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Jiang P, Zhang C, Wang H, Li P, Du X, Wang Y, Lyukmanova E, Lin C, Wang X. Nicotine Enantioselectively Targets Myeloid Differentiation Protein 2 and Inhibits the Toll-like Receptor 4 Signaling. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:5253-5261. [PMID: 38973303 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Psychoactive substances, including morphine and methamphetamine, have been shown to interact with the classic innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its partner protein myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) in a nonenantioselective manner. (-)-Nicotine, the primary alkaloid in tobacco and a key component of highly addictive cigarettes, targets the TLR4/MD2, influencing TLR4 signaling pathways. Existing as two enantiomers, the stereoselective recognition of nicotine by TLR4/MD2 in the context of the innate immune response remains unclear. In this study, we synthesized (+)-nicotine and investigated its effects alongside (-)-nicotine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TLR4 signaling. (-)-Nicotine dose-dependently inhibited proinflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In contrast, (+)-nicotine showed no such inhibitory effects. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that (-)-nicotine exhibited a stronger affinity with the TLR4 coreceptor MD2 than (+)-nicotine. Additionally, in silico simulations revealed that both nicotine enantiomers initially attach to the entrance of the MD2 cavity, creating a metastable state before they fully enter the cavity. In the metastable state, (-)-nicotine established more stable interactions with the surrounding residues at the entrance of the MD2 cavity compared to those of (+)-nicotine. This highlights the crucial role of the MD2 cavity entrance in the chiral recognition of nicotine. These findings provide valuable insights into the distinct interactions between nicotine enantiomers and the TLR4 coreceptor MD2, underscoring the enantioselective effect of nicotine on modulating TLR4 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Jiang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Penghui Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xiubo Du
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Ekaterina Lyukmanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119997, Russia
- Biological Department, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, , Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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Zhang C, Wu S, Li M, Li P, Du X, Wang Y, Wang X. Dissecting the chiral recognition of TLR4/MD2 with Neoseptin-3 enantiomers by molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:9309-9316. [PMID: 38426248 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06124h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pivotal innate immune recognition receptor that regulates intricate signaling pathways within the immune system. Neoseptin-3 (Neo-3), a recently identified small-molecule agonist for mouse TLR4/MD2, exhibits chiral recognition properties. Specifically, the L-enantiomer of Neo-3 (L-Neo-3) effectively activates the TLR4 signaling pathway, while D-Neo-3 fails to induce TLR4 activation. However, the underlying mechanism by which TLR4 enantioselectively recognizes Neo-3 enantiomers remains poorly understood. In this study, in silico simulations were performed to investigate the mechanism of chiral recognition of Neo-3 enantiomers by TLR4/MD2. Two L-Neo-3 molecules stably resided within the cavity of MD2 as a dimer, and the L-Neo-3 binding stabilized the (TLR4/MD2)2 dimerization state. However, the strong electrostatic repulsion between the hydrogen atoms on the chiral carbon of D-Neo-3 molecules caused the relative positions of two D-Neo-3 molecules to continuously shift during the simulation process, thus preventing the formation of D-Neo-3 dimer as well as their stable interactions with the surrounding residues in (TLR4/MD2)2. Considering that L-Neo-3 could not sustain a stable dimeric state in the bulk aqueous environment, it is unlikely that L-Neo-3 entered the cavity of MD2 as a dimeric unit. Umbrella sampling simulations revealed that the second L-Neo-3 molecule entering the cavity of MD2 exhibited a lower binding energy (-25.75 kcal mol-1) than that of the first L-Neo-3 molecule (-14.31 kcal mol-1). These results imply that two L-Neo-3 molecules enter the cavity of MD2 sequentially, with the binding of the first L-Neo-3 molecule facilitating the entry of the second one. This study dissects the binding process of Neo-3 enantiomers, offering a comprehensive understanding of the atomic-level mechanism underlying TLR4's chiral recognition of Neo-3 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Mingqi Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Penghui Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xiubo Du
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China.
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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3
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Zhang X, Li R, Xu H, Wu G, Wu S, Wang H, Wang Y, Wang X. Dissecting the innate immune recognition of morphine and its metabolites by TLR4/MD2: an in silico simulation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:29656-29663. [PMID: 37882236 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03715k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
A toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 2 complex (TLR4/MD2) has been identified as a non-classical opioid receptor capable of recognizing morphine isomers and activating microglia in a non-enantioselective manner. Additionally, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G), the major metabolites of morphine, possess similar chemical structures but exhibit distinct effects on TLR4 signaling. However, the specific mechanisms by which morphine isomers and morphine metabolites are recognized by the innate immune receptor TLR4/MD2 are not well understood. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to dissect the molecular recognition of TLR4/MD2 with morphine isomers, M3G and M6G. Morphine and its (+)-enantiomer, dextro-morphine ((+)-morphine), were found to have comparable binding free energies as well as similar interaction modes when interacting with (TLR4/MD2)2. Binding with morphine and (+)-morphine caused the motion of the F126 loop towards the inside of the MD2 cavity, which stabilizes (TLR4/MD2)2 with similar dimerization interfaces. The binding free energies of M3G and M6G with (TLR4/MD2)2, while lower than those of morphine isomers, were comparable to each other. However, the binding behaviors of M3G and M6G exhibited contrasting patterns when interacting with (TLR4/MD2)2. The glucuronide group of M3G bound to the gating loop of MD2 and formed strong interactions with TLR4*, which stabilizes the active heterotetrameric complex. In contrast, M6G was situated in cavity A of MD2, where the critical interactions between M6G and the residues of TLR4* were lost, resulting in fluctuation of (TLR4/MD2)2 away from the active conformation. These results indicate that the pivotal interactions at the dimerization interface between MD2 and TLR4* in M6G-bound (TLR4/MD2)2 were considerably weaker than those in M3G-bound (TLR4/MD2)2, which partially explains why M6G fails to activate TLR4 signaling. The discoveries from this study will offer valuable insights for the advancement of next-generation TLR4 small molecule modulators based on opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Ran Li
- Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Haoran Xu
- Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Guicai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
| | - Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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Pinheiro PDSM, Franco LS, Fraga CAM. The Magic Methyl and Its Tricks in Drug Discovery and Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1157. [PMID: 37631072 PMCID: PMC10457765 DOI: 10.3390/ph16081157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the key scientific aspects of small-molecule drug discovery and development is the analysis of the relationship between its chemical structure and biological activity. Understanding the effects that lead to significant changes in biological activity is of paramount importance for the rational design and optimization of bioactive molecules. The "methylation effect", or the "magic methyl" effect, is a factor that stands out due to the number of examples that demonstrate profound changes in either pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic properties. In many cases, this has been carried out rationally, but in others it has been the product of serendipitous observations. This paper summarizes recent examples that provide an overview of the current state of the art and contribute to a better understanding of the methylation effect in bioactive small-molecule drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro de Sena Murteira Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.S.M.P.); (L.S.F.)
| | - Lucas Silva Franco
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.S.M.P.); (L.S.F.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Fármacos e Medicamentos (INCT-INOFAR), CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alberto Manssour Fraga
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.S.M.P.); (L.S.F.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Fármacos e Medicamentos (INCT-INOFAR), CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
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Machado da Silva MC, Iglesias LP, Candelario-Jalil E, Khoshbouei H, Moreira FA, de Oliveira ACP. Role of Microglia in Psychostimulant Addiction. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:235-259. [PMID: 36503452 PMCID: PMC10190137 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666221208142151] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of psychostimulant drugs can modify brain function by inducing changes in the reward system, mainly due to alterations in dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmissions in the mesocorticolimbic pathway. However, the etiopathogenesis of addiction is a much more complex process. Previous data have suggested that microglia and other immune cells are involved in events associated with neuroplasticity and memory, which are phenomena that also occur in addiction. Nevertheless, how dependent is the development of addiction on the activity of these cells? Although the mechanisms are not known, some pathways may be involved. Recent data have shown psychoactive substances may act directly on immune cells, alter their functions and induce various inflammatory mediators that modulate synaptic activity. These could, in turn, be involved in the pathological alterations that occur in substance use disorder. Here, we extensively review the studies demonstrating how cocaine and amphetamines modulate microglial number, morphology, and function. We also describe the effect of these substances in the production of inflammatory mediators and a possible involvement of some molecular signaling pathways, such as the toll-like receptor 4. Although the literature in this field is scarce, this review compiles the knowledge on the neuroimmune axis that is involved in the pathogenesis of addiction, and suggests some pharmacological targets for the development of pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carolina Machado da Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil;
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lia Parada Iglesias
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Habibeh Khoshbouei
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fabrício Araujo Moreira
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Wang X, Lin C, Wu S, Zhang T, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Wang X. Cannabidivarin alleviates neuroinflammation by targeting TLR4 co-receptor MD2 and improves morphine-mediated analgesia. Front Immunol 2022; 13:929222. [PMID: 36032146 PMCID: PMC9399816 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.929222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) that regulates the activation of immune cells, which is a target for treating inflammation. In this study, Cannabidivarin (CBDV), an active component of Cannabis, was identified as an antagonist of TLR4. In vitro, intrinsic protein fluorescence titrations revealed that CBDV directly bound to TLR4 co-receptor myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2). Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) showed that CBDV binding decreased MD2 stability, which is consistent with in silico simulations that CBDV binding increased the flexibility of the internal loop of MD2. Moreover, CBDV was found to restrain LPS-induced activation of TLR4 signaling axes of NF-κB and MAPKs, therefore blocking LPS-induced pro-inflammatory factors NO, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Hot plate test showed that CBDV potentiated morphine-induced antinociception. Furthermore, CBDV attenuated morphine analgesic tolerance as measured by the formalin test by specifically inhibiting chronic morphine-induced glial activation and pro-inflammatory factors expression in the nucleus accumbent. This study confirms that MD2 is a direct binding target of CBDV for the anti-neuroinflammatory effect and implies that CBDV has great translational potential in pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Cong Lin, ; Yanfang Jiang, ; Xiaohui Wang,
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Tianshu Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yanfang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, Genetic Diagnosis Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Cong Lin, ; Yanfang Jiang, ; Xiaohui Wang,
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Cong Lin, ; Yanfang Jiang, ; Xiaohui Wang,
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Zhang T, Lin C, Wu S, Jin S, Li X, Peng Y, Wang X. ACT001 Inhibits TLR4 Signaling by Targeting Co-Receptor MD2 and Attenuates Neuropathic Pain. Front Immunol 2022; 13:873054. [PMID: 35757727 PMCID: PMC9218074 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.873054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a common and challenging neurological disease, which renders an unmet need for safe and effective new therapies. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expressed on immune cells in the central nervous system arises as a novel target for treating neuropathic pain. In this study, ACT001, an orphan drug currently in clinical trials for the treatment of glioblastoma, was identified as a TLR4 antagonist. In vitro quenching titrations of intrinsic protein fluorescence and saturation transfer difference (STD)-NMR showed the direct binding of ACT001 to TLR4 co-receptor MD2. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) showed that ACT001 binding affected the MD2 stability, which implies that MD2 is the endogenous target of ACT001. In silico simulations showed that ACT001 binding decreased the percentage of hydrophobic area in the buried solvent-accessible surface areas (SASA) of MD2 and rendered most regions of MD2 to be more flexible, which is consistent with experimental data that ACT001 binding decreased MD2 stability. In keeping with targeting MD2, ACT001 was found to restrain the formation of TLR4/MD2/MyD88 complex and the activation of TLR4 signaling axes of NF-κB and MAPKs, therefore blocking LPS-induced TLR4 signaling downstream pro-inflammatory factors NO, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Furthermore, systemic administration of ACT001 attenuated allodynia induced by peripheral nerve injury and activation of microglia and astrocyte in vivo. Given the well-established role of neuroinflammation in neuropathic pain, these data imply that ACT001 could be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshu Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.,School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.,School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.,School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Sha Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Beijing Changping Huayou Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yinghua Peng
- Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.,School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, China
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8
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Zhang X, Wang H, Wang Y, Li H, Wu S, Gao J, Zhang T, Xie J, Wang X. Nalmefene non-enantioselectively targets myeloid differentiation protein 2 and inhibits toll-like receptor 4 signaling: wet-lab techniques and in silico simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:12260-12269. [PMID: 34013938 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp00237f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nalmefene is an opiate derivative having a similar structure to naltrexone. Recent evidence suggests that nalmefene, acting as the innate immune protein toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, effectively reduces the injury of lung ischemia-reperfusion and prevents neuroinflammation. However, the molecular recognition mechanism, especially the enantioselectivity, of nalmefene by the innate immune receptor is not well understood. Herein in vitro assays and in silico simulations were performed to dissect the innate immune recognition of nalmefene at the atomic, molecular, and cellular levels. Biophysical binding experiments and molecular dynamic simulations provide direct evidence that (-)-nalmefene and (+)-nalmefene bind to the hydrophobic cavity of myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD-2) and behave similarly, which is primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions. The inhibition activity and the calculated binding free energies show that no enantioselectivity was observed during the interaction of nalmefene with MD-2 as well as the inhibition of TLR4 signaling. Interestingly, nalmefene showed ∼6 times better TLR4 antagonisic activity than naltrexone, indicating that the bioisosteric replacement with the methylene group is critical for the molecular recognition of nalmefene by MD-2. In all, this study provides molecular insight into the innate immune recognition of nalmefene, which demonstrates that nalmefene is non-enantioselectively sensed by MD-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozheng Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China.
| | - Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
| | - Hongyuan Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China. and Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Jingwei Gao
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China. and Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Tianshu Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
| | - Jun Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defect and Cell Regeneration, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China.
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China. and Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
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9
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Structure-activity relationship study of dihydroartemisinin C-10 hemiacetal derivatives as Toll-like receptor 4 antagonists. Bioorg Chem 2021; 114:105107. [PMID: 34175717 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a natural product isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua and one of the clinical frontline drugs against malarial infections, has recently been discovered as a Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist. However, the TLR4 antagonistic activity of DHA is modest and it exhibits cellular toxicity. In this work, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of DHA as TLR4 antagonist was explored. Since destroying the sesquiterpene endoperoxide scaffold substantially compromised the TLR4 antagonistic activity and molecular dynamics analysis showed that the C-10 hydroxyl group formed a hydrogen bond with E72 of myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) to prevent it moving deeper into MD2, SAR of DHA was focused on the C-10 hemiacetal position. With extending the length of the linear alkane chain at C10 position, the TLR4 antagonistic activity of DHA analogs increased first and then decreased with the best TLR4 antagonism occurring at the length of the carbon chain of 3-4 carbons. In contrast, the cellular toxicity of DHA analogs was raised with the increasing length of the linear alkane chain. The TLR4 antagonistic activity of DHA derivatives with substituted halogen as the terminal functional group decreased with the decrease of electronegativity of the substituted halogen, which implies the electron-rich functional group at the end of the alkane chain appears preferred. Therefore, DHA derivative 2k with alkynyl as the end functional group, exhibited 14 times more potent TLR4 antagonistic activity than DHA. Moreover, 2k showed less cellular toxicity than DHA. Cellular signaling characterizations indicated that 2k inhibited LPS-induced TLR4 dimerization and endocytosis and suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB but not MAPKs activation, culminating in blocking LPS-induced TLR4 signaling downstream pro-inflammatory factors NO and IL-1β. Further, 2k was active in vivo; it significantly increased and prolonged morphine analgesia. Collectively, this study provides a structural guidance to reposition DHA derivatives as TLR4 antagonists.
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Li H, Peng Y, Lin C, Zhang X, Zhang T, Wang Y, Li Y, Wu S, Wang H, Hutchinson MR, Watkins LR, Wang X. Nicotine and its metabolite cotinine target MD2 and inhibit TLR4 signaling. Innovation (N Y) 2021; 2:100111. [PMID: 34557761 PMCID: PMC8454564 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotine is the principal alkaloid of tobacco often manufactured into cigarettes and belongs to a highly addictive class of drugs. Nicotine attenuates the neuroinflammation induced by microglial activation. However, the molecular target(s) underlying anti-inflammatory action of nicotine has not been fully understood. Considering the psychoactive substances morphine, cocaine, and methamphetamine act as xenobiotic-associated molecular patterns and can be specifically sensed by the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), here we sought to delineate whether nicotine and/or its metabolite cotinine may be recognized by the innate immune system via myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2), an accessory protein of TLR4 that is responsible for ligand recognition. MD2-intrinsic fluorescence titrations, surface plasmon resonance, and competitive displacement binding assays with curcumin (MD2 probe) demonstrated that both nicotine and cotinine targeted the lipopolysaccharide (LPS; TLR4 agonist) binding pocket of MD2 with similar affinities. The cellular thermal shift assay indicated that nicotine binding increased, while cotinine binding decreased, MD2 stability. These biophysical binding results were further supported by in silico simulations. In keeping with targeting MD2, both nicotine and cotinine inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and blocked microglial activation. Neither a pan nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) inhibitor nor RNAi for nAChRs abolished the suppressive effect of nicotine- and cotinine-induced neuroinflammation. These data indicate that TLR4 inhibition by nicotine and cotinine at the concentrations tested in BV-2 cells is independent of classic neuronal nAChRs and validate that MD2 is a direct target of nicotine and cotinine in the inhibition of innate immunity. Nicotine and cotinine bind to MD2 in microglia cell Nicotine and cotinine inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory factors The activity of nicotine and cotinine in microglia is independent of nAChRs
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Yinghua Peng
- Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin 130112, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Xiaozheng Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Tianshu Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Yuanpeng Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Mark R Hutchinson
- Discipline of Physiology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Linda R Watkins
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin 130022, China.,Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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Zhang T, Zhang X, Lin C, Wu S, Wang F, Wang H, Wang Y, Peng Y, Hutchinson MR, Li H, Wang X. Artemisinin inhibits TLR4 signaling by targeting co-receptor MD2 in microglial BV-2 cells and prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced blood-brain barrier leakage in mice. J Neurochem 2021; 157:611-623. [PMID: 33453127 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Artemisinin and its derivatives have been the frontline drugs for treating malaria. In addition to the antiparasitic effect, accumulating evidence shows that artemisinins can alleviate neuroinflammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the precise mechanisms underlying their anti-neuroinflammatory effects are unclear. Herein we attempted to delineate the molecule target of artemisinin in microglia. In vitro protein intrinsic fluorescence titrations and saturation transfer difference (STD)-NMR showed the direct binding of artemisinin to Toll-like receptor TLR4 co-receptor MD2. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) showed that artemisinin binding increased MD2 stability, which implies that artemisinin directly binds to MD2 in the cellular context. Artemisinin bound MD2 showed much less collapse during the molecular dynamic simulations, which supports the increased stability of MD2 upon artemisinin binding. Flow cytometry analysis showed artemisinin inhibited LPS-induced TLR4 dimerization and endocytosis in microglial BV-2 cells. Therefore, artemisinin was found to inhibit the TLR4-JNK signaling axis and block LPS-induced pro-inflammatory factors nitric oxide, IL-1β and TNF-α in BV-2 cells. Furthermore, artemisinin restored LPS-induced decrease of junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-5 in primary brain microvessel endothelial cells, and attenuated LPS-induced blood-brain barrier disruption in mice as assessed by Evans blue. In all, this study unambiguously adds MD2 as a direct binding target of artemisinin in its anti-neuroinflammatory function. The results also suggest that artemisinin could be repurposed as a potential therapeutic intervention for inflammatory CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshu Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Xiaozheng Zhang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Siru Wu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Fanfan Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China.,State Key Laboratory for the Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Guangxi, Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Hongshuang Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yinghua Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animal, Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Mark R Hutchinson
- Discipline of Physiology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Hongyuan Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China.,Department of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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