1
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Zeng Q, Meng G, Zhao B, Lin H, Guan Y, Qin X, Yuan Y, Li Y, Wang Q. Peptide Drug Design Using Alchemical Free Energy Calculation: An Application and Validation on Agonists of Ghrelin Receptor. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4863-4876. [PMID: 38836743 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
With recent large-scale applications and validations, the relative binding free energy (RBFE) calculated using alchemical free energy methods has been proven to be an accurate measure to probe the binding of small-molecule drug candidates. On the other hand, given the flexibility of peptides, it is of great interest to find out whether sufficient sampling could be achieved within the typical time scale of such calculation, and a similar level of accuracy could be reached for peptide drugs. However, the systematic evaluation of such calculations on protein-peptide systems has been less reported. Most reported studies of peptides were restricted to a limited number of data points or lacking experimental support. To demonstrate the applicability of the alchemical free energy method for protein-peptide systems in a typical real-world drug discovery project, we report an application of the thermodynamic integration (TI) method to the RBFE calculation of ghrelin receptor and its peptide agonists. Along with the calculation, the synthesis and in vitro EC50 activity of relamorelin and 17 new peptide derivatives were also reported. A cost-effective criterion to determine the data collection time was proposed for peptides in the TI simulation. The average of three TI repeats yielded a mean absolute error of 0.98 kcal/mol and Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) of 0.77 against the experimental free energy derived from the in vitro EC50 activity, showing good repeatability of the proposed method and a slightly better agreement than the results obtained from the arbitrary time frames up to 20 ns. Although it is limited by having one target and a deduced binding pose, we hope that this study can add some insights into alchemical free energy calculation of protein-peptide systems, providing theoretical assistance to the development of peptide drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Guangpeng Meng
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Bingyu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Haodian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuqing Guan
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Xiaobin Qin
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yu Yuan
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yuanbo Li
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Qiantao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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2
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Zhang L, Liu J, Gao D, Li D. Role of ghrelin in promoting catch-up growth and maintaining metabolic homeostasis in small-for-gestational-age infants. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1395571. [PMID: 38903769 PMCID: PMC11187245 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1395571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Small-for-gestational age (SGA) has been a great concern in the perinatal period as it leads to adverse perinatal outcomes and increased neonatal morbidity and mortality, has an impact on long-term health outcomes, and increases the risk of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular, and endocrine diseases in adulthood. As an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagotor (GHS-R), ghrelin may play an important role in regulating growth and energy metabolic homeostasis from fetal to adult life. We reviewed the role of ghrelin in catch-up growth and energy metabolism of SGA in recent years. In addition to promoting SGA catch-up growth, ghrelin may also participate in SGA energy metabolism and maintain metabolic homeostasis. The causes of small gestational age infants are very complex and may be related to a variety of metabolic pathway disorders. The related signaling pathways regulated by ghrelin may help to identify high-risk groups of SGA metabolic disorders and formulate targeted interventions to prevent the occurrence of adult dwarfism, insulin resistance-related metabolic syndrome and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Jingfei Liu
- Department of Neonatology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, China
| | - Dianyong Gao
- Department of Orthopedics, Lushunkou District People’s Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Dong Li
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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3
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Jin S, Guo S, Xu Y, Li X, Wu C, He X, Pan B, Xin W, Zhang H, Hu W, Yin Y, Zhang T, Wu K, Yuan Q, Xu HE, Xie X, Jiang Y. Structural basis for recognition of 26RFa by the pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor. Cell Discov 2024; 10:58. [PMID: 38830850 PMCID: PMC11148045 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-024-00670-3] [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: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide 26RFa, a member of the RF-amide peptide family, activates the pyroglutamylated RF-amide peptide receptor (QRFPR), a class A GPCR. The 26RFa/QRFPR system plays critical roles in energy homeostasis, making QRFPR an attractive drug target for treating obesity, diabetes, and eating disorders. However, the lack of structural information has hindered our understanding of the peptide recognition and regulatory mechanism of QRFPR, impeding drug design efforts. In this study, we determined the cryo-EM structure of the Gq-coupled QRFPR bound to 26RFa. The structure reveals a unique assembly mode of the extracellular region of the receptor and the N-terminus of the peptide, and elucidates the recognition mechanism of the C-terminal heptapeptide of 26RFa by the transmembrane binding pocket of QRFPR. The study also clarifies the similarities and distinctions in the binding pattern of the RF-amide moiety in five RF-amide peptides and the RY-amide segment in neuropeptide Y. These findings deepen our understanding of the RF-amide peptide recognition, aiding in the rational design of drugs targeting QRFPR and other RF-amide peptide receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shimeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Youwei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Canrong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Wenwen Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- The Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Tianwei Zhang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- The Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingning Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- The Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- The Shanghai Advanced Electron Microscope Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Mitra A, Mandal S, Bose B, Shenoy P S. Unlocking the Potential of Obestatin: A Novel Peptide Intervention for Skeletal Muscle Regeneration and Prevention of Atrophy. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:948-959. [PMID: 38198052 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-01011-7] [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: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Obestatin is derived from the same gene as that of ghrelin and their functions were perceived to be antagonistic. Recent developments have shown that although they are known to have contradictory functions, effect of obestatin on skeletal muscle regeneration is similar to that of ghrelin. Obestatin works through a receptor called GPR39, a ghrelin and motilin family receptor and transduces signals in skeletal muscle similar to that of ghrelin. Not only there is a similarity in the receptor family, but also obestatin targets similar proteins and transcription factors as that of ghrelin (for example, FoxO family members) for salvaging skeletal muscle atrophy. Moreover, like ghrelin, obestatin also works by inducing the transcription of Pax7 which is required for muscle stem cell mobilisation. Hence, there are quite some evidences which points to the fact that obestatin can be purposed as a peptide intervention to prevent skeletal muscle wasting and induce myogenesis. This review elaborates these aspects of obestatin which can be further exploited and addressed to bring obestatin as a clinical intervention towards preventing skeletal muscle atrophy and sarcopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Mitra
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Samanwita Mandal
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Bipasha Bose
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Sudheer Shenoy P
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India.
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5
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Suno R. Exploring Diverse Signaling Mechanisms of G Protein-Coupled Receptors through Structural Biology. J Biochem 2024; 175:357-365. [PMID: 38382646 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvae018] [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: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in structural biology have facilitated the elucidation of complexes involving G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their associated signal transducers, including G proteins and arrestins. A comprehensive analysis of these structures provides profound insights into the dynamics of signaling mechanisms. These structural revelations can potentially guide the development of drugs to minimize side effects through targeted and selective signaling. Understanding the binding modes of different signal-selective ligands is imperative for future drug research and development. Here, we conduct a comparative examination of the structural details of various GPCR-signal transducer complexes and delve into the molecular basis of the currently proposed signal selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoji Suno
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, 573-1010, Japan
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6
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Wang N, Qian Y, Xia R, Zhu X, Xiong Y, Zhang A, Guo C, He Y. Structural basis of CD97 activation and G-protein coupling. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:1343-1353.e5. [PMID: 37673067 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
CD97 (ADGRE5) is an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (aGPCR) which plays crucial roles in immune system and cancer. However, the mechanism of CD97 activation and the determinant of G13 coupling selectivity remain unknown. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy structures of human CD97 in complex with G13, Gq, and Gs. Our structures reveal the stalk peptide recognition mode of CD97, adding missing information of the current tethered-peptide activation model of aGPCRs. For instance, a revised "FXφφφ" motif and a framework of conserved aromatic residues in the ligand-binding pocket. Importantly, structural comparisons of G13, Gq, and Gs engagements of CD97 reveal key determinants of G13 coupling selectivity, where a deep insertion of the α helix 5 and a closer contact with the transmembrane helix 6, 5, and 3 dictate coupling preferences. Taken together, our structural study of CD97 provides a framework for understanding CD97 signaling and the G13 coupling selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yu Qian
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Ruixue Xia
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Xinyan Zhu
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yangjie Xiong
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Anqi Zhang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Changyou Guo
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yuanzheng He
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
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7
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Im D, Kishikawa JI, Shiimura Y, Hisano H, Ito A, Fujita-Fujiharu Y, Sugita Y, Noda T, Kato T, Asada H, Iwata S. Structural insights into the agonists binding and receptor selectivity of human histamine H 4 receptor. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6538. [PMID: 37863901 PMCID: PMC10589313 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42260-z] [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: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Histamine is a biogenic amine that participates in allergic and inflammatory processes by stimulating histamine receptors. The histamine H4 receptor (H4R) is a potential therapeutic target for chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. Here, we show the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the H4R-Gq complex bound with an endogenous agonist histamine or the selective agonist imetit bound in the orthosteric binding pocket. The structures demonstrate binding mode of histamine agonists and that the subtype-selective agonist binding causes conformational changes in Phe3447.39, which, in turn, form the "aromatic slot". The results provide insights into the molecular underpinnings of the agonism of H4R and subtype selectivity of histamine receptors, and show that the H4R structures may be valuable in rational drug design of drugs targeting the H4R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dohyun Im
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Kishikawa
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuki Shiimura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
- Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hiromi Hisano
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Akane Ito
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yoko Fujita-Fujiharu
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yukihiko Sugita
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takeshi Noda
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kato
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Hidetsugu Asada
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Konoe-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, 679-5148, Japan.
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8
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Smith AA, Pacull EM, Stecher S, Hildebrand PW, Vogel A, Huster D. Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor Reveals Insights into the Energy Landscape of the Molecule. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202302003. [PMID: 37205715 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202302003] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors initiate signal transduction in response to ligand binding. Growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), the focus of this study, binds the 28 residue peptide ghrelin. While structures of GHSR in different states of activation are available, dynamics within each state have not been investigated in depth. We analyze long molecular dynamics simulation trajectories using "detectors" to compare dynamics of the apo and ghrelin-bound states yielding timescale-specific amplitudes of motion. We identify differences in dynamics between apo and ghrelin-bound GHSR in the extracellular loop 2 and transmembrane helices 5-7. NMR of the GHSR histidine residues reveals chemical shift differences in these regions. We evaluate timescale specific correlation of motions between residues of ghrelin and GHSR, where binding yields a high degree of correlation for the first 8 ghrelin residues, but less correlation for the helical end. Finally, we investigate the traverse of GHSR over a rugged energy landscape via principal component analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert A Smith
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emelyne M Pacull
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sabrina Stecher
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter W Hildebrand
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Vogel
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16/18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
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9
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Childs M, Chandrabalan A, Hodgson D, Ramachandran R, Luyt LG. Discovery of Ghrelin(1-8) Analogues with Improved Stability and Functional Activity for PET Imaging. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1075-1086. [PMID: 37470019 PMCID: PMC10353549 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The highest affinity ghrelin-based analogue for fluorine-18 positron emission tomography, [Inp1,Dpr3(6-FN),1Nal4,Thr8]ghrelin(1-8) amide (1), has remarkable subnanomolar receptor affinity (IC50 = 0.11 nM) toward the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR). However, initial in vivo PET imaging and biodistribution of [18F]1 in mice demonstrated an unfavorable pharmacokinetic profile with rapid clearance and accumulation in liver and intestinal tissue, prompting concerns about the metabolic stability of this probe. The aims of the present study were to examine the proteolytic stability of ghrelin analogue 1 in the presence of blood and liver enzymes, structurally modify the peptide to improve stability without impeding the strong binding affinity, and measure the presently unknown functional activity of ghrelin(1-8) analogues. The in vitro stability and metabolite formation of 1 in human serum and liver S9 fraction revealed a metabolic soft spot between amino acids Leu5 and Ser6 in the peptide sequence. A focused library of ghrelin(1-8) analogues was synthesized and evaluated in a structure-activity-stability relationship study to further understand the structural importance of the residues at these positions in the context of stability and receptor affinity. The critical nature of l-stereochemistry at position 5 was identified and substitution of Ser6 with l-2,3-diaminopropionic acid led to a novel ligand with substantially improved in vitro stability while maintaining subnanomolar GHSR affinity. Despite the highly modified nature of these analogues compared to human ghrelin, ghrelin(1-8) analogues were found to recruit all G protein subtypes (Gαq/11/13/i1/oB) known to associate with GHSR as well as β-arrestins with low micromolar to nanomolar potencies. The study of these analogues demonstrates the ability to balance desirable ligand properties, including affinity, stability, and potency to produce well-rounded candidate molecules for further in vivo evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina
D. Childs
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Arundhasa Chandrabalan
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology, University
of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Derian Hodgson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Rithwik Ramachandran
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology, University
of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Leonard G. Luyt
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Departments
of Medical Imaging and Oncology, University
of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- London
Regional Cancer Program, Lawson Health Research
Institute, 800 Commissioners
Road East, London, Ontario, N6A 4L6, Canada
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10
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Gan B, Yu L, Yang H, Jiao H, Pang B, Chen Y, Wang C, Lv R, Hu H, Cao Z, Ren R. Mechanism of agonist-induced activation of the human itch receptor MRGPRX1. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001975. [PMID: 37347749 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptors X1-X4 (MRGPRX1-X4) are 4 primate-specific receptors that are recently reported to be responsible for many biological processes, including itch sensation, pain transmission, and inflammatory reactions. MRGPRX1 is the first identified human MRGPR, and its expression is restricted to primary sensory neurons. Due to its dual roles in itch and pain signaling pathways, MRGPRX1 has been regarded as a promising target for itch remission and pain inhibition. Here, we reported a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Gq-coupled MRGPRX1 in complex with a synthetic agonist compound 16 in an active conformation at an overall resolution of 3.0 Å via a NanoBiT tethering strategy. Compound 16 is a new pain-relieving compound with high potency and selectivity to MRGPRX1 over other MRGPRXs and opioid receptor. MRGPRX1 was revealed to share common structural features of the Gq-mediated receptor activation mechanism of MRGPRX family members, but the variable residues in orthosteric pocket of MRGPRX1 exhibit the unique agonist recognition pattern, potentially facilitating to design MRGPRX1-specific modulators. Together with receptor activation and itch behavior evaluation assays, our study provides a structural snapshot to modify therapeutic molecules for itch relieving and analgesia targeting MRGPRX1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Gan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Leiye Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haifeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haizhan Jiao
- The Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Pang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Lv
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongli Hu
- The Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhijian Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruobing Ren
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, China
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11
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Gusach A, García-Nafría J, Tate CG. New insights into GPCR coupling and dimerisation from cryo-EM structures. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 80:102574. [PMID: 36963163 PMCID: PMC10423944 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the past three years (2020-2022) more structures of GPCRs have been determined than in the previous twenty years (2000-2019), primarily of GPCR complexes that are large enough for structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM. This review will present some structural highlights that have advanced our molecular understanding of promiscuous G protein coupling, how a G protein receptor kinase and β-arrestins couple to GPCRs, and GPCR dimerisation. We will also discuss advances in the use of gene fusions, nanobodies, and Fab fragments to facilitate the structure determination of GPCRs in the inactive state that, on their own, are too small for structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Gusach
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK. https://twitter.com/GusachAnastasia
| | - Javier García-Nafría
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI) and Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), University of Zaragoza, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain. https://twitter.com/JGarciaNafria
| | - Christopher G Tate
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK.
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12
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Xu P, Huang S, Krumm BE, Zhuang Y, Mao C, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Huang XP, Liu YF, He X, Li H, Yin W, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Roth BL, Xu HE. Structural genomics of the human dopamine receptor system. Cell Res 2023:10.1038/s41422-023-00808-0. [PMID: 37221270 PMCID: PMC10397222 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00808-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic system, including five dopamine receptors (D1R to D5R), plays essential roles in the central nervous system (CNS); and ligands that activate dopamine receptors have been used to treat many neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's Disease (PD) and schizophrenia. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of all five subtypes of human dopamine receptors in complex with G protein and bound to the pan-agonist, rotigotine, which is used to treat PD and restless legs syndrome. The structures reveal the basis of rotigotine recognition in different dopamine receptors. Structural analysis together with functional assays illuminate determinants of ligand polypharmacology and selectivity. The structures also uncover the mechanisms of dopamine receptor activation, unique structural features among the five receptor subtypes, and the basis of G protein coupling specificity. Our work provides a comprehensive set of structural templates for the rational design of specific ligands to treat CNS diseases targeting the dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Youwen Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyou Mao
- Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yumu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yong-Feng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Xinheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huadong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanchao Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Center for Structural Pharmacology and Therapeutics Development, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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13
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Wu C, Xu Y, He Q, Li D, Duan J, Li C, You C, Chen H, Fan W, Jiang Y, Eric Xu H. Ligand-induced activation and G protein coupling of prostaglandin F 2α receptor. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2668. [PMID: 37160891 PMCID: PMC10169810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38411-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), an endogenous arachidonic acid metabolite, regulates diverse physiological functions in many tissues and cell types through binding and activation of a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the PGF2α receptor (FP), which also is the primary therapeutic target for glaucoma and several other diseases. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the human FP bound to endogenous ligand PGF2α and anti-glaucoma drugs LTPA and TFPA at global resolutions of 2.67 Å, 2.78 Å, and 3.14 Å. These structures reveal distinct features of FP within the lipid receptor family in terms of ligand binding selectivity, its receptor activation, and G protein coupling mechanisms, including activation in the absence of canonical PIF and ERY motifs and Gq coupling through direct interactions with receptor transmembrane helix 1 and intracellular loop 1. Together with mutagenesis and functional studies, our structures reveal mechanisms of ligand recognition, receptor activation, and G protein coupling by FP, which could facilitate rational design of FP-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canrong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Youwei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qian He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dianrong Li
- Sironax (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Jia Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Changyao Li
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Chongzhao You
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Han Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Weiliang Fan
- Sironax (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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14
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Sano FK, Akasaka H, Shihoya W, Nureki O. Cryo-EM structure of the endothelin-1-ET B-G i complex. eLife 2023; 12:85821. [PMID: 37096326 PMCID: PMC10129325 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The endothelin ETB receptor is a promiscuous G-protein coupled receptor that is activated by vasoactive peptide endothelins. ETB signaling induces reactive astrocytes in the brain and vasorelaxation in vascular smooth muscle. Consequently, ETB agonists are expected to be drugs for neuroprotection and improved anti-tumor drug delivery. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the endothelin-1-ETB-Gi complex at 2.8 Å resolution, with complex assembly stabilized by a newly established method. Comparisons with the inactive ETB receptor structures revealed how endothelin-1 activates the ETB receptor. The NPxxY motif, essential for G-protein activation, is not conserved in ETB, resulting in a unique structural change upon G-protein activation. Compared with other GPCR-G-protein complexes, ETB binds Gi in the shallowest position, further expanding the diversity of G-protein binding modes. This structural information will facilitate the elucidation of G-protein activation and the rational design of ETB agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiya K Sano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Akasaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wataru Shihoya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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You C, Zhang Y, Xu Y, Xu P, Li Z, Li H, Huang S, Chen Z, Li J, Xu HE, Jiang Y. Structural basis for motilin and erythromycin recognition by motilin receptor. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade9020. [PMID: 36921049 PMCID: PMC10017046 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Motilin is an endogenous peptide hormone almost exclusively expressed in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It activates the motilin receptor (MTLR), a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), and stimulates GI motility. To our knowledge, MTLR is the first GPCR reported to be activated by macrolide antibiotics, such as erythromycin. It has attracted extensive attention as a potential drug target for GI disorders. We report two structures of Gq-coupled human MTLR bound to motilin and erythromycin. Our structures reveal the recognition mechanism of both ligands and explain the specificity of motilin and ghrelin, a related gut peptide hormone, for their respective receptors. These structures also provide the basis for understanding the different recognition modes of erythromycin by MTLR and ribosome. These findings provide a framework for understanding the physiological regulation of MTLR and guiding drug design targeting MTLR for the treatment of GI motility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhao You
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yumu Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Youwei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Peiyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Huadong Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Sijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zecai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingru Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - H. Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
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16
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Shehzad A, Rabail R, Munir S, Jan H, Fernández-Lázaro D, Aadil RM. Impact of Oats on Appetite Hormones and Body Weight Management: A Review. Curr Nutr Rep 2023; 12:66-82. [PMID: 36790719 PMCID: PMC9930024 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-023-00454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This study aims to review the hunger hormones in obesity management and the impact of oats in regulating these hormones for hunger suppression and body weight management. In this review, the impact of various edible forms of oats like whole, naked, sprouted, or supplemented has been investigated for their appetite hormones regulation and weight management. RECENT FINDINGS The onset of obesity has been greatly associated with the appetite-regulating hormones that control, regulate, and suppress hunger, satiety, or energy expenditure. Many observational and clinical studies prove that oats have a positive effect on anthropometric measures like BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, lipid profile, total cholesterol, weight, appetite, and blood pressure. Many studies support the concept that oats are rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn, free phenolics, ß-glucan, ferulic acid, avenanthramides, and many more. Beta-glucan is the most important bioactive component that lowers cholesterol levels and supports the defense system of the body to prevent infections. Hence, several clinical studies supported oats utilization against obesity, appetite hormones, and energy regulation but still, some studies have shown no or little significance on appetite. Results of various studies revealed the therapeutic potentials of oats for body weight management, appetite control, strengthening the immune system, lowering serum cholesterol, and gut microbiota promotion by increased production of short-chain fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amna Shehzad
- grid.413016.10000 0004 0607 1563National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Roshina Rabail
- grid.413016.10000 0004 0607 1563National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Seemal Munir
- grid.413016.10000 0004 0607 1563National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Hamza Jan
- grid.508534.fDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Nur International University, Lahore, 54950 Pakistan
| | - Diego Fernández-Lázaro
- grid.5239.d0000 0001 2286 5329Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética, Histología y Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Campus de Soria, Universidad de Valladolid, Soria, 42004 Spain
- grid.5239.d0000 0001 2286 5329Grupo de Investigación Reconocido “Neurobiología”, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, 47005 Spain
| | - Rana Muhammad Aadil
- grid.413016.10000 0004 0607 1563National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
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17
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Structures of human gastrin-releasing peptide receptors bound to antagonist and agonist for cancer and itch therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216230120. [PMID: 36724251 PMCID: PMC9963752 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216230120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), a member of the bombesin (BBN) G protein-coupled receptors, is aberrantly overexpressed in several malignant tumors, including those of the breast, prostate, pancreas, lung, and central nervous system. Additionally, it also mediates non-histaminergic itch and pathological itch conditions in mice. Thus, GRPR could be an attractive target for cancer and itch therapy. Here, we report the inactive state crystal structure of human GRPR in complex with the non-peptide antagonist PD176252, as well as two active state cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of GRPR bound to the endogenous peptide agonist gastrin-releasing peptide and the synthetic BBN analog [D-Phe6, β-Ala11, Phe13, Nle14] Bn (6-14), in complex with Gq heterotrimers. These structures revealed the molecular mechanisms for the ligand binding, receptor activation, and Gq proteins signaling of GRPR, which are expected to accelerate the structure-based design of GRPR antagonists and agonists for the treatments of cancer and pruritus.
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18
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Molecular recognition of itch-associated neuropeptides by bombesin receptors. Cell Res 2023; 33:184-187. [PMID: 36329202 PMCID: PMC9892485 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-022-00743-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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19
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Gross JD, Zhou Y, Barak LS, Caron MG. Ghrelin receptor signaling in health and disease: a biased view. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:106-118. [PMID: 36567228 PMCID: PMC9852078 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2022.12.001] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
As allosteric complexes, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) respond to extracellular stimuli and pleiotropically couple to intracellular transducers to elicit signaling pathway-dependent effects in a process known as biased signaling or functional selectivity. One such GPCR, the ghrelin receptor (GHSR1a), has a crucial role in restoring and maintaining metabolic homeostasis during disrupted energy balance. Thus, pharmacological modulation of GHSR1a bias could offer a promising strategy to treat several metabolism-based disorders. Here, we summarize current evidence supporting GHSR1a functional selectivity in vivo and highlight recent structural data. We propose that precise determinations of GHSR1a molecular pharmacology and pathway-specific physiological effects will enable discovery of GHSR1a drugs with tailored signaling profiles, thereby providing safer and more effective treatments for metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Gross
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lawrence S Barak
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Marc G Caron
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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20
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Li HZ, Shao XX, Wang YF, Liu YL, Xu ZG, Guo ZY. LEAP2 is a more conserved ligand than ghrelin for fish GHSRs. Biochimie 2023; 209:10-19. [PMID: 36669723 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Recently, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) was identified as an endogenous antagonist and an inverse agonist of the ghrelin receptor GHSR. However, its functions in lower vertebrates are not well understood. Our recent study demonstrated that both LEAP2 and ghrelin are functional towards a fish GHSR from Latimeria chalumnae, an extant coelacanth believed to be one of the closest ancestors of tetrapods. However, amino acid sequence alignment identified that the 6.58 position (Ballesteros-Weinstein numbering system) of most fish GHSRs are not occupied by an aromatic Phe residue, which is absolutely conserved in all known GHSRs from amphibians to mammals, and is responsible for human GHSR binding to its agonist, ghrelin. To test whether these unusual fish receptors are functional, we studied the ligand binding properties of three representative fish GHSRs, two from Danio rerio (zebrafish) and one from Larimichthys crocea (large yellow croaker). After overexpression in human embryonic kidney 293T cells, the three fish GHSRs retained normal binding to all tested LEAP2s, except for a second LEAP2 from L. crocea. However, they displayed almost no binding to all chemically synthesized n-octanoylated ghrelins, despite these ghrelins all retaining normal function towards human and coelacanth GHSRs. Thus, it seems that LEAP2 is a more conserved ligand than ghrelin towards fish GHSRs. Our results not only provided new insights into the interaction mechanism of GHSRs with LEAP2s and ghrelins, but also shed new light on the functions of LEAP2 and ghrelin in different fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Zheng Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Fen Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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21
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Wada R, Takemi S, Matsumoto M, Iijima M, Sakai T, Sakata I. Molecular cloning and analysis of the ghrelin/GHSR system in Xenopus tropicalis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 331:114167. [PMID: 36402245 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Ghrelin is a gut-derived peptide with several physiological functions, including feeding, gastrointestinal motility, and hormonal secretion. Recently, a host defense peptide, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 (LEAP2), was reported as an endogenous antagonist of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). The physiological relevance of the molecular LEAP2-GHS-R interaction in mammals has been explored; however, studies on non-mammals are limited. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of ghrelin and its related molecules in Western clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis), a known model organism. We first identified cDNA encoding X. tropicalis ghrelin and GHS-R. RT-qPCR revealed that ghrelin mRNA expression was most abundant in the stomach. GHS-R mRNA was widely distributed in the brain and peripheral tissues, and a relatively strong signal was observed in the stomach and intestine. In addition, LEAP2 was mainly expressed in intestinal tissues at higher levels than in the liver. In functional analysis, X. tropicalis ghrelin and human ghrelin induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization with EC50 values in the low nanomolar range in CHO-K1 cells expressing X. tropicalis GHS-R. Furthermore, ghrelin-induced GHS-R activation was antagonized with IC50 values in the nanomolar range by heterologous human LEAP2. We also validated the expression of ghrelin and feeding-related factors under fasting conditions. After 2 days of fasting, no changes in ghrelin mRNA levels were observed in the stomach, but GHS-R mRNA levels were significantly increased, associated with significant downregulation of nucb2. In addition, LEAP2 upregulation was observed in the duodenum. These results provide the first evidence that LEAP2 functions as an antagonist of GHS-R in the anuran amphibian X. tropicalis. It has also been suggested that the ghrelin/GHS-R/LEAP2 system may be involved in energy homeostasis in X. tropicalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Wada
- Area of Regulatory Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakuraku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Shota Takemi
- Area of Regulatory Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakuraku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Mio Matsumoto
- Area of Regulatory Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakuraku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Mio Iijima
- Area of Regulatory Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakuraku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Takafumi Sakai
- Saitama University, 255 Shimo-okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Ichiro Sakata
- Area of Regulatory Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakuraku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan.
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22
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Ligand recognition and activation of neuromedin U receptor 2. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7955. [PMID: 36575163 PMCID: PMC9794833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34814-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMU2), an emerging attractive target for treating obesity, has shown the capability in reducing food intake and regulating energy metabolism when activated. However, drug development of NMU2 was deferred partially due to the lack of structural information. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of NMU2 bound to the endogenous agonist NmU-25 and Gi1 at 3.3 Å resolution. Combined with functional and computational data, the structure reveals the key factors that govern the recognition and selectivity of peptide agonist as well as non-peptide antagonist, providing the structural basis for design of novel and highly selective drugs targeting NMU2. In addition, a 25-degree rotation of Gi protein in reference to NMU2 is also observed compared in other structures of class A GPCR-Gi complexes, suggesting heterogeneity in the processes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activation and G protein coupling.
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23
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Wang CH, Tseng CY, Hsu WL, Tzen JTC. Establishment of a Cell Line Stably Expressing the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor to Identify Crocin as a Ghrelin Agonist. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121813. [PMID: 36551241 PMCID: PMC9775697 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a (GHSR1a) is the endogenous receptor for ghrelin. Activation of GHSR1a participates in many physiological processes including energy homeostasis and eating behavior. Due to its transitory half-life, the efficacy of ghrelin treatment in patients is restricted; hence the development of new adjuvant therapy is an urgent need. This study aimed to establish a cell line stably expressing GHSR1a, which could be employed to screen potential ghrelin agonists from natural compounds. First, by means of lentiviral transduction, the genome of a human HEK293T cell was modified, and a cell platform stably overexpressing GHSR1a was successfully established. In this platform, GHSR1a was expressed as a fusion protein tagged with mCherry, which allowed the monitoring of the dynamic cellular distribution of GHSR1a by fluorescent microscopy. Subsequently, the authenticity of the GHSR1a mediated signaling was further characterized by using ghrelin and teaghrelin, two molecules known to stimulate GHSR1a. The results indicated that both ghrelin and teaghrelin readily activated GHSR1a mediated signaling pathways, presumably via increasing phosphorylation levels of ERK. The specific GHSR1a signaling was further validated by using SP-analog, an antagonist of GHSR1a as well as using a cell model with the knockdown expression of GHSR1a. Molecular modeling predicted that crocin might be a potential ghrelin agonist, and this prediction was further confirmed by the established platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hao Wang
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yu Tseng
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Li Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (W.-L.H.); (J.T.C.T.)
| | - Jason T. C. Tzen
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (W.-L.H.); (J.T.C.T.)
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24
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Zhang S, Gumpper RH, Huang XP, Liu Y, Krumm BE, Cao C, Fay JF, Roth BL. Molecular basis for selective activation of DREADD-based chemogenetics. Nature 2022; 612:354-362. [PMID: 36450989 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05489-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) represent a powerful chemogenetic technology for the remote control of neuronal activity and cellular signalling1-4. The muscarinic receptor-based DREADDs are the most widely used chemogenetic tools in neuroscience research. The Gq-coupled DREADD (hM3Dq) is used to enhance neuronal activity, whereas the Gi/o-coupled DREADD (hM4Di) is utilized to inhibit neuronal activity5. Here we report four DREADD-related cryogenic electron microscopy high-resolution structures: a hM3Dq-miniGq complex and a hM4Di-miniGo complex bound to deschloroclozapine; a hM3Dq-miniGq complex bound to clozapine-N-oxide; and a hM3R-miniGq complex bound to iperoxo. Complemented with mutagenesis, functional and computational simulation data, our structures reveal key details of the recognition of DREADD chemogenetic actuators and the molecular basis for activation. These findings should accelerate the structure-guided discovery of next-generation chemogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ryan H Gumpper
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Can Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan F Fay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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25
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Qian Y, Ma Z, Liu C, Li X, Zhu X, Wang N, Xu Z, Xia R, Liang J, Duan Y, Yin H, Xiong Y, Zhang A, Guo C, Chen Z, Huang Z, He Y. Structural insights into adhesion GPCR ADGRL3 activation and G q, G s, G i, and G 12 coupling. Mol Cell 2022; 82:4340-4352.e6. [PMID: 36309016 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Adhesion G-protein-coupled receptors (aGPCRs) play key roles in a diversity of physiologies. A hallmark of aGPCR activation is the removal of the inhibitory GAIN domain and the dipping of the cleaved stalk peptide into the ligand-binding pocket of receptors; however, the detailed mechanism remains obscure. Here, we present cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of ADGRL3 in complex with Gq, Gs, Gi, and G12. The structures reveal unique ligand-engaging mode, distinctive activation conformation, and key mechanisms of aGPCR activation. The structures also reveal the uncharted structural information of GPCR/G12 coupling. A comparison of Gq, Gs, Gi, and G12 engagements with ADGRL3 reveals the key determinant of G-protein coupling on the far end of αH5 of Gα. A detailed analysis of the engagements allows us to design mutations that specifically enhance one pathway over others. Taken together, our study lays the groundwork for understanding aGPCR activation and G-protein-coupling selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Qian
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Zhengxiong Ma
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Chunhong Liu
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Xinzhi Li
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Xinyan Zhu
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Na Wang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Zhenmei Xu
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Ruixue Xia
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Jiale Liang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yaning Duan
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Han Yin
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yangjie Xiong
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Anqi Zhang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Changyou Guo
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Zheng Chen
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Zhiwei Huang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Yuanzheng He
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
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26
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Zhu X, Qian Y, Li X, Xu Z, Xia R, Wang N, Liang J, Yin H, Zhang A, Guo C, Wang G, He Y. Structural basis of adhesion GPCR GPR110 activation by stalk peptide and G-proteins coupling. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5513. [PMID: 36127364 PMCID: PMC9489763 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33173-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (aGPCRs) are keys of many physiological events and attractive targets for various diseases. aGPCRs are also known to be capable of self-activation via an autoproteolysis process that removes the inhibitory GAIN domain on the extracellular side of receptor and releases a stalk peptide to bind and activate the transmembrane side of receptor. However, the detailed mechanism of aGPCR activation remains elusive. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of GPR110 (ADGRF1), a member of aGPCR, in complex with Gq, Gs, Gi, G12 and G13. The structures reveal distinctive ligand engaging model and activation conformations of GPR110. The structures also unveil the rarely explored GPCR/G12 and GPCR/G13 engagements. A comparison of Gq, Gs, Gi, G12 and G13 engagements with GPR110 reveals details of G-protein engagement, including a dividing point at the far end of the alpha helix 5 (αH5) of Gα subunit that separates Gq/Gs engagements from Gi/G12/G13 engagements. This is also where Gq/Gs bind the receptor through both hydrophobic and polar interaction, while Gi/G12/G13 engage receptor mainly through hydrophobic interaction. We further provide physiological evidence of GPR110 activation via stalk peptide. Taken together, our study fills the missing information of GPCR/G-protein engagement and provides a framework for understanding aGPCR activation and GPR110 signaling. aGPCRs play key roles in multiple physiological processes. Here the authors report cryo-EM structures of GPR110 in complexes with Gq, Gs, Gi, G12 and G13 protein to reveal a detailed mechanism of aGPCR activation via the tethered stalk peptide and principles of G-protein coupling and selectivity on GPR110.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Zhu
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Yu Qian
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xiaowan Li
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Zhenmei Xu
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Ruixue Xia
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Na Wang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Jiale Liang
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Han Yin
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Anqi Zhang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Changyou Guo
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Guangfu Wang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Yuanzheng He
- Laboratory of Receptor Structure and Signaling, HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.
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27
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Binding domain characterization of growth hormone secretagogue receptor. J Transl Int Med 2022; 10:146-155. [PMID: 35959447 PMCID: PMC9328036 DOI: 10.2478/jtim-2022-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Activation of ghrelin receptor growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) by endogenous or synthetic ligands amplifies pulsatile release of growth hormone (GH) and enhances food intake, very relevant to development and growth. GHS-R is a G-protein coupled receptor that has great druggable potential. Understanding the precise ligand and receptor interactions is crucial to advance the application of GHS-R. Materials and Methods We used radiolabeled ligand-binding assay and growth hormone release assay to assess the binding and functional characteristics of GHS-R to synthetic agonists MK-0677 and GHS-25, as well as to endogenous peptide ligand ghrelin. We analyzed the ligand-dependent activity of GHS-R by measuring aequorin-based [Ca++]i responses. To define a ligand-binding pocket of GHS-R, we generated a series of human/puffer fish GHS-R chimeras by domain swapping, as well as a series of mutants by site-directed mutagenesis. Results We found that the synthetic ligands have high binding affinity to GHS-R in the in vitro competitive binding assay. Remarkably, the in vivo GH secretagogue activity is higher with the synthetic agonists MK-0677 and GHS-25 than that of ghrelin. Importantly, the activity was completely abolished in GHS-R knockout mice. In GHS-R chimera analysis, we identified the C-terminal region, particularly the transmembrane domain 6 (TM6), to be critical for the ligand-dependent activity. Our site-directed mutagenesis study further revealed that amino acid residues D99 and W276 in GHS-R are essential for ligand binding. Interestingly, critical residues distinctively interact with different ligands, MK-0677 activation depends on E124, while ghrelin and GHS-25 preferentially interact with F279. Conclusion The ligand-binding pocket of human GHS-R is mainly defined by interactive residues in TM6 and the adjacent region of the receptor. This novel finding in GHS-R binding domains advances the structural/ functional understanding of GHS-R, which will help to select/design better GHS-R agonists/ antagonists for future therapeutic applications.
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28
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Thomas AS, Sassi M, Angelini R, Morgan AH, Davies JS. Acylation, a Conductor of Ghrelin Function in Brain Health and Disease. Front Physiol 2022; 13:831641. [PMID: 35845996 PMCID: PMC9280358 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.831641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Acyl-ghrelin (AG) is an orexigenic hormone that has a unique octanoyl modification on its third serine residue. It is often referred to as the “hunger hormone” due to its involvement in stimulating food intake and regulating energy homeostasis. The discovery of the enzyme ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT), which catalyses ghrelin acylation, provided further insights into the relevance of this lipidation process for the activation of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) by acyl-ghrelin. Although acyl-ghrelin is predominantly linked with octanoic acid, a range of saturated fatty acids can also bind to ghrelin possibly leading to specific functions. Sources of ghrelin acylation include beta-oxidation of longer chain fatty acids, with contributions from fatty acid synthesis, the diet, and the microbiome. In addition, both acyl-ghrelin and unacyl-ghrelin (UAG) have feedback effects on lipid metabolism which in turn modulate their levels. Recently we showed that whilst acyl-ghrelin promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis and enhances memory function, UAG inhibits these processes. As a result, we postulated that the circulating acyl-ghrelin:unacyl-ghrelin (AG:UAG) ratio might be an important regulator of neurogenesis and cognition. In this review, we discuss emerging evidence behind the relevance of ghrelin acylation in the context of brain physiology and pathology, as well as the current challenges of identifying the provenance of the acyl moiety.
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29
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Tan Y, Xu P, Huang S, Yang G, Zhou F, He X, Ma H, Xu HE, Jiang Y. Structural insights into the ligand binding and G i coupling of serotonin receptor 5-HT 5A. Cell Discov 2022; 8:50. [PMID: 35610220 PMCID: PMC9130316 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00412-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 5A (5-HT5A) belongs to the 5-HT receptor family and signals through the Gi/o protein. It is involved in nervous system regulation and an attractive target for the treatment of psychosis, depression, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain. 5-HT5A is the only Gi/o-coupled 5-HT receptor subtype lacking a high-resolution structure, which hampers the mechanistic understanding of ligand binding and Gi/o coupling for 5-HT5A. Here we report a cryo-electron microscopy structure of the 5-HT5A–Gi complex bound to 5-Carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT). Combined with functional analysis, this structure reveals the 5-CT recognition mechanism and identifies the receptor residue at 6.55 as a determinant of the 5-CT selectivity for Gi/o-coupled 5-HT receptors. In addition, 5-HT5A shows an overall conserved Gi protein coupling mode compared with other Gi/o-coupled 5-HT receptors. These findings provide comprehensive insights into the ligand binding and G protein coupling of Gi/o-coupled 5-HT receptors and offer a template for the design of 5-HT5A-selective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangxia Tan
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peiyu Xu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sijie Huang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Fulai Zhou
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinheng He
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Honglei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China. .,Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China.
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30
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Duan J, Shen DD, Zhao T, Guo S, He X, Yin W, Xu P, Ji Y, Chen LN, Liu J, Zhang H, Liu Q, Shi Y, Cheng X, Jiang H, Eric Xu H, Zhang Y, Xie X, Jiang Y. Molecular basis for allosteric agonism and G protein subtype selectivity of galanin receptors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1364. [PMID: 35292680 PMCID: PMC8924211 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29072-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide hormones and neuropeptides are complex signaling molecules that predominately function through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Two unanswered questions remaining in the field of peptide-GPCR signaling systems pertain to the basis for the diverse binding modes of peptide ligands and the specificity of G protein coupling. Here, we report the structures of a neuropeptide, galanin, bound to its receptors, GAL1R and GAL2R, in complex with their primary G protein subtypes Gi and Gq, respectively. The structures reveal a unique binding pose of galanin, which almost ‘lays flat’ on the top of the receptor transmembrane domain pocket in an α-helical conformation, and acts as an ‘allosteric-like’ agonist via a distinct signal transduction cascade. The structures also uncover the important features of intracellular loop 2 (ICL2) that mediate specific interactions with Gq, thus determining the selective coupling of Gq to GAL2R. ICL2 replacement in Gi-coupled GAL1R, μOR, 5-HT1AR, and Gs-coupled β2AR and D1R with that of GAL2R promotes Gq coupling of these receptors, highlighting the dominant roles of ICL2 in Gq selectivity. Together our results provide insights into peptide ligand recognition and allosteric activation of galanin receptors and uncover a general structural element for Gq coupling selectivity. The basis for the diverse peptide-binding modes and the G protein selectivity of peptide GPCRs remains elusive. Here, the authors offer a structural basis for allosteric-like agonism and G protein selectivity of a neuropeptide GPCR, galanin receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Duan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Shimeng Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xinheng He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wanchao Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Peiyu Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yujie Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li-Nan Chen
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinyu Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huibing Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiufeng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yi Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xi Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hualiang Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammatory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xin Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China. .,CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Yi Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China. .,Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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Sassi M, Morgan AH, Davies JS. Ghrelin Acylation-A Post-Translational Tuning Mechanism Regulating Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11050765. [PMID: 35269387 PMCID: PMC8909677 DOI: 10.3390/cells11050765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis—the generation of new functional neurones in the adult brain—is impaired in aging and many neurodegenerative disorders. We recently showed that the acylated version of the gut hormone ghrelin (acyl-ghrelin) stimulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis while the unacylated form of ghrelin inhibits it, thus demonstrating a previously unknown function of unacyl-ghrelin in modulating hippocampal plasticity. Analysis of plasma samples from Parkinson’s disease patients with dementia demonstrated a reduced acyl-ghrelin:unacyl-ghrelin ratio compared to both healthy controls and cognitively intact Parkinson’s disease patients. These data, from mouse and human studies, suggest that restoring acyl-ghrelin signalling may promote the activation of pathways to support memory function. In this short review, we discuss the evidence for ghrelin’s role in regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis and the enzymes involved in ghrelin acylation and de-acylation as targets to treat mood-related disorders and dementia.
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Giorgioni G, Del Bello F, Quaglia W, Botticelli L, Cifani C, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Piergentili A. Advances in the Development of Nonpeptide Small Molecules Targeting Ghrelin Receptor. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3098-3118. [PMID: 35157454 PMCID: PMC8883476 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ghrelin is an octanoylated peptide acting by the activation of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, namely, GHS-R1a. The involvement of ghrelin in several physiological processes, including stimulation of food intake, gastric emptying, body energy balance, glucose homeostasis, reduction of insulin secretion, and lipogenesis validates the considerable interest in GHS-R1a as a promising target for the treatment of numerous disorders. Over the years, several GHS-R1a ligands have been identified and some of them have been extensively studied in clinical trials. The recently resolved structures of GHS-R1a bound to ghrelin or potent ligands have provided useful information for the design of new GHS-R1a drugs. This perspective is focused on the development of recent nonpeptide small molecules acting as GHS-R1a agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists, bearing classical or new molecular scaffolds, as well as on radiolabeled GHS-R1a ligands developed for imaging. Moreover, the pharmacological effects of the most studied ligands have been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfabio Giorgioni
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Fabio Del Bello
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Wilma Quaglia
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Luca Botticelli
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - E Micioni Di Bonaventura
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - M V Micioni Di Bonaventura
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Piergentili
- School of Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
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Effect of Ghrelin Intervention on the Ras/ERK Pathway in the Regulation of Heart Failure by PTEN. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1045681. [PMID: 35082908 PMCID: PMC8786517 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1045681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective. To study the possible mechanism of ghrelin in heart failure and how it works. Method. In vitro results demonstrated that ghrelin alleviates cardiac function and reduces myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure. Moreover, ghrelin intervention increased PTEN expression level and reduced ERK, c-jun, and c-Fos expression level; in vivo experiments demonstrated that ghrelin intervention reduces mast memory expression and increases cardiomyocyte surface area, PTEN expression level, ERK, c-jun, c-Fos expression level, and cell surface area, while ERK blockade suppresses mast gene expression and reduces cell surface area. Results. In vitro experimental results prove that we have successfully constructed a rat model related to heart failure, and ghrelin can alleviate the heart function of heart failure rats and reduce myocardial fibrosis. In addition, ghrelin is closely related to the decrease of the expression levels of ERK, c-jun, and c-Fos, but it can also increase the expression of PTEN in the rat model; in vivo experiments proved that we successfully constructed an in vitro cardiac hypertrophy model, and the intervention of ghrelin would reduce the expression of hypertrophic memory and increase the surface area of cardiomyocytes, increase the expression level of PTEN, and reduce the expression levels of ERK, c-jun, and c-Fos, while the blockade of PTEN will increase the expression of hypertrophy genes and increase the cell surface area, while the blockade of ERK will increase the expression of hypertrophic genes, which in turn will make the cell surface area reducing. Conclusion. Ghrelin inhibits the phosphorylation and nuclear entry of ERK by activating PTEN, thereby controlling the transcription of hypertrophic genes, improving myocardial hypertrophy, and enhancing cardiac function.
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Molecular mechanism of agonism and inverse agonism in ghrelin receptor. Nat Commun 2022; 13:300. [PMID: 35027551 PMCID: PMC8758724 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27975-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Much effort has been invested in the investigation of the structural basis of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activation. Inverse agonists, which can inhibit GPCRs with constitutive activity, are considered useful therapeutic agents, but the molecular mechanism of such ligands remains insufficiently understood. Here, we report a crystal structure of the ghrelin receptor bound to the inverse agonist PF-05190457 and a cryo-electron microscopy structure of the active ghrelin receptor-Go complex bound to the endogenous agonist ghrelin. Our structures reveal a distinct binding mode of the inverse agonist PF-05190457 in the ghrelin receptor, different from the binding mode of agonists and neutral antagonists. Combining the structural comparisons and cellular function assays, we find that a polar network and a notable hydrophobic cluster are required for receptor activation and constitutive activity. Together, our study provides insights into the detailed mechanism of ghrelin receptor binding to agonists and inverse agonists, and paves the way to design specific ligands targeting ghrelin receptors. Ghrelin receptor regulates energy homeostasis through constitutive activity or by the ghrelin. Here the authors report two structures of ghrelin receptor bound to agonist and inverse agonist, providing insights into the mechanism of inverse agonism, which is of interest for specific ligand design.
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Sato T, Ida T, Shiimura Y, Matsui K, Oishi K, Kojima M. Insights Into the Regulation of Offspring Growth by Maternally Derived Ghrelin. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:852636. [PMID: 35250893 PMCID: PMC8894672 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.852636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of fetal development by bioactive substances such as hormones and neuropeptides derived from the gestational mother is considered to be essential for the development of the fetus. On the other hand, it has been suggested that changes in the physiological state of the pregnant mother due to various factors may alter the secretion of these bioactive substances and induce metabolic changes in the offspring, such as obesity, overeating, and inflammation, thereby affecting postnatal growth and health. However, our knowledge of how gestational maternal bioactive substances modulate offspring physiology remains fragmented and lacks a systematic understanding. In this mini-review, we focus on ghrelin, which regulates growth and energy metabolism, to advance our understanding of the mechanisms by which maternally derived ghrelin regulates the growth and health of the offspring. Understanding the regulation of offspring growth by maternally-derived ghrelin is expected to clarify the fetal onset of metabolic abnormalities and lead to a better understanding of lifelong health in the next generation of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Sato
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
- *Correspondence: Takahiro Sato, ; Masayasu Kojima,
| | - Takanori Ida
- Division for Identification and Analysis of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research Center, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yuki Shiimura
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Kazuma Matsui
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
| | - Kanae Oishi
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
| | - Masayasu Kojima
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
- *Correspondence: Takahiro Sato, ; Masayasu Kojima,
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