Transporter (LeuT) complexed with clomipramine, a sizable database of over 100 experimental
structures or computational models has been accumulated that now defines a substantial degree
of structural variability hMATs-ligands recognition. In the meanwhile, a number of novel hMATs
inhibitors have been discovered by medicinal chemistry with significant help from computational models.
Conclusion:
The reported new compounds act on hMATs as well as the structures of the transporters
complexed with diverse ligands by either experiment or computational modeling have shed light on the
poly-pharmacology, multimodal and allosteric regulation of the drugs to transporters. All of the studies
will greatly promote the Structure-Based Drug Design (SBDD) of structurally novel scaffolds with high
activity and selectivity for hMATs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Xue
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Tingting Fu
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Guoxun Zheng
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Gao Tu
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Fengyuan Yang
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Lin Tao
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China
| | - Lixia Yao
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Feng Zhu
- Innovative Drug Research and Bioinformatics Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Drug Research, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
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5
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The molecular basis of talin2's high affinity toward β1-integrin. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41989. [PMID: 28155884 PMCID: PMC5290461 DOI: 10.1038/srep41989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Talin interacts with β-integrin tails and actin to control integrin activation, thus regulating focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration. There are two talin genes, Tln1 and Tln2, which encode talin1 and talin2, and it is generally believed that talin2 functions redundantly with talin1. However, we show here that talin2 has a higher affinity to β1-integrin tails than talin1. Mutation of talin2 S339 to leucine, which can cause Fifth Finger Camptodactyly, a human genetic disease, completely disrupted its binding to β–integrin tails. Also, substitution of talin1 C336 with Ser enhanced the affinity of talin1, whereas substitution of talin2 S339 with Cys diminished that of talin2. Further computational modeling analysis shows that talin2 S339 formed a hydrogen bond with E353, which is critical for inducing key hydrogen bonds between talin2 N326 and β1-integrin R760, and between talin2 K327 and β1-integrin D759. Mutation at any of these residues significantly diminished the interaction of talin2 with β1- integrin tails. These hydrogen bonds were not observed in talin1/β1-integrin, but did exist in talin1C336S/β1-integrin complex. These results suggest that talin2 S339 forms a hydrogen bond with E353 to mediate its high affinity to β1-integrin.
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6
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Larsen MAB, Plenge P, Andersen J, Eildal JNN, Kristensen AS, Bøgesø KP, Gether U, Strømgaard K, Bang-Andersen B, Loland CJ. Structure-activity relationship studies of citalopram derivatives: examining substituents conferring selectivity for the allosteric site in the 5-HT transporter. Br J Pharmacol 2016; 173:925-36. [PMID: 26699847 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 5-HT transporter (SERT) is a target for antidepressant drugs. SERT possesses two binding sites: the orthosteric (S1) binding site, which is the presumed target for current SERT inhibitors, and an allosteric (S2) site for which potential therapeutic effects are unknown. The antidepressant drug citalopram displays high-affinity S1 binding and low-affinity S2 binding. To elucidate a possible therapeutic role of allosteric inhibition of SERT, a drug that specifically targets the allosteric site is required. The purpose of this study was to find a compound having higher selectivity towards the S2 site. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We performed a systematic structure-activity relationship study based on the scaffold of citalopram and the structurally closely related congener, talopram, which shows low-affinity S1 binding in SERT. The role of the four chemical substituents, which distinguish citalopram from talopram in conferring selectivity towards the S1 and S2 site, respectively, was assessed by determining the binding of 14 citalopram/talopram analogous to the S1 and S2 binding sites in SERT using membranes of COS7 cells transiently expressing SERT. KEY RESULTS The structure-activity relationship study revealed that dimethyl citalopram possesses the highest affinity for the allosteric site relative to the S1 site in SERT and has approximately twofold selectivity for the allosteric site relative to the S1 site in SERT. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The compound could be a useful lead for future synthesis of drugs with high affinity and high selectivity towards the allosteric binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Andreas B Larsen
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per Plenge
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Andersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas N N Eildal
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders S Kristensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus P Bøgesø
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Strømgaard
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Benny Bang-Andersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Neuroscience Drug Discovery, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Claus J Loland
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Dahal RA, Pramod AB, Sharma B, Krout D, Foster JD, Cha JH, Cao J, Newman AH, Lever JR, Vaughan RA, Henry LK. Computational and biochemical docking of the irreversible cocaine analog RTI 82 directly demonstrates ligand positioning in the dopamine transporter central substrate-binding site. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:29712-27. [PMID: 25179220 PMCID: PMC4207985 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.571521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 08/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopamine transporter (DAT) functions as a key regulator of dopaminergic neurotransmission via re-uptake of synaptic dopamine (DA). Cocaine binding to DAT blocks this activity and elevates extracellular DA, leading to psychomotor stimulation and addiction, but the mechanisms by which cocaine interacts with DAT and inhibits transport remain incompletely understood. Here, we addressed these questions using computational and biochemical methodologies to localize the binding and adduction sites of the photoactivatable irreversible cocaine analog 3β-(p-chlorophenyl)tropane-2β-carboxylic acid, 4'-azido-3'-iodophenylethyl ester ([(125)I]RTI 82). Comparative modeling and small molecule docking indicated that the tropane pharmacophore of RTI 82 was positioned in the central DA active site with an orientation that juxtaposed the aryliodoazide group for cross-linking to rat DAT Phe-319. This prediction was verified by focused methionine substitution of residues flanking this site followed by cyanogen bromide mapping of the [(125)I]RTI 82-labeled mutants and by the substituted cysteine accessibility method protection analyses. These findings provide positive functional evidence linking tropane pharmacophore interaction with the core substrate-binding site and support a competitive mechanism for transport inhibition. This synergistic application of computational and biochemical methodologies overcomes many uncertainties inherent in other approaches and furnishes a schematic framework for elucidating the ligand-protein interactions of other classes of DA transport inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rejwi Acharya Dahal
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
| | - Akula Bala Pramod
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
| | - Babita Sharma
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
| | - Danielle Krout
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
| | - James D Foster
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
| | - Joo Hwan Cha
- the Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Jianjing Cao
- the Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- the Medicinal Chemistry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - John R Lever
- the Research Service, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, Missouri 65201, and the Department of Radiology, Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Institute, and Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - Roxanne A Vaughan
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203,
| | - L Keith Henry
- From the Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203,
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8
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Behavior of knock-in mice with a cocaine-insensitive dopamine transporter after virogenetic restoration of cocaine sensitivity in the striatum. Neuropharmacology 2014; 79:626-33. [PMID: 24412674 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 12/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine's main pharmacological actions are the inhibition of the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transporters. Its main behavioral effects are reward and locomotor stimulation, potentially leading to addiction. Using knock-in mice with a cocaine-insensitive dopamine transporter (DAT-CI mice) we have shown previously that inhibition of the dopamine transporter (DAT) is necessary for both of these behaviors. In this study, we sought to determine brain regions in which DAT inhibition by cocaine stimulates locomotor activity and/or produces reward. We used adeno-associated viral vectors to re-introduce the cocaine-sensitive wild-type DAT in specific brain regions of DAT-CI mice, which otherwise only express a cocaine-insensitive DAT globally. Viral-mediated expression of wild-type DAT in the rostrolateral striatum restored cocaine-induced locomotor stimulation and sensitization in DAT-CI mice. In contrast, the expression of wild-type DAT in the dorsal striatum, or in the medial nucleus accumbens, did not restore cocaine-induced locomotor stimulation. These data help to determine cocaine's molecular actions and anatomical loci that cause hyperlocomotion. Interestingly, cocaine did not produce significant reward - as measured by conditioned place-preference - in any of the three cohorts of DAT-CI mice with the virus injections. Therefore, the locus or loci underlying cocaine-induced reward remain underdetermined. It is possible that multiple dopamine-related brain regions are involved in producing the robust rewarding effect of cocaine.
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9
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Gaffaney JD, Shetty M, Felts B, Pramod AB, Foster JD, Henry LK, Vaughan RA. Antagonist-induced conformational changes in dopamine transporter extracellular loop two involve residues in a potential salt bridge. Neurochem Int 2013; 73:16-26. [PMID: 24269640 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2013.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2013] [Revised: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Ligand-induced changes in the conformation of extracellular loop (EL) 2 in the rat (r) dopamine transporter (DAT) were examined using limited proteolysis with endoproteinase Asp-N and detection of cleavage products by epitope-specific immunoblotting. The principle N-terminal fragment produced by Asp-N was a 19kDa peptide likely derived by proteolysis of EL2 residue D174, which is present just past the extracellular end of TM3. Production of this fragment was significantly decreased by binding of cocaine and other uptake blockers, but was not affected by substrates or Zn(2+), indicating the presence of a conformational change at D174 that may be related to the mechanism of transport inhibition. DA transport activity and cocaine analog binding were decreased by Asp-N treatment, suggesting a requirement for EL2 integrity in these DAT functions. In a previous study we demonstrated that ligand-induced protease resistance also occurred at R218 on the C-terminal side of rDAT EL2. Here using substituted cysteine accessibility analysis of human (h) DAT we confirm cocaine-induced alterations in reactivity of the homologous R219 and identify conformational sensitivity of V221. Focused molecular modeling of D174 and R218 based on currently available Aquifex aeolicus leucine transporter crystal structures places these residues within 2.9Å of one another, suggesting their proximity as a structural basis for their similar conformational sensitivities and indicating their potential to form a salt bridge. These findings extend our understanding of DAT EL2 and its role in transport and binding functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon D Gaffaney
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States
| | - Madhur Shetty
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States
| | - Bruce Felts
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States
| | - Akula-Bala Pramod
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States
| | - James D Foster
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States
| | - L Keith Henry
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States.
| | - Roxanne A Vaughan
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202, United States.
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10
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Sørensen L, Andersen J, Thomsen M, Hansen SMR, Zhao X, Sandelin A, Strømgaard K, Kristensen AS. Interaction of antidepressants with the serotonin and norepinephrine transporters: mutational studies of the S1 substrate binding pocket. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:43694-707. [PMID: 23086945 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.342212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The serotonin transporter (SERT) and the norepinephrine transporter (NET) are sodium-dependent neurotransmitter transporters responsible for reuptake of released serotonin and norepinephrine, respectively, into nerve terminals in the brain. A wide range of inhibitors of SERT and NET are used as treatment of depression and anxiety disorders or as psychostimulant drugs of abuse. Despite their clinical importance, the molecular mechanisms by which various types of antidepressant drugs bind and inhibit SERT and NET are still elusive for the majority of the inhibitors, including the molecular basis for SERT/NET selectivity. Mutational analyses have suggested that a central substrate binding site (denoted the S1 pocket) also harbors an inhibitor binding site. In this study, we determine the effect of mutating six key S1 residues in human SERT (hSERT) and NET (hNET) on the potency of 15 prototypical SERT/NET inhibitors belonging to different drug classes. Analysis of the resulting drug sensitivity profiles provides novel information on drug binding modes in hSERT and hNET and identifies specific S1 residues as important molecular determinants for inhibitor potency and hSERT/hNET selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Sørensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Manepalli S, Surratt CK, Madura JD, Nolan TL. Monoamine transporter structure, function, dynamics, and drug discovery: a computational perspective. AAPS JOURNAL 2012; 14:820-31. [PMID: 22918625 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-012-9391-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the breakthrough crystallization of the bacterial leucine transporter protein LeuT, the first available X-ray structure for the neurotransmitter/sodium symporter family, development of 3-D computational models is suddenly essential for structure-function studies on the plasmalemmal monoamine transporters (MATs). LeuT-based MAT models have been used to guide elucidation of substrate and inhibitor binding pockets, and molecular dynamics simulations using these models are providing insight into conformations involved in the substrate translocation cycle. With credible MAT models finally in hand, structure-based virtual screening for novel ligands is yielding lead compounds toward the development of new medications for psychostimulant dependence, attention deficit hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other disorders associated with dopamine, norepinephrine, or serotonin dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Manepalli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Computational Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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López-Vallejo F, Peppard TL, Medina-Franco JL, Martínez-Mayorga K. Computational methods for the discovery of mood disorder therapies. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2011; 6:1227-45. [PMID: 22647063 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2011.637106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the significant progress, research is still needed to reveal details of the complex and dynamic chemical processes operating in the central nervous system (CNS) and their relationship to psychological effects such as mood disorders. The incidence of behavioral depression is widely spread worldwide, with an estimated 14.8 million adults diagnosed yearly in the United States alone. The efficacy of current antidepressants on 50 - 60% of patients, their slow onset of action and the prevalence of adverse side effects highlight the need for developing a new generation of improved antidepressants. Computational methods have the potential to aid in the discovery of mood modulators. AREAS COVERED This review contains three main sections: historical evolution of marketed antidepressants, physicochemical and structural properties of antidepressant compounds reported in the ChEMBL database and recent efforts in the design and discovery of antidepressants using computational methods. The authors provide details of the computational methods employed, from chemoinformatic analyses to molecular modeling. EXPERT OPINION While there have been numerous and important findings in depression research, the high cost and time spent on research into new therapies for brain disorders is a risky undertaking. Computational methodologies can be employed to speed up the discovery of new antidepressants and to detect new sources of chemical compounds with potential antidepressant activity. Compound collections containing compounds already approved in the pharmaceutical and food industries that cover the property space and complement the structural space of CNS drugs represent a promising starting point for the discovery of new antidepressant agents.
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The atypical stimulant and nootropic modafinil interacts with the dopamine transporter in a different manner than classical cocaine-like inhibitors. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25790. [PMID: 22043293 PMCID: PMC3197159 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 09/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Modafinil is a mild psychostimulant with pro-cognitive and antidepressant effects. Unlike many conventional stimulants, modafinil has little appreciable potential for abuse, making it a promising therapeutic agent for cocaine addiction. The chief molecular target of modafinil is the dopamine transporter (DAT); however, the mechanistic details underlying modafinil's unique effects remain unknown. Recent studies suggest that the conformational effects of a given DAT ligand influence the magnitude of the ligand's reinforcing properties. For example, the atypical DAT inhibitors benztropine and GBR12909 do not share cocaine's notorious addictive liability, despite having greater binding affinity. Here, we show that the binding mechanism of modafinil is different than cocaine and similar to other atypical inhibitors. We previously established two mutations (W84L and D313N) that increase the likelihood that the DAT will adopt an outward-facing conformational state—these mutations increase the affinity of cocaine-like inhibitors considerably, but have little or opposite effect on atypical inhibitor binding. Thus, a compound's WT/mutant affinity ratio can indicate whether the compound preferentially interacts with a more outward- or inward-facing conformational state. Modafinil displayed affinity ratios similar to those of benztropine, GBR12909 and bupropion (which lack cocaine-like effects in humans), but far different than those of cocaine, β-CFT or methylphenidate. Whereas treatment with zinc (known to stabilize an outward-facing transporter state) increased the affinity of cocaine and methylphenidate two-fold, it had little or no effect on the binding of modafinil, benztropine, bupropion or GBR12909. Additionally, computational modeling of inhibitor binding indicated that while β-CFT and methylphenidate stabilize an “open-to-out” conformation, binding of either modafinil or bupropion gives rise to a more closed conformation. Our findings highlight a mechanistic difference between modafinil and cocaine-like stimulants and further demonstrate that the conformational effects of a given DAT inhibitor influence its phenomenological effects.
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