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Kosar M, Sarott RC, Sykes DA, Viray AEG, Vitale RM, Tomašević N, Li X, Ganzoni RLZ, Kicin B, Reichert L, Patej KJ, Gómez-Bouzó U, Guba W, McCormick PJ, Hua T, Gruber CW, Veprintsev DB, Frank JA, Grether U, Carreira EM. Flipping the GPCR Switch: Structure-Based Development of Selective Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Inverse Agonists. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:956-968. [PMID: 38799662 PMCID: PMC11117691 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
We report a blueprint for the rational design of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) ligands with a tailored functional response. The present study discloses the structure-based design of cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) selective inverse agonists (S)-1 and (R)-1, which were derived from privileged agonist HU-308 by introduction of a phenyl group at the gem-dimethylheptyl side chain. Epimer (R)-1 exhibits high affinity for CB2R with Kd = 39.1 nM and serves as a platform for the synthesis of a wide variety of probes. Notably, for the first time these fluorescent probes retain their inverse agonist functionality, high affinity, and selectivity for CB2R independent of linker and fluorophore substitution. Ligands (S)-1, (R)-1, and their derivatives act as inverse agonists in CB2R-mediated cAMP as well as G protein recruitment assays and do not trigger β-arrestin-receptor association. Furthermore, no receptor activation was detected in live cell ERK1/2 phosphorylation and Ca2+-release assays. Confocal fluorescence imaging experiments with (R)-7 (Alexa488) and (R)-9 (Alexa647) probes employing BV-2 microglial cells visualized CB2R expressed at endogenous levels. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations corroborate the initial docking data in which inverse agonists restrict movement of toggle switch Trp2586.48 and thereby stabilize CB2R in its inactive state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Kosar
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Roman C. Sarott
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David A. Sykes
- Faculty
of Medicine & Health Sciences, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, U.K.
- Centre
of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham
and University of Nottingham, https://www.birmingham-nottingham.ac.uk/compare
| | - Alexander E. G. Viray
- Department
of Chemical Physiology & Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098, United States
| | - Rosa Maria Vitale
- Institute
of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research
Council, Via Campi Flegrei
34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Nataša Tomašević
- Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University
of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse
17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Xiaoting Li
- iHuman
Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Rudolf L. Z. Ganzoni
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bilal Kicin
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Reichert
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kacper J. Patej
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Uxía Gómez-Bouzó
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Guba
- Roche
Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel,
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter J. McCormick
- Department
of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University
of Liverpool, Ashton
Street, Liverpool L69 3GE, U.K.
| | - Tian Hua
- iHuman
Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Christian W. Gruber
- Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University
of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse
17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dmitry B. Veprintsev
- Faculty
of Medicine & Health Sciences, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, U.K.
- Centre
of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham
and University of Nottingham, https://www.birmingham-nottingham.ac.uk/compare
| | - James A. Frank
- Department
of Chemical Physiology & Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098, United States
- Vollum
Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098, United States
| | - Uwe Grether
- Roche
Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel,
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Erick M. Carreira
- Laboratorium
für Organische Chemie, Eidgenössische
Technische Hochschule Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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Hou L, Rong J, Haider A, Ogasawara D, Varlow C, Schafroth MA, Mu L, Gan J, Xu H, Fowler CJ, Zhang MR, Vasdev N, Ametamey S, Cravatt BF, Wang L, Liang SH. Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of the Endocannabinoid System: Opportunities and Challenges in Radiotracer Development. J Med Chem 2020; 64:123-149. [PMID: 33379862 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in a wide range of biological functions and comprises cannabinoid receptors and enzymes responsible for endocannabinoid synthesis and degradation. Over the past 2 decades, significant advances toward developing drugs and positron emission tomography (PET) tracers targeting different components of the ECS have been made. Herein, we summarized the recent development of PET tracers for imaging cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1R) and 2 (CB2R) as well as the key enzymes monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), particularly focusing on PET neuroimaging applications. State-of-the-art PET tracers for the ECS will be reviewed including their chemical design, pharmacological properties, radiolabeling, as well as preclinical and human PET imaging. In addition, this review addresses the current challenges for ECS PET biomarker development and highlights the important role of PET ligands to study disease pathophysiology as well as to facilitate drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Hou
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jian Rong
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Ahmed Haider
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Daisuke Ogasawara
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Cassis Varlow
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8 ON, Canada
| | - Michael A Schafroth
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Linjing Mu
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences of ETH, PSI, and USZ, and Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jiefeng Gan
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Christopher J Fowler
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States.,Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8 ON, Canada
| | - Simon Ametamey
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences of ETH, PSI, and USZ, and Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lu Wang
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China.,Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Steven H Liang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
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