1
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Roth BL, Krumm BE. Molecular glues as potential GPCR therapeutics. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116402. [PMID: 38945274 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
"Molecular Glues" are defined as small molecules that can either be endogenous or synthetic which promote interactions between proteins at their interface. Allosteric modulators, specifically GPCR allosteric modulators, can promote both the association and the dissociation of a given receptor's transducer but accomplishes this "at a distance" from the interface. However, recent structures of GPCR G protein complexes in the presence of allosteric modulators indicate that some GPCR allosteric modulators can act as "molecular glues" interacting with both the receptor and the transducer at the interface biasing transducer signaling in both a positive and negative manner depending on the transducer. Given these phenomena we discuss the implications for this class of allosteric modulators to be used as molecular tools and for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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2
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Li Z, Huang R, Xia M, Chang N, Guo W, Liu J, Dong F, Liu B, Varghese A, Aslam A, Patterson TA, Hong H. Decoding the κ Opioid Receptor (KOR): Advancements in Structural Understanding and Implications for Opioid Analgesic Development. Molecules 2024; 29:2635. [PMID: 38893511 PMCID: PMC11173883 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112635] [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: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The opioid crisis in the United States is a significant public health issue, with a nearly threefold increase in opioid-related fatalities between 1999 and 2014. In response to this crisis, society has made numerous efforts to mitigate its impact. Recent advancements in understanding the structural intricacies of the κ opioid receptor (KOR) have improved our knowledge of how opioids interact with their receptors, triggering downstream signaling pathways that lead to pain relief. This review concentrates on the KOR, offering crucial structural insights into the binding mechanisms of both agonists and antagonists to the receptor. Through comparative analysis of the atomic details of the binding site, distinct interactions specific to agonists and antagonists have been identified. These insights not only enhance our understanding of ligand binding mechanisms but also shed light on potential pathways for developing new opioid analgesics with an improved risk-benefit profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Li
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Ruili Huang
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (R.H.); (M.X.)
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (R.H.); (M.X.)
| | - Nancy Chang
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA;
| | - Wenjing Guo
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Jie Liu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Fan Dong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Bailang Liu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Ann Varghese
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Aasma Aslam
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Tucker A. Patterson
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA; (Z.L.); (W.G.); (J.L.); (F.D.); (B.L.); (A.V.); (A.A.)
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (R.H.); (M.X.)
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3
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Duran T, Chaudhuri B. Where Might Artificial Intelligence Be Going in Pharmaceutical Development? Mol Pharm 2024; 21:993-995. [PMID: 38376360 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
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4
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Li H, Sun X, Cui W, Xu M, Dong J, Ekundayo BE, Ni D, Rao Z, Guo L, Stahlberg H, Yuan S, Vogel H. Computational drug development for membrane protein targets. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:229-242. [PMID: 38361054 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01987-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The application of computational biology in drug development for membrane protein targets has experienced a boost from recent developments in deep learning-driven structure prediction, increased speed and resolution of structure elucidation, machine learning structure-based design and the evaluation of big data. Recent protein structure predictions based on machine learning tools have delivered surprisingly reliable results for water-soluble and membrane proteins but have limitations for development of drugs that target membrane proteins. Structural transitions of membrane proteins have a central role during transmembrane signaling and are often influenced by therapeutic compounds. Resolving the structural and functional basis of dynamic transmembrane signaling networks, especially within the native membrane or cellular environment, remains a central challenge for drug development. Tackling this challenge will require an interplay between experimental and computational tools, such as super-resolution optical microscopy for quantification of the molecular interactions of cellular signaling networks and their modulation by potential drugs, cryo-electron microscopy for determination of the structural transitions of proteins in native cell membranes and entire cells, and computational tools for data analysis and prediction of the structure and function of cellular signaling networks, as well as generation of promising drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijian Li
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaolin Sun
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenqiang Cui
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Marc Xu
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junlin Dong
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Babatunde Edukpe Ekundayo
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL and Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dongchun Ni
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL and Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zhili Rao
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Liwei Guo
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL and Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Shuguang Yuan
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Horst Vogel
- Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology/Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT/CAS), Shenzhen, China.
- Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques (ISIC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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5
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McDougal D, Rajapaksha H, Pederick JL, Bruning JB. warpDOCK: Large-Scale Virtual Drug Discovery Using Cloud Infrastructure. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:29143-29149. [PMID: 37599921 PMCID: PMC10433467 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
warpDOCK is an open-source pipeline for virtual small-molecule drug discovery using cloud infrastructure. warpDOCK is designed from the ground up for the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), enabling harmonious parallelism of docking calculations over thousands to hundreds of thousands of cores. This enables cost-effective sampling of ultra-large chemical libraries, potentially reducing the time to identify lead drug candidates by orders of magnitude. By utilizing established docking software and automating each step of the process, warpDOCK makes large-scale virtual screening accessible to a broad user group. The warpDOCK code can be found at the BruningLab GitHub repository (https://github.com/BruningLab/warpDOCK).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel
P. McDougal
- Institute
for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Harinda Rajapaksha
- Oracle
for Research, Japan & Asia Pacific Region, Oracle Australia, 417
St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Jordan L. Pederick
- Institute
for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - John B. Bruning
- Institute
for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, (IPAS), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
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6
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Zell L, Bretl A, Temml V, Schuster D. Dopamine Receptor Ligand Selectivity-An In Silico/In Vitro Insight. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1468. [PMID: 37239139 PMCID: PMC10216180 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051468] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Different dopamine receptor (DR) subtypes are involved in pathophysiological conditions such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), schizophrenia and depression. While many DR-targeting drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), only a very small number are truly selective for one of the DR subtypes. Additionally, most of them show promiscuous activity at related G-protein coupled receptors, thus suffering from diverse side-effect profiles. Multiple studies have shown that combined in silico/in vitro approaches are a valuable contribution to drug discovery processes. They can also be applied to divulge the mechanisms behind ligand selectivity. In this study, novel DR ligands were investigated in vitro to assess binding affinities at different DR subtypes. Thus, nine D2R/D3R-selective ligands (micro- to nanomolar binding affinities, D3R-selective profile) were successfully identified. The most promising ligand exerted nanomolar D3R activity (Ki = 2.3 nM) with 263.7-fold D2R/D3R selectivity. Subsequently, ligand selectivity was rationalized in silico based on ligand interaction with a secondary binding pocket, supporting the selectivity data determined in vitro. The developed workflow and identified ligands could aid in the further understanding of the structural motifs responsible for DR subtype selectivity, thus benefitting drug development in D2R/D3R-associated pathologies such as PD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daniela Schuster
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.Z.); (A.B.); (V.T.)
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7
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Li Z, Liu J, Dong F, Chang N, Huang R, Xia M, Patterson TA, Hong H. Three-Dimensional Structural Insights Have Revealed the Distinct Binding Interactions of Agonists, Partial Agonists, and Antagonists with the µ Opioid Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087042. [PMID: 37108204 PMCID: PMC10138646 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The United States is experiencing the most profound and devastating opioid crisis in history, with the number of deaths involving opioids, including prescription and illegal opioids, continuing to climb over the past two decades. This severe public health issue is difficult to combat as opioids remain a crucial treatment for pain, and at the same time, they are also highly addictive. Opioids act on the opioid receptor, which in turn activates its downstream signaling pathway that eventually leads to an analgesic effect. Among the four types of opioid receptors, the µ subtype is primarily responsible for the analgesic cascade. This review describes available 3D structures of the µ opioid receptor in the protein data bank and provides structural insights for the binding of agonists and antagonists to the receptor. Comparative analysis on the atomic details of the binding site in these structures was conducted and distinct binding interactions for agonists, partial agonists, and antagonists were observed. The findings in this article deepen our understanding of the ligand binding activity and shed some light on the development of novel opioid analgesics which may improve the risk benefit balance of existing opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Li
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Jie Liu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Fan Dong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Nancy Chang
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20903, USA
| | - Ruili Huang
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tucker A Patterson
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
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8
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Santino F, Gentilucci L. Design of κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists for the Development of Potential Treatments of Pain with Reduced Side Effects. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28010346. [PMID: 36615540 PMCID: PMC9822356 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The κ-opioid receptor (KOR) has recently emerged as an alternative therapeutic target for the development of pain medications, without deleterious side effects associated with the μ-opioid receptor (MOR). However, modulation of KOR is currently under investigation for the treatment of depression, mood disorders, psychiatric comorbidity, and specific drug addictions. However, KOR agonists also trigger adverse effects including sedation, dysphoria, and hallucinations. In this respect, there is currently much debate on alternative paradigms. Recent effort has been devoted in search of biased ligands capable of selectively activating favorable signaling over signaling associated with unwanted side effects. On the other hand, the use of partial agonists is expected to allow the analgesia to be produced at dosages lower than those required to produce the adverse effects. More empirically, the unwanted central effects can be also avoided by using peripherally restricted agonists. In this review, we discuss the more recent trends in the design of KOR-selective, biased or partial, and finally, peripherally acting agonists. Special emphasis is given on the discussion of the most recent approaches for controlling functional selectivity of KOR-specific ligands.
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9
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Stefanucci A, Della Valle A, Scioli G, Marinaccio L, Pieretti S, Minosi P, Szucs E, Benyhe S, Masci D, Tanguturi P, Chou K, Barlow D, Houseknecht K, Streicher JM, Mollica A. Discovery of κ Opioid Receptor (KOR)-Selective d-Tetrapeptides with Improved In Vivo Antinociceptive Effect after Peripheral Administration. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:1707-1714. [PMID: 36385929 PMCID: PMC9661715 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00237] [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: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripherally active tetrapeptides as selective κ opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have been prepared in good overall yields and high purity following solid-phase peptide synthesis via Fmoc protection strategy. Structural modifications at the first and second position of the lead compound FF(d-Nle)R-NH2 (FE200041) were contemplated with aromatic side chains containing d-amino acids, such as (d)-pF-Phe, (d)-mF-Phe, (d)-oF-Phe, which led to highly selective and efficacious KOR agonists endowed with strong antinociceptive activity in vivo following intravenous (i.v.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) administration in the tail flick and formalin tests. These results suggest potential clinical applications in the treatment of neuropathic and inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azzurra Stefanucci
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara
“G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Alice Della Valle
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara
“G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Scioli
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara
“G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Lorenza Marinaccio
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara
“G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Stefano Pieretti
- Istituto
Superiore di Sanità, Centro Nazionale Ricerca e Valutazione Preclinica e Clinica dei farmaci, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Minosi
- Istituto
Superiore di Sanità, Centro Nazionale Ricerca e Valutazione Preclinica e Clinica dei farmaci, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Edina Szucs
- Institute
of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sandor Benyhe
- Institute
of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Domiziana Masci
- Department
of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative
Clinics, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Kerry Chou
- Department
of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States
| | - Deborah Barlow
- Department
of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine 04005, United States
| | - Karen Houseknecht
- Department
of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine 04005, United States
| | - John M. Streicher
- Department
of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States
| | - Adriano Mollica
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara
“G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
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10
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Sadybekov AA, Sadybekov AV, Liu Y, Iliopoulos-Tsoutsouvas C, Huang XP, Pickett J, Houser B, Patel N, Tran NK, Tong F, Zvonok N, Jain MK, Savych O, Radchenko DS, Nikas SP, Petasis NA, Moroz YS, Roth BL, Makriyannis A, Katritch V. Synthon-based ligand discovery in virtual libraries of over 11 billion compounds. Nature 2022; 601:452-459. [PMID: 34912117 PMCID: PMC9763054 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04220-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 76.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Structure-based virtual ligand screening is emerging as a key paradigm for early drug discovery owing to the availability of high-resolution target structures1-4 and ultra-large libraries of virtual compounds5,6. However, to keep pace with the rapid growth of virtual libraries, such as readily available for synthesis (REAL) combinatorial libraries7, new approaches to compound screening are needed8,9. Here we introduce a modular synthon-based approach-V-SYNTHES-to perform hierarchical structure-based screening of a REAL Space library of more than 11 billion compounds. V-SYNTHES first identifies the best scaffold-synthon combinations as seeds suitable for further growth, and then iteratively elaborates these seeds to select complete molecules with the best docking scores. This hierarchical combinatorial approach enables the rapid detection of the best-scoring compounds in the gigascale chemical space while performing docking of only a small fraction (<0.1%) of the library compounds. Chemical synthesis and experimental testing of novel cannabinoid antagonists predicted by V-SYNTHES demonstrated a 33% hit rate, including 14 submicromolar ligands, substantially improving over a standard virtual screening of the Enamine REAL diversity subset, which required approximately 100 times more computational resources. Synthesis of selected analogues of the best hits further improved potencies and affinities (best inhibitory constant (Ki) = 0.9 nM) and CB2/CB1 selectivity (50-200-fold). V-SYNTHES was also tested on a kinase target, ROCK1, further supporting its use for lead discovery. The approach is easily scalable for the rapid growth of combinatorial libraries and potentially adaptable to any docking algorithm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman A. Sadybekov
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Anastasiia V. Sadybekov
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Xi-Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Julie Pickett
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Blake Houser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Nilkanth Patel
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Ngan K. Tran
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Fei Tong
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nikolai Zvonok
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Manish K Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Olena Savych
- Enamine Ltd, 78 Chervonotkatska Street, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro S. Radchenko
- Enamine Ltd, 78 Chervonotkatska Street, 02094, Ukraine,Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Volodymyrska Street 60, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine
| | - Spyros P. Nikas
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nicos A. Petasis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yurii S. Moroz
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Volodymyrska Street 60, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine,Chemspace LLC, 85 Chervonotkatska Street, 02094, Ukraine
| | - Bryan L. Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Corresponding authors: Bryan L. Roth (), Alexandros Makriyannis (), Vsevolod Katritch ()
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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11
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Ballante F, Kooistra AJ, Kampen S, de Graaf C, Carlsson J. Structure-Based Virtual Screening for Ligands of G Protein-Coupled Receptors: What Can Molecular Docking Do for You? Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:527-565. [PMID: 34907092 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome and are important therapeutic targets. During the last decade, the number of atomic-resolution structures of GPCRs has increased rapidly, providing insights into drug binding at the molecular level. These breakthroughs have created excitement regarding the potential of using structural information in ligand design and initiated a new era of rational drug discovery for GPCRs. The molecular docking method is now widely applied to model the three-dimensional structures of GPCR-ligand complexes and screen for chemical probes in large compound libraries. In this review article, we first summarize the current structural coverage of the GPCR superfamily and the understanding of receptor-ligand interactions at atomic resolution. We then present the general workflow of structure-based virtual screening and strategies to discover GPCR ligands in chemical libraries. We assess the state of the art of this research field by summarizing prospective applications of virtual screening based on experimental structures. Strategies to identify compounds with specific efficacy and selectivity profiles are discussed, illustrating the opportunities and limitations of the molecular docking method. Our overview shows that structure-based virtual screening can discover novel leads and will be essential in pursuing the next generation of GPCR drugs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Extraordinary advances in the structural biology of G protein-coupled receptors have revealed the molecular details of ligand recognition by this large family of therapeutic targets, providing novel avenues for rational drug design. Structure-based docking is an efficient computational approach to identify novel chemical probes from large compound libraries, which has the potential to accelerate the development of drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Ballante
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Albert J Kooistra
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Stefanie Kampen
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
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12
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Identification of a Novel Delta Opioid Receptor Agonist Chemotype with Potential Negative Allosteric Modulator Capabilities. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26237236. [PMID: 34885825 PMCID: PMC8659279 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26237236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The δ-opioid receptor (δOR) holds great potential as a therapeutic target. Yet, clinical drug development, which has focused on δOR agonists that mimic the potent and selective tool compound SNC80 have largely failed. It has increasingly become apparent that the SNC80 scaffold carries with it potent and efficacious β-arrestin recruitment. Here, we screened a relatively small (5120 molecules) physical drug library to identify δOR agonists that underrecruit β-arrestin, as it has been suggested that compounds that efficaciously recruit β-arrestin are proconvulsant. The screen identified a hit compound and further characterization using cellular binding and signaling assays revealed that this molecule (R995045, compound 1) exhibited ten-fold selectivity over µ- and κ-opioid receptors. Compound 1 represents a novel chemotype at the δOR. A subsequent characterization of fourteen analogs of compound 1, however did not identify a more potent δOR agonist. Computational modeling and in vitro characterization of compound 1 in the presence of the endogenous agonist leu-enkephalin suggest compound 1 may also bind allosterically and negatively modulate the potency of Leu-enkephalin to inhibit cAMP, acting as a ‘NAM-agonist’ in this assay. The potential physiological utility of such a class of compounds will need to be assessed in future in vivo assays.
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13
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Stefanucci A, Iobbi V, Della Valle A, Scioli G, Pieretti S, Minosi P, Mirzaie S, Novellino E, Mollica A. In Silico Identification of Tripeptides as Lead Compounds for the Design of KOR Ligands. Molecules 2021; 26:4767. [PMID: 34443366 PMCID: PMC8399634 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26164767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) represents an attractive target for the development of drugs as potential antidepressants, anxiolytics and analgesics. A robust computational approach may guarantee a reduction in costs in the initial stages of drug discovery, novelty and accurate results. In this work, a virtual screening workflow of a library consisting of ~6 million molecules was set up, with the aim to find potential lead compounds that could manifest activity on the KOR. This in silico study provides a significant contribution in the identification of compounds capable of interacting with a specific molecular target. The main computational techniques adopted in this experimental work include: (i) virtual screening; (ii) drug design and leads optimization; (iii) molecular dynamics. The best hits are tripeptides prepared via solution phase peptide synthesis. These were tested in vivo, revealing a good antinociceptive effect after subcutaneous administration. However, further work is due to delineate their full pharmacological profile, in order to verify the features predicted by the in silico outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azzurra Stefanucci
- Department of Pharmacy, University G. d’Annunzio Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.D.V.); (G.S.)
| | - Valeria Iobbi
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), University of Genova, 16128 Genova, Italy;
| | - Alice Della Valle
- Department of Pharmacy, University G. d’Annunzio Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.D.V.); (G.S.)
| | - Giuseppe Scioli
- Department of Pharmacy, University G. d’Annunzio Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.D.V.); (G.S.)
| | - Stefano Pieretti
- Centro Nazionale Ricerca e Valutazione Preclinica e Clinica dei Farmaci, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.P.); (P.M.)
| | - Paola Minosi
- Centro Nazionale Ricerca e Valutazione Preclinica e Clinica dei Farmaci, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.P.); (P.M.)
| | - Sako Mirzaie
- Advanced Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Laboratory, Leslie L. Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 27 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada;
| | - Ettore Novellino
- NGN Healthcare, Via Nazionale Torrette, 207, 83013 Mercogliano, Italy;
| | - Adriano Mollica
- Department of Pharmacy, University G. d’Annunzio Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.S.); (A.D.V.); (G.S.)
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14
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De Neve J, Barlow TMA, Tourwé D, Bihel F, Simonin F, Ballet S. Comprehensive overview of biased pharmacology at the opioid receptors: biased ligands and bias factors. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:828-870. [PMID: 34223156 PMCID: PMC8221262 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00041a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main challenges in contemporary medicinal chemistry is the development of safer analgesics, used in the treatment of pain. Currently, moderate to severe pain is still treated with the "gold standard" opioids whose long-term often leads to severe side effects. With the discovery of biased agonism, the importance of this area of pharmacology has grown exponentially over the past decade. Of these side effects, tolerance, opioid misuse, physical dependence and substance use disorder (SUD) stand out, since these have led to many deaths over the past decades in both USA and Europe. New therapeutic molecules that induce a biased response at the opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR and NOP receptor) are able to circumvent these side effects and, consequently, serve as more advantageous therapies with great promise. The concept of biased signaling extends far beyond the already sizeable field of GPCR pharmacology and covering everything would be vastly outside the scope of this review which consequently covers the biased ligands acting at the opioid family of receptors. The limitation of quantifying bias, however, makes this a controversial subject, where it is dependent on the reference ligand, the equation or the assay used for the quantification. Hence, the major issue in the field of biased ligands remains the translation of the in vitro profiles of biased signaling, with corresponding bias factors to in vivo profiles showing the presence or the lack of specific side effects. This review comprises a comprehensive overview of biased ligands in addition to their bias factors at individual members of the opioid family of receptors, as well as bifunctional ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien De Neve
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Thomas M A Barlow
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Dirk Tourwé
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
| | - Frédéric Bihel
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR 7200, CNRS Université de Strasbourg Illkirch France
| | - Frédéric Simonin
- Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, UMR 7242, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg Illkirch France
| | - Steven Ballet
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
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15
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Zaidi SA, Katritch V. Structural Characterization of KOR Inactive and Active States for 3D Pharmacology and Drug Discovery. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:41-64. [PMID: 33945028 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The structure of the human kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in complex with the long-acting antagonist JDTic was solved crystallographically in 2012 and, along with structures of other opioid receptors, revolutionized our understanding of opioid system function and pharmacology. More recently, active state KOR structure was also determined, giving important insights into activation mechanisms of the receptor. In this review, we will discuss how the understanding of atomistic structures of KOR established a key platform for deciphering details of subtype and functional selectivity of KOR-targeting ligands and for discovery of new chemical probes with potentially beneficial pharmacological profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saheem A Zaidi
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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16
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Che T, Dwivedi-Agnihotri H, Shukla AK, Roth BL. Biased ligands at opioid receptors: Current status and future directions. Sci Signal 2021; 14:14/677/eaav0320. [PMID: 33824179 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aav0320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The opioid crisis represents a major worldwide public health crisis that has accelerated the search for safer and more effective opioids. Over the past few years, the identification of biased opioid ligands capable of eliciting selective functional responses has provided an alternative avenue to develop novel therapeutics without the side effects of current opioid medications. However, whether biased agonism or other pharmacological properties, such as partial agonism (or low efficacy), account for the therapeutic benefits remains questionable. Here, we provide a summary of the current status of biased opioid ligands that target the μ- and κ-opioid receptors and highlight advances in preclinical and clinical trials of some of these ligands. We also discuss an example of structure-based biased ligand discovery at the μ-opioid receptor, an approach that could revolutionize drug discovery at opioid and other receptors. Last, we briefly discuss caveats and future directions for this important area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Che
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Hemlata Dwivedi-Agnihotri
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Arun K Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. .,National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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17
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Yadav VD, Kumar L, Kumari P, Kumar S, Singh M, Siddiqi MI, Yadav PN, Batra S. Synthesis and Assessment of Fused β-Carboline Derivatives as Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonists. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:1917-1926. [PMID: 33599108 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis of 5-formyl-6-aryl-6H-indolo[3,2,1-de][1,5] naphthyridine-2-carboxylates by reaction between 1-formyl-9H-β-carbolines and cinnamaldehydes in the presence of pyrrolidine in water with microwave irradiation is described. Pharmacophoric modification of the formyl group offered several new fused β-carboline derivatives, which were investigated for their κ-opioid receptor (KOR) agonistic activity. Two compounds 4 a and 4 c produced appreciable agonist activity on KOR with EC50 values of 46±19 and 134±9 nM, respectively. Moreover, compound-induced KOR signaling studies suggested both compounds to be extremely G-protein-biased agonists. The analgesic effect of 4 a was validated by the increase in tail flick latency in mice in a time-dependent manner, which was completely blocked by the KOR-selective antagonist norBNI. Moreover, unlike U50488, an unbiased full KOR agonist, 4 a did not induce sedation. The docking of 4 a with the human KOR was studied to rationalize the result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veena D Yadav
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Lalan Kumar
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Poonam Kumari
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sakesh Kumar
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, CSIR-HRDC) Campus Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Maninder Singh
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mohammad I Siddiqi
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, CSIR-HRDC) Campus Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Prem N Yadav
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, CSIR-HRDC) Campus Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sanjay Batra
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, CSIR-HRDC) Campus Sector 19, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
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18
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Spetea M, Schmidhammer H. Kappa Opioid Receptor Ligands and Pharmacology: Diphenethylamines, a Class of Structurally Distinct, Selective Kappa Opioid Ligands. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:163-195. [PMID: 33454858 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR), a G protein-coupled receptor, and its endogenous ligands, the dynorphins, are prominent members of the opioid neuromodulatory system. The endogenous kappa opioid system is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and has a key role in modulating pain in central and peripheral neuronal circuits and a wide array of physiological functions and neuropsychiatric behaviors (e.g., stress, reward, emotion, motivation, cognition, epileptic seizures, itch, and diuresis). We review the latest advances in pharmacology of the KOR, chemical developments on KOR ligands with advances and challenges, and therapeutic and potential applications of KOR ligands. Diverse discovery strategies of KOR ligands targeting natural, naturally derived, and synthetic compounds with different scaffolds, as small molecules or peptides, with short or long-acting pharmacokinetics, and central or peripheral site of action, are discussed. These research efforts led to ligands with distinct pharmacological properties, as agonists, partial agonists, biased agonists, and antagonists. Differential modulation of KOR signaling represents a promising strategy for developing pharmacotherapies for several human diseases, either by activating (treatment of pain, pruritus, and epilepsy) or blocking (treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction) the receptor. We focus on the recent chemical and pharmacological advances on diphenethylamines, a new class of structurally distinct, selective KOR ligands. Design strategies and investigations to define structure-activity relationships together with in vivo pharmacology of diphenethylamines as agonists, biased agonists, and antagonists and their potential use as therapeutics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Spetea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Helmut Schmidhammer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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19
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Piekielna-Ciesielska J, Artali R, Azzam AAH, Lambert DG, Kluczyk A, Gentilucci L, Janecka A. Pharmacological Characterization of µ-Opioid Receptor Agonists with Biased G Protein or β-Arrestin Signaling, and Computational Study of Conformational Changes during Receptor Activation. Molecules 2020; 26:E13. [PMID: 33375124 PMCID: PMC7792944 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, G protein vs. β-arrestin biased agonism at opioid receptors has been proposed as an opportunity to produce antinociception with reduced adverse effects. However, at present this approach is highly debated, a reason why more information about biased ligands is required. While the practical relevance of bias in the case of µ-opioid receptors (MOP) still needs to be validated, it remains important to understand the basis of this bias of MOP (and other GPCRs). Recently, we reported two cyclopeptides with high affinity for MOP, the G protein biased Dmt-c[d-Lys-Phe-pCF3-Phe-Asp]NH2 (F-81), and the β-arrestin 2 biased Dmt-c[d-Lys-Phe-Asp]NH2 (C-33), as determined by calcium mobilization assay and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based assay. The biased character of F-81 and C-33 has been further analyzed in the [35S]GTPγS binding assay in human MOP-expressing cells, and the PathHunter enzyme complementation assay, used to measure β-arrestin 2 recruitment. To investigate the structural features of peptide-MOP complexes, we performed conformational analysis by NMR spectroscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. These studies predicted that the two ligands form alternative complexes with MOP, engaging specific ligand-receptor contacts. This would induce different displays of the cytosolic side of the seven-helices bundle, in particular by stabilizing different angulations of helix 6, that could favor intracellular coupling to either G protein or β-arrestin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberto Artali
- Scientia Advice, di Roberto Artali, Desio, 20832 Monza and Brianza, Italy;
| | - Ammar A. H. Azzam
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE27LX, UK; (A.A.H.A.); (D.G.L.)
- College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq
| | - David G. Lambert
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE27LX, UK; (A.A.H.A.); (D.G.L.)
| | - Alicja Kluczyk
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Luca Gentilucci
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Janecka
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 6/8, 92-215 Lodz, Poland;
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20
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Sadybekov AA, Brouillette RL, Marin E, Sadybekov AV, Luginina A, Gusach A, Mishin A, Besserer-Offroy É, Longpré JM, Borshchevskiy V, Cherezov V, Sarret P, Katritch V. Structure-Based Virtual Screening of Ultra-Large Library Yields Potent Antagonists for a Lipid GPCR. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1634. [PMID: 33287369 PMCID: PMC7761830 DOI: 10.3390/biom10121634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteinyl leukotriene G protein-coupled receptors, CysLT1R and CysLT2R, regulate bronchoconstrictive and pro-inflammatory effects and play a key role in allergic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. CysLT1R antagonists have been widely used to treat asthma disorders, while CysLT2R is a potential target against uveal melanoma. However, very few selective antagonist chemotypes for CysLT receptors are available, and the design of such ligands has proved to be challenging. To overcome this obstacle, we took advantage of recently solved crystal structures of CysLT receptors and an ultra-large Enamine REAL library, representing a chemical space of 680 M readily available compounds. Virtual ligand screening employed 4D docking models comprising crystal structures of CysLT1R and CysLT2R and their corresponding ligand-optimized models. Functional assessment of the candidate hits yielded discovery of five novel antagonist chemotypes with sub-micromolar potencies and the best Ki = 220 nM at CysLT1R. One of the hits showed inverse agonism at the L129Q constitutively active mutant of CysLT2R, with potential utility against uveal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman A. Sadybekov
- Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (A.V.S.); (V.C.)
| | - Rebecca L. Brouillette
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.L.B.); (É.B.-O.); (J.-M.L.); (P.S.)
| | - Egor Marin
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Anastasiia V. Sadybekov
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (A.V.S.); (V.C.)
| | - Aleksandra Luginina
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Anastasiia Gusach
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Alexey Mishin
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Élie Besserer-Offroy
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.L.B.); (É.B.-O.); (J.-M.L.); (P.S.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Jean-Michel Longpré
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.L.B.); (É.B.-O.); (J.-M.L.); (P.S.)
| | - Valentin Borshchevskiy
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (A.V.S.); (V.C.)
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (E.M.); (A.L.); (A.G.); (A.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Philippe Sarret
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (R.L.B.); (É.B.-O.); (J.-M.L.); (P.S.)
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (A.V.S.); (V.C.)
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21
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Tangherlini G, Börgel F, Schepmann D, Slocum S, Che T, Wagner S, Schwegmann K, Hermann S, Mykicki N, Loser K, Wünsch B. Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Fluorinated Quinoxaline-Based κ-Opioid Receptor (KOR) Agonists Designed for PET Studies. ChemMedChem 2020; 15:1834-1853. [PMID: 33448685 PMCID: PMC7589326 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
κ-Opioid receptors (KORs) play a predominant role in pain alleviation, itching skin diseases, depression and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Therefore, imaging of KOR by a fluorinated PET tracer was envisaged. Two strategies were followed to introduce a F atom into the very potent class of cis,trans-configured perhydroquinoxalines. Whereas the synthesis of fluoroethyltriazole 2 has already been reported, fluoropyrrolidines 14 (1-[2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)acetyl]-8-[(R)-3-fluoropyrrolidin-1-yl]-perhydroquinoxalines) were prepared by SN2 substitution of a cyclic sulfuric acid derivative with hydroxypyrrolidine and subsequent transformation of the OH moiety into a F substituent. Fluoropyrrolidines 14 showed similar low-nanomolar KOR affinity and selectivity to the corresponding pyrrolidines, but the corresponding alcohols were slightly less active. In the cAMP and β-arrestin assay, 14b (proton at the 4-position) exhibited similar KOR agonistic activity as U-50,488. The fluoro derivatives 14b and 14c (CO2CH3 at the 4-position) revealed KOR-mediated anti-inflammatory activity as CD11c and the IFN-γ production were reduced significantly in mouse and human dendritic cells. Compounds 14b and 14-c also displayed anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity in mouse and human T cells. The PET tracer [18F]-2 was prepared by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. In vivo, [18F]-2 did not label KOR due to very fast elimination kinetics. Nucleophilic substitution of a mesylate precursor provided [18F]-14c. Unfortunately, defluorination of [18F]-14c occurred in vivo, which was analyzed in detail by in vitro studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Tangherlini
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieUniversität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003-CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
| | - Frederik Börgel
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieUniversität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Dirk Schepmann
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieUniversität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Samuel Slocum
- Department of PharmacologyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of MedicineChapel HillNC 27599USA
| | - Tao Che
- Department of AnesthesiologyWashington University School of Medicine660 S. Euclid Ave.St. LouisMO 63110USA
| | - Stefan Wagner
- Department of Nuclear MedicineUniversity Hospital MünsterAlbert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A148149MünsterGermany
| | - Katrin Schwegmann
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI)University of MünsterWaldeyerstraße 1548149MünsterGermany
| | - Sven Hermann
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI)University of MünsterWaldeyerstraße 1548149MünsterGermany
| | - Nadine Mykicki
- Department of DermatologyUniversity of Münstervon-Esmarch-Str. 5848149MünsterGermany
| | - Karin Loser
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003-CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
- Department of DermatologyUniversity of Münstervon-Esmarch-Str. 5848149MünsterGermany
- CRC1009 Breaking Barriers and CRC-TR 128 Multiple SclerosisUniversity of Münstervon-Esmarch-Str. 5848149MünsterGermany
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische ChemieUniversität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003-CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
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22
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Martin B, Schepmann D, Bernal FA, Schmidt TJ, Che T, Loser K, Wünsch B. Enantiomerically Pure Quinoline-Based κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation. ChemMedChem 2020; 15:1408-1420. [PMID: 32492288 PMCID: PMC7496650 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Racemic K -opioid receptor (KOR) agonist 2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-[(4aRS,8SR,8aSR)-8-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydroquinolin-1(2H)-yl]ethan-1-one ((±)-4) was prepared in a diastereoselective synthesis. The first key step of the synthesis was the diastereoselective hydrogenation of the silyl ether of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoin-8-ol ((±)-9) to afford cis,cis-configured perhydroquinoline derivative (±)-10. Removal of the TBDMS protecting group led to a β-aminoalcohol that reacted with SO2 Cl2 to form an oxathiazolidine. Nucleophilic substitution with pyrrolidine resulted in the desired cis,trans-configured perhydroquinoline upon inversion of the configuration. In order to obtain enantiomerically pure KOR agonists 4 (99.8 % ee) and ent-4 (99.0 % ee), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-8-ols (R)-8 (99.1 % ee) and (S)-8 (98.4 % ee) were resolved by an enantioselective acetylation catalyzed by Amano lipase PS-IM. The absolute configuration was determined by CD spectroscopy. The 4aR,8S,8aS-configured enantiomer 4 showed sub-nanomolar KOR affinity (Ki =0.81 nM), which is more than 200 times higher than the KOR affinity of its enantiomer ent-4. In the cAMP assay and the Tango β-arrestin-2 recruitment assay, 4 behaved as a KOR agonist. Upon incubation of human macrophages, human dendritic cells, and mouse myeloid immune cells with 4, the number of cells expressing co-stimulatory receptor CD86 and proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α was significantly reduced; this indicates the strong anti-inflammatory activity of 4. The anti-inflammatory effects correlated well with the KOR affinity: (4aR,8S,8aS)-4 was slightly more potent than the racemic mixture (±)-4, and the distomer ent-4 was almost inactive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Martin
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Dirk Schepmann
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Freddy A. Bernal
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Phytochemie der Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Thomas J. Schmidt
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Phytochemie der Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
| | - Tao Che
- Department of AnesthesiologyWashington University School of Medicine660 S. Euclid Ave.St. LouisMO 63110USA
| | - Karin Loser
- Department of DermatologyUniversity of Münstervon-Esmarch-Street 5848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003-CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
| | - Bernhard Wünsch
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie der Universität MünsterCorrensstraße 4848149MünsterGermany
- Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC 1003-CiM)Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster48149MünsterGermany
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23
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Congreve M, de Graaf C, Swain NA, Tate CG. Impact of GPCR Structures on Drug Discovery. Cell 2020; 181:81-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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24
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Patel N, Huang XP, Grandner JM, Johansson LC, Stauch B, McCorvy JD, Liu Y, Roth B, Katritch V. Structure-based discovery of potent and selective melatonin receptor agonists. eLife 2020; 9:e53779. [PMID: 32118583 PMCID: PMC7080406 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 are involved in synchronizing circadian rhythms and are important targets for treating sleep and mood disorders, type-2 diabetes and cancer. Here, we performed large scale structure-based virtual screening for new ligand chemotypes using recently solved high-resolution 3D crystal structures of agonist-bound MT receptors. Experimental testing of 62 screening candidates yielded the discovery of 10 new agonist chemotypes with sub-micromolar potency at MT receptors, with compound 21 reaching EC50 of 0.36 nM. Six of these molecules displayed selectivity for MT2 over MT1. Moreover, two most potent agonists, including 21 and a close derivative of melatonin, 28, had dramatically reduced arrestin recruitment at MT2, while compound 37 was devoid of Gi signaling at MT1, implying biased signaling. This study validates the suitability of the agonist-bound orthosteric pocket in the MT receptor structures for the structure-based discovery of selective agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilkanth Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Xi Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
| | - Jessica M Grandner
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Linda C Johansson
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Benjamin Stauch
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
| | - Bryan Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical SchoolChapel HillUnited States
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
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25
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Huang H, Wang W, Xu X, Zhu C, Wang Y, Liu J, Li W, Fu W. Discovery of 3-((dimethylamino)methyl)-4-hydroxy-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)-N-phenylpiperidine-1-carboxamide as novel potent analgesic. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 189:112070. [PMID: 31982651 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Management of moderate to severe pain by clinically used opioid analgesics is associated with a plethora of side effects. Despite many efforts have been dedicated to reduce undesirable side effects, moderate progress has been made. In this work, starting from Tramadol, a series of 3-((dimethylamino)methyl)-4-hydroxy-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperidine-1-carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their in vitro and in vivo activities were evaluated. Our campaign afforded selective μ opioid receptor (MOR) ligand 2a (KiMOR: 7.3 ± 0.5 nM; KiDOR: 849.4 ± 96.6 nM; KiKOR: 49.1 ± 6.9 nM) as potent analgesic with ED50 of 3.1 mg/kg in 55 °C hot plate model. Its antinociception effect was blocked by opioid antagonist naloxone. High binding affinity toward MOR of compound 2a was associated with water bridge, salt bridge, hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction with MOR. The high selectivity of compound 2a for MOR over δ opioid receptor (DOR) and κ opioid receptor (KOR) was due to steric hindrance of compound 2a with DOR and KOR. 2a, a compound with novel scaffold, could serve as a lead for the development of novel opioid ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huoming Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wenli Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xuejun Xu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chen Zhu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yujun Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jinggen Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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26
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Brust TF. Biased Ligands at the Kappa Opioid Receptor: Fine-Tuning Receptor Pharmacology. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2020; 271:115-135. [PMID: 33140224 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that can signal through multiple signaling pathways. KOR agonists are known to relieve pain and itch, as well as induce dysphoria, sedation, hallucinations, and diuresis. As is the case with many other GPCRs, specific signaling pathways downstream of the KOR have been linked to certain physiological responses induced by the receptor. Those studies motivated the search and discovery of a number of KOR ligands that preferentially activate one signaling pathway over another. Such compounds are termed functionally selective or biased ligands, and may present a way of inducing desired receptor effects with reduced adverse reactions. In this chapter, I review the molecular intricacies of KOR signaling and discuss the studies that have used biased signaling through the KOR as a way to selectively modulate in vivo physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarsis F Brust
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL, USA.
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27
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Molecular Basis of Opioid Action: From Structures to New Leads. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:6-14. [PMID: 31653480 PMCID: PMC6898784 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Since the isolation of morphine from the opium poppy over 200 years ago, the molecular basis of opioid action has remained the subject of intense inquiry. The identification of specific receptors responsible for opioid function and the discovery of many chemically diverse molecules with unique opioid-like efficacies have provided glimpses into the molecular logic of opioid action. Recent revolutions in the structural biology of transmembrane proteins have, for the first time, yielded high-resolution views into the 3-dimensional shapes of all 4 opioid receptors. These studies have begun to decode the chemical logic that enables opioids to specifically bind and activate their receptor targets. A combination of spectroscopic experiments and computational simulations has provided a view into the molecular movements of the opioid receptors, which itself gives rise to the complex opioid pharmacology observed at the cellular and behavioral levels. Further diversity in opioid receptor structure is driven by both genetic variation and receptor oligomerization. These insights have enabled computational drug discovery efforts, with some evidence of success in the design of completely novel opioids with unique efficacies. The combined progress over the past few years provides hope for new, efficacious opioids devoid of the side effects that have made them the scourge of humanity for millennia.
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28
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Murphy A, Barbaro J, Martínez-Aguado P, Chilunda V, Jaureguiberry-Bravo M, Berman JW. The Effects of Opioids on HIV Neuropathogenesis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2445. [PMID: 31681322 PMCID: PMC6813247 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are a group of neurological deficits that affect approximately half of people living with HIV (PLWH) despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). There are currently no reliable molecular biomarkers or treatments for HAND. Given the national opioid epidemic, as well as illegal and prescription use of opioid drugs among PLWH, it is critical to characterize the molecular interactions between HIV and opioids in cells of the CNS. It is also important to study the role of opioid substitution therapies in the context of HIV and CNS damage in vitro and in vivo. A major mechanism contributing to HIV neuropathogenesis is chronic, low-level inflammation in the CNS. HIV enters the brain within 4–8 days after peripheral infection and establishes CNS reservoirs, even in the context of ART, that are difficult to identify and eliminate. Infected cells, including monocytes, macrophages, and microglia, produce chemokines, cytokines, neurotoxic mediators, and viral proteins that contribute to chronic inflammation and ongoing neuronal damage. Opioids have been shown to impact these immune cells through a variety of molecular mechanisms, including opioid receptor binding and cross desensitization with chemokine receptors. The effects of opioid use on cognitive outcomes in individuals with HAND in clinical studies is variable, and thus multiple biological mechanisms are likely to contribute to the complex relationship between opioids and HIV in the CNS. In this review, we will examine what is known about both HIV and opioid mediated neuropathogenesis, and discuss key molecular processes that may be impacted by HIV and opioids in the context of neuroinflammation and CNS damage. We will also assess what is known about the effects of ART on these processes, and highlight areas of study that should be addressed in the context of ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniella Murphy
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - John Barbaro
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Pablo Martínez-Aguado
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Vanessa Chilunda
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Matias Jaureguiberry-Bravo
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Joan W Berman
- Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Laboratory of Dr. Joan W. Berman, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
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29
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Scharf MM, Bünemann M, Baker JG, Kolb P. Comparative Docking to Distinct G Protein-Coupled Receptor Conformations Exclusively Yields Ligands with Agonist Efficacy. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 96:851-861. [PMID: 31624135 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.117515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors exist in a whole spectrum of conformations that are stabilized by the binding of ligands with different efficacy or intracellular effector proteins. Here, we investigate whether three-dimensional structures of receptor conformations in different states of activation can be used to enrich ligands with agonist behavior in prospective docking calculations. We focused on the β 2-adrenergic receptor, as it is currently the receptor with the highest number of active-state crystal structures. Comparative docking calculations to distinct conformations of the receptor were used for the in silico prediction of ligands with agonist efficacy. The pharmacology of molecules selected based on these predictions was characterized experimentally, resulting in a hit rate of 37% ligands, all of which were agonists. The ligands furthermore contain a pyrazole moiety that has previously not been described for β 2-adrenergic receptor ligands, and one of them shows an intrinsic efficacy comparable to salbutamol. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Structure-based ligand design for G protein-coupled receptors crucially depends on receptor conformation and, hence, their activation state. We explored the influence of using multiple active-conformation X-ray structures on the hit rate of docking calculations to find novel agonists, and how to predict the most fruitful strategy to apply. The results suggest that aggregating the ranks of molecules across docking calculations to more than one active-state structure exclusively yields agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena M Scharf
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (M.M.S., P.K.) and Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy (M.B.), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; and Cell Signalling, School of Life Science, Queen's Medical Center, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (J.G.B.)
| | - Moritz Bünemann
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (M.M.S., P.K.) and Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy (M.B.), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; and Cell Signalling, School of Life Science, Queen's Medical Center, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (J.G.B.)
| | - Jillian G Baker
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (M.M.S., P.K.) and Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy (M.B.), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; and Cell Signalling, School of Life Science, Queen's Medical Center, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (J.G.B.)
| | - Peter Kolb
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (M.M.S., P.K.) and Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy (M.B.), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; and Cell Signalling, School of Life Science, Queen's Medical Center, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (J.G.B.)
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30
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Li X, Payne DT, Ampolu B, Bland N, Brown JT, Dutton MJ, Fitton CA, Gulliver A, Hale L, Hamza D, Jones G, Lane R, Leach AG, Male L, Merisor EG, Morton MJ, Quy AS, Roberts R, Scarll R, Schulz-Utermoehl T, Stankovic T, Stevenson B, Fossey JS, Agathanggelou A. Derivatisation of parthenolide to address chemoresistant chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019; 10:1379-1390. [PMID: 32952998 PMCID: PMC7478165 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00297a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Parthenolide is a natural product that exhibits anti-leukaemic activity, however, its clinical use is limited by its poor bioavailability. It may be extracted from feverfew and protocols for growing, extracting and derivatising it are reported. A novel parthenolide derivative with good bioavailability and pharmacological properties was identified through a screening cascade based on in vitro anti-leukaemic activity and calculated "drug-likeness" properties, in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics studies and hERG liability testing. In vitro studies showed the most promising derivative to have comparable anti-leukaemic activity to DMAPT, a previously described parthenolide derivative. The newly identified compound was shown to have pro-oxidant activity and in silico molecular docking studies indicate a prodrug mode of action. A synthesis scheme is presented for the production of amine 7 used in the generation of 5f.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjian Li
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Daniel T Payne
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Badarinath Ampolu
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Nicholas Bland
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Jane T Brown
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Mark J Dutton
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Catherine A Fitton
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Abigail Gulliver
- Winterbourne Botanic Garden, University of Birmingham, 58 Edgbaston Park Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2RT, UK
| | - Lee Hale
- Winterbourne Botanic Garden, University of Birmingham, 58 Edgbaston Park Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2RT, UK
| | - Daniel Hamza
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Geraint Jones
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Rebecca Lane
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Andrew G Leach
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Louise Male
- X-Ray Crystallography Facility, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK
| | - Elena G Merisor
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - Michael J Morton
- ApconiX Ltd, Alderly Park, Nether Alderly, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Alex S Quy
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Ruth Roberts
- ApconiX Ltd, Alderly Park, Nether Alderly, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK
| | - Rosanna Scarll
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | | | - Tatjana Stankovic
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Brett Stevenson
- Sygnature Discovery, The Discovery Building, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, UK
| | - John S Fossey
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Angelo Agathanggelou
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT, UK.
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Mores KL, Cummins BR, Cassell RJ, van Rijn RM. A Review of the Therapeutic Potential of Recently Developed G Protein-Biased Kappa Agonists. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:407. [PMID: 31057409 PMCID: PMC6478756 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Between 2000 and 2005 several studies revealed that morphine is more potent and exhibits fewer side effects in beta-arrestin 2 knockout mice. These findings spurred efforts to develop opioids that signal primarily via G protein activation and do not, or only very weakly, recruit beta-arrestin. Development of such molecules targeting the mu opioid receptor initially outpaced those targeting the kappa, delta and nociceptin opioid receptors, with the G protein-biased mu opioid agonist oliceridine/TRV130 having completed phase III clinical trials with improved therapeutic window to treat moderate-to-severe acute pain. Recently however, there has been a sharp increase in the development of novel G protein-biased kappa agonists. It is hypothesized that G protein-biased kappa agonists can reduce pain and itch, but exhibit fewer side effects, such as anhedonia and psychosis, that have thus far limited the clinical development of unbiased kappa opioid agonists. Here we summarize recently discovered G protein-biased kappa agonists, comparing structures, degree of signal bias and preclinical effects. We specifically reviewed nalfurafine, 22-thiocyanatosalvinorin A (RB-64), mesyl-salvinorin B, 2-(4-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-5-((4-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl)thio)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)pyridine (triazole 1.1), 3-(2-((cyclopropylmethyl)(phenethyl)amino)ethyl)phenol (HS666), N-n-butyl-N-phenylethyl-N-3-hydroxyphenylethyl-amine (compound 5/BPHA), 6-guanidinonaltrindole (6′GNTI), and collybolide. These agonists encompass a variety of chemical scaffolds and range in both their potency and efficacy in terms of G protein signaling and beta-arrestin recruitment. Thus unsurprisingly, the behavioral responses reported for these agonists are not uniform. Yet, it is our conclusion that the kappa opioid field will benefit tremendously from future studies that compare several biased agonists and correlate the degree of signaling bias to a particular pharmacological response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall L Mores
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Benjamin R Cummins
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Robert J Cassell
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Richard M van Rijn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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Placzek MS, Schroeder FA, Che T, Wey HY, Neelamegam R, Wang C, Roth BL, Hooker JM. Discrepancies in Kappa Opioid Agonist Binding Revealed through PET Imaging. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:384-395. [PMID: 30212182 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) modulation has been pursued in many conceptual frameworks for the treatment of human pain, depression, and anxiety. As such, several imaging tools have been developed to characterize the density of KORs in the human brain and its occupancy by exogenous drug-like compounds. While exploring the pharmacology of KOR tool compounds using positron emission tomography (PET), we observed discrepancies in the apparent competition binding as measured by changes in binding potential (BPND, binding potential with respect to non-displaceable uptake). This prompted us to systematically look at the relationships between baseline BPND maps for three common KOR PET radioligands, the antagonists [11C]LY2795050 and [11C]LY2459989, and the agonist [11C]GR103545. We then measured changes in BPND using kappa antagonists (naloxone, naltrexone, LY2795050, JDTic, nor-BNI), and found BPND was affected similarly between [11C]GR103545 and [11C]LY2459989. Longitudinal PET studies with nor-BNI and JDTic were also examined, and we observed a persistent decrease in [11C]GR103545 BPND up to 25 days after drug administration for both nor-BNI and JDTic. Kappa agonists were also administered, and butorphan and GR89696 (racemic GR103545) impacted binding to comparable levels between the two radiotracers. Of greatest significance, kappa agonists salvinorin A and U-50488 caused dramatic reductions in [11C]GR103545 BPND but did not change [11C]LY2459989 binding. This discrepancy was further examined in dose-response studies with each radiotracer as well as in vitro binding experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Placzek
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Frederick A. Schroeder
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Tao Che
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516, United States
| | - Hsiao-Ying Wey
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Ramesh Neelamegam
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Changning Wang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Bryan L. Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516, United States
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516, United States
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516, United States
| | - Jacob M. Hooker
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
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Ferré G, Czaplicki G, Demange P, Milon A. Structure and dynamics of dynorphin peptide and its receptor. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2019; 111:17-47. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Untangling the complexity of opioid receptor function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:2514-2520. [PMID: 30250308 PMCID: PMC6224460 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0225-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mu opioid receptor agonists are among the most powerful analgesic medications but also among the most addictive. The current opioid crisis has energized a quest to develop opioid analgesics that are devoid of untoward effects. Since their discovery in the 1970's, there have been major advances in our understanding of the endogenous opioid systems that these drugs target. Yet many questions remain and the development of non-addictive opioid analgesics has not been achieved. However, access to new molecular, genetic and computational tools have begun to elucidate the structural dynamics of opioid receptors, the scaffolding that links them to intracellular signaling cascades, their cellular trafficking and the distinct ways that various opioid drugs modify them. This mini-review highlights some of the chemical and pharmacological findings and new perspectives that have arisen from studies using these tools. They reveal multiple layers of complexity of opioid receptor function, including a spatiotemporal specificity in opioid receptor-induced cellular signaling, ligand-directed biased signaling, allosteric modulation of ligand interactions, heterodimerization of different opioid receptors, and the existence of slice variants with different ligand specificity. By untangling these layers, basic research into the chemistry and pharmacology of opioid receptors is guiding the way towards deciphering the mysteries of tolerance and physical dependence that have plagued the field and is providing a platform for the development of more effective and safer opioids.
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GPCR drug discovery: integrating solution NMR data with crystal and cryo-EM structures. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2018; 18:59-82. [PMID: 30410121 DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2018.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The 826 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the human proteome regulate key physiological processes and thus have long been attractive drug targets. With the crystal structures of more than 50 different human GPCRs determined over the past decade, an initial platform for structure-based rational design has been established for drugs that target GPCRs, which is currently being augmented with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of higher-order GPCR complexes. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in solution is one of the key approaches for expanding this platform with dynamic features, which can be accessed at physiological temperature and with minimal modification of the wild-type GPCR covalent structures. Here, we review strategies for the use of advanced biochemistry and NMR techniques with GPCRs, survey projects in which crystal or cryo-EM structures have been complemented with NMR investigations and discuss the impact of this integrative approach on GPCR biology and drug discovery.
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Tosh D, Ciancetta A, Mannes P, Warnick E, Janowsky A, Eshleman AJ, Gizewski E, Brust TF, Bohn LM, Auchampach JA, Gao ZG, Jacobson KA. Repurposing of a Nucleoside Scaffold from Adenosine Receptor Agonists to Opioid Receptor Antagonists. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:12658-12678. [PMID: 30411015 PMCID: PMC6210068 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
While screening off-target effects of rigid (N)-methanocarba-adenosine 5'-methylamides as A3 adenosine receptor (AR) agonists, we discovered μM binding hits at the δ-opioid receptor (DOR) and translocator protein (TSPO). In an effort to increase OR and decrease AR affinity by structure activity analysis of this series, antagonist activity at κ-(K)OR appeared in 5'-esters (ethyl 24 and propyl 30), which retained TSPO interaction (μM). 7-Deaza modification of C2-(arylethynyl)-5'-esters but not 4'-truncation enhanced KOR affinity (MRS7299 28 and 29, K i ≈ 40 nM), revealed μ-OR and DOR binding, and reduced AR affinity. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations located a putative KOR binding mode consistent with the observed affinities, placing C7 in a hydrophobic region. 3-Deaza modification permitted TSPO but not OR binding, and 1-deaza was permissive to both; ribose-restored analogues were inactive at both. Thus, we have repurposed a known AR nucleoside scaffold for OR antagonism, with a detailed hypothesis for KOR recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilip
K. Tosh
- Molecular
Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Antonella Ciancetta
- Molecular
Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Philip Mannes
- Molecular
Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Eugene Warnick
- Molecular
Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Aaron Janowsky
- VA
Portland Health Care System, Research Service (R&D-22), and Departments
of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, 3710 S.W. U.S. Veterans Hospital Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Amy J. Eshleman
- VA
Portland Health Care System, Research Service (R&D-22), and Departments
of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, 3710 S.W. U.S. Veterans Hospital Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Elizabeth Gizewski
- Department
of Pharmacology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Tarsis F. Brust
- Departments
of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United
States
| | - Laura M. Bohn
- Departments
of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United
States
| | - John A. Auchampach
- Department
of Pharmacology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Molecular
Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - 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, Maryland 20892, United States
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Kaye AD, Cornett EM, Patil SS, Gennuso SA, Colontonio MM, Latimer DR, Kaye AJ, Urman RD, Vadivelu N. New opioid receptor modulators and agonists. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol 2018; 32:125-136. [PMID: 30322454 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpa.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
There has been significant research to develop an ideal synthetic opioid. Opioids with variable properties possessing efficacy and with reduced side effects have been synthesized when compared to previously used agents. An opioid modulator is a drug that can produce both agonistic and antagonistic effects by binding to different opioid receptors and therefore cannot be classified as one or the other alone. These compounds can differ in their structures while still possessing opioid-mediated actions. This review will discuss TRV130 receptor modulators and other novel opioid receptor modulators, including Mitragyna "Kratom," Ignavine, Salvinorin-A, DPI-289, UFP-505, LP1, SKF-10,047, Cebranopadol, Naltrexone-14-O-sulfate, and Naloxegol. In summary, the structural elucidation of opioid receptors, allosteric modulation of opioid receptors, new opioid modulators and agonists, the employment of optogenetics, optopharmacology, and next-generation sequencing of opioid receptor genes and related functionality should create exciting new avenues for research and therapeutic development to treat conditions including pain, opioid abuse, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan D Kaye
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Room 656, 1542 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
| | - Elyse M Cornett
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Shilpa S Patil
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Sonja A Gennuso
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Matthew M Colontonio
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Dustin R Latimer
- Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Aaron J Kaye
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Richard D Urman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Nalini Vadivelu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, TMP 3, PO Box 208051, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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Che T, Majumdar S, Zaidi SA, Ondachi P, McCorvy JD, Wang S, Mosier PD, Uprety R, Vardy E, Krumm BE, Han GW, Lee MY, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Huang XP, Strachan RT, Tribo AR, Pasternak GW, Carroll FI, Stevens RC, Cherezov V, Katritch V, Wacker D, Roth BL. Structure of the Nanobody-Stabilized Active State of the Kappa Opioid Receptor. Cell 2018; 172:55-67.e15. [PMID: 29307491 PMCID: PMC5802374 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The κ-opioid receptor (KOP) mediates the actions of opioids with hallucinogenic, dysphoric, and analgesic activities. The design of KOP analgesics devoid of hallucinatory and dysphoric effects has been hindered by an incomplete structural and mechanistic understanding of KOP agonist actions. Here, we provide a crystal structure of human KOP in complex with the potent epoxymorphinan opioid agonist MP1104 and an active-state-stabilizing nanobody. Comparisons between inactive- and active-state opioid receptor structures reveal substantial conformational changes in the binding pocket and intracellular and extracellular regions. Extensive structural analysis and experimental validation illuminate key residues that propagate larger-scale structural rearrangements and transducer binding that, collectively, elucidate the structural determinants of KOP pharmacology, function, and biased signaling. These molecular insights promise to accelerate the structure-guided design of safer and more effective κ-opioid receptor therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Che
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Susruta Majumdar
- Molecular Pharmacology Program and Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Saheem A Zaidi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Pauline Ondachi
- Center for Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Philip D Mosier
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonweath University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Rajendra Uprety
- Molecular Pharmacology Program and Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eyal Vardy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Gye Won Han
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Ming-Yue Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Institute of Natural Resources and Environmental Audits, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing, China
| | - Els Pardon
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jan Steyaert
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ryan T Strachan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Alexandra R Tribo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Gavril W Pasternak
- Molecular Pharmacology Program and Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - F Ivy Carroll
- Center for Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Raymond C Stevens
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Helal MA, Habib ES, Chittiboyina AG. Selective kappa opioid antagonists for treatment of addiction, are we there yet? Eur J Med Chem 2017; 141:632-647. [PMID: 29107424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor (KOP) is a G-protein coupled receptor mainly expressed in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus. It is implicated in nociception, diuresis, emotion, cognition, and immune system functions. KOP agonists possess a strong analgesic effect accompanied by a feeling of dysphoria. On the other hand, antagonists of this receptor were found to block depression, anxiety, and drug-seeking behaviors in animal models. Recently, great interest has been given to the development of selective KOP antagonists as an addiction treatment that does not cause dependence itself or show high relapse rates like the currently used agents. This review provides a comprehensive survey of the KOP antagonists developed for this purpose together with their in vivo studies and clinical trials. In addition, a future perspective and recommendations for the work needed to develop clinically relevant KOP antagonists are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Helal
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588, Egypt; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.
| | - Eman S Habib
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Amar G Chittiboyina
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
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41
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Bohn LM, Aubé J. Seeking (and Finding) Biased Ligands of the Kappa Opioid Receptor. ACS Med Chem Lett 2017; 8:694-700. [PMID: 28740600 PMCID: PMC5512133 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.7b00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery and characterization of two classes of kappa opioid receptor agonists that are biased for G protein over βarrestin signaling are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Bohn
- Departments
of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Division
of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of
Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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