4-[6-(Dansylamino)hexylamino]-7-methyl-2-phenyl-1,8-naphthyridine as a new potential fluorescent probe for studying A1-adenosine receptor

Fluorescent approaches for understanding interactions of ligands with G protein coupled receptors

G protein coupled receptors are responsible for a wide variety of signaling responses in diverse cell types. Despite major advances in the determination of structures of this class of receptors, the underlying mechanisms by which binding of different types of ligands specifically elicits particular signaling responses remain unclear. The use of fluorescence spectroscopy can provide important information about the process of ligand binding and ligand dependent conformational changes in receptors, especially kinetic aspects of these processes that can be difficult to extract from X-ray structures. We present an overview of the extensive array of fluorescent ligands that have been used in studies of G protein coupled receptors and describe spectroscopic approaches for assaying binding and probing the environment of receptor-bound ligands with particular attention to examples involving yeast pheromone receptors. In addition, we discuss the use of fluorescence spectroscopy for detecting and characterizing conformational changes in receptors induced by the binding of ligands. Such studies have provided strong evidence for diversity of receptor conformations elicited by different ligands, consistent with the idea that GPCRs are not simple on and off switches. This diversity of states constitutes an underlying mechanistic basis for biased agonism, the observation that different stimuli can produce different responses from a single receptor. It is likely that continued technical advances will allow fluorescence spectroscopy to play an important role in continued probing of structural transitions in G protein coupled receptors. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Structural and biophysical characterisation of membrane protein-ligand binding.

Novel Alexa Fluor-488 labeled antagonist of the A(2A) adenosine receptor: Application to a fluorescence polarization-based receptor binding assay

Fluorescence polarization (FP) assay has many advantages over the traditional radioreceptor binding studies. We developed an A(2A) adenosine receptor (AR) FP assay using a newly synthesized fluorescent antagonist of the A(2A)AR (MRS5346), a pyrazolo[4,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5-amine derivative conjugated to the fluorescent dye Alexa Fluor-488. MRS5346 displayed a K(i) value of 111+/-16nM in radioligand binding using [(3)H]CGS21680 and membranes prepared from HEK293 cells stably expressing the human A(2A)AR. In a cyclic AMP functional assay, MRS5346 was shown to be an A(2A)AR antagonist. MRS5346 did not show any effect on A(1) and A(3) ARs in binding or the A(2B)AR in a cyclic AMP assay at 10microM. Its suitability as a fluorescent tracer was indicated in an initial observation of an FP signal following A(2A)AR binding. The FP signal was optimal with 20nM MRS5346 and 150microg protein/mL HEK293 membranes. The association and dissociation kinetic parameters were readily determined using this FP assay. The K(d) value of MRS5346 calculated from kinetic parameters was 16.5+/-4.7nM. In FP competition binding experiments using MRS5346 as a tracer, K(i) values of known AR agonists and antagonists consistently agreed with K(i) values from radioligand binding. Thus, this FP assay, which eliminates using radioisotopes, appears to be appropriate for both routine receptor binding and high-throughput screening with respect to speed of analysis, displaceable signal and precision. The approach used in the present study could be generally applicable to other GPCRs.

Functionalized congener approach to the design of ligands for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)

Functionalized congeners, in which a chemically functionalized chain is incorporated at an insensitive site on a pharmacophore, have been designed from the agonist and antagonist ligands of various G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These chain extensions enable a conjugation strategy for detecting and characterizing GPCR structure and function and pharmacological modulation. The focus in many studies of functionalized congeners has been on two families of GPCRs: those responding to extracellular purines and pyrimidines-i.e., adenosine receptors (ARs) and P2Y nucleotide receptors. Functionalized congeners of small molecule as ligands for other GPCRs and non-G protein coupled receptors have also been designed. For example, among biogenic amine neurotransmitter receptors, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists and adrenergic receptor ligands have been studied with a functionalized congener approach. Adenosine A(1), A(2A), and A(3) receptor functionalized congeners have yielded macromolecular conjugates, irreversibly binding AR ligands for receptor inactivation and cross-linking, radioactive probes that use prosthetic groups, immobilized ligands for affinity chromatography, and dual-acting ligands that function as binary drugs. Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers have served as nanocarriers for covalently conjugated AR functionalized congeners. Rational methods of ligand design derived from molecular modeling and templates have been included in these studies. Thus, the design of novel ligands, both small molecules and macromolecular conjugates, for studying the chemical and biological properties of GPCRs have been developed with this approach, has provided researchers with a strategy that is more versatile than the classical medicinal chemical approaches.