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Kim G, Jarhad DB, Lee G, Kim G, Hou X, Yu J, Lee CS, Warnick E, Gao ZG, Ahn SY, Kwak D, Park K, Lee SD, Park TU, Jung SY, Lee JH, Choi JR, Kim M, Kim D, Kim B, Jacobson KA, Jeong LS. Structural Modification and Biological Evaluation of 2,8-Disubstituted Adenine and Its Nucleosides as A 2A Adenosine Receptor Antagonists: Exploring the Roles of Ribose at Adenosine Receptors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:10490-10507. [PMID: 38845345 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01003] [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: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Building on the preceding structural analysis and a structure-activity relationship (SAR) of 8-aryl-2-hexynyl nucleoside hA2AAR antagonist 2a, we strategically inverted C2/C8 substituents and eliminated the ribose moiety. These modifications aimed to mitigate potential steric interactions between ribose and adenosine receptors. The SAR findings indicated that such inversions significantly modulated hA3AR binding affinities depending on the type of ribose, whereas removal of ribose altered the functional efficacy via hA2AAR. Among the synthesized derivatives, 2-aryl-8-hexynyl adenine 4a demonstrated the highest selectivity for hA2AAR (Ki,hA2A = 5.0 ± 0.5 nM, Ki,hA3/Ki,hA2A = 86) and effectively blocked cAMP production and restored IL-2 secretion in PBMCs. Favorable pharmacokinetic properties and a notable enhancement of anticancer effects in combination with an mAb immune checkpoint blockade were observed upon oral administration of 4a. These findings establish 4a as a viable immune-oncology therapeutic candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gibae Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dnyandev B Jarhad
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Grim Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyudong Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy & Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiyan Hou
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Life Science, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinha Yu
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Soo Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eugene Warnick
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Sang Yeop Ahn
- Future Medicine Co., Ltd., 54 Changup-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 13449, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongik Kwak
- Future Medicine Co., Ltd., 54 Changup-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 13449, Republic of Korea
| | - Kichul Park
- LNPsolution, R&D Laboratory, 32 Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Summer Dabin Lee
- LNPsolution, R&D Laboratory, 32 Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Uk Park
- Preclincial Research Center (PRC), Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (K-MEDI hub), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Young Jung
- Preclincial Research Center (PRC), Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (K-MEDI hub), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | | | | | - Bongtae Kim
- HK inno.N Corp., Seoul 04551, Republic of Korea
| | - Kenneth A Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Lak Shin Jeong
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Future Medicine Co., Ltd., 54 Changup-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 13449, Republic of Korea
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2
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Duraisamy K, Kumar M, Nawabjan A, Lo EKK, Hui Lin M, Lefranc B, Bonnafé E, Treilhou M, El-Nezami H, Leprince J, Chow BKC. MRGPRB2/X2 and the analogous effects of its agonist and antagonist in DSS-induced colitis in mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116471. [PMID: 38547764 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116471] [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] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The mast cell receptor Mrgprb2, a mouse orthologue of human Mrgprx2, is known as an inflammatory receptor and its elevated expression is associated with various diseases such as ulcerative colitis. We aimed to elucidate the role of Mrgprb2/x2 and the effect of its ligands on a chemically induced murine colitis model. We showed that in Mrgprb2-/- mice, there is a differential regulation of cytokine releases in the blood plasma and severe colonic damages after DSS treatment. Unexpectedly, we demonstrated that known Mrgprb2/x2 agonists (peptide P17, P17 analogues and CST-14) and antagonist (GE1111) similarly increased the survival rate of WT mice subjected to 4% DSS-induced colitis, ameliorated the colonic damages of 2.5% DSS-induced colitis, restored major protein mRNA expression involved in colon integrity, reduced CD68+ and F4/80+ immune cell infiltration and restored cytokine levels. Collectively, our findings highlight the eminent role of Mrpgrb2/x2 in conferring a beneficial effect in the colitis model, and this significance is demonstrated by the heightened severity of colitis with altered cytokine releases and inflammatory immune cell infiltration observed in the Mrgprb2 knockout mice. Elevated expression of Mrgprb2 in WT colitis murine models may represent the organism's adaptive protective mechanism since Mrgprb2 knockout results in severe colitis. On the other hand, both agonist and antagonist of Mrgprb2 analogously mitigated the severity of colitis in DSS-induced colitis model by altering Mrgprb2 expression, immune cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokine releases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthi Duraisamy
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; INSERM U1239 NorDiC, PRIMACEN, Université Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Abdullah Nawabjan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Emily Kwun Kwan Lo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ming Hui Lin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Benjamin Lefranc
- INSERM U1239 NorDiC, PRIMACEN, Université Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- EA7417 BTSB, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, INU Champollion, Albi, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- EA7417 BTSB, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, INU Champollion, Albi, France
| | - Hani El-Nezami
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- INSERM U1239 NorDiC, PRIMACEN, Université Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France.
| | - Billy K C Chow
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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3
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Mugnaini C, Brizzi A, Paolino M, Scarselli E, Castelli R, de Candia M, Gambacorta N, Nicolotti O, Kostrzewa M, Kumar P, Mahmoud AM, Borgonetti V, Iannotta M, Morace A, Galeotti N, Maione S, Altomare CD, Ligresti A, Corelli F. Novel Dual-Acting Hybrids Targeting Type-2 Cannabinoid Receptors and Cholinesterase Activity Show Neuroprotective Effects In Vitro and Amelioration of Cognitive Impairment In Vivo. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:955-971. [PMID: 38372253 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00656] [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: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative form of dementia characterized by the loss of synapses and a progressive decline in cognitive abilities. Among current treatments for AD, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors have efficacy limited to symptom relief, with significant side effects and poor compliance. Pharmacological agents that modulate the activity of type-2 cannabinoid receptors (CB2R) of the endocannabinoid system by activating or blocking them have also been shown to be effective against neuroinflammation. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and pharmacological effects in vitro and in vivo of dual-acting compounds that inhibit AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and target CB2R. Within the investigated series, compound 4g proved to be the most promising. It achieved IC50 values in the low micromolar to submicromolar range against both human cholinesterase isoforms while antagonizing CB2R with Ki of 31 nM. Interestingly, 4g showed neuroprotective effects on the SH-SY5Y cell line thanks to its ability to prevent oxidative stress-induced cell toxicity and reverse scopolamine-induced amnesia in the Y-maze forced alternation test in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mugnaini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Antonella Brizzi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Paolino
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Enrico Scarselli
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Riccardo Castelli
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Modesto de Candia
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Gambacorta
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Orazio Nicolotti
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Magdalena Kostrzewa
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples ,Italy
| | - Poulami Kumar
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples ,Italy
| | - Ali Mokhtar Mahmoud
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples ,Italy
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Monica Iannotta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli″, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Morace
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli″, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Galeotti
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Sabatino Maione
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli″, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Cosimo D Altomare
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Alessia Ligresti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples ,Italy
| | - Federico Corelli
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Stampelou M, Ladds G, Kolocouris A. Computational Workflow for Refining AlphaFold Models in Drug Design Using Kinetic and Thermodynamic Binding Calculations: A Case Study for the Unresolved Inactive Human Adenosine A 3 Receptor. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:914-936. [PMID: 38236582 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05986] [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: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
A structure-based drug design pipeline that considers both thermodynamic and kinetic binding data of ligands against a receptor will enable the computational design of improved drug molecules. For unresolved GPCR-ligand complexes, a workflow that can apply both thermodynamic and kinetic binding data in combination with alpha-fold (AF)-derived or other homology models and experimentally resolved binding modes of relevant ligands in GPCR-homologs needs to be tested. Here, as test case, we studied a congeneric set of ligands that bind to a structurally unresolved G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the inactive human adenosine A3 receptor (hA3R). We tested three available homology models from which two have been generated from experimental structures of hA1R or hA2AR and one model was a multistate alphafold 2 (AF2)-derived model. We applied alchemical calculations with thermodynamic integration coupled with molecular dynamics (TI/MD) simulations to calculate the experimental relative binding free energies and residence time (τ)-random accelerated MD (τ-RAMD) simulations to calculate the relative residence times (RTs) for antagonists. While the TI/MD calculations produced, for the three homology models, good Pearson correlation coefficients, correspondingly, r = 0.74, 0.62, and 0.67 and mean unsigned error (mue) values of 0.94, 1.31, and 0.81 kcal mol-1, the τ-RAMD method showed r = 0.92 and 0.52 for the first two models but failed to produce accurate results for the multistate AF2-derived model. With subsequent optimization of the AF2-derived model by reorientation of the side chain of R1735.34 located in the extracellular loop 2 (EL2) that blocked ligand's unbinding, the computational model showed r = 0.84 for kinetic data and improved performance for thermodynamic data (r = 0.81, mue = 0.56 kcal mol-1). Overall, after refining the multistate AF2 model with physics-based tools, we were able to show a strong correlation between predicted and experimental ligand relative residence times and affinities, achieving a level of accuracy comparable to an experimental structure. The computational workflow used can be applied to other receptors, helping to rank candidate drugs in a congeneric series and enabling the prioritization of leads with stronger binding affinities and longer residence times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Stampelou
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Graham Ladds
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, U.K
| | - Antonios Kolocouris
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
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5
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Liu ZQ. Is it still worth renewing nucleoside anticancer drugs nowadays? Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115987. [PMID: 38056297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115987] [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] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Nucleoside has situated the convergence point in the discovery of novel drugs for decades, and a large number of nucleoside derivatives have been constructed for screening novel pharmacological properties at various experimental platforms. Notably, nearly 20 nucleosides are approved to be used in the clinic treatment of various cancers. Nevertheless, the blossom of synthetic nucleoside analogs in comparison with the scarcity of nucleoside anticancer drugs leads to a question: Is it still worth insisting on the screening of novel anticancer drugs from nucleoside derivatives? Hence, this review attempts to emphasize the importance of nucleoside analogs in the discovery of novel anticancer drugs. Firstly, we introduce the metabolic procedures of nucleoside anticancer drug (such as 5-fluorouracil) and summarize the designing of novel nucleoside anticancer candidates based on clinically used nucleoside anticancer drugs (such as gemcitabine). Furthermore, we collect anticancer properties of some recently synthesized nucleoside analogs, aiming at emphasizing the availability of nucleoside analogs in the discovery of anticancer drugs. Finally, a variety of synthetic strategies including the linkage of sugar moiety with nucleobase scaffold, modifications on the sugar moiety, and variations on the nucleobase structure are collected to exhibit the abundant protocols in the achievement of nucleoside analogs. Taken the above discussions collectively, nucleoside still advantages for the finding of novel anticancer drugs because of the clearly metabolic procedures, successfully clinic applications, and abundantly synthetic routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zai-Qun Liu
- Department of Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Kim G, Hou X, Byun WS, Kim G, Jarhad DB, Lee G, Hyun YE, Yu J, Lee CS, Qu S, Warnick E, Gao ZG, Kim JY, Ji S, Shin H, Choi JR, Jacobson KA, Lee HW, Lee SK, Jeong LS. Structure-Activity Relationship of Truncated 2,8-Disubstituted-Adenosine Derivatives as Dual A 2A/A 3 Adenosine Receptor Antagonists and Their Cancer Immunotherapeutic Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:12249-12265. [PMID: 37603705 PMCID: PMC10896643 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Based on hA2AAR structures, a hydrophobic C8-heteroaromatic ring in 5'-truncated adenosine analogues occupies the subpocket tightly, converting hA2AAR agonists into antagonists while maintaining affinity toward hA3AR. The final compounds of 2,8-disubstituted-N6-substituted 4'-thionucleosides, or 4'-oxo, were synthesized from d-mannose and d-erythrono-1,4-lactone, respectively, using a Pd-catalyst-controlled regioselective cross-coupling reaction. All tested compounds completely antagonized hA2AAR, including 5d with the highest affinity (Ki,A2A = 7.7 ± 0.5 nM). The hA2AAR-5d X-ray structure revealed that C8-heteroaromatic rings prevented receptor activation-associated conformational changes. However, the C8-substituted compounds still antagonized hA3AR. Structural SAR features and docking studies supported different binding modes at A2AAR and A3AR, elucidating pharmacophores for receptor activation and selectivity. Favorable pharmacokinetics were demonstrated, in which 5d displayed high oral absorption, moderate half-life, and bioavailability. Also, 5d significantly improved the antitumor effect of anti-PD-L1 in vivo. Overall, this study suggests that the novel dual A2AAR/A3AR nucleoside antagonists would be promising drug candidates for immune-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gibae Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiyan Hou
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Life Science, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, People's Republic of China
| | - Woong Sub Byun
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Gyudong Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy & Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Dnyandev B Jarhad
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Grim Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Eum Hyun
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinha Yu
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, South Korea
| | - Chang Soo Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Shuhao Qu
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eugene Warnick
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Ji Yong Kim
- Future Medicine Company Limited, Seoul 06665, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Ji
- HK Inno.N Corporation, Seoul 04551, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Shin
- HK Inno.N Corporation, Seoul 04551, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Kenneth A Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Hyuk Woo Lee
- Future Medicine Company Limited, Seoul 06665, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kook Lee
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Lak Shin Jeong
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Future Medicine Company Limited, Seoul 06665, Republic of Korea
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Jacobson KA, Pradhan B, Wen Z, Pramanik A. New paradigms in purinergic receptor ligand discovery. Neuropharmacology 2023; 230:109503. [PMID: 36921890 PMCID: PMC10233512 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The discovery and clinical implementation of modulators of adenosine, P2Y and P2X receptors (comprising nineteen subtypes) have progressed dramatically in ∼50 years since Burnstock's definition of purinergic signaling. Although most clinical trials of selective ligands (agonists and antagonists) of certain purinergic receptors failed, there is a renewed impetus to redirect efforts to new disease conditions and the discovery of more selective or targeted compounds with potentially reduced side effects, such as biased GPCR agonists. The elucidation of new receptor and enzyme structures is steering rational design of potent and selective agonists, antagonists, allosteric modulators and inhibitors. A2A adenosine receptor (AR) antagonists are being applied to neurodegenerative conditions and cancer immunotherapy. A3AR agonists have potential for treating chronic inflammation (e.g. psoriasis), stroke and pain, as well as cancer. P2YR modulators are being considered for treating inflammation, metabolic disorders, acute kidney injury, cancer, pain and other conditions, often with an immune mechanism. ADP-activated P2Y12R antagonists are widely used as antithrombotic drugs, while their repurposing toward neuroinflammation is considered. P2X3 antagonists have been in clinical trials for chronic cough. P2X7 antagonists have been in clinical trials for inflammatory diseases and depression (compounds that penetrate the blood-brain barrier). Thus, purinergic signaling is now recognized as an immense regulatory system in the body for rebalancing tissues and organs under stress, which can be adjusted by drug intervention for therapeutic purposes. The lack of success of many previous clinical trials can be overcome given more advanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches, including structure-based drug design, prodrugs and biased signaling. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Purinergic Signaling: 50 years".
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Balaram Pradhan
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Zhiwei Wen
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Asmita Pramanik
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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8
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Zuo K, Kranjc A, Capelli R, Rossetti G, Nechushtai R, Carloni P. Metadynamics simulations of ligands binding to protein surfaces: a novel tool for rational drug design. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:13819-13824. [PMID: 37184538 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp01388j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Structure-based drug design protocols may encounter difficulties to investigate poses when the biomolecular targets do not exhibit typical binding pockets. In this study, by providing two concrete examples from our labs, we suggest that the combination of metadynamics free energy methods (validated against affinity measurements), along with experimental structural information (by X-ray crystallography and NMR), can help to identify the poses of ligands on protein surfaces. The simulation workflow proposed here was implemented in a widely used code, namely GROMACS, and it could straightforwardly be applied to various drug-design campaigns targeting ligands' binding to protein surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zuo
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Agata Kranjc
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| | - Riccardo Capelli
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Giulia Rossetti
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Jülich Supercomputing Center (JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany
| | - Rachel Nechushtai
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany
- JARA Institute: Molecular Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-11, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany
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Feng S, Park S, Choi YK, Im W. CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder: Past, Current, and Future Developments and Applications. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:2161-2185. [PMID: 37014931 PMCID: PMC10174225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations of membranes and membrane proteins serve as computational microscopes, revealing coordinated events at the membrane interface. As G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, transporters, and membrane-bound enzymes are important drug targets, understanding their drug binding and action mechanisms in a realistic membrane becomes critical. Advances in materials science and physical chemistry further demand an atomistic understanding of lipid domains and interactions between materials and membranes. Despite a wide range of membrane simulation studies, generating a complex membrane assembly remains challenging. Here, we review the capability of CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder in the context of emerging research demands, as well as the application examples from the CHARMM-GUI user community, including membrane biophysics, membrane protein drug-binding and dynamics, protein-lipid interactions, and nano-bio interface. We also provide our perspective on future Membrane Builder development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Feng
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Soohyung Park
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Yeol Kyo Choi
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Wonpil Im
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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Han R, Yoon H, Yoo J, Lee Y. Systematic analyses of the sequence conservation and ligand interaction patterns of purinergic P1 and P2Y receptors provide a structural basis for receptor selectivity. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:889-898. [PMID: 36698973 PMCID: PMC9860165 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Purinergic receptors are membrane proteins that regulate numerous cellular functions by catalyzing reactions involving purine nucleotides or nucleosides. Among the three receptor families, i.e., P1, P2X, and P2Y, the P1 and P2Y receptors share common structural features of class A GPCR. Comprehensive sequence and structural analysis revealed that the P1 and P2Y receptors belong to two distinct groups. They exhibit different ligand-binding site features that can distinguish between specific activators. These specific amino acid residues in the binding cavity may be involved in the selectivity and unique pharmacological behavior of each subtype. In this study, we conducted a structure-based analysis of purinergic P1 and P2Y receptors to identify their evolutionary signature and obtain structural insights into ligand recognition and selectivity. The structural features of the P1 and P2Y receptor classes were compared based on sequence conservation and ligand interaction patterns. Orthologous protein sequences were collected for the P1 and P2Y receptors, and sequence conservation was calculated based on Shannon entropy to identify highly conserved residues. To analyze the ligand interaction patterns, we performed docking studies on the P1 and P2Y receptors using known ligand information extracted from the ChEMBL database. We analyzed how the conserved residues are related to ligand-binding sites and how the key interacting residues differ between P1 and P2Y receptors, or between agonists and antagonists. We extracted new similarities and differences between the receptor subtypes, and the results can be used for designing new ligands by predicting hotspot residues that are important for functional selectivity.
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