1
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Chuan J, Li W, Pan S, Jiang Z, Shi J, Yang Z. Progress in the development of Modulators targeting Frizzleds. Pharmacol Res 2024; 206:107286. [PMID: 38936522 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The Frizzleds (FZDs) receptors on the cell surface belong to the class F of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) which are the major receptors of WNT protein that mediates the classical WNT signaling pathway and other non-classical pathways. Besides, the FZDs also play a core role in tissue regeneration and tumor occurrence. With the structure and mechanism of FZDs activation becoming clearer, a series of FZDs modulators (inhibitors and agonists) have been developed, with the hope of bringing benefits to the treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases. Most of the FZDs inhibitors (small molecules, antibodies or designed protein inhibitors) block WNT signaling through binding to the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of FZDs. Several small molecules impede FZDs activation by targeting to the third intracellular domain or the transmembrane domain of FZDs. However, three small molecules (FZM1.8, SAG1.3 and purmorphamine) activate the FZDs through direct interaction with the transmembrane domain. Another type of FZDs agonists are bivalent or tetravalent antibodies which activate the WNT signaling via inducing FZD-LRP5/6 heterodimerization. In this article, we reviewed the FZDs modulators reported in recent years, summarized the critical molecules' discovery processes and the elucidated relevant structural and pharmacological mechanisms. We believe the summaried molecular mechanisms of the relevant modulators could provide important guidance and reference for the future development of FZD modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junlan Chuan
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study and Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Li
- Center for Natural Products Research, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu 610041, China; The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 380 Huaibeizhuang, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Shengliu Pan
- Center for Natural Products Research, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Chengdu 610041, China; The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 380 Huaibeizhuang, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Zhongliang Jiang
- Hematology Department, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
| | - Jianyou Shi
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study and Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Zhenglin Yang
- Research Unit for Blindness Prevention, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China.
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2
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Schulte G, Scharf MM, Bous J, Voss JH, Grätz L, Kozielewicz P. Frizzleds act as dynamic pharmacological entities. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:419-429. [PMID: 38594145 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.03.003] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Frizzled family of transmembrane receptors (FZD1-10) belongs to the class F of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). FZDs bind to and are activated by Wingless/Int1 (WNT) proteins. The WNT/FZD signaling system regulates crucial aspects of developmental biology and stem-cell regulation. Dysregulation of WNT/FZD communication can lead to developmental defects and diseases such as cancer and fibrosis. Recent insight into the activation mechanisms of FZDs has underlined that protein dynamics and conserved microswitches are essential for FZD-mediated information flow and build the basis for targeting these receptors pharmacologically. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of FZD activation, and how novel concepts merge and collide with existing dogmas in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Magdalena M Scharf
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julien Bous
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Hendrik Voss
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lukas Grätz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Ma S, Yin X, Pin JP, Rondard P, Yi P, Liu J. Absence of calcium-sensing receptor basal activity due to inter-subunit disulfide bridges. Commun Biol 2024; 7:501. [PMID: 38664468 PMCID: PMC11045811 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06189-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors naturally oscillate between inactive and active states, often resulting in receptor constitutive activity with important physiological consequences. Among the class C G protein-coupled receptors that typically sense amino-acids and their derivatives, the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) tightly controls blood calcium levels. Its constitutive activity has not yet been studied. Here, we demonstrate the importance of the inter-subunit disulfide bridges in maintaining the inactive state of CaSR, resulting in undetectable constitutive activity, unlike the other class C receptors. Deletion of these disulfide bridges results in strong constitutive activity that is abolished by mutations preventing amino acid binding. It shows that this inter-subunit disulfide link is necessary to limit the agonist effect of amino acids on CaSR. Furthermore, human genetic mutations deleting these bridges and associated with hypocalcemia result in elevated CaSR constitutive activity. These results highlight the physiological importance of fine tuning the constitutive activity of G protein-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Ma
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xueliang Yin
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Philippe Rondard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
| | - Ping Yi
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, International Research Center for Sensory Biology and Technology of MOST, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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4
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Shin J, Park J, Jeong J, Lam JH, Qiu X, Wu D, Kim K, Lee JY, Robinson CV, Hyun J, Katritch V, Kim KP, Cho Y. Constitutive activation mechanism of a class C GPCR. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:678-687. [PMID: 38332368 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01224-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Class C G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are activated through binding of agonists to the large extracellular domain (ECD) followed by rearrangement of the transmembrane domains (TMDs). GPR156, a class C orphan GPCR, is unique because it lacks an ECD and exhibits constitutive activity. Impaired GPR156-Gi signaling contributes to loss of hearing. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy structures of human GPR156 in the Go-free and Go-coupled states. We found that an endogenous phospholipid molecule is located within each TMD of the GPR156 dimer. Asymmetric binding of Gα to the phospholipid-bound GPR156 dimer restructures the first and second intracellular loops and the carboxy-terminal part of the elongated transmembrane 7 (TM7) without altering dimer conformation. Our findings reveal that GPR156 is a transducer for phospholipid signaling. Constant binding of abundant phospholipid molecules and the G-protein-induced reshaping of the cytoplasmic face provide a basis for the constitutive activation of GPR156.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwoo Shin
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhyeon Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jieun Jeong
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Jordy Homing Lam
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Bridge Institute and Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xingyu Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo-Youn Lee
- Therapeutics and Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Carol V Robinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jaekyung Hyun
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Vsevolod Katritch
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Bridge Institute and Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for New Technologies in Drug Discovery and Development, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kwang Pyo Kim
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kyung Hee Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yunje Cho
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Medical Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Garcia-Marcos M. Heterotrimeric G protein signaling without GPCRs: The Gα-binding-and-activating (GBA) motif. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105756. [PMID: 38364891 PMCID: PMC10943482 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterotrimeric G proteins (Gαβγ) are molecular switches that relay signals from 7-transmembrane receptors located at the cell surface to the cytoplasm. The function of these receptors is so intimately linked to heterotrimeric G proteins that they are named G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), showcasing the interdependent nature of this archetypical receptor-transducer axis of transmembrane signaling in eukaryotes. It is generally assumed that activation of heterotrimeric G protein signaling occurs exclusively by the action of GPCRs, but this idea has been challenged by the discovery of alternative mechanisms by which G proteins can propagate signals in the cell. This review will focus on a general principle of G protein signaling that operates without the direct involvement of GPCRs. The mechanism of G protein signaling reviewed here is mediated by a class of G protein regulators defined by containing an evolutionarily conserved sequence named the Gα-binding-and-activating (GBA) motif. Using the best characterized proteins with a GBA motif as examples, Gα-interacting vesicle-associated protein (GIV)/Girdin and dishevelled-associating protein with a high frequency of leucine residues (DAPLE), this review will cover (i) the mechanisms by which extracellular cues not relayed by GPCRs promote the coupling of GBA motif-containing regulators with G proteins, (ii) the structural and molecular basis for how GBA motifs interact with Gα subunits to facilitate signaling, (iii) the relevance of this mechanism in different cellular and pathological processes, including cancer and birth defects, and (iv) strategies to manipulate GBA-G protein coupling for experimental therapeutics purposes, including the development of rationally engineered proteins and chemical probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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6
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Kinsolving J, Bous J, Kozielewicz P, Košenina S, Shekhani R, Grätz L, Masuyer G, Wang Y, Stenmark P, Dong M, Schulte G. Structural and functional insight into the interaction of Clostridioides difficile toxin B and FZD 7. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113727. [PMID: 38308843 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The G protein-coupled receptors of the Frizzled (FZD) family, in particular FZD1,2,7, are receptors that are exploited by Clostridioides difficile toxin B (TcdB), the major virulence factor responsible for pathogenesis associated with Clostridioides difficile infection. We employ a live-cell assay examining the affinity between full-length FZDs and TcdB. Moreover, we present cryoelectron microscopy structures of TcdB alone and in complex with full-length FZD7, which reveal that large structural rearrangements of the combined repetitive polypeptide domain are required for interaction with FZDs and other TcdB receptors, constituting a first step for receptor recognition. Furthermore, we show that bezlotoxumab, an FDA-approved monoclonal antibody to treat Clostridioides difficile infection, favors the apo-TcdB structure and thus disrupts binding with FZD7. The dynamic transition between the two conformations of TcdB also governs the stability of the pore-forming region. Thus, our work provides structural and functional insight into how conformational dynamics of TcdB determine receptor binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kinsolving
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julien Bous
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Košenina
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rawan Shekhani
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lukas Grätz
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Geoffrey Masuyer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yuankai Wang
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery and Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pål Stenmark
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery and Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden.
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7
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Scharf MM, Humphrys LJ, Berndt S, Di Pizio A, Lehmann J, Liebscher I, Nicoli A, Niv MY, Peri L, Schihada H, Schulte G. The dark sides of the GPCR tree - research progress on understudied GPCRs. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38339984 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A large portion of the human GPCRome is still in the dark and understudied, consisting even of entire subfamilies of GPCRs such as odorant receptors, class A and C orphans, adhesion GPCRs, Frizzleds and taste receptors. However, it is undeniable that these GPCRs bring an untapped therapeutic potential that should be explored further. Open questions on these GPCRs span diverse topics such as deorphanisation, the development of tool compounds and tools for studying these GPCRs, as well as understanding basic signalling mechanisms. This review gives an overview of the current state of knowledge for each of the diverse subfamilies of understudied receptors regarding their physiological relevance, molecular mechanisms, endogenous ligands and pharmacological tools. Furthermore, it identifies some of the largest knowledge gaps that should be addressed in the foreseeable future and lists some general strategies that might be helpful in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena M Scharf
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura J Humphrys
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Berndt
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Molecular Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antonella Di Pizio
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Chemoinformatics and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Science, School of Life Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Juliane Lehmann
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Molecular Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ines Liebscher
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Molecular Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alessandro Nicoli
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Chemoinformatics and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Science, School of Life Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Masha Y Niv
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lior Peri
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Zhang Z, Lin X, Wei L, Wu Y, Xu L, Wu L, Wei X, Zhao S, Zhu X, Xu F. A framework for Frizzled-G protein coupling and implications to the PCP signaling pathways. Cell Discov 2024; 10:3. [PMID: 38182578 PMCID: PMC10770037 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The ten Frizzled receptors (FZDs) are essential in Wnt signaling and play important roles in embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Among these, FZD6 is closely associated with lens development. Understanding FZD activation mechanism is key to unlock these emerging targets. Here we present the cryo-EM structures of FZD6 and FZD3 which are known to relay non-canonical planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathways as well as FZD1 in their G protein-coupled states and in the apo inactive states, respectively. Comparison of the three inactive/active pairs unveiled a shared activation framework among all ten FZDs. Mutagenesis along with imaging and functional analysis on the human lens epithelial tissues suggested potential crosstalk between the G-protein coupling of FZD6 and the PCP signaling pathways. Together, this study provides an integrated understanding of FZD structure and function, and lays the foundation for developing therapeutic modulators to activate or inhibit FZD signaling for a range of disorders including cancers and cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Zhang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Lin
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Wei
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohu Wei
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangjia Zhu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Cheng L, Xia F, Li Z, Shen C, Yang Z, Hou H, Sun S, Feng Y, Yong X, Tian X, Qin H, Yan W, Shao Z. Structure, function and drug discovery of GPCR signaling. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2023; 4:46. [PMID: 38047990 PMCID: PMC10695916 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00156-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are versatile and vital proteins involved in a wide array of physiological processes and responses, such as sensory perception (e.g., vision, taste, and smell), immune response, hormone regulation, and neurotransmission. Their diverse and essential roles in the body make them a significant focus for pharmaceutical research and drug development. Currently, approximately 35% of marketed drugs directly target GPCRs, underscoring their prominence as therapeutic targets. Recent advances in structural biology have substantially deepened our understanding of GPCR activation mechanisms and interactions with G-protein and arrestin signaling pathways. This review offers an in-depth exploration of both traditional and recent methods in GPCR structure analysis. It presents structure-based insights into ligand recognition and receptor activation mechanisms and delves deeper into the mechanisms of canonical and noncanonical signaling pathways downstream of GPCRs. Furthermore, it highlights recent advancements in GPCR-related drug discovery and development. Particular emphasis is placed on GPCR selective drugs, allosteric and biased signaling, polyphamarcology, and antibody drugs. Our goal is to provide researchers with a thorough and updated understanding of GPCR structure determination, signaling pathway investigation, and drug development. This foundation aims to propel forward-thinking therapeutic approaches that target GPCRs, drawing upon the latest insights into GPCR ligand selectivity, activation, and biased signaling mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Fan Xia
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ziyan Li
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chenglong Shen
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiqian Yang
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Hanlin Hou
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Suyue Sun
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuying Feng
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xihao Yong
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaowen Tian
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongxi Qin
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zhenhua Shao
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
- Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Frontiers Medical Center, Chengdu, 610212, China.
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10
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Li C, Wu Y, Wang W, Xu L, Zhou Y, Yue Y, Wu T, Yang M, Qiu Y, Huang M, Zhou F, Zhou Y, Hao P, Lin Z, Wang MW, Zhao S, Yang D, Xu F, Tao H. Structure-Based Ligand Discovery Targeting the Transmembrane Domain of Frizzled Receptor FZD7. J Med Chem 2023; 66:11855-11868. [PMID: 37669317 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the essential roles of Frizzled receptors (FZDs) in mediating Wnt signaling in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, ligands targeting FZDs are rare. A few antibodies and peptide modulators have been developed that mainly bind to the family-conserved extracellular cysteine-rich domain of FZDs, while the canonical binding sites in the transmembrane domain (TMD) are far from sufficiently addressed. Based on the recent structures of FZDs, we explored small-molecule ligand discovery by targeting TMD. From the ChemDiv library with ∼1.6 million compounds, we identified compound F7H as an antagonist of FZD7 with an IC50 at 1.25 ± 0.38 μM. Focusing on this hit, the structural dissection study, together with computing studies such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and free energy perturbation calculations, defined the binding pocket with key residue recognition. Our results revealed the structural basis of ligand recognition and demonstrated the feasibility of structure-guided ligand discovery for FZD7-TMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuixia Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Wenli Wang
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Lu Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- The National Center for Drug Screening, The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Yue
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Meifang Yang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yanli Qiu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Minhao Huang
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yiqing Zhou
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Changshu Institute of Technology, Suzhou 215500, China
| | - Piliang Hao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhixiong Lin
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Floor 3, Sf Industrial Plant, No. 2 Hongliu Road, Fubao Community, Fubao Street, Futian District, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- The National Center for Drug Screening, The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203 Shanghai, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Dehua Yang
- The National Center for Drug Screening, The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Houchao Tao
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
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11
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Grätz L, Kowalski-Jahn M, Scharf MM, Kozielewicz P, Jahn M, Bous J, Lambert NA, Gloriam DE, Schulte G. Pathway selectivity in Frizzleds is achieved by conserved micro-switches defining pathway-determining, active conformations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4573. [PMID: 37516754 PMCID: PMC10387068 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The class Frizzled of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), consisting of ten Frizzled (FZD1-10) paralogs and Smoothened, remains one of the most enigmatic GPCR families. This class mediates signaling predominantly through Disheveled (DVL) or heterotrimeric G proteins. However, the mechanisms underlying pathway selection are elusive. Here we employ a structure-driven mutagenesis approach in combination with an extensive panel of functional signaling readouts to investigate the importance of conserved state-stabilizing residues in FZD5 for signal specification. Similar data were obtained for FZD4 and FZD10 suggesting that our findings can be extrapolated to other members of the FZD family. Comparative molecular dynamics simulations of wild type and selected FZD5 mutants further support the concept that distinct conformational changes in FZDs specify the signal outcome. In conclusion, we find that FZD5 and FZDs in general prefer coupling to DVL rather than heterotrimeric G proteins and that distinct active state micro-switches in the receptor are essential for pathway selection arguing for conformational changes in the receptor protein defining transducer selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Grätz
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magdalena M Scharf
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Jahn
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, S-17121, Solna, Sweden
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Bioinformatics platform, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julien Bous
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nevin A Lambert
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
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12
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Wong TS, Li G, Li S, Gao W, Chen G, Gan S, Zhang M, Li H, Wu S, Du Y. G protein-coupled receptors in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:177. [PMID: 37137892 PMCID: PMC10154768 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01427-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are multifactorial disorders with diverse aetiological factors. Identifying treatment targets is challenging because the diseases are resulting from heterogeneous biological, genetic, and environmental factors. Nevertheless, the increasing understanding of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) opens a new possibility in drug discovery. Harnessing our knowledge of molecular mechanisms and structural information of GPCRs will be advantageous for developing effective drugs. This review provides an overview of the role of GPCRs in various neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Besides, we highlight the emerging opportunities of novel GPCR targets and address recent progress in GPCR drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thian-Sze Wong
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Guangzhi Li
- Institute of Urology, The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiliang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Geng Chen
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiyi Gan
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Manzhan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China
| | - Honglin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 200237, Shanghai, China.
- Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, 200062, Shanghai, China.
| | - Song Wu
- Institute of Urology, The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Urology, South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, 518116, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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13
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Bansal PD, Dutta S, Shukla D. Activation mechanism of the human Smoothened receptor. Biophys J 2023; 122:1400-1413. [PMID: 36883002 PMCID: PMC10111369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) is a membrane protein of the class F subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and maintains homeostasis of cellular differentiation. SMO undergoes conformational change during activation, transmitting the signal across the membrane, making it amenable to bind to its intracellular signaling partner. Receptor activation has been studied at length for class A receptors, but the mechanism of class F receptor activation remains unknown. Agonists and antagonists bound to SMO at sites in the transmembrane domain (TMD) and the cysteine-rich domain have been characterized, giving a static view of the various conformations SMO adopts. Although the structures of the inactive and active SMO outline the residue-level transitions, a kinetic view of the overall activation process remains unexplored for class F receptors. We describe SMO's activation process in atomistic detail by performing 300 μs of molecular dynamics simulations and combining it with Markov state model theory. A molecular switch, conserved across class F and analogous to the activation-mediating D-R-Y motif in class A receptors, is observed to break during activation. We also show that this transition occurs in a stage-wise movement of the transmembrane helices: TM6 first, followed by TM5. To see how modulators affect SMO activity, we simulated agonist and antagonist-bound SMO. We observed that agonist-bound SMO has an expanded hydrophobic tunnel in SMO's core TMD, whereas antagonist-bound SMO shrinks this tunnel, further supporting the hypothesis that cholesterol travels through a tunnel inside Smoothened to activate it. In summary, this study elucidates the distinct activation mechanism of class F GPCRs and shows that SMO's activation process rearranges the core TMD to open a hydrophobic conduit for cholesterol transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek D Bansal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
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14
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Mahoney JP, Bruguera ES, Vasishtha M, Killingsworth LB, Kyaw S, Weis WI. PI(4,5)P 2-stimulated positive feedback drives the recruitment of Dishevelled to Frizzled in Wnt-β-catenin signaling. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabo2820. [PMID: 35998232 PMCID: PMC9528458 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abo2820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In the Wnt-β-catenin pathway, Wnt binding to Frizzled (Fzd) and LRP5 or LRP6 (LRP5/6) co-receptors inhibits the degradation of the transcriptional coactivator β-catenin by recruiting the cytosolic effector Dishevelled (Dvl). Polymerization of Dvl at the plasma membrane recruits the β-catenin destruction complex, enabling the phosphorylation of LRP5/6, a key step in inhibiting β-catenin degradation. Using purified Fzd proteins reconstituted in lipid nanodiscs, we investigated the factors that promote the recruitment of Dvl to the plasma membrane. We found that the affinity of Fzd for Dvl was not affected by Wnt ligands, in contrast to other members of the GPCR superfamily for which the binding of extracellular ligands affects the affinity for downstream transducers. Instead, Fzd-Dvl binding was enhanced by increased concentration of the lipid PI(4,5)P2, which is generated by Dvl-associated lipid kinases in response to Wnt and which is required for LRP5/6 phosphorylation. Moreover, binding to Fzd did not promote Dvl DEP domain dimerization, which has been proposed to be required for signaling downstream of Fzd. Our findings suggest a positive feedback loop in which Wnt-stimulated local PI(4,5)P2 production enhances Dvl recruitment and further PI(4,5)P2 production to support Dvl polymerization, LRP5/6 phosphorylation, and β-catenin stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P Mahoney
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Elise S Bruguera
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Mansi Vasishtha
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Lauren B Killingsworth
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - Saw Kyaw
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
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15
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Schihada H, Klompstra TM, Humphrys LJ, Cervenka I, Dadvar S, Kolb P, Ruas JL, Schulte G. Isoforms of GPR35 have distinct extracellular N-termini that allosterically modify receptor-transducer coupling and mediate intracellular pathway bias. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102328. [PMID: 35933013 PMCID: PMC9450150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the intestine, the human G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR35 is involved in oncogenic signaling, bacterial infections, and inflammatory bowel disease. GPR35 is known to be expressed as two distinct isoforms that differ only in the length of their extracellular N-termini by 31 amino acids, but detailed insights into their functional differences are lacking. Through gene expression analysis in immune and gastrointestinal cells, we show that these isoforms emerge from distinct promoter usage and alternative splicing. Additionally, we employed optical assays in living cells to thoroughly profile both GPR35 isoforms for constitutive and ligand-induced activation and signaling of 10 different heterotrimeric G proteins, ligand-induced arrestin recruitment, and receptor internalization. Our results reveal that the extended N-terminus of the long isoform limits G protein activation yet elevates receptor–β-arrestin interaction. To better understand the structural basis for this bias, we examined structural models of GPR35 and conducted experiments with mutants of both isoforms. We found that a proposed disulfide bridge between the N-terminus and extracellular loop 3, present in both isoforms, is crucial for constitutive G13 activation, while an additional cysteine contributed by the extended N-terminus of the long GPR35 isoform limits the extent of agonist-induced receptor–β-arrestin2 interaction. The pharmacological profiles and mechanistic insights of our study provide clues for the future design of isoform-specific GPR35 ligands that selectively modulate GPR35–transducer interactions and allow for mechanism-based therapies against, for example, inflammatory bowel disease or bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Schihada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas M Klompstra
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura J Humphrys
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Igor Cervenka
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shamim Dadvar
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Kolb
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jorge L Ruas
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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16
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Chen Q, Tesmer JJG. G protein-coupled receptor interactions with arrestins and GPCR kinases: the unresolved issue of signal bias. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102279. [PMID: 35863432 PMCID: PMC9418498 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) and arrestins interact with agonist-bound GPCRs to promote receptor desensitization and downregulation. They also trigger signaling cascades distinct from those of heterotrimeric G proteins. Biased agonists for GPCRs that favor either heterotrimeric G protein or GRK/arrestin signaling are of profound pharmacological interest because they could usher in a new generation of drugs with greatly reduced side effects. One mechanism by which biased agonism might occur is by stabilizing receptor conformations that preferentially bind to GRKs and/or arrestins. In this review, we explore this idea by comparing structures of GPCRs bound to heterotrimeric G proteins with those of the same GPCRs in complex with arrestins and GRKs. The arrestin and GRK complexes all exhibit high conformational heterogeneity, which is likely a consequence of their unusual ability to adapt and bind to hundreds of different GPCRs. This dynamic behavior, along with the experimental tactics required to stabilize GPCR complexes for biophysical analysis, confounds these comparisons, but some possible molecular mechanisms of bias are beginning to emerge. We also examine if and how the recent structures advance our understanding of how arrestins parse the “phosphorylation barcodes” installed in the intracellular loops and tails of GPCRs by GRKs. In the future, structural analyses of arrestins in complex with intact receptors that have well-defined native phosphorylation barcodes, such as those installed by the two nonvisual subfamilies of GRKs, will be particularly illuminating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Chen
- Departments of Biological Sciences and of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - John J G Tesmer
- Departments of Biological Sciences and of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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17
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del Alamo D, Sala D, Mchaourab HS, Meiler J. Sampling alternative conformational states of transporters and receptors with AlphaFold2. eLife 2022; 11:75751. [PMID: 35238773 PMCID: PMC9023059 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Equilibrium fluctuations and triggered conformational changes often underlie the functional cycles of membrane proteins. For example, transporters mediate the passage of molecules across cell membranes by alternating between inward- and outward-facing states, while receptors undergo intracellular structural rearrangements that initiate signaling cascades. Although the conformational plasticity of these proteins has historically posed a challenge for traditional de novo protein structure prediction pipelines, the recent success of AlphaFold2 (AF2) in CASP14 culminated in the modeling of a transporter in multiple conformations to high accuracy. Given that AF2 was designed to predict static structures of proteins, it remains unclear if this result represents an underexplored capability to accurately predict multiple conformations and/or structural heterogeneity. Here, we present an approach to drive AF2 to sample alternative conformations of topologically diverse transporters and G-protein-coupled receptors that are absent from the AF2 training set. Whereas models of most proteins generated using the default AF2 pipeline are conformationally homogeneous and nearly identical to one another, reducing the depth of the input multiple sequence alignments by stochastic subsampling led to the generation of accurate models in multiple conformations. In our benchmark, these conformations spanned the range between two experimental structures of interest, with models at the extremes of these conformational distributions observed to be among the most accurate (average template modeling score of 0.94). These results suggest a straightforward approach to identifying native-like alternative states, while also highlighting the need for the next generation of deep learning algorithms to be designed to predict ensembles of biophysically relevant states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego del Alamo
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
| | - Davide Sala
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Hassane S Mchaourab
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
| | - Jens Meiler
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
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18
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Kowalski-Jahn M, Schihada H, Turku A, Huber T, Sakmar TP, Schulte G. Frizzled BRET sensors based on bioorthogonal labeling of unnatural amino acids reveal WNT-induced dynamics of the cysteine-rich domain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj7917. [PMID: 34757789 PMCID: PMC8580317 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Frizzleds (FZD1–10) are G protein–coupled receptors containing an extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) binding Wingless/Int-1 lipoglycoproteins (WNTs). Despite the role of WNT/FZD signaling in health and disease, our understanding of how WNT binding is translated into receptor activation and transmembrane signaling remains limited. Current hypotheses dispute the roles for conformational dynamics. To clarify how WNT binding to FZD translates into receptor dynamics, we devised conformational FZD-CRD biosensors based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Using FZD with N-terminal nanoluciferase (Nluc) and fluorescently labeled unnatural amino acids in the linker domain and extracellular loop 3, we show that WNT-3A and WNT-5A induce similar CRD conformational rearrangements despite promoting distinct signaling pathways and that CRD dynamics are not required for WNT/β-catenin signaling. Thus, these FZD-CRD biosensors provide insights into binding, activation, and signaling processes in FZDs. The sensor design is broadly applicable to explore ligand-induced dynamics also in other membrane receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Huber
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas P. Sakmar
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author.
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19
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Liu D, Qian D, Shen H, Gong D. Structure of the human Meckel-Gruber protein Meckelin. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj9748. [PMID: 34731008 PMCID: PMC8565905 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj9748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the Meckelin gene account for most cases of the Meckel-Gruber syndrome, the most severe ciliopathy with a 100% mortality rate. Here, we report a 3.3-Å cryo–electron microscopy structure of human Meckelin (also known as TMEM67 and MKS3). The structure reveals a unique protein fold consisting of an unusual cysteine-rich domain that folds as an arch bridge stabilized by 11 pairs of disulfide bonds, a previously uncharacterized domain named β sheet–rich domain, a previously unidentified seven-transmembrane fold wherein TM4 to TM6 are broken near the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane, and a coiled-coil domain placed below the transmembrane domain. Meckelin forms a stable homodimer with an extensive dimer interface. Our structure establishes a framework for dissecting the function and disease mechanisms of Meckelin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Dandan Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Huaizong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Deshun Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Corresponding author.
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20
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Schihada H, Shekhani R, Schulte G. Quantitative assessment of constitutive G protein-coupled receptor activity with BRET-based G protein biosensors. Sci Signal 2021; 14:eabf1653. [PMID: 34516756 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abf1653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Schihada
- Section for Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solnavägen 9, SE-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rawan Shekhani
- Section for Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solnavägen 9, SE-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section for Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solnavägen 9, SE-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
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