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Foyzun T, Whiting M, Velasco KK, Jacobsen JC, Connor M, Grimsey NL. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the cannabinoid CB 2 receptor: Molecular pharmacology and disease associations. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:2391-2412. [PMID: 38802979 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Preclinical evidence implicating cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) in various diseases has led researchers to question whether CB2 genetics influence aetiology or progression. Associations between conditions and genetic loci are often studied via single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) prevalence in case versus control populations. In the CNR2 coding exon, ~36 SNPs have high overall population prevalence (minor allele frequencies [MAF] ~37%), including non-synonymous SNP (ns-SNP) rs2501432 encoding CB2 63Q/R. Interspersed are ~27 lower frequency SNPs, four being ns-SNPs. CNR2 introns also harbour numerous SNPs. This review summarises CB2 ns-SNP molecular pharmacology and evaluates evidence from ~70 studies investigating CB2 genetic variants with proposed linkage to disease. Although CNR2 genetic variation has been associated with a wide variety of conditions, including osteoporosis, immune-related disorders, and mental illnesses, further work is required to robustly validate CNR2 disease links and clarify specific mechanisms linking CNR2 genetic variation to disease pathophysiology and potential drug responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahira Foyzun
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maddie Whiting
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kate K Velasco
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jessie C Jacobsen
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mark Connor
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natasha L Grimsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
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2
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Carruthers ER, Grimsey NL. Cannabinoid CB 2 receptor orthologues; in vitro function and perspectives for preclinical to clinical translation. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:2247-2269. [PMID: 37349984 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid CB2 receptor agonists are in development as therapeutic agents, including for immune modulation and pain relief. Despite promising results in rodent preclinical studies, efficacy in human clinical trials has been marginal to date. Fundamental differences in ligand engagement and signalling responses between the human CB2 receptor and preclinical model species orthologues may contribute to mismatches in functional outcomes. This is a tangible possibility for the CB2 receptor in that there is a relatively large degree of primary amino acid sequence divergence between human and rodent. Here, we summarise CB2 receptor gene and protein structure, assess comparative molecular pharmacology between CB2 receptor orthologues, and review the current status of preclinical to clinical translation for drugs targeted at the CB2 receptor, focusing on comparisons between human, mouse and rat receptors. We hope that raising wider awareness of, and proposing strategies to address, this additional challenge in drug development will assist in ongoing efforts toward successful therapeutic translation of drugs targeted at the CB2 receptor. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue Therapeutic Targeting of G Protein-Coupled Receptors: hot topics from the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v181.14/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Carruthers
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Natasha L Grimsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
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3
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Zhu J, Lei S, Lu J, Hao Y, Qian Q, Devanathan AS, Feng Z, Xie XQ, Wipf P, Ma X. Metabolism-guided development of Ko143 analogs as ABCG2 inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115666. [PMID: 37482017 PMCID: PMC10529637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), an efflux transporter, is involved in multiple pathological processes. Ko143 is a potent ABCG2 inhibitor; however, it is quickly metabolized through carboxylesterase 1-mediated hydrolysis of its t-butyl ester moiety. The current work aimed to develop more metabolically stable ABCG2 inhibitors. Novel Ko143 analogs were designed and synthesized by replacing the unstable t-butyl ester moiety in Ko143 with an amide group. The synthesized Ko143 analogs were evaluated for their ABCG2 inhibitory activity, binding mode with ABCG2, cytotoxicity, and metabolic stability. We found that the amide modification of Ko143 led to metabolically stable ABCG2 inhibitors. Among these Ko143 analogs, K2 and K34 are promising candidates with favorable oral pharmacokinetic profiles in mice. In summary, we synthesized novel Ko143 analogs with improved metabolic stability, which can potentially be used as lead compounds for the future development of ABCG2 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhu
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Saifei Lei
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jie Lu
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yixuan Hao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Qi Qian
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Aaron S Devanathan
- Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Peter Wipf
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xiaochao Ma
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Berg BB, Linhares AFS, Martins DM, Rachid MA, Cau SBDA, Souza GGD, Carvalho JCSD, Sorgi CA, Romero TRL, Pinho V, Teixeira MM, Castor MGME. Anandamide reduces the migration of lymphocytes to the intestine by CB2 activation and reduces TNF-α in the target organs, protecting mice from graft-versus-host disease. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 956:175932. [PMID: 37536622 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175932] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a serious inflammatory illness that often occurs as a secondary complication of bone marrow transplantation. Current therapies have limited effectiveness and fail to achieve a balance between inflammation and the graft-versus-tumor effect. In this study, we investigate the effects of the endocannabinoid anandamide on the complex pathology of GVHD. We assess the effects of an irreversible inhibitor of fatty acid amine hydrolase or exogenous anandamide and find that they increase survival and reduce clinical signs in GVHD mice. In the intestine of GVHD mice, treatment with exogenous anandamide also leads to a reduction in the number of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ cells, which reduces the activation of CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells, as assessed by enhanced CD28 expression, a T cell co-stimulatory molecule. Exogenous AEA was also able to reduce TNF-α and increase IL-10 in the intestine of GVHD mice. In the liver, exogenous AEA reduces injury, TNF-α levels, and the number of CD3+CD8+ cells. Interestingly, anandamide reduces Mac-1α, which lowers the adhesion of transplanted cells in mesenteric veins. These effects are mimicked by JWH133-a CB2 selective agonist-and abolished by treatment with a CB2 antagonist. Furthermore, the effects caused by anandamide treatment on survival were related to the CB2 receptor, as the CB2 antagonist abolished it. This study shows the critical role of the CB2 receptor in the modulation of the inflammatory response of GVHD by treatment with anandamide, the most prominent endocannabinoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Betônico Berg
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Flávia Santos Linhares
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Arterio Sorgi
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Philosophy Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Vanessa Pinho
- Morphology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mauro Martins Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Maccarrone M, Di Marzo V, Gertsch J, Grether U, Howlett AC, Hua T, Makriyannis A, Piomelli D, Ueda N, van der Stelt M. Goods and Bads of the Endocannabinoid System as a Therapeutic Target: Lessons Learned after 30 Years. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:885-958. [PMID: 37164640 PMCID: PMC10441647 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The cannabis derivative marijuana is the most widely used recreational drug in the Western world and is consumed by an estimated 83 million individuals (∼3% of the world population). In recent years, there has been a marked transformation in society regarding the risk perception of cannabis, driven by its legalization and medical use in many states in the United States and worldwide. Compelling research evidence and the Food and Drug Administration cannabis-derived cannabidiol approval for severe childhood epilepsy have confirmed the large therapeutic potential of cannabidiol itself, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other plant-derived cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids). Of note, our body has a complex endocannabinoid system (ECS)-made of receptors, metabolic enzymes, and transporters-that is also regulated by phytocannabinoids. The first endocannabinoid to be discovered 30 years ago was anandamide (N-arachidonoyl-ethanolamine); since then, distinct elements of the ECS have been the target of drug design programs aimed at curing (or at least slowing down) a number of human diseases, both in the central nervous system and at the periphery. Here a critical review of our knowledge of the goods and bads of the ECS as a therapeutic target is presented to define the benefits of ECS-active phytocannabinoids and ECS-oriented synthetic drugs for human health. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The endocannabinoid system plays important roles virtually everywhere in our body and is either involved in mediating key processes of central and peripheral diseases or represents a therapeutic target for treatment. Therefore, understanding the structure, function, and pharmacology of the components of this complex system, and in particular of key receptors (like cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2) and metabolic enzymes (like fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase), will advance our understanding of endocannabinoid signaling and activity at molecular, cellular, and system levels, providing new opportunities to treat patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Uwe Grether
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Allyn C Howlett
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Tian Hua
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Natsuo Ueda
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (M.M.); European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (M.M.); Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada (V.D.); Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (J.G.); Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland (U.G.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (A.C.H.); iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China (T.H.); Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (A.M.); Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California (D.P.); Department of Biochemistry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan (N.U.); Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands (M.S.)
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Understanding the Dynamics of the Structural States of Cannabinoid Receptors and the Role of Different Modulators. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12122137. [PMID: 36556502 PMCID: PMC9786085 DOI: 10.3390/life12122137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R are members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. These receptors have recently come to light as possible therapeutic targets for conditions affecting the central nervous system. However, because CB1R is known to have psychoactive side effects, its potential as a drug target is constrained. Therefore, targeting CB2R has become the primary focus of recent research. Using various molecular modeling studies, we analyzed the active, inactive, and intermediate states of both CBRs in this study. We conducted in-depth research on the binding properties of various groups of cannabinoid modulators, including agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists, with all of the different conformational states of the CBRs. The binding effects of these modulators were studied on various CB structural features, including the movement of the transmembrane helices, the volume of the binding cavity, the internal fluids, and the important GPCR properties. Then, using in vitro experiments and computational modeling, we investigated how vitamin E functions as a lipid modulator to influence THC binding. This comparative examination of modulator binding to CBRs provides significant insight into the mechanisms of structural alterations and ligand affinity, which can directly help in the rational design of selective modulators that target either CB1R or CB2R.
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7
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Large interfacial relocation in RBD-ACE2 complex may explain fast-spreading property of Omicron. J Mol Struct 2022; 1270:133842. [PMID: 35937157 PMCID: PMC9339243 DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133842] [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: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in South African in late 2021. This variant has a large number of mutations, and regarded as fastest-spreading Covid variant. The spike RBD region of SARS-CoV-2 and its interaction with human ACE2 play fundamental role in viral infection and transmission. To explore the reason of fast-spreading properties of Omicron variant, we have modeled the interactions of Omicron RBD and human ACE2 using docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Results show that RBD-ACE2 binding site may drastically relocate with an enlarged interface. The predicted interface has large negative binding energies and shows stable conformation in molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that the interfacial area in Omicron RBD-ACE2 complex is increased up to 40% in comparison to wild-type Sars-Cov-2. Moreover, the number of hydrogen bonds significantly increased up to 80%. The key interacting residues become also very different in Omicron variant. The new binding interface can significantly accommodate R403, as a key RBD residue, near ACE2 surface which leads to two new strong salt bridges. The exploration of the new binding interface can help to understand the reasons of high transmission rate of Omicron.
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8
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Structure-based virtual screening discovers novel kidney-type glutaminase inhibitors. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 154:113585. [PMID: 36029536 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113585] [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: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutaminase (GLS) serves a critical bioenergetic role for malignant tumor growth and has become a valuable therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Herein, we performed a structure-based virtual screening to discover novel GLS inhibitors and provide information for developing new GLS inhibitors. We identified critical pharmacological interactions in the GLS1 binding site by analyzing the known GLS1 inhibitors and selected potential inhibitors based on their docking score and pharmacological interactions. The inhibitory effects of compounds were further confirmed by enzymatic and cell viability assays. We treated colorectal cancer and triple-negative breast cancer cells with the selected candidates and measured the inhibitory efficacy of hit compounds on cell viability. In total, we identified three GLS1 inhibitors. The compounds identified from our structure-based virtual screening methodology exhibited great anticancer potential as a lead targeting glutamine metabolism.
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9
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Discovery of new chemotypes of dual 5-HT 2A/D 2 receptor antagonists with a strategy of drug design methodologies. Future Med Chem 2022; 14:963-989. [PMID: 35674007 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2021-0340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Through the application of structure- and ligand-based methods, the authors aimed to create an integrative approach to developing a computational protocol for the rational drug design of potent dual 5-HT2A/D2 receptor antagonists without off-target activities on H1 receptors. Materials & methods: Molecular dynamics and virtual docking methods were used to identify key interactions of the structurally diverse antagonists in the binding sites of the studied targets, and to generate their bioactive conformations for further 3D-quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling. Results & conclusion: Toward the goal of finding multi-potent drugs with a more effective and safer profile, the obtained results led to the design of a new set of dual antagonists and opened a new perspective on the therapy for complex brain diseases.
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Liddle I, Glass M, Tyndall JDA, Vernall AJ. Covalent cannabinoid receptor ligands - structural insight and selectivity challenges. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:497-510. [PMID: 35694688 PMCID: PMC9132230 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00006g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electronic microscopy have provided significant advancement in the knowledge of GPCR structure and have allowed the rational design of GPCR ligands. The class A GPCRs cannabinoid receptor type 1 and type 2 are implicated in many pathophysiological processes and thus rational design of drug and tool compounds is of great interest. Recent structural insight into cannabinoid receptors has already led to a greater understanding of ligand binding sites and receptor residues that likely contribute to ligand selectivity. Herein, classes of heterocyclic covalent cannabinoid receptor ligands are reviewed in light of the recent advances in structural knowledge of cannabinoid receptors, with particular discussion regarding covalent ligand selectivity and rationale design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Liddle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand +64 3 479 5214
| | - Michelle Glass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | | | - Andrea J Vernall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand +64 3 479 5214
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11
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Angelidi AM, Belanger MJ, Kokkinos A, Koliaki CC, Mantzoros CS. Novel Noninvasive Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity: From Pharmacotherapy to Gene Therapy. Endocr Rev 2022; 43:507-557. [PMID: 35552683 PMCID: PMC9113190 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent insights into the pathophysiologic underlying mechanisms of obesity have led to the discovery of several promising drug targets and novel therapeutic strategies to address the global obesity epidemic and its comorbidities. Current pharmacologic options for obesity management are largely limited in number and of modest efficacy/safety profile. Therefore, the need for safe and more efficacious new agents is urgent. Drugs that are currently under investigation modulate targets across a broad range of systems and tissues, including the central nervous system, gastrointestinal hormones, adipose tissue, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscle. Beyond pharmacotherapeutics, other potential antiobesity strategies are being explored, including novel drug delivery systems, vaccines, modulation of the gut microbiome, and gene therapy. The present review summarizes the pathophysiology of energy homeostasis and highlights pathways being explored in the effort to develop novel antiobesity medications and interventions but does not cover devices and bariatric methods. Emerging pharmacologic agents and alternative approaches targeting these pathways and relevant research in both animals and humans are presented in detail. Special emphasis is given to treatment options at the end of the development pipeline and closer to the clinic (ie, compounds that have a higher chance to be added to our therapeutic armamentarium in the near future). Ultimately, advancements in our understanding of the pathophysiology and interindividual variation of obesity may lead to multimodal and personalized approaches to obesity treatment that will result in safe, effective, and sustainable weight loss until the root causes of the problem are identified and addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki M Angelidi
- Section of Endocrinology, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew J Belanger
- Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Kokkinos
- First Department of Propaedeutic Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Chrysi C Koliaki
- First Department of Propaedeutic Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christos S Mantzoros
- Section of Endocrinology, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Chen CJ, Jiang C, Yuan J, Chen M, Cuyler J, Xie XQ, Feng Z. How Do Modulators Affect the Orthosteric and Allosteric Binding Pockets? ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:959-977. [PMID: 35298129 PMCID: PMC10496248 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulators (AMs) that bind allosteric sites can exhibit greater selectivity than the orthosteric ligands and can either enhance agonist-induced receptor activity (termed positive allosteric modulator or PAM), inhibit agonist-induced activity (negative AM or NAM), or have no effect on activity (silent AM or SAM). Until now, it is not clear what the exact effects of AMs are on the orthosteric active site or the allosteric binding pocket(s). In the present work, we collected both the three-dimensional (3D) structures of receptor-orthosteric ligand and receptor-orthosteric ligand-AM complexes of a specific target protein. Using our novel algorithm toolset, molecular complex characterizing system (MCCS), we were able to quantify the key residues in both the orthosteric and allosteric binding sites along with potential changes of the binding pockets. After analyzing 21 pairs of 3D crystal or cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) complexes, including 4 pairs of GPCRs, 5 pairs of ion channels, 11 pairs of enzymes, and 1 pair of transcription factors, we found that the binding of AMs had little impact on both the orthosteric and allosteric binding pockets. In return, given the accurately predicted allosteric binding pocket(s) of a drug target of medicinal interest, we can confidently conduct the virtual screening or lead optimization without concern that the huge conformational change of the pocket could lead to the low accuracy of virtual screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Jung Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Chen Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jiayi Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Maozi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jacob Cuyler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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13
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Dutta S, Selvam B, Shukla D. Distinct Binding Mechanisms for Allosteric Sodium Ion in Cannabinoid Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:379-389. [PMID: 35019279 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic potential of cannabinoid receptors is not fully explored due to psychoactive side effects and lack of selectivity associated with orthosteric ligands. Allosteric modulators have the potential to become selective therapeutics for cannabinoid receptors. Biochemical experiments have shown the effects of the allosteric Na+ binding on cannabinoid receptor activity. However, the Na+ coordination site and binding pathway are still unknown. Here, we perform molecular dynamic simulations to explore Na+ binding in the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. Simulations reveal that Na+ binds to the primary binding site from different extracellular sites for CB1 and CB2. A distinct secondary Na+ coordination site is identified in CB1 that is not present in CB2. Furthermore, simulations also show that intracellular Na+ could bind to the Na+ binding site in CB1. Constructed Markov state models show that the standard free energy of Na+ binding is similar to the previously calculated free energy for other class A GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Balaji Selvam
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Venkatakrishna K, Sundeep K, Sudeep HV, Gouthamchandra K, Shyamprasad K. ViphyllinTM, a Standardized Black Pepper Seed Extract Exerts Antinociceptive Effects in Murine Pain Models via Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor CB2, Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Alpha and TRPV1 Ion Channels. J Pain Res 2022; 15:355-366. [PMID: 35153513 PMCID: PMC8827412 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s351513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kuppam Sundeep
- R&D Center for Excellence, Vidya Herbs Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, 560 105, Karnataka, India
| | - Heggar Venkataramana Sudeep
- R&D Center for Excellence, Vidya Herbs Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, 560 105, Karnataka, India
- Correspondence: Heggar Venkataramana Sudeep, Tel +91 80-42094158, Email
| | | | - Kodimule Shyamprasad
- R&D Center for Excellence, Vidya Herbs Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, 560 105, Karnataka, India
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15
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Yuan J, Jiang C, Wang J, Chen CJ, Hao Y, Zhao G, Feng Z, Xie XQ. In Silico Prediction and Validation of CB2 Allosteric Binding Sites to Aid the Design of Allosteric Modulators. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27020453. [PMID: 35056767 PMCID: PMC8781014 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27020453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the 3D structures of active and inactive cannabinoid receptors type 2 (CB2) are available, neither the X-ray crystal nor the cryo-EM structure of CB2-orthosteric ligand-modulator has been resolved, prohibiting the drug discovery and development of CB2 allosteric modulators (AMs). In the present work, we mainly focused on investigating the potential allosteric binding site(s) of CB2. We applied different algorithms or tools to predict the potential allosteric binding sites of CB2 with the existing agonists. Seven potential allosteric sites can be observed for either CB2-CP55940 or CB2-WIN 55,212-2 complex, among which sites B, C, G and K are supported by the reported 3D structures of Class A GPCRs coupled with AMs. Applying our novel algorithm toolset-MCCS, we docked three known AMs of CB2 including Ec2la (C-2), trans-β-caryophyllene (TBC) and cannabidiol (CBD) to each site for further comparisons and quantified the potential binding residues in each allosteric binding site. Sequentially, we selected the most promising binding pose of C-2 in five allosteric sites to conduct the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Based on the results of docking studies and MD simulations, we suggest that site H is the most promising allosteric binding site. We plan to conduct bio-assay validations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Chen Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Chih-Jung Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Yixuan Hao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Guangyi Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (X.-Q.X.)
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.Y.); (C.J.); (J.W.); (C.-J.C.); (Y.H.); (G.Z.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (X.-Q.X.)
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Wu X, Wen B, Lin L, Shi W, Li D, Cheng Y, Xu LY, Li EM, Dong G. New insights into the function of Fascin in actin bundling: A combined theoretical and experimental study. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 139:106056. [PMID: 34390855 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Fascin, one of actin bundling proteins, plays an important role in the cross-linking of actin filaments (F-actin). Phosphorylation of Fascin is an important posttranslational modification to affect its structure and function. For example, a phosphomimetic mutation of Fascin-S39D decrease its bundling ability with F-actin significantly. In this paper, we studied the actin-bundling activity of Fascin by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and biochemical methods. All single-site mutations from serine/threonine to aspartic acid were mimicked by MD simulations. For five mutants (S146D, S156D, S218D, T239D and S259D), the mutated residues in domain 2 of Fascin were found to form salt-bridge interactions with an adjacent residue, indicating that mutations of these residues could potentially reduce actin-bundling activity. Further, F-actin-bundling assays and immunofluorescence technique showed S146D and T239D to have a strong effect on Fascin bundling with F-actin. Finally, we show that single-site mutations do not change the general shape of Fascin, but local structures near the mutated residues in Fascin-S146D and T239D become unstable, thereby affecting the ability of Fascin to bind with F-actin. These findings suggest that targeting domain 2 of Fascin would be very useful for the drug design. In addition, our study indicates that MD simulation is a useful method to screening which residues on Fascin are important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Bing Wen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Lirui Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Medical Informatics Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Wenqi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Dajia Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Yinwei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Li-Yan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
| | - En-Min Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
| | - Geng Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Medical Informatics Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
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Chen M, Feng Z, Wang S, Lin W, Xie XQ. MCCS, a novel characterization method for protein-ligand complex. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:bbaa239. [PMID: 33051641 PMCID: PMC8293830 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbaa239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Delineating the fingerprint or feature vector of a receptor/protein will facilitate the structural and biological studies, as well as the rational design and development of drugs with high affinities and selectivity. However, protein is complicated by its different functional regions that can bind to some of its protein partner(s), substrate(s), orthosteric ligand(s) or allosteric modulator(s) where cogent methods like molecular fingerprints do not work well. We here elaborate a scoring-function-based computing protocol Molecular Complex Characterizing System to help characterize the binding feature of protein-ligand complexes. Based on the reported receptor-ligand interactions, we first quantitate the energy contribution of each individual residue which may be an alternative of MD-based energy decomposition. We then construct a vector for the energy contribution to represent the pattern of the ligand recognition at a receptor and qualitatively analyze the matching level with other receptors. Finally, the energy contribution vector is explored for extensive use in similarity and clustering. The present work provides a new approach to cluster proteins, a perspective counterpart for determining the protein characteristics in the binding, and an advanced screening technique where molecular docking is applicable.
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18
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Ferrisi R, Ceni C, Bertini S, Macchia M, Manera C, Gado F. Medicinal Chemistry approach, pharmacology and neuroprotective benefits of CB 2R modulators in neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacol Res 2021; 170:105607. [PMID: 34089867 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In the last decades, cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) has continued to receive attention as a key therapeutic target in neuroprotection. Indeed, several findings highlight the neuroprotective effects of CB2R through suppression of both neuronal excitability and reactive microglia. Additionally, CB2R seems to be a more promising target than cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) thanks to the lack of central side effects, its lower expression levels in the central nervous system (CNS), and its inducibility, since its expression enhances quickly in the brain following pathological conditions. This review aims to provide a thorough overview of the main natural and synthetic selective CB2R modulators, their chemical classification and their potential therapeutic usefulness in neuroprotection, a crucial aspect for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Ferrisi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Costanza Ceni
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Simone Bertini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Marco Macchia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | | | - Francesca Gado
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
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Yokoi S, Mitsutake A. Molecular Dynamics Simulations for the Determination of the Characteristic Structural Differences between Inactive and Active States of Wild Type and Mutants of the Orexin2 Receptor. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:4286-4298. [PMID: 33885321 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The orexin2 receptor (OX2R), which is classified as a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is the target of our study. We performed over 20 several-microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations of the wild type and mutants of OX2R to extract the characteristics of the structural changes taking place in the active state. We introduced mutations that exhibited the stable inactive state and the constitutively active state in class A GPCRs. In these simulations, significant characteristic structural changes were observed in the V3096.40Y mutant, which corresponded to a constitutively active mutant. These conformational changes include the outward movement of the transmembrane helix 6 (TM6) and the inward movement of TM7, which are common structural changes in the activation of GPCRs. In addition, we extracted a suitable index for the quantitative evaluation of the active and inactive states of GPCRs, namely, the inter-atomic distance of Cα atoms between x(3.46) and Y(7.53). The structures of the inactive and active states solved by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy can be classified using the inter-atomic distance. Furthermore, we clarified that the inward movement of TM7 requires the swapping of M3056.36 on TM6 and L3677.56 on TM7. Finally, we discussed the structural advantages of TM7 inward movement for GPCR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Yokoi
- Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan
| | - Ayori Mitsutake
- Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan
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20
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Kim BJ, Jeon HW, Jeon W, Han JH, Oh J, Yi N, Kim MY, Kim M, Kim JN, Kim BH, Hyon JY, Kim D, Koo JW, Oh DY, Choi BY. Rising of LOXHD1 as a signature causative gene of down-sloping hearing loss in people in their teens and 20s. J Med Genet 2021; 59:470-480. [PMID: 33753533 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2020-107594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Down-sloping sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in people in their teens and 20s hampers efficient learning and communication and in-depth social interactions. Nonetheless, its aetiology remains largely unclear, with the exception of some potential causative genes, none of which stands out especially in people in their teens and 20s. Here, we examined the role and genotype-phenotype correlation of lipoxygenase homology domain 1 (LOXHD1) in down-sloping SNHL through a cohort study. METHODS Based on the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) genetic deafness cohort, in which the patients show varying degrees of deafness and different onset ages (n=1055), we have established the 'SNUBH Teenager-Young Adult Down-sloping SNHL' cohort (10-35 years old) (n=47), all of whom underwent exome sequencing. Three-dimensional molecular modelling, minigene splicing assay and short tandem repeat marker genotyping were performed, and medical records were reviewed. RESULTS LOXHD1 accounted for 33.3% of all genetically diagnosed cases of down-sloping SNHL (n=18) and 12.8% of cases in the whole down-sloping SNHL cohort (n=47) of young adults. We identified a potential common founder allele, as well as an interesting genotype-phenotype correlation. We also showed that transcript 6 is necessary and probably sufficient for normal hearing. CONCLUSIONS LOXHD1 exceeds other genes in its contribution to down-sloping SNHL in young adults, rising as a signature causative gene, and shows a potential but interesting genotype-phenotype correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bong Jik Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, South Korea.,Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hyoung Won Jeon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Woosung Jeon
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jin Hee Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Jayoung Oh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Nayoung Yi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, South Korea.,Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Min Young Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Justin Namju Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bo Hye Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Joon Young Hyon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Dongsup Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Ja-Won Koo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Doo-Yi Oh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Byung Yoon Choi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea .,Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, South Korea
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21
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Gado F, Mohamed KA, Meini S, Ferrisi R, Bertini S, Digiacomo M, D'Andrea F, Stevenson LA, Laprairie RB, Pertwee RG, Manera C. Variously substituted 2-oxopyridine derivatives: Extending the structure-activity relationships for allosteric modulation of the cannabinoid CB2 receptor. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113116. [PMID: 33360803 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported the 2-oxopyridine-3-carboxamide derivative EC21a as the first small synthetic CB2R positive allosteric modulator which displayed antinociceptive activity in vivo in an experimental mouse model of neuropathic pain. Herein, we extended the structure-activity relationships of EC21a through structural modifications regarding the p-fluoro benzyl moiety at position 1 and the amide group in position 3 of the central core. The characterization in vitro was assessed through radioligand binding experiments and functional assays (GTPγS, cAMP, βarrestin2). Among the new compounds, the derivatives A1 (SV-10a) and A5 (SB-13a) characterized respectively by fluorine atom or by chlorine atom in ortho position of the benzylic group at position 1 and by a cycloheptane-carboxamide at position 3 of the central core, showed positive allosteric behavior on CB2R. They enhanced the efficacy of CP55,940 in [35S]GTPγS assay, and modulated CP55,940-dependent βarrestin2 recruitment and cAMP inhibition. The obtained results extend our knowledge of the structural requirements for interaction with the allosteric site of CB2R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gado
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Kawthar A Mohamed
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Serena Meini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rebecca Ferrisi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Simone Bertini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Digiacomo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Lesley A Stevenson
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Roger G Pertwee
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
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22
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Moir M, Lane S, Montgomery AP, Hibbs D, Connor M, Kassiou M. The discovery of a potent and selective pyrazolo-[2,3-e]-[1,2,4]-triazine cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 210:113087. [PMID: 33321261 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The development of selective CB2 receptor agonists is a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, without CB1 receptor mediated psychoactive side effects. Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies on pyrazoylidene benzamide agonists revealed the -ylidene benzamide moiety was crucial for functional activity at the CB2 receptor. A small library of compounds with varying linkage moieties between the pyrazole and substituted phenyl group has culminated in the discovery of a potent and selective pyrazolo-[2,3-e]-[1,2,4]-triazine agonist 19 (CB2R EC50 = 19 nM, CB1R EC50 > 10 μM). Docking studies have revealed key structural features of the linkage group that are important for potent functional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Moir
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Samuel Lane
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | | | - David Hibbs
- Sydney Pharmacy School, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mark Connor
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Michael Kassiou
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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23
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Shahbazi F, Grandi V, Banerjee A, Trant JF. Cannabinoids and Cannabinoid Receptors: The Story so Far. iScience 2020; 23:101301. [PMID: 32629422 PMCID: PMC7339067 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Like most modern molecular biology and natural product chemistry, understanding cannabinoid pharmacology centers around molecular interactions, in this case, between the cannabinoids and their putative targets, the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2). Understanding the complex structure and interplay between the partners in this molecular dance is required to understand the mechanism of action of synthetic, endogenous, and phytochemical cannabinoids. This review, with 91 references, surveys our understanding of the structural biology of the cannabinoids and their target receptors including both a critical comparison of the extant crystal structures and the computationally derived homology models, as well as an in-depth discussion about the binding modes of the major cannabinoids. The aim is to assist in situating structural biochemists, synthetic chemists, and molecular biologists who are new to the field of cannabis research. Cannabinoid research has greatly expanded Structural biology and computational chemistry jointly provide mechanistic insight Structural data are being generated at an exponentially increasing rate Phytocannabinoid targeting of other GPCR receptors deserves investigation
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred Shahbazi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Victoria Grandi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Abhinandan Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - John F Trant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada.
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24
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Correia-Sá I, Paiva A, Carvalho CM, Vieira-Coelho MA. Cutaneous endocannabinoid system: Does it have a role on skin wound healing bearing fibrosis? Pharmacol Res 2020; 159:104862. [PMID: 32454223 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recently, the endocannabinoid system has been identified in skin and it has been linked with the formation of skin fibrosis and wound healing. We aimed to find and analyse reported data on compounds acting in the endocannabinoid system with significant effect in skin fibrosis. METHODS A literature search on PUBMED was conducted for studies published in English until February 2020 on cannabinoids and skin fibrosis. The initial search was performed with terms: "cannabinoid" AND "skin". This search retrieved 296 publications from which 18 directly related to skin fibrosis or wound healing process were included in this review. RESULTS CB1 receptor inactivation and CB2 receptor activation show anti-fibrotic effects on cellular and animal experimental models of cutaneous fibrosis. CB2 receptor activation also promotes re-epithelization. Other cannabinoid related receptors, like adenosine A2A receptors and PPAR-γ, are also involved. Their activation lead to a pro-fibrotic and anti-fibrotic effect, respectively. CONCLUSION Several molecular drug targets for endocannabinoid system were identified in skin. It may be a promising approach for the treatment of excessive skin fibrosis disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Correia-Sá
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and Burn Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto and Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, EPE, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Department of Biomedicine - Pharmacology and Therapeutics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Anita Paiva
- Department of Biomedicine - Pharmacology and Therapeutics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cláudia M Carvalho
- Department of Biomedicine - Pharmacology and Therapeutics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria A Vieira-Coelho
- Department of Biomedicine - Pharmacology and Therapeutics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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25
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Allosteric modulators targeting cannabinoid cb1 and cb2 receptors: implications for drug discovery. Future Med Chem 2020; 11:2019-2037. [PMID: 31517528 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2019-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulators of cannabinoid receptors hold great therapeutic potential, as they do not possess intrinsic efficacy, but instead enhance or diminish the receptor's response of orthosteric ligands allowing for the tempering of cannabinoid receptor signaling without the desensitization, tolerance and dependence. Allosteric modulators of cannabinoid receptors have numerous advantages over the orthosteric ligands such as higher receptor type selectivity, probe dependence and biased signaling, so they have a great potential to separate the therapeutic benefits from side effects own of orthosteric ligands. This review aims to give an overview of the CB1 and CB2 receptor allosteric modulators highlighting the structure-activity relationship and pharmacological profile of each classes, and their future promise.
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26
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Ye L, Cao Z, Wang W, Zhou N. New Insights in Cannabinoid Receptor Structure and Signaling. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2020; 12:239-248. [PMID: 30767756 DOI: 10.2174/1874467212666190215112036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabinoid has long been used for medicinal purposes. Cannabinoid signaling has been considered the therapeutic target for treating pain, addiction, obesity, inflammation, and other diseases. Recent studies have suggested that in addition to CB1 and CB2, there are non-CB1 and non-CB2 cannabinoid-related orphan GPCRs including GPR18, GPR55, and GPR119. In addition, CB1 and CB2 display allosteric binding and biased signaling, revealing correlations between biased signaling and functional outcomes. Interestingly, new investigations have indicated that CB1 is functionally present within the mitochondria of striated and heart muscles directly regulating intramitochondrial signaling and respiration. CONCLUSION In this review, we summarize the recent progress in cannabinoid-related orphan GPCRs, CB1/CB2 structure, Gi/Gs coupling, allosteric ligands and biased signaling, and mitochondria-localized CB1, and discuss the future promise of this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Ye
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zheng Cao
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Naiming Zhou
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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27
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Peng Y, Zheng X, Fan Z, Zhou H, Zhu X, Wang G, Liu Z. Paeonol alleviates primary dysmenorrhea in mice via activating CB2R in the uterus. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 68:153151. [PMID: 32058234 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2019.153151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common gynaecologic problem in menstruating women and is characterized by spasmodic uterine contraction and pain symptoms associated with inflammatory disturbances. Paeonol is an active phytochemical component that has shown anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in several animal models. The aim of this study was to explore whether paeonol is effective against dysmenorrhea and to investigate the potential mechanism of cannabinoid receptor signalling. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Dysmenorrhea was established by injecting oestradiol benzoate into female mice. The effects of paeonol on writhing time and latency, uterine pathology and inflammatory mediators were explored. Isolated uterine smooth muscle was used to evaluate the direct effect of paeonol on uterine contraction. KEY RESULTS The oral administration of paeonol reduced dysmenorrhea pain and PGE2 and TNF-α expression in the uterine tissues of mice, and paeonol was found to be distributed in lesions of the uterus. Paeonol almost completely inhibited oxytocin-, high potassium- and Ca2+-induced contractions in isolated uteri. Antagonists of CB2R (AM630) and the MAPK pathway (U0126), but not of CB1R (AM251), reversed the inhibitory effect of paeonol on uterine contraction. Paeonol significantly blocked L-type Ca2+ channels and calcium influx in uterine smooth muscle cells via CB2R. Molecular docking results showed that paeonol fits well with the binding site of CB2R. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Paeonol partially acts through CB2R to restrain calcium influx and uterine contraction to alleviate dysmenorrhea in mice. These results suggest that paeonol has therapeutic potential for the treatment of dysmenorrhea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Zhiyi Fan
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Hongliang Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Xuanxuan Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Guangji Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
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28
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Chen Y, Feng Z, Shen M, Lin W, Wang Y, Wang S, Li C, Wang S, Chen M, Shan W, Xie XQ. Insight into Ginkgo biloba L. Extract on the Improved Spatial Learning and Memory by Chemogenomics Knowledgebase, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, and Bioassay Validations. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:2428-2439. [PMID: 32064403 PMCID: PMC7017398 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common cause of serious cognitive disorders and is known to have impact on patients' memory and executive functions. Therefore, the development of antiepileptic drugs for the improvement of spatial learning and memory in patients with epileptic cognitive dysfunction is important. In the present work, we systematically predicted and analyzed the potential effects of Ginkgo terpene trilactones (GTTL) on cognition and pathologic changes utilizing in silico and in vivo approaches. Based on our established chemogenomics knowledgebase, we first conducted the network systems pharmacology analysis to predict that ginkgolide A/B/C may target 5-HT 1A, 5-HT 1B, and 5-HT 2B. The detailed interactions were then further validated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In addition, status epilepticus (SE) was induced by lithium-pilocarpine injection in adult Wistar male rats, and the results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) demonstrated that administration with GTTL can increase the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) when compared to the model group. Interestingly, recent studies suggest that the occurrence of a reciprocal involvement of 5-HT receptor activation along with the hippocampal BDNF-increased expression can significantly ameliorate neurologic changes and reverse behavioral deficits in status epilepticus rats while improving cognitive function and alleviating neuronal injury. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of GTTL (bilobalide, ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, and ginkgolide C) on synergistic antiepileptic effect. Our experimental data showed that the spatial learning and memory abilities (e.g., electroencephalography analysis and Morris water maze test for behavioral assessment) of rats administrated with GTTL were significantly improved under the middle dose (80 mg/kg, GTTL) and high dose (160 mg/kg, GTTL). Moreover, the number of neurons in the hippocampus of the GTTL group increased when compared to the model group. Our studies showed that GTTL not only protected rat cerebral hippocampal neurons against epilepsy but also improved the learning and memory ability. Therefore, GTTL may be a potential drug candidate for the prevention and/or treatment of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- College
of Pharmacology Sciences, Zhejiang University
of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Mingzhe Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Weiwei Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- School of
Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University
of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Siyi Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Caifeng Li
- College
of Pharmacology Sciences, Zhejiang University
of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Shengfeng Wang
- College
of Pharmacology Sciences, Zhejiang University
of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Maozi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Weiguang Shan
- College
of Pharmacology Sciences, Zhejiang University
of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational
Chemical
Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for
Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology
and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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Journigan VB, Feng Z, Rahman S, Wang Y, Amin ARMR, Heffner CE, Bachtel N, Wang S, Gonzalez-Rodriguez S, Fernández-Carvajal A, Fernández-Ballester G, Hilton JK, Van Horn WD, Ferrer-Montiel A, Xie XQ, Rahman T. Structure-Based Design of Novel Biphenyl Amide Antagonists of Human Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily M Member 8 Channels with Potential Implications in the Treatment of Sensory Neuropathies. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:268-290. [PMID: 31850745 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Structure-activity relationship studies of a reported menthol-based transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 channel (TRPM8) antagonist, guided by computational simulations and structure-based design, uncovers a novel series of TRPM8 antagonists with >10-fold selectivity versus related TRP subtypes. Spiro[4.5]decan-8-yl analogue 14 inhibits icilin-evoked Ca2+ entry in HEK-293 cells stably expressing human TRPM8 (hTRPM8) with an IC50 of 2.4 ± 1.0 nM, while in whole-cell patch-clamp recordings this analogue inhibits menthol-evoked currents with a hTRPM8 IC50 of 64 ± 2 nM. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of compound 14 in our homology model of hTRPM8 suggest that this antagonist forms extensive hydrophobic contacts within the orthosteric site. In the wet dog shakes (WDS) assay, compound 14 dose-dependently blocks icilin-triggered shaking behaviors in mice. Upon local administration, compound 14 dose dependently inhibits cold allodynia evoked by the chemotherapy oxaliplatin in a murine model of peripheral neuropathy at microgram doses. Our findings suggest that 14 and other biphenyl amide analogues within our series can find utility as potent antagonist chemical probes derived from (-)-menthol as well as small molecule therapeutic scaffolds for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and other sensory neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Blair Journigan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Saifur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - A. R. M. Ruhul Amin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
| | - Colleen E. Heffner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
| | - Nicholas Bachtel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, United States
| | - Siyi Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Sara Gonzalez-Rodriguez
- IDiBE: Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e innovación en Biotecnología sanitaria de Elche, Universitas Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Asia Fernández-Carvajal
- IDiBE: Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e innovación en Biotecnología sanitaria de Elche, Universitas Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Gregorio Fernández-Ballester
- IDiBE: Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e innovación en Biotecnología sanitaria de Elche, Universitas Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Jacob K. Hilton
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- the Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
- The Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Wade D. Van Horn
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- the Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
- The Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Antonio Ferrer-Montiel
- IDiBE: Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e innovación en Biotecnología sanitaria de Elche, Universitas Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Taufiq Rahman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
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30
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Xing C, Zhuang Y, Xu TH, Feng Z, Zhou XE, Chen M, Wang L, Meng X, Xue Y, Wang J, Liu H, McGuire TF, Zhao G, Melcher K, Zhang C, Xu HE, Xie XQ. Cryo-EM Structure of the Human Cannabinoid Receptor CB2-G i Signaling Complex. Cell 2020; 180:645-654.e13. [PMID: 32004460 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Drugs selectively targeting CB2 hold promise for treating neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation, and pain while avoiding psychotropic side effects mediated by CB1. The mechanisms underlying CB2 activation and signaling are poorly understood but critical for drug design. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the human CB2-Gi signaling complex bound to the agonist WIN 55,212-2. The 3D structure reveals the binding mode of WIN 55,212-2 and structural determinants for distinguishing CB2 agonists from antagonists, which are supported by a pair of rationally designed agonist and antagonist. Further structural analyses with computational docking results uncover the differences between CB2 and CB1 in receptor activation, ligand recognition, and Gi coupling. These findings are expected to facilitate rational structure-based discovery of drugs targeting the cannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changrui Xing
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Drug Discovery Institute and Departments of Computational Biology and of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Youwen Zhuang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Program for Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ting-Hai Xu
- Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Program for Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Drug Discovery Institute and Departments of Computational Biology and of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - X Edward Zhou
- Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Program for Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Maozi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Laboratory for GPCR Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Xing Meng
- David Van Andel Advanced Cryo-Electron Microscopy Suite, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ying Xue
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Heng Liu
- Laboratory for GPCR Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Terence Francis McGuire
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Gongpu Zhao
- David Van Andel Advanced Cryo-Electron Microscopy Suite, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Karsten Melcher
- Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Program for Structural Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Laboratory for GPCR Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - H Eric Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Computational Chemical Genomics Screen Center, School of Pharmacy, and NIDA National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Drug Discovery Institute and Departments of Computational Biology and of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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31
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Galano-Frutos JJ, García-Cebollada H, Sancho J. Molecular dynamics simulations for genetic interpretation in protein coding regions: where we are, where to go and when. Brief Bioinform 2019; 22:3-19. [PMID: 31813950 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbz146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing ease with which massive genetic information can be obtained from patients or healthy individuals has stimulated the development of interpretive bioinformatics tools as aids in clinical practice. Most such tools analyze evolutionary information and simple physical-chemical properties to predict whether replacement of one amino acid residue with another will be tolerated or cause disease. Those approaches achieve up to 80-85% accuracy as binary classifiers (neutral/pathogenic). As such accuracy is insufficient for medical decision to be based on, and it does not appear to be increasing, more precise methods, such as full-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in explicit solvent, are also discussed. Then, to describe the goal of interpreting human genetic variations at large scale through MD simulations, we restrictively refer to all possible protein variants carrying single-amino-acid substitutions arising from single-nucleotide variations as the human variome. We calculate its size and develop a simple model that allows calculating the simulation time needed to have a 0.99 probability of observing unfolding events of any unstable variant. The knowledge of that time enables performing a binary classification of the variants (stable-potentially neutral/unstable-pathogenic). Our model indicates that the human variome cannot be simulated with present computing capabilities. However, if they continue to increase as per Moore's law, it could be simulated (at 65°C) spending only 3 years in the task if we started in 2031. The simulation of individual protein variomes is achievable in short times starting at present. International coordination seems appropriate to embark upon massive MD simulations of protein variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Galano-Frutos
- Protein Folding and Molecular Design (ProtMol)' group at BIFI, University of Zaragoza
| | | | - Javier Sancho
- Protein Folding and Molecular Design (ProtMol)' group at BIFI, University of Zaragoza
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32
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Moir M, Lane S, Lai F, Connor M, Hibbs DE, Kassiou M. Strategies to develop selective CB2 receptor agonists from indole carboxamide synthetic cannabinoids. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 180:291-309. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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33
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Synthesis and evaluation of various heteroaromatic benzamides as analogues of –ylidene-benzamide cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonists. Tetrahedron Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2019.151019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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34
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Structural insight into the serotonin (5-HT) receptor family by molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and systems pharmacology analysis. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:1138-1156. [PMID: 30814658 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-019-0217-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) receptors are proteins involved in various neurological and biological processes, such as aggression, anxiety, appetite, cognition, learning, memory, mood, sleep, and thermoregulation. They are commonly associated with drug abuse and addiction due to their importance as targets for various pharmaceutical and recreational drugs. However, due to a high sequence similarity/identity among 5-HT receptors and the unavailability of the 3D structure of the different 5-HT receptor, no report was available so far regarding the systematical comparison of the key and selective residues involved in the binding pocket, making it difficult to design subtype-selective serotonergic drugs. In this work, we first built and validated three-dimensional models for all 5-HT receptors based on the existing crystal structures of 5-HT1B, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C. Then, we performed molecular docking studies between 5-HT receptors agonists/inhibitors and our 3D models. The results from docking were consistent with the known binding affinities of each model. Sequentially, we compared the binding pose and selective residues among 5-HT receptors. Our results showed that the affinity variation could be potentially attributed to the selective residues located in the binding pockets. Moreover, we performed MD simulations for 12 5-HT receptors complexed with ligands; the results were consistent with our docking results and the reported data. Finally, we carried out off-target prediction and blood-brain barrier (BBB) prediction for Captagon using our established hallucinogen-related chemogenomics knowledgebase and in-house computational tools, with the hope to provide more information regarding the use of Captagon. We showed that 5-HT2C, 5-HT5A, and 5-HT7 were the most promising targets for Captagon before metabolism. Overall, our findings can provide insights into future drug discovery and design of medications with high specificity to the individual 5-HT receptor to decrease the risk of addiction and prevent drug abuse.
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35
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Yu E, Xu Y, Shi Y, Yu Q, Liu J, Xu L. Discovery of novel natural compound inhibitors targeting estrogen receptor α by an integrated virtual screening strategy. J Mol Model 2019; 25:278. [PMID: 31463793 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-019-4156-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor (ER) is a nuclear hormone receptor and plays an important role in mediating the cellular effects of estrogen. ER can be classified into two receptors: estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ), and the former is expressed in 50~80% of breast tumors and has been extensively investigated in breast cancer for decades. Excessive exposure to estrogen can obviously stimulate the growth of breast cancers primarily mediated by ERα, and thus anti-estrogen therapies by small molecules are of concern to clinicians and pharmaceutical industry in the treatment of ERα-positive breast cancers. Although a series of estrogen receptor modulators have been developed, these drugs can lead to resistance and side effects. Therefore, the development of small molecule inhibitors with high target specificity has been intensified. In this pursuit, an integrated computer-aided virtual screening technique, including molecular docking and pharmacophore model screening, was used to screen traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) databases. The compounds with high docking scores and fit values were subjected to ADME (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and toxicity prediction, and ten hits were identified as potential inhibitors targeting ERα. Molecular docking was used to investigate the binding modes between ERα and three most potent hits, and molecular dynamic simulations were chosen to explore the stability of these complexes. The rank of the predicted binding free energies evaluated by MM/GBSA is consistent with the docking score. These novel scaffolds discovered in the present study can be used as critical starting point in the drug discovery process for treating ERα-positive breast cancer. Graphical abstract .
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Affiliation(s)
- Enguang Yu
- Department of Chinese Surgery, Jiaxing University Affiliated Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, 314000, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueping Xu
- Department of Nursing, Jiaxing University Affiliated Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, 314000, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanbo Shi
- Central Laboratory of Molecular Medicine Research Center, Jiaxing University Affiliated Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, 314000, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyan Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiaxing University Affiliated Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, 314000, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology, Jiaxing University Affiliated Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing, 314000, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou, 213001, Jiangsu, China.
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Cheng J, Wang S, Lin W, Wu N, Wang Y, Chen M, Xie XQ, Feng Z. Computational Systems Pharmacology-Target Mapping for Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine Overdose. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3486-3499. [PMID: 31257858 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The United States of America is fighting against one of its worst-ever drug crises. Over 900 people a week die from opioid- or heroin-related overdoses, while millions more suffer from opioid prescription addiction. Recently, drug overdoses caused by fentanyl-laced cocaine specifically are on the rise. Due to drug synergy and an increase in side effects, polydrug addiction can cause more risk than addiction to a single drug. In the present work, we systematically analyzed the overdose and addiction mechanism of cocaine and fentanyl. First, we applied our established chemogenomics knowledgebase and machine-learning-based methods to map out the potential and known proteins, transporters, and metabolic enzymes and the potential therapeutic target(s) for cocaine and fentanyl. Sequentially, we looked into the detail of (1) the addiction to cocaine and fentanyl by binding to the dopamine transporter and the μ opioid receptor (DAT and μOR, respectively), (2) the potential drug-drug interaction of cocaine and fentanyl via p-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux, (3) the metabolism of cocaine and fentanyl in CYP3A4, and (4) the physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for two drugs and their drug-drug interaction at the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) level. Finally, we looked into the detail of JWH133, an agonist of cannabinoid 2-receptor (CB2) with potential as a therapy for cocaine and fentanyl overdose. All these results provide a better understanding of fentanyl and cocaine polydrug addiction and future drug abuse prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Department of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, China
| | - Siyi Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Weiwei Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Maozi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Drug Discovery Institute, Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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Chen M, Jing Y, Wang L, Feng Z, Xie XQ. DAKB-GPCRs: An Integrated Computational Platform for Drug Abuse Related GPCRs. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:1283-1289. [PMID: 30835466 PMCID: PMC6758544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.8b00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drug abuse (DA) or drug addiction is a complicated brain disorder which is commonly considered as neurobiological impairments caused by both genetic factors and environmental effects. Among DA-related targets, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play an important role in DA therapy. However, only 52 GPCRs have been published with crystal structures in the recent two decades. In the effort to overcome the limitations of crystal structure and conformational diversity of GPCRs, we built homology models and performed conformational searches by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. To accelerate and facilitate the drug abuse research, we construct a DA-related GPCR-specific chemogenomics knowledgebase (KB) (DAKB-GPCRs) for its research that can be implemented with our established and novel chemogenomics tools as well as algorithms for data analysis and visualization. Our established TargetHunter and HTDocking tools, as well as our novel tools that include target classification and Spider Plot, are compiled into the platform. Our DAKB-GPCRs provides the following results for a query compound: (1) blood-brain barrier (BBB) plot via our BBB predictor, (2) docking scores via HTDocking, (3) similarity score via TargetHunter, (4) target classification via machine learning methods that utilize both docking scores and similarity scores, and (5) a drug-target interaction network via Spider Plot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maozi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIH National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Yankang Jing
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIH National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Lirong Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIH National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIH National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- NIH National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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38
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Wu N, Feng Z, He X, Kwon W, Wang J, Xie XQ. Insight of Captagon Abuse by Chemogenomics Knowledgebase-guided Systems Pharmacology Target Mapping Analyses. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2268. [PMID: 30783122 PMCID: PMC6381188 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35449-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Captagon, known by its genetic name Fenethylline, is an addictive drug that complicates the War on Drugs. Captagon has a strong CNS stimulating effect than its primary metabolite, Amphetamine. However, multi-targets issues associated with the drug and metabolites as well as its underlying mechanisms have not been fully defined. In the present work, we applied our established drug-abuse chemogenomics-knowledgebase systems pharmacology approach to conduct targets/off-targets mapping (SP-Targets) investigation of Captagon and its metabolites for hallucination addiction, and also analyzed the cell signaling pathways for both Amphetamine and Theophylline with data mining of available literature. Of note, Amphetamine, an agonist for trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) with enhancing dopamine signaling (increase of irritability, aggression, etc.), is the main cause of Captagon addiction; Theophylline, an antagonist that blocks adenosine receptors (e.g. A2aR) in the brain responsible for restlessness and painlessness, may attenuate the behavioral sensitization caused by Amphetamine. We uncovered that Theophylline's metabolism and elimination could be retarded due to competition and/or blockage of the CYP2D6 enzyme by Amphetamine; We also found that the synergies between these two metabolites cause Captagon's psychoactive effects to act faster and far more potently than those of Amphetamine alone. We carried out further molecular docking modeling and molecular dynamics simulation to explore the molecular interactions between Amphetamine and Theophylline and their important GPCRs targets, including TAAR1 and adenosine receptors. All of the systems pharmacology analyses and results will shed light insight into a better understanding of Captagon addiction and future drug abuse prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
| | - Xibing He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
| | - William Kwon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261, United States.
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39
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Zhou L, Zhou S, Yang P, Tian Y, Feng Z, Xie XQ, Liu Y. Targeted inhibition of the type 2 cannabinoid receptor is a novel approach to reduce renal fibrosis. Kidney Int 2018; 94:756-772. [PMID: 30093080 PMCID: PMC6151282 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2018.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) is a G protein-coupled seven transmembrane receptor that transmits endogenous cannabinoid signaling. The role of CB2 in the pathogenesis of kidney injury and fibrosis remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that CB2 was induced, predominantly in kidney tubular epithelium, in various models of kidney disease induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction, adriamycin or ischemia/reperfusion injury. In vitro, forced expression of CB2 or treatment with a CB2 agonist was sufficient to trigger matrix gene expression, whereas knockdown of CB2 by siRNA abolished transforming growth factor-β1-induced signaling and fibrogenic responses in kidney tubular cells. CB2 also mediated fibroblasts and macrophage activation in vitro. Mice with genetic ablation of CB2 were protected against kidney injury after ureteral obstruction, validating a pathogenic role of CB2 in renal fibrosis in vivo. By using in silico screening and medicinal chemistry modifications, we discovered a novel compound, XL-001, that bound to CB2 with high affinity and selectivity and acted as an inverse agonist. Incubation with XL-001 inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion the fibrogenic response induced by CB2 overexpression, CB2 agonist or transforming growth factor-β1. In vivo, intraperitoneal injections of XL-001 ameliorated kidney injury, fibrosis and inflammation in both the obstruction and ischemia/reperfusion models. Delayed administration of XL-001 was also effective in ameliorating kidney fibrosis and inflammation. Thus, CB2 is a pathogenic mediator in kidney fibrosis and targeted inhibition with the novel inverse agonist XL-001 may provide a strategy in the fight against fibrotic kidney diseases.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Discovery
- Epithelium
- Extracellular Matrix/genetics
- Fibroblasts
- Fibrosis
- Gene Expression
- Gene Silencing
- Inflammation/etiology
- Inflammation/prevention & control
- Kidney Tubules/metabolism
- Kidney Tubules/pathology
- Macrophages
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/metabolism
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/etiology
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/genetics
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/prevention & control
- Reperfusion Injury/complications
- Signal Transduction
- Sulfonamides/chemistry
- Sulfonamides/pharmacology
- Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism
- Ureteral Obstruction/complications
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Shan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Computational Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Computational Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Computational Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Youhua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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40
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Wang Y, Lin W, Wu N, He X, Wang J, Feng Z, Xie XQ. An insight into paracetamol and its metabolites using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. J Mol Model 2018; 24:243. [PMID: 30121710 PMCID: PMC6733030 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-018-3790-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Paracetamol is a relatively safe analgesia/antipyretic drug without the risks of addiction, dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal when used alone. However, when administrated in an opioid/paracetamol combination product, which often contains a large quantity of paracetamol, it can be potentially dangerous due to the risk of hepatotoxicity. Paracetamol is known to be metabolized into N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-arachidonamide (AM404) via fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and into N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) via cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. However, the underlying mechanism of paracetamol is still unclear. In addition, paracetamol has the potential to interact with other drugs that are also involved with CYP family enzymes (inducer/inhibitor/substrate), an example being illicit drugs. In our present work, we looked into the relationship between paracetamol and its metabolites (AM404 and NAPQI) using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We first carried out a series of molecular docking studies between paracetamol/AM404/NAQPI and their reported targets, including CYP 2E1, FAAH, TRPA1, CB1, and TRPV1. Subsequently, we performed MD simulations and energy decomposition for CB1-AM404, TRPV1-AM404, and TRPV1-NAPQI for further investigation of the dynamics interactions. Finally, we summarized and discussed the reported drug-drug interactions between paracetamol and central nervous system drugs, especially illicit drugs. Overall, we are able to provide new insights into the structural and functional roles of paracetamol and its metabolites that can inform the potential prevention and treatment of paracetamol overdose. Graphical abstract Paracetamol and its metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanqiang Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing, 400054, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Target Based Drug Screening and Effect Evaluation, Chongqing, 400054, China
| | - Weiwei Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Xibing He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Zhiwei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
| | - Xiang-Qun Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- National Center of Excellence for Computational Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Departments of Computational Biology and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
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41
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Morales P, Goya P, Jagerovic N. Emerging strategies targeting CB 2 cannabinoid receptor: Biased agonism and allosterism. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 157:8-17. [PMID: 30055149 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
During these last years, the CB2 cannabinoid receptor has emerged as a potential anti-inflammatory target in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, ischemic stroke, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, and cancer. However, the development of clinically useful CB2 agonists reveals to be very challenging. Allosterism and biased-signaling mechanisms at CB2 receptor may offer new avenues for the development of improved CB2 receptor-targeted therapies. Although there has been some exploration of CB1 receptor activation by new CB1 allosteric or biased-signaling ligands, the CB2 receptor is still at initial stages in this domain. In an effort to understand the molecular basis behind these pharmacological approaches, we have analyzed and summarized the structural data reported so far at CB2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Morales
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Unidad Asociada I+D+i IQM/Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Calle Juan de la Cierva, 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Goya
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Unidad Asociada I+D+i IQM/Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Calle Juan de la Cierva, 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nadine Jagerovic
- Instituto de Química Médica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Unidad Asociada I+D+i IQM/Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Calle Juan de la Cierva, 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain.
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42
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Gado F, Di Cesare Mannelli L, Lucarini E, Bertini S, Cappelli E, Digiacomo M, Stevenson LA, Macchia M, Tuccinardi T, Ghelardini C, Pertwee RG, Manera C. Identification of the First Synthetic Allosteric Modulator of the CB 2 Receptors and Evidence of Its Efficacy for Neuropathic Pain Relief. J Med Chem 2018; 62:276-287. [PMID: 29990428 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The direct activation of cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) results in several beneficial effects; therefore several CBRs ligands have been synthesized and tested in vitro and in vivo. However, none of them reached an advanced phase of clinical development due mainly to side effects on the CNS. Medicinal chemistry approaches are now engaged to develop allosteric modulators that might offer a novel therapeutic approach to achieve potential therapeutic benefits avoiding inherent side effects of orthosteric ligands. Here we identify the first ever synthesized positive allosteric modulator (PAM) that targets CB2Rs. The evidence for this was obtained using [3H]CP55940 and [35S]GTPγS binding assays. This finding will be useful for the characterization of allosteric binding site(s) on CB2Rs which will be essential for the further development of CB2R allosteric modulators. Moreover, the new CB2R PAM displayed antinociceptive activity in vivo in an experimental mouse model of neuropathic pain, raising the possibility that it might be a good candidate for clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gado
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy
| | - Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology , University of Florence , 50139 Florence , Italy
| | - Elena Lucarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology , University of Florence , 50139 Florence , Italy
| | - Simone Bertini
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy
| | - Elena Cappelli
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy
| | - Maria Digiacomo
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy
| | - Lesley A Stevenson
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences , University of Aberdeen , AB25 2ZD Aberdeen , Scotland, U.K
| | - Marco Macchia
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Department of Pharmacy , University of Pisa , 56126 Pisa , Italy.,Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology , Temple University , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19122 , United States
| | - Carla Ghelardini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology , University of Florence , 50139 Florence , Italy
| | - Roger G Pertwee
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences , University of Aberdeen , AB25 2ZD Aberdeen , Scotland, U.K
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43
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Zheng Y, Ouyang Q, Fu R, Liu L, Zhang H, Hu X, Liu Y, Chen Y, Gao N. The cyclohexene derivative MC-3129 exhibits antileukemic activity via RhoA/ROCK1/PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway-mediated mitochondrial translocation of cofilin. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:656. [PMID: 29844397 PMCID: PMC5974298 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0689-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Revised: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The effects of MC-3129, a synthetic cyclohexene derivative, on cell viability and apoptosis have been investigated in human leukemia cells. Exposure of leukemia cells to MC-3129 led to the inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis through the dephosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of cofilin. A mechanistic study revealed that interruption of the RhoA/ROCK1/PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the MC-3129-mediated dephosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of cofilin and induction of apoptosis. Our in vivo study also showed that the MC-3129-mediated inhibition of the tumor growth in a mouse leukemia xenograft model is associated with the interruption of ROCK1/PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling and apoptosis. Molecular docking suggested that MC-3129 might activate the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway by targeting LPAR2. Collectively, these findings suggest a hierarchical model, in which the induction of apoptosis by MC-3129 primarily results from the activation of RhoA/ROCK1/PTEN and inactivation of PI3K/Akt, leading to the dephosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of cofilin, and culminating in cytochrome c release, caspase activation, and apoptosis. Our study reveals a novel role for RhoA/ROCK1/PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling in the regulation of mitochondrial translocation of cofilin and apoptosis and suggests MC-3129 as a potential drug for the treatment of human leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zheng
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Qin Ouyang
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruoqiu Fu
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | | | - Yanxia Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingchun Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China.
| | - Ning Gao
- College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China.
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44
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Xu L, Li D, Ding J, Pan L, Ding X. Insight into tetrodotoxin blockade and resistance mechanisms of Na v 1.2 sodium channel by theoretical approaches. Chem Biol Drug Des 2018; 92:1445-1457. [PMID: 29673065 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nav 1.2, a member of voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav s) that are responsible for the generation and propagation of action potentials along the cell membrane, and play a vital role in the process of information transmission within the nervous system and muscle contraction, is preferentially expressed in the central nervous system. As a potent and selective blocker of Nav s, tetrodotoxin (TTX) has been extensively studied in biological and chemical sciences, whereas the detailed mechanism by which it blocks nine Nav 1 channel subtypes remain elusive. Despite the high structural similarity, the TTX metabolite 4,9-anhydro-TTX is 161 times less effective toward the mammalian Nav 1.2, which puzzled us to ask a question why such a subtle structural variation results in the largely binding affinity difference. In the current work, an integrated computational strategy, including homology modeling, induced fit docking, explicit-solvent MD simulations, and free energy calculations, was employed to investigate the binding mechanism and conformational determinants of TTX analogs. Based on the computational results, the H-bond interactions between C4-OH and C9-OH of TTX and the outer ring carboxylates of the selectivity-filter residues, and the cation-π interaction between the primary amine of guanidinium of TTX and Phe385 determine the difference of their binding affinities. Moreover, the computationally simulations were carried out for the D384N and E945K mutants of hNav 1.2-TTX, and the rank of the predicted binding free energies is in accordance with the experimental data. These observations provide a valuable model to design potent and selective neurotoxins of Nav 1.2 and shed light on the blocking mechanism of TTX to sodium channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou, China
| | - Dayu Li
- Beijing Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, China
| | - Junjie Ding
- Beijing Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, China
| | - Li Pan
- Beijing Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Ding
- Beijing Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, China
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45
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Gao N, Liang T, Yuan Y, Xiao X, Zhao Y, Guo Y, Li M, Pu X. Exploring the mechanism of F282L mutation-caused constitutive activity of GPCR by a computational study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 18:29412-29422. [PMID: 27735961 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp03710k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important drug targets and generally activated by ligands. However, some experiments found that GPCRs also give rise to constitutive activity through some mutations (viz., CAM), which are usually associated with different kinds of diseases. However, the mechanisms of CAMs and their roles in interactions with drug-ligands are unclear in experiments. Herein, we used microsecond molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of one important F282L mutation on β2AR in order to address the questions above. With the aid of principle component and correlation analysis, our results revealed that the F282L mutation could increase the instability of the overall structure, increase the dramatic fluctuations of NPxxY and extracellular loops, and decrease restraint of the helices through weakening interhelical H-bonding and correlations between residues, which could partly contribute to the constitutive activity reported by the experiments. The observations from the protein structure network (PSN) analysis indicate that the mutant exhibits less information flow than the wild β2AR and weakens the role of TM5 and TM6 in the signal transmission, but it enhances the impact of TM3 on the orthosteric pathway and TM4 on the allosteric one. In addition, the results from the virtual screening reveal that the mutant prefers to select agonists rather than antagonists, similar to the active state but opposite of the inactive state, further confirming that the F282L mutation advances the activation of β2AR. Our observations provide valuable information for understanding the mechanism of the mutation-caused constitutive activity of GPCR and related drug-design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Gao
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tao Liang
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuan Yuan
- College of Management, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
| | - Xiuchan Xiao
- Department of Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Chengdu Technological University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611730, China
| | - Yihuan Zhao
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanzhi Guo
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Menglong Li
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xuemei Pu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, People's Republic of China.
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46
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Tuo W, Bollier M, Leleu-Chavain N, Lemaire L, Barczyk A, Dezitter X, Klupsch F, Szczepanski F, Spencer J, Chavatte P, Millet R. Development of novel oxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidines as competitive CB2 neutral antagonists based on scaffold hopping. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 146:68-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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47
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Allosteric Modulation of Intact γ-Secretase Structural Dynamics. Biophys J 2018; 113:2634-2649. [PMID: 29262358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As a protease complex involved in the cleavage of amyloid precursor proteins that lead to the formation of amyloid β fibrils implicated in Alzheimer's disease, γ-secretase is an important target for developing therapeutics against Alzheimer's disease. γ-secretase is composed of four subunits: nicastrin (NCT) in the extracellular (EC) domain, presenilin-1 (PS1), anterior pharynx defective 1, and presenilin enhancer 2 in the transmembrane (TM) domain. NCT and PS1 play important roles in binding amyloid β precursor proteins and modulating PS1 catalytic activity. Yet, the molecular mechanisms of coupling between substrate/modulator binding and catalytic activity remain to be elucidated. Recent determination of intact human γ-secretase cryo-electron microscopy structure has opened the way for a detailed investigation of the structural dynamics of this complex. Our analysis, based on a membrane-coupled anisotropic network model, reveals two types of NCT motions, bending and twisting, with respect to PS1. These underlie the fluctuations between the "open" and "closed" states of the lid-like NCT with respect to a hydrophilic loop 1 (HL1) on PS1, thus allowing or blocking access of the substrate peptide (EC portion) to HL1 and to the neighboring helix TM2. In addition to this alternating access mechanism, fluctuations in the volume of the PS1 central cavity facilitate the exposure of the catalytic site for substrate cleavage. Druggability simulations show that γ-secretase presents several hot spots for either orthosteric or allosteric inhibition of catalytic activity, consistent with experimental data. In particular, a hinge region at the interface between the EC and TM domains, near the interlobe groove of NCT, emerges as an allo-targeting site that would impact the coupling between HL1/TM2 and the catalytic pocket, opening, to our knowledge, new avenues for structure-based design of novel allosteric modulators of γ-secretase protease activity.
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48
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Huang X, Xu P, Cao Y, Liu L, Song G, Xu L. Exploring the binding mechanisms of PDE5 with chromeno[2,3-c]pyrrol-9(2H)-one by theoretical approaches. RSC Adv 2018; 8:30481-30490. [PMID: 35546827 PMCID: PMC9085377 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra06405a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), exclusively specific for the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), is an important drug target for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Although many PDE5 inhibitors have been approved, such as sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil and so on, extensive studies have reported some side effects, such as vision disturbance and hearing loss as a result of the amino acid sequence and the secondary structural similarity of other PDEs to the catalytic domain of PDE5. In this study, multiple docking strategies, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, free energy calculations and decomposition were employed to explore the structural determinants of PDE5 with a series of chromeno[2,3-c]pyrrol-9(2H)-one derivatives. First, reliable docking results were obtained using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) docking. Then, MD simulations and MM/GBSA free energy calculations were used to explore the dynamic binding process and characterize the binding modes of the inhibitors with different activities. The predicted binding free energies are in good agreement with the experimental data, and the MM/GBSA free energy decomposition analysis sheds light on the importance of hydrogen bonds with Gln817, π–π stacks against Phe820 and hydrophobic residues for the PDE5 binding of the studied inhibitors. The structural and energetic insights obtained here are useful for understanding the molecular mechanism of ligand binding and designing novel potent and selective PDE5 inhibitors with new scaffolds. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) is exclusively specific for the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and PDE5 is an important drug target for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianfeng Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences
- Changzhou University
- Changzhou
- PR China
| | - Peng Xu
- Department of Orthopedics
- Second Military Medical University Affiliated Changzheng Hospital
- Shanghai
- China
| | - Yijing Cao
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences
- Changzhou University
- Changzhou
- PR China
| | - Li Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences
- Changzhou University
- Changzhou
- PR China
| | - Guoqiang Song
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Sciences
- Changzhou University
- Changzhou
- PR China
| | - Lei Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering
- Jiangsu University of Technology
- Changzhou 213001
- China
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49
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Liang T, Yuan Y, Wang R, Guo Y, Li M, Pu X, Li C. Structural Features and Ligand Selectivity for 10 Intermediates in the Activation Process of β 2-Adrenergic Receptor. ACS OMEGA 2017; 2:8557-8567. [PMID: 30023586 PMCID: PMC6045391 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b01031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
It has already been suggested by researchers that there should be multiple intermediate states in the activation process for G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). However, the intermediate states are very short-lived and hardly captured by the experiments, leading to very limited understanding of their structural features and drug efficacies. In this work, a novel joint strategy of targeted molecular dynamics simulation, conventional molecular dynamics simulation, and virtual screening is developed to address the problems. The results from 10 intermediate conformations obtained from the work reveal that the ligand pocket is very unstable and fluctuates between the inactive state and the active one in the case of ligand-free, in particular for ECL2 as a gate-keeper of the ligand-binding. The ligand-binding site could be stable in the active state with a small volume and a completely closed ECL2, only when the G-protein-binding region is fully activated. In addition, the activations of the ligand-binding pocket and G-protein-binding site are relatively independent and exhibit a loose allosteric coupling, which contributes to the existence of multiple intermediate conformations. Interestingly, the screening performance of the agonists does not increase on increasing the overall activity of the intermediate state, but is dependent on the activated extent of the ligand pocket. The receptor is prone to bind the agonist when closing ECL2 and reducing the ligand-binding pocket volume, whereas it is more favorable for binding the antagonist when opening ECL2 and increasing the pocket volume. These observations added to previous studies could help us better understand the activation mechanism of GPCRs and provide valuable information for drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liang
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- College
of Management, Southwest University for
Nationalities, No. 16 South Section 4, Yihuan Road, Chengdu 610041, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Ran Wang
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Yanzhi Guo
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Menglong Li
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Chuan Li
- College
of Chemistry and College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, No. 29 Jiuyanqiao Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic
of China
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Ogawa LM, Burford NT, Liao YH, Scott CE, Hine AM, Dowling C, Chin J, Power M, Hunnicutt EJ, Emerick VL, Banks M, Zhang L, Gerritz SW, Alt A, Kendall DA. Discovery of Selective Cannabinoid CB 2 Receptor Agonists by High-Throughput Screening. SLAS DISCOVERY 2017; 23:375-383. [PMID: 29257918 DOI: 10.1177/2472555217748403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a diverse role in human physiology ranging from the regulation of mood and appetite to immune modulation and the response to pain. Drug development that targets the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) has been explored; however, success in the clinic has been limited by the psychoactive side effects associated with modulation of the neuronally expressed CB1 that are enriched in the CNS. CB2, however, are expressed in peripheral tissues, primarily in immune cells, and thus development of CB2-selective drugs holds the potential to modulate pain among other indications without eliciting anxiety and other undesirable side effects associated with CB1 activation. As part of a collaborative effort among industry and academic laboratories, we performed a high-throughput screen designed to discover selective agonists or positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of CB2. Although no CB2 PAMs were identified, 167 CB2 agonists were discovered here, and further characterization of four select compounds revealed two with high selectivity for CB2 versus CB1. These results broaden drug discovery efforts aimed at the ECS and may lead to the development of novel therapies for immune modulation and pain management with improved side effect profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Ogawa
- 1 Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Neil T Burford
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Yu-Hsien Liao
- 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Caitlin E Scott
- 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Ashley M Hine
- 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Craig Dowling
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Jefferson Chin
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Mike Power
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Martyn Banks
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Litao Zhang
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Samuel W Gerritz
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Andrew Alt
- 2 Bristol-Myers Squibb, Research and Development, Wallingford, CT, USA
| | - Debra A Kendall
- 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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