1
|
Casiraghi M, Wang H, Brennan P, Habrian C, Hubner H, Schmidt MF, Maul L, Pani B, Bahriz SM, Xu B, White E, Sunahara RK, Xiang YK, Lefkowitz RJ, Isacoff EY, Nucci N, Gmeiner P, Lerch M, Kobilka BK. Structure and dynamics determine G protein coupling specificity at a class A GPCR. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.28.587240. [PMID: 38586060 PMCID: PMC10996611 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.587240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibit varying degrees of selectivity for different G protein isoforms. Despite the abundant structures of GPCR-G protein complexes, little is known about the mechanism of G protein coupling specificity. The β2-adrenergic receptor is an example of GPCR with high selectivity for Gαs, the stimulatory G protein for adenylyl cyclase, and much weaker for the Gαi family of G proteins inhibiting adenylyl cyclase. By developing a new Gαi-biased agonist (LM189), we provide structural and biophysical evidence supporting that distinct conformations at ICL2 and TM6 are required for coupling of the different G protein subtypes Gαs and Gαi. These results deepen our understanding of G protein specificity and bias and can accelerate the design of ligands that select for preferred signaling pathways.
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen J, Gou Q, Chen X, Song Y, Zhang F, Pu X. Exploring biased activation characteristics by molecular dynamics simulation and machine learning for the μ-opioid receptor. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:10698-10710. [PMID: 38512140 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05050e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Biased ligands selectively activating specific downstream signaling pathways (termed as biased activation) exhibit significant therapeutic potential. However, the conformational characteristics revealed are very limited for the biased activation, which is not conducive to biased drug development. Motivated by the issue, we combine extensive accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and an interpretable deep learning model to probe the biased activation features for two complex systems constructed by the inactive μOR and two different biased agonists (G-protein-biased agonist TRV130 and β-arrestin-biased agonist endomorphin2). The results indicate that TRV130 binds deeper into the receptor core compared to endomorphin2, located between W2936.48 and D1142.50, and forms hydrogen bonding with D1142.50, while endomorphin2 binds above W2936.48. The G protein-biased agonist induces greater outward movements of the TM6 intracellular end, forming a typical active conformation, while the β-arrestin-biased agonist leads to a smaller extent of outward movements of TM6. Compared with TRV130, endomorphin2 causes more pronounced inward movements of the TM7 intracellular end and more complex conformational changes of H8 and ICL1. In addition, important residues determining the two different biased activation states were further identified by using an interpretable deep learning classification model, including some common biased activation residues across Class A GPCRs like some key residues on the TM2 extracellular end, ECL2, TM5 intracellular end, TM6 intracellular end, and TM7 intracellular end, and some specific important residues of ICL3 for μOR. The observations will provide valuable information for understanding the biased activation mechanism for GPCRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianfang Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Qiaoling Gou
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Yuanpeng Song
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Fuhui Zhang
- Graduate School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen X, Mu X, Ding L, Wang X, Mao F, Wei J, Liu Q, Xu Y, Ni S, Jia L, Li J. Trilogy of drug repurposing for developing cancer and chemotherapy-induced heart failure co-therapy agent. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:729-750. [PMID: 38322326 PMCID: PMC10840436 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced complications, particularly lethal cardiovascular diseases, pose significant challenges for cancer survivors. The intertwined adverse effects, brought by cancer and its complication, further complicate anticancer therapy and lead to diminished clinical outcomes. Simple supplementation of cardioprotective agents falls short in addressing these challenges. Developing bi-functional co-therapy agents provided another potential solution to consolidate the chemotherapy and reduce cardiac events simultaneously. Drug repurposing was naturally endowed with co-therapeutic potential of two indications, implying a unique chance in the development of bi-functional agents. Herein, we further proposed a novel "trilogy of drug repurposing" strategy that comprises function-based, target-focused, and scaffold-driven repurposing approaches, aiming to systematically elucidate the advantages of repurposed drugs in rationally developing bi-functional agent. Through function-based repurposing, a cardioprotective agent, carvedilol (CAR), was identified as a potential neddylation inhibitor to suppress lung cancer growth. Employing target-focused SAR studies and scaffold-driven drug design, we synthesized 44 CAR derivatives to achieve a balance between anticancer and cardioprotection. Remarkably, optimal derivative 43 displayed promising bi-functional effects, especially in various self-established heart failure mice models with and without tumor-bearing. Collectively, the present study validated the practicability of the "trilogy of drug repurposing" strategy in the development of bi-functional co-therapy agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xianggang Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lele Ding
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fei Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jinlian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yixiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shuaishuai Ni
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lijun Jia
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Matera MG, Rinaldi B, Calzetta L, Rogliani P, Cazzola M. Advances in adrenergic receptors for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2023 update. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2023; 24:2133-2142. [PMID: 37955136 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2023.2282673] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Strong scientific evidence and large experience support the use of β2-agonists for the symptomatic alleviation of COPD. Therefore, there is considerable effort in discovering highly potent and selective β2-agonists. AREAS COVERED Recent research on novel β2-agonists for the treatment of COPD. A detailed literature search was performed in two major databases (PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus) up to September 2023." EXPERT OPINION Compounds that preferentially activate a Gs- or β-arrestin-mediated signaling pathway via β- adrenoceptors (ARs) are more innovative. Pepducins, which target the intracellular region of β2-AR to modulate receptor signaling output, have the most interesting profile from a pharmacological point of view. They stabilize the conformation of the β2-AR and influence its signaling by interacting with the intracellular receptor-G protein interface. New bifunctional drugs called muscarinic antagonist-β2 agonist (MABA), which have both muscarinic receptor (mAChR) antagonism and β2-agonist activity in the same molecule, are a new opportunity. However, all tested compounds have been shown to act predominantly as mAChR antagonists or β2-agonists. An intriguing idea is to utilize allosteric modulators that bind to β2-ARs at sites different than those bound by orthosteric ligands to augment or reduce the signaling transduced by the orthosteric ligand.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gabriella Matera
- Unit of Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Rinaldi
- Unit of Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Luigino Calzetta
- Unit of Respiratory Diseases and Lung Function, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Paola Rogliani
- Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Cazzola
- Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xu X, Shonberg J, Kaindl J, Clark MJ, Stößel A, Maul L, Mayer D, Hübner H, Hirata K, Venkatakrishnan AJ, Dror RO, Kobilka BK, Sunahara RK, Liu X, Gmeiner P. Constrained catecholamines gain β 2AR selectivity through allosteric effects on pocket dynamics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2138. [PMID: 37059717 PMCID: PMC10104803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37808-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) within the same subfamily often share high homology in their orthosteric pocket and therefore pose challenges to drug development. The amino acids that form the orthosteric binding pocket for epinephrine and norepinephrine in the β1 and β2 adrenergic receptors (β1AR and β2AR) are identical. Here, to examine the effect of conformational restriction on ligand binding kinetics, we synthesized a constrained form of epinephrine. Surprisingly, the constrained epinephrine exhibits over 100-fold selectivity for the β2AR over the β1AR. We provide evidence that the selectivity may be due to reduced ligand flexibility that enhances the association rate for the β2AR, as well as a less stable binding pocket for constrained epinephrine in the β1AR. The differences in the amino acid sequence of the extracellular vestibule of the β1AR allosterically alter the shape and stability of the binding pocket, resulting in a marked difference in affinity compared to the β2AR. These studies suggest that for receptors containing identical binding pocket residues, the binding selectivity may be influenced in an allosteric manner by surrounding residues, like those of the extracellular loops (ECLs) that form the vestibule. Exploiting these allosteric influences may facilitate the development of more subtype-selective ligands for GPCRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Xu
- State Key laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jeremy Shonberg
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jonas Kaindl
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mary J Clark
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Anne Stößel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Luis Maul
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniel Mayer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kunio Hirata
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, Research Infrastructure Group, SR Life Science Instrumentation Unit, RIKEN/SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto Sayo-cho Sayo-gun, Hyogo, 679-5148, Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - A J Venkatakrishnan
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Brian K Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Roger K Sunahara
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA.
| | - Xiangyu Liu
- State Key laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fink EA, Xu J, Hübner H, Braz JM, Seemann P, Avet C, Craik V, Weikert D, Schmidt MF, Webb CM, Tolmachova NA, Moroz YS, Huang XP, Kalyanaraman C, Gahbauer S, Chen G, Liu Z, Jacobson MP, Irwin JJ, Bouvier M, Du Y, Shoichet BK, Basbaum AI, Gmeiner P. Structure-based discovery of nonopioid analgesics acting through the α 2A-adrenergic receptor. Science 2022; 377:eabn7065. [PMID: 36173843 PMCID: PMC10360211 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn7065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Because nonopioid analgesics are much sought after, we computationally docked more than 301 million virtual molecules against a validated pain target, the α2A-adrenergic receptor (α2AAR), seeking new α2AAR agonists chemotypes that lack the sedation conferred by known α2AAR drugs, such as dexmedetomidine. We identified 17 ligands with potencies as low as 12 nanomolar, many with partial agonism and preferential Gi and Go signaling. Experimental structures of α2AAR complexed with two of these agonists confirmed the docking predictions and templated further optimization. Several compounds, including the initial docking hit '9087 [mean effective concentration (EC50) of 52 nanomolar] and two analogs, '7075 and PS75 (EC50 4.1 and 4.8 nanomolar), exerted on-target analgesic activity in multiple in vivo pain models without sedation. These newly discovered agonists are interesting as therapeutic leads that lack the liabilities of opioids and the sedation of dexmedetomidine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elissa A. Fink
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jun Xu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Joao M. Braz
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philipp Seemann
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Charlotte Avet
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Veronica Craik
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dorothee Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian F. Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Chase M. Webb
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nataliya A. Tolmachova
- Enamine Ltd., 02094 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, National Ukrainian Academy of Science, 02660 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Yurii S. Moroz
- National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Chemspace, Riga LV-1082, Latvia
| | - 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, USA
| | - Chakrapani Kalyanaraman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Gahbauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Geng Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John J. Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michel Bouvier
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China
| | - Brian K. Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Allan I. Basbaum
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chen J, Wang J, Zeng Q, Wang W, Sun H, Wei B. Exploring the deactivation mechanism of human β2 adrenergic receptor by accelerated molecular dynamic simulations. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:972463. [PMID: 36111136 PMCID: PMC9468641 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.972463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR), one of important members of the G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), has been suggested as an important target for cardiac and asthma drugs. Two replicas of Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations are performed to explore the deactivation mechanism of the active β2AR bound by three different substrates, including the agonist (P0G), antagonist (JTZ) and inverse agonist (JRZ). The simulation results indicate that the Gs protein is needed to stabilize the active state of the β2AR. Without the Gs protein, the receptor could transit from the active state toward the inactive state. During the transition process, helix TM6 moves toward TM3 and TM5 in geometric space and TM5 shrinks upwards. The intermediate state is captured during the transition process of the active β2AR toward the inactive one, moreover the changes in hydrophobic interaction networks between helixes TM3, TM5, and TM6 and the formation of a salt bridge between residues Arg3.50 and Glu6.30 drive the transition process. We expect that this finding can provide energetic basis and molecular mechanism for further understanding the function and target roles of the β2AR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Chen
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianzhong Chen, ; Benzheng Wei,
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China
| | - Qingkai Zeng
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China
| | - Haibo Sun
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China
| | - Benzheng Wei
- Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Jianzhong Chen, ; Benzheng Wei,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xu J, Cao S, Hübner H, Weikert D, Chen G, Lu Q, Yuan D, Gmeiner P, Liu Z, Du Y. Structural insights into ligand recognition, activation, and signaling of the α 2A adrenergic receptor. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj5347. [PMID: 35245122 PMCID: PMC8896805 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The α2A adrenergic receptor (α2AAR) is a G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptor that mediates important physiological functions in response to the endogenous neurotransmitters norepinephrine and epinephrine, as well as numerous chemically distinct drugs. However, the molecular mechanisms of drug actions remain poorly understood. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the human α2AAR-GoA complex bound to norepinephrine and three imidazoline derivatives (brimonidine, dexmedetomidine, and oxymetazoline). Together with mutagenesis and functional data, these structures provide important insights into the molecular basis of ligand recognition, activation, and signaling at the α2AAR. Further structural analyses uncover different molecular determinants between α2AAR and βARs for recognition of norepinephrine and key regions that determine the G protein coupling selectivity. Overall, our studies provide a framework for understanding the signal transduction of the adrenergic system at the atomic level, which will facilitate rational structure-based discovery of safer and more effective medications for α2AAR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Sheng Cao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dorothée Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Geng Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Qiuyuan Lu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
| | - Daopeng Yuan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Zheng Liu
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Corresponding author. (D.Y.); (P.G.); (Z.L.); (Y.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zawadzka K, Felczak A, Głowacka IE, Piotrowska DG, Lisowska K. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Potential and Toxicity of a Newly Synthesised 4-(4-(Benzylamino)butoxy)-9 H-carbazole. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312796. [PMID: 34884610 PMCID: PMC8657542 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the greatest threats to human and animal health is posed by infections caused by drug-resistant bacterial strains. Therefore, newly synthesised substances are tested for their antimicrobial activity. Carbazole derivatives seem to be promising antibacterial agents. This study aimed at investigating the toxicity and activity of newly synthesised, functionalised carbazole derivative 2 (4-(4-(benzylamino)butoxy)-9H-carbazole) against various microorganisms. Its antimicrobial potential against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi was examined according to CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) standards. The tested compound was found to efficiently inhibit the growth of Gram-positive strains. The addition of carbazole derivative 2 at the concentration of 30 µg/mL caused inhibition of bacterial growth by over 95%. Moreover, about 50 and 45% limitation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus flavus growth was observed in the samples incubated with the addition of 20 and 60 µg/mL of the compound, respectively. Its addition to the microbial cultures caused an increase in the permeability of the cellular membrane. Slight haemolysis of red blood cells was observed after 24-h treatment with carbazole derivative 2. On the other hand, human fibroblasts were found to be more sensitive to its effects. The activity of the tested compound indicates a possibility of its further modification in order to obtain effective drugs, especially against drug-resistant staphylococci.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Zawadzka
- Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (A.F.); (K.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-426354500
| | - Aleksandra Felczak
- Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (A.F.); (K.L.)
| | - Iwona E. Głowacka
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (I.E.G.); (D.G.P.)
| | - Dorota G. Piotrowska
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (I.E.G.); (D.G.P.)
| | - Katarzyna Lisowska
- Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (A.F.); (K.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhang F, Chen X, Chen J, Xu Y, Li S, Guo Y, Pu X. Probing Allosteric Regulation Mechanism of W7.35 on Agonist-Induced Activity for μOR by Mutation Simulation. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 62:5120-5135. [PMID: 34779608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The residue located at 15 positions before the most conserved residue in TM7 (7.35 of Ballesteros-Weinstein number) plays important roles in ligand binding and the receptor activity for class A GPCRs. Nevertheless, its regulation mechanism has not been clearly clarified in experiments, and some controversies also exist for its impact on μ-opioid receptors (μOR) bound by agonists. Thus, we chose the μ-opioid receptor (μOR) of class A GPCRs as a representative and utilized a microsecond accelerated molecular dynamics simulation (aMD) coupled with a protein structure network (PSN) to explore the effect of W3187.35 on its functional activity induced by the agonist endomorphin2 mainly by a comparison of the wild system and its W7.35A mutant. When endomorphin2 binds to the wild-type μOR, TM6 in μOR moves outward to form an open intracellular conformation that is beneficial to accommodating the β-arrestin transducer, rather than the G-protein transducer due to the clash with the α5 helix of G-protein, thus acting as a β-arrestin biased agonist. However, the W318A mutation induces the intracellular part of μOR to form a closed state, which disfavors coupling with either G-protein or β-arrestin. The allosteric pathway analysis further reveals that the binding of endomorphin2 to the wild-type μOR transmits more activation signals to the β-arrestin binding site while the W318A mutation induces more structural signals to transmit to common binding residues of the G protein and β-arrestin. More interestingly, the residue at the 7.35 position regulates the shortest allosteric pathway in indirect ways by influencing the interactions between other ligand-binding residues and endomorphin2. W2936.48 and F2896.44 are important for regulating the different activities of μOR induced either by the agonist or by the mutation. Y3367.53, F3438.50, and D3408.47 play crucial roles in activating the β-arrestin biased signal induced by the agonist endomorphin2, while L1583.43 and V2866.41 devote important contributions to the change in the activity of endomorphin2 from the β-arrestin biased agonist to the antagonist upon the W318A mutation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuhui Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jianfang Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yanjiani Xu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Shiqi Li
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yanzhi Guo
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ippolito M, Benovic JL. Biased agonism at β-adrenergic receptors. Cell Signal 2020; 80:109905. [PMID: 33385503 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) include three subtypes, β1, β2 and β3. These receptors are widely expressed and regulate numerous physiological processes including cardiovascular and metabolic functions and airway tone. The βARs are also important targets in the treatment of many diseases including hypertension, heart failure and asthma. In some cases, the use of current βAR ligands to treat a disease is suboptimal and can lead to severe side effects. One strategy to potentially improve such treatments is the development of biased agonists that selectively regulate a subset of βAR signaling pathways and responses. Here we discuss the compounds identified to date that preferentially activate a Gs- or β-arrestin-mediated signaling pathway through βARs. Mechanistic insight on how these compounds bias signaling sheds light on the potential development of even more selective compounds that should have increased utility in treating disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ippolito
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey L Benovic
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
KneŽević A, Novak J, Bosak A, Vinković M. Structural isomers of saligenin-based β2-agonists: synthesis and insight into the reaction mechanism. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:9675-9688. [PMID: 33220672 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob02095h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Salmeterol and albuterol are well-known β2-adenoreceptor agonists widely used in the treatment of inflammatory respiratory diseases, such as bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here we report the preparation of structural isomers of salmeterol and albuterol, which can be obtained from the same starting material as the corresponding β2-agonists, depending on the synthetic approach employed. Using 1D and various 2D NMR measurements, we determined that the structure of prepared isomers holds the β-aryl-β-aminoethanol moiety, in contrast to the α-aryl-β-aminoethanol moiety found in salmeterol and albuterol. We investigated the reaction of β-halohydrin and amines responsible for the formation of β-aryl-β-amino alcohol - both experimentally and using computational methods. The structure of β-halohydrin with the methyl salicylate moiety imposes the course of the reaction. The solvent plays a relevant, yet ambiguous role in the direction of the reaction, while the strength of the base influences the reaction yield and isomer ratio in a more evident way. Using computational methods, we have shown that the most probable reaction intermediate responsible for the formation of the unexpected isomer is the corresponding para-quinone methide, which can be formed due to phenol present in the methyl salicylate moiety. After successful preparation of albuterol and salmeterol isomers, we tested their inhibition potency to human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and usual and atypical butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Kinetic studies revealed that both isomers are low-potency reversible inhibitors of human cholinesterases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anamarija KneŽević
- Division of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
The Expression of microRNA in Adult Rat Heart with Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051173. [PMID: 32397324 PMCID: PMC7290591 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac hypertrophy is a common pathological condition and an independent risk factor that triggers cardiovascular morbidity. As an important epigenetic regulator, miRNA is widely involved in many biological processes. In this study, miRNAs expressed in rat hearts that underwent isoprenaline-induced cardiac hypertrophy were identified using high-throughput sequencing, and functional verification of typical miRNAs was performed using rat primary cardiomyocytes. A total of 623 miRNAs were identified, of which 33 were specifically expressed in cardiac hypertrophy rats. The enriched pathways of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs included the FoxO signaling pathway, dopaminergic synapse, Wnt signaling pathway, MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway, and Hippo signaling pathway. Subsequently, miR-144 was the most differentially expressed miRNA and was subsequently selected for in vitro validation. Inhibition of miR-144 expression in primary myocardial cells caused up-regulation of cardiac hypertrophy markers atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The dual luciferase reporter system showed that ANP may be a target gene of miR-144. Long non-coding RNA myocardial infarction associated transcript (LncMIAT) is closely related to heart disease, and here, we were the first to discover that LncMIAT may act as an miR-144 sponge in isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Taken together, these results enriched the understanding of miRNA in regulating cardiac hypertrophy and provided a reference for preventing and treating cardiac hypertrophy.
Collapse
|