1
|
Kutzsche J, Guzman GA, Willuweit A, Kletke O, Wollert E, Gering I, Jürgens D, Breitkreutz J, Stark H, Beck-Sickinger AG, Klöcker N, Hidalgo P, Willbold D. An orally available Ca v2.2 calcium channel inhibitor for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:1734-1756. [PMID: 38157867 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16309] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Neuropathic pain affects up to 10% of the global population and is caused by an injury or a disease affecting the somatosensory, peripheral, or central nervous system. NP is characterized by chronic, severe and opioid-resistant properties. Therefore, its clinical management remains very challenging. The N-type voltage-gated calcium channel, Cav2.2, is a validated target for therapeutic intervention in chronic and neuropathic pain. The conotoxin ziconotide (Prialt®) is an FDA-approved drug that blocks Cav2.2 channel but needs to be administered intrathecally. Thus, although being principally efficient, the required application route is very much in disfavour. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH AND KEY RESULTS Here, we describe an orally available drug candidate, RD2, which competes with ziconotide binding to Cav2.2 at nanomolar concentrations and inhibits Cav2.2 almost completely reversible. Other voltage-gated calcium channel subtypes, like Cav1.2 and Cav3.2, were affected by RD2 only at concentrations higher than 10 μM. Data from sciatic inflammatory neuritis rat model demonstrated the in vivo proof of concept, as low-dose RD2 (5 mg·kg-1) administered orally alleviated neuropathic pain compared with vehicle controls. High-dose RD2 (50 mg·kg-1) was necessary to reduce pain sensation in acute thermal response assessed by the tail flick test. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Taken together, these results demonstrate that RD2 has antiallodynic properties. RD2 is orally available, which is the most convenient application form for patients and caregivers. The surprising and novel result from standard receptor screens opens the room for further optimization into new promising drug candidates, which address an unmet medical need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janine Kutzsche
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Gustavo A Guzman
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Antje Willuweit
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Olaf Kletke
- Institute of Neuro- und Sensory Physiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Esther Wollert
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ian Gering
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dagmar Jürgens
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jörg Breitkreutz
- Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Holger Stark
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Nikolaj Klöcker
- Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Patricia Hidalgo
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 1, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Role of the Ca2+ channel α2δ-1 auxiliary subunit in proliferation and migration of human glioblastoma cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279186. [PMID: 36520928 PMCID: PMC9754164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The overexpression of α2δ-1 is related to the development and degree of malignancy of diverse types of cancer. This protein is an auxiliary subunit of voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels, whose expression favors the trafficking of the main pore-forming subunit of the channel complex (α1) to the plasma membrane, thereby generating an increase in Ca2+ entry. Interestingly, TLR-4, a protein belonging to the family of toll-like receptors that participate in the inflammatory response and the transcription factor Sp1, have been linked to the progression of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Therefore, this report aimed to evaluate the role of the α2δ-1 subunit in the progression of GBM and investigate whether Sp1 regulates its expression after the activation of TLR-4. To this end, the expression of α2δ-1, TLR-4, and Sp1 was assessed in the U87 human glioblastoma cell line, and proliferation and migration assays were conducted using different agonists and antagonists. The actions of α2δ-1 were also investigated using overexpression and knockdown strategies. Initial luciferase assays and Western blot analyses showed that the activation of TLR-4 favors the transcription and expression of α2δ-1, which promoted the proliferation and migration of the U87 cells. Consistent with this, overexpression of α2δ-1, Sp1, and TLR-4 increased cell proliferation and migration, while their knockdown with specific siRNAs abrogated these actions. Our data also suggest that TLR-4-mediated regulation of α2δ-1 expression occurs through the NF-kB signaling pathway. Together, these findings strongly suggest that the activation of TLR-4 increases the expression of α2δ-1 in U87 cells, favoring their proliferative and migratory potential, which might eventually provide a theoretical basis to examine novel biomarkers and molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM.
Collapse
|
3
|
Martínez-Hernández E, Zeglin A, Almazan E, Perissinotti P, He Y, Koob M, Martin JL, Piedras-Rentería ES. KLHL1 Controls Ca V3.2 Expression in DRG Neurons and Mechanical Sensitivity to Pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 12:315. [PMID: 31969803 PMCID: PMC6960199 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons process pain signaling through specialized nociceptors located in their peripheral endings. It has long been established low voltage-activated (LVA) CaV3.2 calcium channels control neuronal excitability during sensory perception in these neurons. Silencing CaV3.2 activity with antisense RNA or genetic ablation results in anti-nociceptive, anti-hyperalgesic and anti-allodynic effects. CaV3.2 channels are regulated by many proteins (Weiss and Zamponi, 2017), including KLHL1, a neuronal actin-binding protein that stabilizes channel activity by recycling it back to the plasma membrane through the recycling endosome. We explored whether manipulation of KLHL1 levels and thereby function as a CaV3.2 modifier can modulate DRG excitability and mechanical pain transmission or sensitivity to pain. We first assessed the mechanical sensitivity threshold and DRG properties in the KLHL1 KO mouse model. KO DRG neurons exhibited smaller T-type current density compared to WT without significant changes in voltage dependence, as expected in the absence of its modulator. Western blot analysis confirmed CaV3.2 but not CaV3.1, CaV3.3, CaV2.1, or CaV2.2 protein levels were significantly decreased; and reduced neuron excitability and decreased pain sensitivity were also found in the KLHL1 KO model. Analogously, transient down-regulation of KLHL1 levels in WT mice with viral delivery of anti-KLHL1 shRNA also resulted in decreased pain sensitivity. These two experimental approaches confirm KLHL1 as a physiological modulator of excitability and pain sensitivity, providing a novel target to control peripheral pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Martínez-Hernández
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Neuroscience Division of the Cardiovascular Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Alissa Zeglin
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Erik Almazan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Paula Perissinotti
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Neuroscience Division of the Cardiovascular Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Yungui He
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Michael Koob
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jody L. Martin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Neuroscience Division of the Cardiovascular Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Erika S. Piedras-Rentería
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
- Neuroscience Division of the Cardiovascular Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Giannakopoulou E, Pardali V, Skrettas I, Zoidis G. Transesterification instead of N‐Alkylation: An Intriguing Reaction. ChemistrySelect 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201900263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Erofili Giannakopoulou
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of PharmacyDepartment of Pharmaceutical ChemistryNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens Panepistimiopolis-Zografou GR-15771, A thens Greece
| | - Vasiliki Pardali
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of PharmacyDepartment of Pharmaceutical ChemistryNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens Panepistimiopolis-Zografou GR-15771, A thens Greece
| | - Ioannis Skrettas
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of PharmacyDepartment of Pharmaceutical ChemistryNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens Panepistimiopolis-Zografou GR-15771, A thens Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of PharmacyDepartment of Pharmaceutical ChemistryNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens Panepistimiopolis-Zografou GR-15771, A thens Greece
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zoidis G, Sandoval A, Pineda-Farias JB, Granados-Soto V, Felix R. Anti-allodynic effect of 2-(aminomethyl)adamantane-1-carboxylic acid in a rat model of neuropathic pain: a mechanism dependent on CaV2.2 channel inhibition. Bioorg Med Chem 2014; 22:1797-803. [PMID: 24582401 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a serious physical disabling condition resulting from lesion or dysfunction of the peripheral sensory nervous system. Despite the fact that the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain are poorly understood, the involvement of voltage-gated calcium (Ca(V)) channels in its pathophysiology has justified the use of drugs that bind the Ca(V) channel α₂δ auxiliary subunit, such as gabapentin (GBP), to attain analgesic and anti-allodynic effects in models involving neuronal sensitization and nerve injury. GBP binding to α₂δ inhibits nerve injury-induced trafficking of the α₁ pore forming subunits of Ca(V) channels, particularly of the N-type, from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane of pre-synaptic terminals in dorsal root ganglion neurons and dorsal horn spinal neurons. In the search for alternative forms of treatment, in this study we describe the synthesis and pharmacological profile of a GABA derivative, 2-aminoadamantane-1-carboxylic acid (GZ4), which displays a close structure-activity relationship with GBP. Behavioral assessment using von Frey filament stimuli showed that GZ4 treatment reverted mechanical allodynia/hyperalgesia in an animal model of spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain. In addition, using the patch clamp technique we show that GZ4 treatment significantly decreased whole-cell currents through N-type Ca(V) channels heterologously expressed in HEK-293 cells. Interestingly, the behavioral and electrophysiological time course of GZ4 actions reflects that its mechanism of action is similar but not identical to that of GBP. While GBP actions require at least 24 h and imply uptake of the drug, which suggests that the drug acts mainly intracellularly affecting channels trafficking to the plasma membrane, the faster time course (1-3 h) of GZ4 effects suggests also a direct inhibition of Ca(2+) currents acting on cell surface channels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grigoris Zoidis
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli-Zografou, GR-15771 Athens, Greece.
| | - Alejandro Sandoval
- School of Medicine FES Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Jorge Baruch Pineda-Farias
- Departmento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Sede Sur., México, D.F., Mexico
| | - Vinicio Granados-Soto
- Departmento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Sede Sur., México, D.F., Mexico
| | - Ricardo Felix
- Department of Cell Biology, Cinvestav, Mexico City, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Felix R, Calderón-Rivera A, Andrade A. Regulation of high-voltage-activated Ca 2+ channel function, trafficking, and membrane stability by auxiliary subunits. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 2:207-220. [PMID: 24949251 DOI: 10.1002/wmts.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels mediate Ca2+ ions influx into cells in response to depolarization of the plasma membrane. They are responsible for initiation of excitation-contraction and excitation-secretion coupling, and the Ca2+ that enters cells through this pathway is also important in the regulation of protein phosphorylation, gene transcription, and many other intracellular events. Initial electrophysiological studies divided CaV channels into low-voltage-activated (LVA) and high-voltage-activated (HVA) channels. The HVA CaV channels were further subdivided into L, N, P/Q, and R-types which are oligomeric protein complexes composed of an ion-conducting CaVα1 subunit and auxiliary CaVα2δ, CaVβ, and CaVγ subunits. The functional consequences of the auxiliary subunits include altered functional and pharmacological properties of the channels as well as increased current densities. The latter observation suggests an important role of the auxiliary subunits in membrane trafficking of the CaVα1 subunit. This includes the mechanisms by which CaV channels are targeted to the plasma membrane and to appropriate regions within a given cell. Likewise, the auxiliary subunits seem to participate in the mechanisms that remove CaV channels from the plasma membrane for recycling and/or degradation. Diverse studies have provided important clues to the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of CaV channels by the auxiliary subunits, and the roles that these proteins could possibly play in channel targeting and membrane Stabilization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Felix
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aida Calderón-Rivera
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Arturo Andrade
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
An intriguing and facile one-pot catalytic synthesis of N-alkylated lactams. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00706-013-0924-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
8
|
Isolation and characterization of the 5´-upstream region of the human voltage-gated Ca2+ channel α2δ-1 auxiliary subunit gene: promoter analysis and regulation by transcription factor Sp1. Pflugers Arch 2012; 465:819-28. [DOI: 10.1007/s00424-012-1194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2012] [Revised: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
9
|
Calderón-Rivera A, Andrade A, Hernández-Hernández O, González-Ramírez R, Sandoval A, Rivera M, Gomora JC, Felix R. Identification of a disulfide bridge essential for structure and function of the voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel α(2)δ-1 auxiliary subunit. Cell Calcium 2011; 51:22-30. [PMID: 22054663 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2011] [Revised: 10/11/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated calcium (Ca(V)) channels are transmembrane proteins that form Ca(2+)-selective pores gated by depolarization and are essential regulators of the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. By providing a pathway for rapid Ca(2+) influx, Ca(V) channels couple membrane depolarization to a wide array of cellular responses including neurotransmission, muscle contraction and gene expression. Ca(V) channels fall into two major classes, low voltage-activated (LVA) and high voltage-activated (HVA). The ion-conducting pathway of HVA channels is the α(1) subunit, which typically contains associated β and α(2)δ ancillary subunits that regulate the properties of the channel. Although it is widely acknowledged that α(2)δ-1 is post-translationally cleaved into an extracellular α(2) polypeptide and a membrane-anchored δ protein that remain covalently linked by disulfide bonds, to date the contribution of different cysteine (Cys) residues to the formation of disulfide bridges between these proteins has not been investigated. In the present report, by predicting disulfide connectivity with bioinformatics, molecular modeling and protein biochemistry experiments we have identified two Cys residues involved in the formation of an intermolecular disulfide bond of critical importance for the structure and function of the α(2)δ-1 subunit. Site directed-mutagenesis of Cys404 (located in the von Willebrand factor-A region of α(2)) and Cys1047 (in the extracellular domain of δ) prevented the association of the α(2) and δ peptides upon proteolysis, suggesting that the mature protein is linked by a single intermolecular disulfide bridge. Furthermore, co-expression of mutant forms of α(2)δ-1 Cys404Ser and Cys1047Ser with recombinant neuronal N-type (Ca(V)2.2α(1)/β(3)) channels, showed decreased whole-cell patch-clamp currents indicating that the disulfide bond between these residues is required for α(2)δ-1 function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aida Calderón-Rivera
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|