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Shan H, Wang N, Gao X, Wang Z, Yu J, Zhangsun D, Zhu X, Luo S. Fluorescent α-Conotoxin [Q1G, ΔR14]LvIB Identifies the Distribution of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in the Rat Brain. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:200. [PMID: 38786593 PMCID: PMC11122421 DOI: 10.3390/md22050200] [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: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are mainly distributed in the central nervous system (CNS), including the hippocampus, striatum, and cortex of the brain. The α7 nAChR has high Ca2+ permeability and can be quickly activated and desensitized, and is closely related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), epilepsy, schizophrenia, lung cancer, Parkinson's disease (PD), inflammation, and other diseases. α-conotoxins from marine cone snail venom are typically short, disulfide-rich neuropeptides targeting nAChRs and can distinguish various subtypes, providing vital pharmacological tools for the functional research of nAChRs. [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB is a rat α7 nAChRs selective antagonist, modified from α-conotoxin LvΙB. In this study, we utilized three types of fluorescein after N-Hydroxy succinimide (NHS) activation treatment: 6-TAMRA-SE, Cy3 NHS, and BODIPY-FL NHS, labeling the N-Terminal of [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB under weak alkaline conditions, obtaining three fluorescent analogs: LvIB-R, LvIB-C, and LvIB-B, respectively. The potency of [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB fluorescent analogs was evaluated at rat α7 nAChRs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Using a two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC), the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of LvIB-R, LvIB-C, and LvIB-B were 643.3 nM, 298.0 nM, and 186.9 nM, respectively. The stability of cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed that after incubation for 12 h, the retention rates of the three fluorescent analogs were 52.2%, 22.1%, and 0%, respectively. [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB fluorescent analogs were applied to explore the distribution of α7 nAChRs in the hippocampus and striatum of rat brain tissue and it was found that Cy3- and BODIPY FL-labeled [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB exhibited better imaging characteristics than 6-TAMARA-. It was also found that α7 nAChRs are widely distributed in the cerebral cortex and cerebellar lobules. Taking into account potency, imaging, and stability, [Q1G, ΔR14]LvΙB -BODIPY FL is an ideal pharmacological tool to investigate the tissue distribution and function of α7 nAChRs. Our findings not only provide a foundation for the development of conotoxins as visual pharmacological probes, but also demonstrate the distribution of α7 nAChRs in the rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Shan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Nan Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Xinyu Gao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Zihan Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Jinpeng Yu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
| | - Sulan Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (N.W.); (X.G.); (Z.W.); (J.Y.); (D.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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Wang M, Liao Z, Zhangsun D, Wu Y, Luo S. Engineering Enhanced Antimicrobial Properties in α-Conotoxin RgIA through D-Type Amino Acid Substitution and Incorporation of Lysine and Leucine Residues. Molecules 2024; 29:1181. [PMID: 38474693 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), acknowledged as host defense peptides, constitute a category of predominant cationic peptides prevalent in diverse life forms. This study explored the antibacterial activity of α-conotoxin RgIA, and to enhance its stability and efficacy, D-amino acid substitution was employed, resulting in the synthesis of nine RgIA mutant analogs. Results revealed that several modified RgIA mutants displayed inhibitory efficacy against various pathogenic bacteria and fungi, including Candida tropicalis and Escherichia coli. Mechanistic investigations elucidated that these polypeptides achieved antibacterial effects through the disruption of bacterial cell membranes. The study further assessed the designed peptides' hemolytic activity, cytotoxicity, and safety. Mutants with antibacterial activity exhibited lower hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity, with Pep 8 demonstrating favorable safety in mice. RgIA mutants incorporating D-amino acids exhibited notable stability and adaptability, sustaining antibacterial properties across diverse environmental conditions. This research underscores the potential of the peptide to advance innovative oral antibiotics, offering a novel approach to address bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghe Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhouyuji Liao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Sulan Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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Son L, Kost V, Maiorov V, Sukhov D, Arkhangelskaya P, Ivanov I, Kudryavtsev D, Siniavin A, Utkin Y, Kasheverov I. Efficient Expression in Leishmania tarentolae (LEXSY) of the Receptor-Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 S-Protein and the Acetylcholine-Binding Protein from Lymnaea stagnalis. Molecules 2024; 29:943. [PMID: 38474455 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29050943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmania tarentolae (LEXSY) system is an inexpensive and effective expression approach for various research and medical purposes. The stated advantages of this system are the possibility of obtaining the soluble product in the cytoplasm, a high probability of correct protein folding with a full range of post-translational modifications (including uniform glycosylation), and the possibility of expressing multi-subunit proteins. In this paper, a LEXSY expression system has been employed for obtaining the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike-protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the homopentameric acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP) from Lymnaea stagnalis. RBD is actively used to obtain antibodies against the virus and in various scientific studies on the molecular mechanisms of the interaction of the virus with host cell targets. AChBP represents an excellent structural model of the ligand-binding extracellular domain of all subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Both products were obtained in a soluble glycosylated form, and their structural and functional characteristics were compared with those previously described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Son
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir Kost
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Valery Maiorov
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry Sukhov
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Polina Arkhangelskaya
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Ivanov
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Denis Kudryavtsev
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrei Siniavin
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuri Utkin
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Kasheverov
- Department of Molecular Bases of Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
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Bele T, Turk T, Križaj I. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cancer: Limitations and prospects. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166875. [PMID: 37673358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have long been considered to solely mediate neurotransmission. However, their widespread distribution in the human body suggests a more diverse physiological role. Additionally, the expression of nAChRs is increased in certain cancers, such as lung cancer, and has been associated with cell proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition, angiogenesis and apoptosis prevention. Several compounds that interact with these receptors have been identified as potential therapeutic agents. They have been tested as drugs for treating nicotine addiction, alcoholism, depression, pain and Alzheimer's disease. This review focuses on nAChR-mediated signalling in cancer, presenting opportunities for the development of innovative nAChR-based anticancer drugs. It displays the differences in expression of each nAChR subunit between normal and cancer cells for selected cancer types, highlighting their possible involvement in specific cases. Antagonists of nAChRs that could complement existing cancer therapies are summarised and critically discussed. We hope that this review will stimulate further research on the role of nAChRs in cancer potentially leading to innovative cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Bele
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - T Turk
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - I Križaj
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Haufe Y, Kuruva V, Samanani Z, Lokaj G, Kamnesky G, Shadamarshan P, Shahoei R, Katz D, Sampson JM, Pusch M, Brik A, Nicke A, Leffler AE. Basic Residues at Position 11 of α-Conotoxin LvIA Influence Subtype Selectivity between α3β2 and α3β4 Nicotinic Receptors via an Electrostatic Mechanism. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:4311-4322. [PMID: 38051211 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the determinants of α-conotoxin (α-CTX) selectivity for different nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes is a prerequisite for the design of tool compounds to study nAChRs. However, selectivity optimization of these small, disulfide-rich peptides is difficult not only because of an absence of α-CTX/nAChR co-structures but also because it is challenging to predict how a mutation to an α-CTX will alter its potency and selectivity. As a prototypical system to investigate selectivity, we employed the α-CTX LvIA that is 25-fold selective for the α3β2 nAChR over the related α3β4 nAChR subtype, which is a target for nicotine addiction. Using two-electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology, we identified LvIA[D11R] that is 2-fold selective for the α3β4 nAChR, reversing the subtype preference. This effect is specifically due to the change in charge and not shape of LvIA[D11R], as substitution of D11 with citrulline retains selectivity for the α3β2 nAChR. Furthermore, LvIA[D11K] shows a stronger reversal, with 4-fold selectivity for the α3β4 nAChR. Motivated by these findings, using site-directed mutagenesis, we found that β2[K79A] (I79 on β4), but not β2[K78A] (N78 on β4), largely restores the potency of basic mutants at position 11. Finally, to understand the structural basis of this effect, we used AlphaFold2 to generate models of LvIA in complex with both nAChR subtypes. Both models confirm the plausibility of an electrostatic mechanism to explain the data and also reproduce a broad range of potency and selectivity structure-activity relationships for LvIA mutants, as measured using free energy perturbation simulations. Our work highlights how electrostatic interactions can drive α-CTX selectivity and may serve as a strategy for optimizing the selectivity of LvIA and other α-CTXs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Haufe
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Veeresh Kuruva
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200008, Israel
| | - Ziyana Samanani
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Gonxhe Lokaj
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Guy Kamnesky
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200008, Israel
| | - PranavKumar Shadamarshan
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Rezvan Shahoei
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Dana Katz
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Jared M Sampson
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Michael Pusch
- Istituto di Biofisica, CNR, Via De Marini 6, Genova 16149, Italy
| | - Ashraf Brik
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200008, Israel
| | - Annette Nicke
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Abba E Leffler
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, United States
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Tsetlin V, Shelukhina I, Kozlov S, Kasheverov I. Fifty Years of Animal Toxin Research at the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13884. [PMID: 37762187 PMCID: PMC10530976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813884] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This review covers briefly the work carried out at our institute (IBCh), in many cases in collaboration with other Russian and foreign laboratories, for the last 50 years. It discusses the discoveries and studies of various animal toxins, including protein and peptide neurotoxins acting on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and on other ion channels. Among the achievements are the determination of the primary structures of the α-bungarotoxin-like three-finger toxins (TFTs), covalently bound dimeric TFTs, glycosylated cytotoxin, inhibitory cystine knot toxins (ICK), modular ICKs, and such giant molecules as latrotoxins and peptide neurotoxins from the snake, as well as from other animal venoms. For a number of toxins, spatial structures were determined, mostly by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Using this method in combination with molecular modeling, the molecular mechanisms of the interactions of several toxins with lipid membranes were established. In more detail are presented the results of recent years, among which are the discovery of α-bungarotoxin analogs distinguishing the two binding sites in the muscle-type nAChR, long-chain α-neurotoxins interacting with α9α10 nAChRs and with GABA-A receptors, and the strong antiviral effects of dimeric phospholipases A2. A summary of the toxins obtained from arthropod venoms includes only highly cited works describing the molecules' success story, which is associated with IBCh. In marine animals, versatile toxins in terms of structure and molecular targets were discovered, and careful work on α-conotoxins differing in specificity for individual nAChR subtypes gave information about their binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Tsetlin
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklay Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.S.); (I.K.)
| | - Irina Shelukhina
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklay Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.S.); (I.K.)
| | - Sergey Kozlov
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklay Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Igor Kasheverov
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklay Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.S.); (I.K.)
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Lüddecke T, Paas A, Harris RJ, Talmann L, Kirchhoff KN, Billion A, Hardes K, Steinbrink A, Gerlach D, Fry BG, Vilcinskas A. Venom biotechnology: casting light on nature's deadliest weapons using synthetic biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1166601. [PMID: 37207126 PMCID: PMC10188951 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1166601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms are complex chemical arsenals that have evolved independently many times in the animal kingdom. Venoms have attracted the interest of researchers because they are an important innovation that has contributed greatly to the evolutionary success of many animals, and their medical relevance offers significant potential for drug discovery. During the last decade, venom research has been revolutionized by the application of systems biology, giving rise to a novel field known as venomics. More recently, biotechnology has also made an increasing impact in this field. Its methods provide the means to disentangle and study venom systems across all levels of biological organization and, given their tremendous impact on the life sciences, these pivotal tools greatly facilitate the coherent understanding of venom system organization, development, biochemistry, and therapeutic activity. Even so, we lack a comprehensive overview of major advances achieved by applying biotechnology to venom systems. This review therefore considers the methods, insights, and potential future developments of biotechnological applications in the field of venom research. We follow the levels of biological organization and structure, starting with the methods used to study the genomic blueprint and genetic machinery of venoms, followed gene products and their functional phenotypes. We argue that biotechnology can answer some of the most urgent questions in venom research, particularly when multiple approaches are combined together, and with other venomics technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- *Correspondence: Tim Lüddecke,
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Richard J. Harris
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lea Talmann
- Syngenta Crop Protection, Stein, Switzerland
| | - Kim N. Kirchhoff
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - André Billion
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research “ASCRIBE”, Giessen, Germany
| | - Antje Steinbrink
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Doreen Gerlach
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Kasheverov IE, Logashina YA, Kornilov FD, Lushpa VA, Maleeva EE, Korolkova YV, Yu J, Zhu X, Zhangsun D, Luo S, Stensvåg K, Kudryavtsev DS, Mineev KS, Andreev YA. Peptides from the Sea Anemone Metridium senile with Modified Inhibitor Cystine Knot (ICK) Fold Inhibit Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 15:28. [PMID: 36668848 PMCID: PMC9866706 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play an important role in the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems, and other organs of living creatures. There are several subtypes of nAChRs, and almost all of them are considered as pharmacological targets in different pathological states. The crude venom of the sea anemone Metridium senile showed the ability to interact with nAChRs. Four novel peptides (Ms11a-1-Ms11a-4) with nAChR binding activity were isolated. These peptides stabilized by three disulfide bridges have no noticeable homology with any known peptides. Ms11a-1-Ms11a-4 showed different binding activity towards the muscle-type nAChR from the Torpedo californica ray. The study of functional activity and selectivity for the most potent peptide (Ms11a-3) revealed the highest antagonism towards the heterologous rat α9α10 nAChR compared to the muscle and α7 receptors. Structural NMR analysis of two toxins (Ms11a-2 and Ms11a-3) showed that they belong to a new variant of the inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) fold but have a prolonged loop between the fifth and sixth cysteine residues. Peptides Ms11a-1-Ms11a-4 could represent new pharmacological tools since they have structures different from other known nAChRs inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor E. Kasheverov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia A. Logashina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya str. 8, bld. 2, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Fedor D. Kornilov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky per., 9, 141700 Dolgoprudnyi, Russia
| | - Vladislav A. Lushpa
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky per., 9, 141700 Dolgoprudnyi, Russia
| | - Ekaterina E. Maleeva
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya V. Korolkova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Jinpeng Yu
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhu
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | | | - Sulan Luo
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Klara Stensvåg
- Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Denis S. Kudryavtsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin S. Mineev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky per., 9, 141700 Dolgoprudnyi, Russia
| | - Yaroslav A. Andreev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, str. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya str. 8, bld. 2, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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A Novel α4/7-Conotoxin QuIA Selectively Inhibits α3β2 and α6/α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes with High Efficacy. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20020146. [PMID: 35200675 PMCID: PMC8878501 DOI: 10.3390/md20020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
α6β4 nAChR is expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems and is associated with pain, addiction, and movement disorders. Natural α-conotoxins (α-CTxs) can effectively block different nAChR subtypes with higher efficacy and selectivity. However, the research on α6β4 nAChR is relatively poor, partly because of the lack of available target-specific α-CTxs. In this study, we synthesized a novel α-4/7 conotoxin QuIA that was found from Conus quercinus. We investigated the efficacy of this peptide to different nAChR subtypes using a two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. Remarkably, we found α-QuIA inhibited the neuronal α3β2 and α6/α3β4 nAChR subtypes with significantly high affinity (IC50 was 55.7 nM and 90.68 nM, respectively), and did not block other nAChR subtypes even at a high concentration of 10 μM. In contrast, most α-CTxs have been determined so far to effectively block the α6/α3β4 nAChR subtype while also maintaining a similar higher efficacy against the closely related α6β2β3 and/or α3β4 subtypes, which are different from QuIA. In conclusion, α-QuIA is a novel α4/7-CTx, which has the potential to develop as an effective neuropharmacology tool to detect the function of α6β4 nAChR.
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10
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Zhao Y, Antunes A. Biomedical Potential of the Neglected Molluscivorous and Vermivorous Conus Species. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20020105. [PMID: 35200635 PMCID: PMC8878422 DOI: 10.3390/md20020105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the Conidae family, the piscivorous Conus species have been a hotspot target for drug discovery. Here, we assess the relevance of Conus and their other feeding habits, and thus under distinctive evolutionary constraints, to highlight the potential of neglected molluscivorous and vermivorous species in biomedical research and pharmaceutical industry. By singling out the areas with inadequate Conus disquisition, such as the Tamil Nadu Coast and the Andaman Islands, research resources can be expanded and better protected through awareness. In this study, 728 Conus species and 190 species from three other genera (1 from Californiconus, 159 from Conasprella and 30 from Profundiconus) in the Conidae family are assessed. The phylogenetic relationships of the Conidae species are determined and their known feeding habits superimposed. The worm-hunting species appeared first, and later the mollusc- and fish-hunting species were derived independently in the Neogene period (around 23 million years ago). Interestingly, many Conus species in the warm and shallow waters become polyphagous, allowing them to hunt both fish and worms, given the opportunities. Such newly gained trait is multi originated. This is controversial, given the traditional idea that most Conus species are specialized to hunt certain prey categories. However, it shows the functional complexity and great potential of conopeptides from some worm-eating species. Pharmaceutical attempts and relevant omics data have been differentially obtained. Indeed, data from the fish-hunting species receive strong preference over the worm-hunting ones. Expectedly, conopeptides from the fish-hunting species are believed to include the most potential candidates for biomedical research. Our work revisits major findings throughout the Conus evolution and emphasizes the importance of increasing omics surveys complemented with further behavior observation studies. Hence, we claim that Conus species and their feeding habits are equally important, highlighting many places left for Conus exploration worldwide. We also discuss the Conotoxin drug discovery potentials and the urgency of protecting the bioresources of Conus species. In particular, some vermivorous species have demonstrated great potential in malaria therapy, while other conotoxins from several worm- and mollusc-eating species exhibited explicit correlation with SARS-CoV-2. Reclaiming idle data with new perspectives could also promote interdisciplinary studies in both virological and toxicological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihe Zhao
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +353-22-340-1813
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11
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Marine Origin Ligands of Nicotinic Receptors: Low Molecular Compounds, Peptides and Proteins for Fundamental Research and Practical Applications. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020189. [PMID: 35204690 PMCID: PMC8961598 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of our review is to briefly show what different compounds of marine origin, from low molecular weight ones to peptides and proteins, offer for understanding the structure and mechanism of action of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and for finding novel drugs to combat the diseases where nAChRs may be involved. The importance of the mentioned classes of ligands has changed with time; a protein from the marine snake venom was the first excellent tool to characterize the muscle-type nAChRs from the electric ray, while at present, muscle and α7 receptors are labeled with the radioactive or fluorescent derivatives prepared from α-bungarotoxin isolated from the many-banded krait. The most sophisticated instruments to distinguish muscle from neuronal nAChRs, and especially distinct subtypes within the latter, are α-conotoxins. Such information is crucial for fundamental studies on the nAChR revealing the properties of their orthosteric and allosteric binding sites and mechanisms of the channel opening and closure. Similar data are provided by low-molecular weight compounds of marine origin, but here the main purpose is drug design. In our review we tried to show what has been obtained in the last decade when the listed classes of compounds were used in the nAChR research, applying computer modeling, synthetic analogues and receptor mutants, X-ray and electron-microscopy analyses of complexes with the nAChRs, and their models which are acetylcholine-binding proteins and heterologously-expressed ligand-binding domains.
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12
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Tsetlin V, Haufe Y, Safronova V, Serov D, Shadamarshan P, Son L, Shelukhina I, Kudryavtsev D, Kryukova E, Kasheverov I, Nicke A, Utkin Y. Interaction of α9α10 Nicotinic Receptors With Peptides and Proteins From Animal Venoms. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:765541. [PMID: 35002625 PMCID: PMC8732759 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.765541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike most neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits, α7, α9, and α10 subunits are able to form functional homo- or heteromeric receptors without any β subunits. While the α7 subtype is widely distributed in the mammalian brain and several peripheral tissues, α9 and α9α10 nAChRs are mainly found in the cochlea and immune cells. α-Conotoxins that specifically block the α9α10 receptor showed anti-nociceptive and anti-hyperalgesic effects in animal models. Hence, this subtype is considered a drug target for analgesics. In contrast to the α9α10-selective α-conotoxins, the three-finger toxin α-bungarotoxin inhibits muscle-type and α7 nAChRs in addition to α9α10 nAChRs. However, the selectivity of α-neurotoxins at the α9α10 subtype was less intensively investigated. Here, we compared the potencies of α-conotoxins and α-neurotoxins at the human α9α10 nAChR by two-electrode voltage clamp analysis upon expression in Xenopus oocytes. In addition, we analyzed effects of several α9α10-selective α-conotoxins on mouse granulocytes from bone marrow to identify possible physiological functions of the α9α10 nAChR subtype in these cells. The α-conotoxin-induced IL-10 release was measured upon LPS-stimulation. We found that α-conotoxins RgIA, PeIA, and Vc1.1 enhance the IL-10 expression in granulocytes which might explain the known anti-inflammatory and associated analgesic activities of α9α10-selective α-conotoxins. Furthermore, we show that two long-chain α-neurotoxins from the cobra Naja melanoleuca venom that were earlier shown to bind to muscle-type and α7 nAChRs, also inhibit the α9α10 subtype at nanomolar concentrations with one of them showing a significantly slower dissociation from this receptor than α-bungarotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Tsetlin
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yves Haufe
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Valentina Safronova
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Dmitriy Serov
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - PranavKumar Shadamarshan
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Lina Son
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Shelukhina
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Denis Kudryavtsev
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Kryukova
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Kasheverov
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Annette Nicke
- Faculty of Medicine, Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Yuri Utkin
- Department of Molecular Neuroimmune Signaling, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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13
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Tang R, Song Y, Shi M, Jiang Z, Zhang L, Xiao Y, Tian Y, Zhou S. Rational Design of a Dual-Targeting Natural Toxin-Like Bicyclic Peptide for Selective Bioenergetic Blockage in Cancer Cells. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:2173-2183. [PMID: 34606715 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Stapled α-helical peptides emerge as one of the attractive peptidomimetics which can efficiently penetrate the cell membrane to access intracellular targets. However, the incorporation of a highly lipophilic cross-link may lead to nonspecific membrane toxicity in certain cases. Here, we report a new class of thioether-tethered bicyclic α-helical peptide to mimic the highly constrained loop-helix structure of natural toxins with the dual-targeting ability for both cell-surface receptors and intracellular targets. The thioether cross-links are introduced to replace the redox-sensitive disulfide bonds in natural toxins via a photoinduced thiol-yne reaction followed by macrolactamization. As a proof of concept, αVβ3 integrin targeting ligand was grafted into one of the macrocycles in the bicyclic scaffold, while a mitochondria-targeting proapoptotic motif was introduced into the other macrocycle stabilized by an i, i + 7 alkyl thioether cross-link to recapitulate its α-helical conformation. The obtained dual-targeting bicyclic α-helical BIRK peptides showed highly stable α-helical conformation in the presence of denaturants or under high temperature. Notably, BIRK peptides could induce selective cell death in αVβ3 integrin-positive B16F10 cells by interfering with the bioenergetic functions of mitochondria. This work provides a new avenue to design and stabilize α-helical peptides in a highly constrained bicyclic loop-helix scaffold with dual functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Yue Song
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Mengzhen Shi
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Zherui Jiang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Tian
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
| | - Shaobing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P. R. China
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14
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Yang Y, Tan Y, Zhangsun D, Zhu X, Luo S. Design, Synthesis, and Activity of an α-Conotoxin LtIA Fluorescent Analogue. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3662-3671. [PMID: 34523332 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are essential pentameric ligand-gated ion channels that are distributed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and non-neuronal tissues in mammalian species that play critical roles in a variety of neural and mental activities. The α3β2 nAChR subtype participates in pain, addiction to nicotine, and other neurophysiological and pathological activities. Owing to the lack of highly selective pharmacological tools targeting α3β2, related research on its tissue distribution and function has been hindered. α-Conotoxin (α-CTx) LtIA, discovered from Conus literatus in our lab, potently and selectively blocks α3β2 nAChR, providing an important molecular probe to study the α3β2 nAChR structure and function. We used the fluorescent molecule 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester, which can react with the N-terminus of LtIA, to obtain a novel fluorescent analogue of LtIA (LtIA-F). The potency and selectivity of LtIA-F were tested using a two-electrode voltage clamp recording on various nAChRs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. LtIA-F potently inhibited ACh-evoked currents at the α3β2 nAChR, with an IC50 value of 90.66 nM, displaying a ∼4-fold decrease in potency compared with native LtIA without a change in selectivity. The serum stability results indicated that LtIA-F exhibited stability similar to that of native LtIA. This study on an α-CTx LtIA fluorescent analogue provides a wealth of pharmacological tools to explore the structure-function relationship, distribution, and ligand binding domain of the α3β2 nAChR subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yishuai Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yao Tan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhu
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Sulan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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15
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Guo M, Yu J, Zhu X, Zhangsun D, Luo S. Characterization of an α 4/7-Conotoxin LvIF from Conus lividus That Selectively Blocks α3β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19070398. [PMID: 34356823 PMCID: PMC8306566 DOI: 10.3390/md19070398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a member of pentameric ligand-gated ion channel transmembrane protein composed of five subunits, is widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous system. The nAChRs are associated with various neurological diseases, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and neuralgia. Receptors containing the α3 subunit are associated with analgesia, generating our interest in their role in pharmacological studies. In this study, α-conotoxin (α-CTx) LvIF was identified as a 16 amino acid peptide using a genomic DNA clone of Conus lividus (C. lividus). The mature LvIF with natural structure was synthesized by a two-step oxidation method. The blocking potency of α-CTx lvIF on nAChR was detected by a two-electrode voltage clamp. Our results showed that α-CTx LvIF was highly potent against rα3β2 and rα6/α3β2β3 nAChR subtypes, The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of α-CTx LvIF against rα3β2 and rα6/α3β2β3 nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes were 8.9 nM and 14.4 nM, respectively. Furthermore, α-CTx LvIF exhibited no obvious inhibition on other nAChR subtypes. Meanwhile, we also conducted a competitive binding experiment between α-CTxs MII and LvIF, which showed that α-CTxs LvIF and MII bind with rα3β2 nAChR at the partial overlapping domain. These results indicate that the α-CTx LvIF has high potential as a new candidate tool for the studying of rα3β2 nAChR related neurophysiology and pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Marine Drugs of Haikou, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
| | - Jinpeng Yu
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (J.Y.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiaopeng Zhu
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (J.Y.); (X.Z.)
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Marine Drugs of Haikou, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (J.Y.); (X.Z.)
- Correspondence: (D.Z.); (S.L.)
| | - Sulan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Marine Drugs of Haikou, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
- Medical School, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (J.Y.); (X.Z.)
- Correspondence: (D.Z.); (S.L.)
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16
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Katz D, DiMattia MA, Sindhikara D, Li H, Abraham N, Leffler AE. Potency- and Selectivity-Enhancing Mutations of Conotoxins for Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Can Be Predicted Using Accurate Free-Energy Calculations. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:367. [PMID: 34202022 PMCID: PMC8306581 DOI: 10.3390/md19070367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes are key drug targets, but it is challenging to pharmacologically differentiate between them because of their highly similar sequence identities. Furthermore, α-conotoxins (α-CTXs) are naturally selective and competitive antagonists for nAChRs and hold great potential for treating nAChR disorders. Identifying selectivity-enhancing mutations is the chief aim of most α-CTX mutagenesis studies, although doing so with traditional docking methods is difficult due to the lack of α-CTX/nAChR crystal structures. Here, we use homology modeling to predict the structures of α-CTXs bound to two nearly identical nAChR subtypes, α3β2 and α3β4, and use free-energy perturbation (FEP) to re-predict the relative potency and selectivity of α-CTX mutants at these subtypes. First, we use three available crystal structures of the nAChR homologue, acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP), and re-predict the relative affinities of twenty point mutations made to the α-CTXs LvIA, LsIA, and GIC, with an overall root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.08 ± 0.15 kcal/mol and an R2 of 0.62, equivalent to experimental uncertainty. We then use AChBP as a template for α3β2 and α3β4 nAChR homology models bound to the α-CTX LvIA and re-predict the potencies of eleven point mutations at both subtypes, with an overall RMSE of 0.85 ± 0.08 kcal/mol and an R2 of 0.49. This is significantly better than the widely used molecular mechanics-generalized born/surface area (MM-GB/SA) method, which gives an RMSE of 1.96 ± 0.24 kcal/mol and an R2 of 0.06 on the same test set. Next, we demonstrate that FEP accurately classifies α3β2 nAChR selective LvIA mutants while MM-GB/SA does not. Finally, we use FEP to perform an exhaustive amino acid mutational scan of LvIA and predict fifty-two mutations of LvIA to have greater than 100X selectivity for the α3β2 nAChR. Our results demonstrate the FEP is well-suited to accurately predict potency- and selectivity-enhancing mutations of α-CTXs for nAChRs and to identify alternative strategies for developing selective α-CTXs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Katz
- Schrödinger, Inc., 120 West 45th St., New York, NY 10036, USA; (D.K.); (M.A.D.); (D.S.); (H.L.)
| | - Michael A. DiMattia
- Schrödinger, Inc., 120 West 45th St., New York, NY 10036, USA; (D.K.); (M.A.D.); (D.S.); (H.L.)
| | - Dan Sindhikara
- Schrödinger, Inc., 120 West 45th St., New York, NY 10036, USA; (D.K.); (M.A.D.); (D.S.); (H.L.)
| | - Hubert Li
- Schrödinger, Inc., 120 West 45th St., New York, NY 10036, USA; (D.K.); (M.A.D.); (D.S.); (H.L.)
| | | | - Abba E. Leffler
- Schrödinger, Inc., 120 West 45th St., New York, NY 10036, USA; (D.K.); (M.A.D.); (D.S.); (H.L.)
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17
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Son L, Kryukova E, Ziganshin R, Andreeva T, Kudryavtsev D, Kasheverov I, Tsetlin V, Utkin Y. Novel Three-Finger Neurotoxins from Naja melanoleuca Cobra Venom Interact with GABA A and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13020164. [PMID: 33672715 PMCID: PMC7924340 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13020164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cobra venoms contain three-finger toxins (TFT) including α-neurotoxins efficiently binding nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). As shown recently, several TFTs block GABAA receptors (GABAARs) with different efficacy, an important role of the TFTs central loop in binding to these receptors being demonstrated. We supposed that the positive charge (Arg36) in this loop of α-cobratoxin may explain its high affinity to GABAAR and here studied α-neurotoxins from African cobra N. melanoleuca venom for their ability to interact with GABAARs and nAChRs. Three α-neurotoxins, close homologues of the known N. melanoleuca long neurotoxins 1 and 2, were isolated and sequenced. Their analysis on Torpedocalifornica and α7 nAChRs, as well as on acetylcholine binding proteins and on several subtypes of GABAARs, showed that all toxins interacted with the GABAAR much weaker than with the nAChR: one neurotoxin was almost as active as α-cobratoxin, while others manifested lower activity. The earlier hypothesis about the essential role of Arg36 as the determinant of high affinity to GABAAR was not confirmed, but the results obtained suggest that the toxin loop III may contribute to the efficient interaction of some long-chain neurotoxins with GABAAR. One of isolated toxins manifested different affinity to two binding sites on Torpedo nAChR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Son
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Elena Kryukova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
| | - Rustam Ziganshin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
| | - Tatyana Andreeva
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
| | - Denis Kudryavtsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
| | - Igor Kasheverov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, ul. Trubetskaya 8, bld. 2, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor Tsetlin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
| | - Yuri Utkin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (L.S.); (E.K.); (R.Z.); (T.A.); (D.K.); (I.K.); (V.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-495-3366522
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