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Wang X, Luo H, Peng X, Chen J. Spider and scorpion knottins targeting voltage-gated sodium ion channels in pain signaling. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 227:116465. [PMID: 39102991 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
In sensory neurons that transmit pain signals, whether acute or chronic, voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are crucial for regulating excitability. NaV1.1, NaV1.3, NaV1.6, NaV1.7, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9 have been demonstrated and defined their functional roles in pain signaling based on their biophysical properties and distinct patterns of expression in each subtype of sensory neurons. Scorpions and spiders are traditional Chinese medicinal materials, belonging to the arachnid class. Most of the studied species of them have evolved venom peptides that exhibit a wide variety of knottins specifically targeting VGSCs with subtype selectivity and conformational specificity. This review provides an overview on the exquisite knottins from scorpion and spider venoms targeting pain-related NaV channels, describing the sequences and the structural features as well as molecular determinants that influence their selectivity on special subtype and at particular conformation, with an aim for the development of novel research tools on NaV channels and analgesics with minimal adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiting Wang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
| | - Huan Luo
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
| | - Xiaozhen Peng
- School of Public Health & Laboratory Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua 418000, China.
| | - Jinjun Chen
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Mechanics and Function Analysis, Changsha 418000, China.
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2
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McCarthy S, Gonen S. δ-Conotoxin Structure Prediction and Analysis through Large-Scale Comparative and Deep Learning Modeling Approaches. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2404786. [PMID: 39033537 PMCID: PMC11425241 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The δ-conotoxins, a class of peptides produced in the venom of cone snails, are of interest due to their ability to inhibit the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels causing paralysis and other neurological responses, but difficulties in their isolation and synthesis have made structural characterization challenging. Taking advantage of recent breakthroughs in computational algorithms for structure prediction that have made modeling especially useful when experimental data is sparse, this work uses both the deep-learning-based algorithm AlphaFold and comparative modeling method RosettaCM to model and analyze 18 previously uncharacterized δ-conotoxins derived from piscivorous, vermivorous, and molluscivorous cone snails. The models provide useful insights into the structural aspects of these peptides and suggest features likely to be significant in influencing their binding and different pharmacological activities against their targets, with implications for drug development. Additionally, the described protocol provides a roadmap for the modeling of similar disulfide-rich peptides by these complementary methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen McCarthy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Shane Gonen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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3
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Zhao F, Liu Y, Liu Y, Ye Q, Yang H, Gui M, Song Y. The road to evolution of ProTx2: how to be a subtype-specific inhibition of human Na v1.7. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1374183. [PMID: 38756380 PMCID: PMC11096480 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1374183] [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: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The human voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 is a widely proven target for analgesic drug studies. ProTx2, a 30-residue polypeptide from Peruvian green tarantula venom, shows high specificity to activity against human Nav1.7, suggesting its potential to become a non-addictive analgesic. However, its high sensitivity to human Nav1.4 raises concerns about muscle side effects. Here, we engineered three mutants (R13A, R13D, and K27Y) of ProTx2 to evaluate their pharmacological activities toward Nav1.7 and Nav1.4. It is demonstrated that the mutant R13D maintained the analgesic effect in mice while dramatically reducing its muscle toxicity compared with ProTx2. The main reason is the formation of a strong electrostatic interaction between R13D and the negatively charged amino acid residues in DII/S3-S4 of Nav1.7, which is absent in Nav1.4. This study advances our understanding and insights on peptide toxins, paving the way for safer, effective non-addictive analgesic development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yongbo Song
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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4
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Wang Q, Ye Y, Yang L, Xiao L, Liu J, Zhang W, Du G. Painful diabetic neuropathy: The role of ion channels. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116417. [PMID: 38490158 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116417] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a common chronic complication of diabetes that causes neuropathic pain and negatively affects the quality of life. The management of PDN is far from satisfactory. At present, interventions are primarily focused on symptomatic treatment. Ion channel disorders are a major cause of PDN, and a complete understanding of their roles and mechanisms may provide better options for the clinical treatment of PDN. Therefore, this review summarizes the important role of ion channels in PDN and the current drug development targeting these ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yifei Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linghui Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lifan Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wensheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Guizhi Du
- Department of Anesthesiology, Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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5
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Hiranuma M, Okuda Y, Fujii Y, Richard JP, Watanabe T. Characterization of human iPSC-derived sensory neurons and their functional assessment using multi electrode array. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6011. [PMID: 38472288 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55602-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Sensory neurons are afferent neurons in sensory systems that convert stimuli and transmit information to the central nervous system as electrical signals. Primary afferent neurons that are affected by non-noxious and noxious stimuli are present in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and the DRG sensory neurons are used as an in vitro model of the nociceptive response. However, DRG derived from mouse or rat give a low yield of neurons, and they are difficult to culture. To help alleviate this problem, we characterized human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived sensory neurons. They can solve the problems of interspecies differences and supply stability. We investigated expressions of sensory neuron related proteins and genes, and drug responses by Multi-Electrode Array (MEA) to analyze the properties and functions of sensory neurons. They expressed nociceptor, mechanoreceptor and proprioceptor related genes and proteins. They constitute a heterogeneous population of their subclasses. We confirmed that they could respond to both noxious and non-noxious stimuli. We showed that histamine inhibitors reduced histamine-induced neuronal excitability. Furthermore, incubation with a ProTx-II and Nav1.7 inhibitor reduced the spontaneous neural activity in hiPSC-derived sensory neurons. Their responsiveness was different from each drug. We have demonstrated that hiPSC-derived sensory neurons combined with MEA are good candidates for drug discovery studies where DRG in vitro modeling is necessary.
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6
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Tran P, Tran HNT, McMahon KL, Deuis JR, Ragnarsson L, Norman A, Sharpe SJ, Payne RJ, Vetter I, Schroeder CI. Changes in Potency and Subtype Selectivity of Bivalent Na V Toxins are Knot-Specific. Bioconjug Chem 2023. [PMID: 37262436 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Disulfide-rich peptide toxins have long been studied for their ability to inhibit voltage-gated sodium channel subtype NaV1.7, a validated target for the treatment of pain. In this study, we sought to combine the pore blocking activity of conotoxins with the gating modifier activity of spider toxins to design new bivalent inhibitors of NaV1.7 with improved potency and selectivity. To do this, we created an array of heterodimeric toxins designed to target human NaV1.7 by ligating a conotoxin to a spider toxin and assessed the potency and selectivity of the resulting bivalent toxins. A series of spider-derived gating modifier toxins (GpTx-1, ProTx-II, gHwTx-IV, JzTx-V, CcoTx-1, and Pn3a) and two pore-blocker μ-conotoxins, SxIIIC and KIIIA, were used for this study. We employed either enzymatic ligation with sortase A for C- to N-terminal ligation or click chemistry for N- to N-terminal ligation. The bivalent peptide resulting from ligation of ProTx-II and SxIIIC (Pro[LPATG6]Sx) was shown to be the best combination as native ProTx-II potency at hNaV1.7 was conserved following ligation. At hNaV1.4, a synergistic effect between the pore blocker and gating modifier toxin moieties was observed, resulting in altered sodium channel subtype selectivity compared to the parent peptides. Further studies including mutant bivalent peptides and mutant hNaV1.7 channels suggested that gating modifier toxins have a greater contribution to the potency of the bivalent peptides than pore blockers. This study delineated potential benefits and drawbacks of designing pharmacological hybrid peptides targeting hNaV1.7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poanna Tran
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Hue N T Tran
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Kirsten L McMahon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Deuis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lotten Ragnarsson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander Norman
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Simon J Sharpe
- Molecular Medicine Program, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Richard J Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, United States
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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7
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McArthur JR, Wen J, Hung A, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Adams DJ. µ-Theraphotoxin Pn3a inhibition of Ca V3.3 channels reveals a novel isoform-selective drug binding site. eLife 2022; 11:e74040. [PMID: 35858123 PMCID: PMC9342953 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Low voltage-activated calcium currents are mediated by T-type calcium channels CaV3.1, CaV3.2, and CaV3.3, which modulate a variety of physiological processes including sleep, cardiac pace-making, pain, and epilepsy. CaV3 isoforms' biophysical properties, overlapping expression, and lack of subtype-selective pharmacology hinder the determination of their specific physiological roles in health and disease. We have identified μ-theraphotoxin Pn3a as the first subtype-selective spider venom peptide inhibitor of CaV3.3, with >100-fold lower potency against the other T-type isoforms. Pn3a modifies CaV3.3 gating through a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of activation thus decreasing CaV3.3-mediated currents in the normal range of activation potentials. Paddle chimeras of KV1.7 channels bearing voltage sensor sequences from all four CaV3.3 domains revealed preferential binding of Pn3a to the S3-S4 region of domain II (CaV3.3DII). This novel T-type channel pharmacological site was explored through computational docking simulations of Pn3a, site-directed mutagenesis, and full domain II swaps between CaV3 channels highlighting it as a subtype-specific pharmacophore. This research expands our understanding of T-type calcium channel pharmacology and supports the suitability of Pn3a as a molecular tool in the study of the physiological roles of CaV3.3 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R McArthur
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of WollongongWollongongAustralia
| | - Jierong Wen
- School of Science, RMIT UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Andrew Hung
- School of Science, RMIT UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of WollongongWollongongAustralia
| | - David J Adams
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of WollongongWollongongAustralia
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8
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Ngum NM, Aziz MYA, Latif ML, Wall RJ, Duce IR, Mellor IR. Non-canonical endogenous expression of voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 subtype by the TE671 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line. J Physiol 2022; 600:2499-2513. [PMID: 35413129 PMCID: PMC9325523 DOI: 10.1113/jp283055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The human TE671 cell line was originally used as a model of medulloblastoma but has since been reassigned as rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite the characterised endogenous expression of voltage‐sensitive sodium currents in these cells, the specific voltage‐gated sodium channel (VGSC) subtype underlying these currents remains unknown. To profile the VGSC subtype in undifferentiated TE671 cells, endpoint and quantitative reverse transcription–PCR (qRT‐PCR), western blot and whole‐cell patch clamp electrophysiology were performed. qRT‐PCR profiling revealed that expression of the SCN9A gene was ∼215‐fold greater than the SCN4A gene and over 400‐fold greater than any of the other VGSC genes, while western blot confirmed that the dominant SCN9A RNA was translated to a protein with a molecular mass of ∼250 kDa. Elicited sodium currents had a mean amplitude of 2.6 ± 0.7 nA with activation and fast inactivation V50 values of −31.9 ± 1.1 and −69.6 ± 1.0 mV, respectively. The currents were completely and reversibly blocked by tetrodotoxin at concentrations greater than 100 nm (IC50 = 22.3 nm). They were also very susceptible to the NaV1.7 specific blockers Huwentoxin‐IV and Protoxin‐II with IC50 values of 14.6 nm and 0.8 nm, respectively, characteristic of those previously determined for NaV1.7. Combined, the results revealed the non‐canonical and highly dominant expression of NaV1.7 in the human TE671 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line. We show that the TE671 cell line is an easy to maintain and cost‐effective model for the study of NaV1.7, a major target for the development of analgesic drugs and more generally for the study of pain. Key points Undifferentiated TE671 cells produce a voltage‐sensitive sodium current when depolarised. The voltage‐gated sodium channel isoform expressed in undifferentiated TE671 cells was previously unknown.
Through qRT‐PCR, western blot and toxin pharmacology, it is shown that undifferentiated TE671 cells dominantly (>99.5%) express the NaV1.7 isoform that is strongly associated with pain.
The TE671 cell line is, therefore, a very easy to maintain and cost‐effective model to study NaV1.7‐targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neville M Ngum
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Muhammad Y A Aziz
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - M Liaque Latif
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Richard J Wall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Ian R Duce
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Ian R Mellor
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
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9
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Nguyen PT, Nguyen HM, Wagner KM, Stewart RG, Singh V, Thapa P, Chen YJ, Lillya MW, Ton AT, Kondo R, Ghetti A, Pennington MW, Hammock B, Griffith TN, Sack JT, Wulff H, Yarov-Yarovoy V. Computational design of peptides to target Na V1.7 channel with high potency and selectivity for the treatment of pain. eLife 2022; 11:81727. [PMID: 36576241 PMCID: PMC9831606 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated sodium NaV1.7 channel plays a key role as a mediator of action potential propagation in C-fiber nociceptors and is an established molecular target for pain therapy. ProTx-II is a potent and moderately selective peptide toxin from tarantula venom that inhibits human NaV1.7 activation. Here we used available structural and experimental data to guide Rosetta design of potent and selective ProTx-II-based peptide inhibitors of human NaV1.7 channels. Functional testing of designed peptides using electrophysiology identified the PTx2-3127 and PTx2-3258 peptides with IC50s of 7 nM and 4 nM for hNaV1.7 and more than 1000-fold selectivity over human NaV1.1, NaV1.3, NaV1.4, NaV1.5, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9 channels. PTx2-3127 inhibits NaV1.7 currents in mouse and human sensory neurons and shows efficacy in rat models of chronic and thermal pain when administered intrathecally. Rationally designed peptide inhibitors of human NaV1.7 channels have transformative potential to define a new class of biologics to treat pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong T Nguyen
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Hai M Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Karen M Wagner
- Department of Entomology and Nematology & Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Robert G Stewart
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Vikrant Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Parashar Thapa
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Yi-Je Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Mark W Lillya
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | | | | | | | | | - Bruce Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology & Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Theanne N Griffith
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Jon T Sack
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Heike Wulff
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California DavisDavisUnited States,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of California DavisDavisUnited States,Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California DavisDavisUnited States
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10
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Kwon M, Jung IY, Cha M, Lee BH. Inhibition of the Nav1.7 Channel in the Trigeminal Ganglion Relieves Pulpitis Inflammatory Pain. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:759730. [PMID: 34955831 PMCID: PMC8694709 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.759730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulpitis causes significant changes in the peripheral nervous system, which induce hyperalgesia. However, the relationship between neuronal activity and Nav1.7 expression following pulpal noxious pain has not yet been investigated in the trigeminal ganglion (TG). The aim of our study was to verify whether experimentally induced pulpitis activates the expression of Nav1.7 peripherally and the neuronal activities of the TGs can be affected by Nav1.7 channel inhibition. Acute pulpitis was induced through allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) application to the rat maxillary molar tooth pulp. Three days after AITC application, abnormal pain behaviors were recorded, and the rats were euthanized to allow for immunohistochemical, optical imaging, and western blot analyses of the Nav1.7 expression in the TG. A significant increase in AITC-induced pain-like behaviors and histological evidence of pulpitis were observed. In addition, histological and western blot data showed that Nav1.7 expressions in the TGs were significantly higher in the AITC group than in the naive and saline group rats. Optical imaging showed that the AITC group showed higher neuronal activity after electrical stimulation of the TGs. Additionally, treatment of ProTxII, selective Nav1.7 blocker, on to the TGs in the AITC group effectively suppressed the hyperpolarized activity after electrical stimulation. These findings indicate that the inhibition of the Nav1.7 channel could modulate nociceptive signal processing in the TG following pulp inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjee Kwon
- Department of Nursing, Kyungil University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | - Il Young Jung
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Science Research Center, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Myeounghoon Cha
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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11
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Adams GL, Pall PS, Grauer SM, Zhou X, Ballard JE, Vavrek M, Kraus RL, Morissette P, Li N, Colarusso S, Bianchi E, Palani A, Klein R, John CT, Wang D, Tudor M, Nolting AF, Biba M, Nowak T, Makarov AA, Reibarkh M, Buevich AV, Zhong W, Regalado EL, Wang X, Gao Q, Shahripour A, Zhu Y, de Simone D, Frattarelli T, Pasquini NM, Magotti P, Iaccarino R, Li Y, Solly K, Lee KJ, Wang W, Chen F, Zeng H, Wang J, Regan H, Amin RP, Regan CP, Burgey CS, Henze DA, Sun C, Tellers DM. Development of ProTx-II Analogues as Highly Selective Peptide Blockers of Na v1.7 for the Treatment of Pain. J Med Chem 2021; 65:485-496. [PMID: 34931831 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitor cystine knot peptides, derived from venom, have evolved to block ion channel function but are often toxic when dosed at pharmacologically relevant levels in vivo. The article describes the design of analogues of ProTx-II that safely display systemic in vivo blocking of Nav1.7, resulting in a latency of response to thermal stimuli in rodents. The new designs achieve a better in vivo profile by improving ion channel selectivity and limiting the ability of the peptides to cause mast cell degranulation. The design rationale, structural modeling, in vitro profiles, and rat tail flick outcomes are disclosed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory L Adams
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Parul S Pall
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Steven M Grauer
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Xiaoping Zhou
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | - Marissa Vavrek
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Richard L Kraus
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | - Nianyu Li
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Stefania Colarusso
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bianchi
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Anandan Palani
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Rebecca Klein
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | - Deping Wang
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Matthew Tudor
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Andrew F Nolting
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Mirlinda Biba
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Timothy Nowak
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | | | | | | | - Wendy Zhong
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | | | - Xiao Wang
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Qi Gao
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | | | - Yuping Zhu
- Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Daniele de Simone
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Tommaso Frattarelli
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Nicolo' Maria Pasquini
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Paola Magotti
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Roberto Iaccarino
- Peptides and Small Molecules R&D Department, IRBM Spa, Via Pontina km 30.600, 00071 Pomezia (RM), Italy
| | - Yuxing Li
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Kelli Solly
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Keun-Joong Lee
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Weixun Wang
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Feifei Chen
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Haoyu Zeng
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jixin Wang
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Hilary Regan
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Rupesh P Amin
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | | | - Darrell A Henze
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Chengzao Sun
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - David M Tellers
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
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12
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Schroder RV, Cohen LS, Wang P, Arizala JD, Poget SF. Expression, Purification and Refolding of a Human Na V1.7 Voltage Sensing Domain with Native-like Toxin Binding Properties. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13100722. [PMID: 34679015 PMCID: PMC8541342 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13100722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 is an important target for drug development due to its role in pain perception. Recombinant expression of full-length channels and their use for biophysical characterization of interactions with potential drug candidates is challenging due to the protein size and complexity. To overcome this issue, we developed a protocol for the recombinant expression in E. coli and refolding into lipids of the isolated voltage sensing domain (VSD) of repeat II of NaV1.7, obtaining yields of about 2 mg of refolded VSD from 1 L bacterial cell culture. This VSD is known to be involved in the binding of a number of gating-modifier toxins, including the tarantula toxins ProTx-II and GpTx-I. Binding studies using microscale thermophoresis showed that recombinant refolded VSD binds both of these toxins with dissociation constants in the high nM range, and their relative binding affinities reflect the relative IC50 values of these toxins for full-channel inhibition. Additionally, we expressed mutant VSDs incorporating single amino acid substitutions that had previously been shown to affect the activity of ProTx-II on full channel. We found decreases in GpTx-I binding affinity for these mutants, consistent with a similar binding mechanism for GpTx-I as compared to that of ProTx-II. Therefore, this recombinant VSD captures many of the native interactions between NaV1.7 and tarantula gating-modifier toxins and represents a valuable tool for elucidating details of toxin binding and specificity that could help in the design of non-addictive pain medication acting through NaV1.7 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan V. Schroder
- Department of Chemistry, College of Staten Island, University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; (R.V.S.); (L.S.C.); (P.W.); (J.D.A.)
- The Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Leah S. Cohen
- Department of Chemistry, College of Staten Island, University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; (R.V.S.); (L.S.C.); (P.W.); (J.D.A.)
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Staten Island, University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; (R.V.S.); (L.S.C.); (P.W.); (J.D.A.)
| | - Joekeem D. Arizala
- Department of Chemistry, College of Staten Island, University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; (R.V.S.); (L.S.C.); (P.W.); (J.D.A.)
- The Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sébastien F. Poget
- Department of Chemistry, College of Staten Island, University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; (R.V.S.); (L.S.C.); (P.W.); (J.D.A.)
- The Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- The Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence:
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13
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Jiang Y, Castro J, Blomster LV, Agwa AJ, Maddern J, Schober G, Herzig V, Chow CY, Cardoso FC, Demétrio De Souza França P, Gonzales J, Schroeder CI, Esche S, Reiner T, Brierley SM, King GF. Pharmacological Inhibition of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Na V1.7 Alleviates Chronic Visceral Pain in a Rodent Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1362-1378. [PMID: 34423271 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The human nociceptor-specific voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 (hNaV1.7) is critical for sensing various types of somatic pain, but it appears not to play a primary role in acute visceral pain. However, its role in chronic visceral pain remains to be determined. We used assay-guided fractionation to isolate a novel hNaV1.7 inhibitor, Tsp1a, from tarantula venom. Tsp1a is 28-residue peptide that potently inhibits hNaV1.7 (IC50 = 10 nM), with greater than 100-fold selectivity over hNaV1.3-hNaV1.6, 45-fold selectivity over hNaV1.1, and 24-fold selectivity over hNaV1.2. Tsp1a is a gating modifier that inhibits NaV1.7 by inducing a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-dependence of channel inactivation and slowing recovery from fast inactivation. NMR studies revealed that Tsp1a adopts a classical knottin fold, and like many knottin peptides, it is exceptionally stable in human serum. Remarkably, intracolonic administration of Tsp1a completely reversed chronic visceral hypersensitivity in a mouse model of irritable bowel syndrome. The ability of Tsp1a to reduce visceral hypersensitivity in a model of irritable bowel syndrome suggests that pharmacological inhibition of hNaV1.7 at peripheral sensory nerve endings might be a viable approach for eliciting analgesia in patients suffering from chronic visceral pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Jiang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Joel Castro
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Linda V Blomster
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Akello J Agwa
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jessica Maddern
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Gudrun Schober
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chun Yuen Chow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Fernanda C Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paula Demétrio De Souza França
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
| | - Junior Gonzales
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Reiner
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States.,Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.,Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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14
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Depuydt AS, Rihon J, Cheneval O, Vanmeert M, Schroeder CI, Craik DJ, Lescrinier E, Peigneur S, Tytgat J. Cyclic Peptides as T-Type Calcium Channel Blockers: Characterization and Molecular Mapping of the Binding Site. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1379-1389. [PMID: 34423272 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
T-type calcium (CaV3) channels play a crucial role in the generation and propagation of action potentials in excitable cells and are considered potential drug targets for the treatment of neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Given the limited pharmacological repertoire for these channels, there is a great need for novel potent and selective CaV3 channel inhibitors. In this study, we used Xenopus oocytes to heterologously express CaV3.1 channels and characterized the interaction with a small cyclic peptide, PnCS1. Using molecular modeling, PnCS1 was docked into the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the human CaV3.1 channel and molecular dynamics were performed on the resultant complex. The binding site of the peptide was mapped with the involvement of critical amino acids located in the pore region and fenestrations of the channel. More specifically, we found that PnCS1 reclines in the central cavity of the pore domain of the CaV3.1 channel and resides stably between the selectivity filter and the intracellular gate, blocking the conduction pathway of the channel. Using Multiple Attribute Positional Scanning approaches, we developed a series of PnCS1 analogues. These analogues had a reduced level of inhibition, confirming the importance of specific residues and corroborating our modeling. In summary, functional studies of PnCS1 on the CaV3.1 channel combined with molecular dynamics results provide the basis for understanding the molecular interactions of PnCS1 with CaV3.1 and are fundamental to structure-based drug discovery for treating CaV3 channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Depuydt
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Jérôme Rihon
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Olivier Cheneval
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland Australia
| | - Michiel Vanmeert
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland Australia.,National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland Australia
| | - Eveline Lescrinier
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven 3000, Belgium
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15
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Trim CM, Byrne LJ, Trim SA. Utilisation of compounds from venoms in drug discovery. PROGRESS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2021; 60:1-66. [PMID: 34147202 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmch.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Difficult drug targets are becoming the normal course of business in drug discovery, sometimes due to large interacting surfaces or only small differences in selectivity regions. For these, a different approach is merited: compounds lying somewhere between the small molecule and the large antibody in terms of many properties including stability, biodistribution and pharmacokinetics. Venoms have evolved over millions of years to be complex mixtures of stable molecules derived from other somatic molecules, the stability comes from the pressure to be ready for delivery at a moment's notice. Snakes, spiders, scorpions, jellyfish, wasps, fish and even mammals have evolved independent venom systems with complex mixtures in their chemical arsenal. These venom-derived molecules have been proven to be useful tools, such as for the development of antihypotensive angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and have also made successful drugs such as Byetta® (Exenatide), Integrilin® (Eptifibatide) and Echistatin. Only a small percentage of the available chemical space from venoms has been investigated so far and this is growing. In a new era of biological therapeutics, venom peptides present opportunities for larger target engagement surface with greater stability than antibodies or human peptides. There are challenges for oral absorption and target engagement, but there are venom structures that overcome these and thus provide substrate for engineering novel molecules that combine all desired properties. Venom researchers are characterising new venoms, species, and functions all the time, these provide great substrate for solving the challenges presented by today's difficult targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol M Trim
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Social Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Lee J Byrne
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Social Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
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16
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Montnach J, De Waard S, Nicolas S, Burel S, Osorio N, Zoukimian C, Mantegazza M, Boukaiba R, Béroud R, Partiseti M, Delmas P, Marionneau C, De Waard M. Fluorescent- and tagged-protoxin II peptides: potent markers of the Na v 1.7 channel pain target. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:2632-2650. [PMID: 33742442 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Protoxin II (ProTx II) is a high affinity gating modifier that is thought to selectively block the Nav 1.7 voltage-dependent Na+ channel, a major therapeutic target for the control of pain. We aimed at producing ProTx II analogues entitled with novel functionalities for cell distribution studies and biochemical characterization of its Nav channel targets. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We took advantage of the high affinity properties of the peptide, combined to its slow off rate, to design a number of new tagged analogues useful for imaging and biochemistry purposes. We used high-throughput automated patch-clamp to identify the analogues best matching the native properties of ProTx II and validated them on various Nav -expressing cells in pull-down and cell distribution studies. KEY RESULTS Two of the produced ProTx II analogues, Biot-ProTx II and ATTO488-ProTx II, best emulate the pharmacological properties of unlabelled ProTx II, whereas other analogues remain high affinity blockers of Nav 1.7. The biotinylated version of ProTx II efficiently works for the pull-down of several Nav isoforms tested in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the fluorescent ATTO488-ProTx II specifically labels the Nav 1.7 channel over other Nav isoforms tested in various experimental conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The properties of these ProTx II analogues as tools for Nav channel purification and cell distribution studies pave the way for a better understanding of ProTx II channel receptors in pain and their pathophysiological implications in sensory neuronal processing. The new fluorescent ProTx II should also be useful in the design of new drug screening strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Montnach
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France
| | - Stephan De Waard
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France
| | - Sébastien Nicolas
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France
| | - Sophie Burel
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France
| | - Nancy Osorio
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, UMR 7291, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | | | - Massimo Mantegazza
- Université Cote d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7275, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Rachid Boukaiba
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery - High Content Biology, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | | | - Michel Partiseti
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery - High Content Biology, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Patrick Delmas
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, UMR 7291, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Céline Marionneau
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France
| | - Michel De Waard
- LabEx "Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics", l'institut du thorax, INSERM, CNRS, UNIV NANTES, Nantes, France.,Smartox Biotechnology, Saint-Egrève, France
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17
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Characterisation of d-Conotoxin TxVIA as a Mammalian T-Type Calcium Channel Modulator. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18070343. [PMID: 32629781 PMCID: PMC7401249 DOI: 10.3390/md18070343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The 27-amino acid (aa)-long d-conotoxin TxVIA, originally isolated from the mollusc-hunting cone snail Conus textile, slows voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channel inactivation in molluscan neurons, but its mammalian ion channel targets remain undetermined. In this study, we confirmed that TxVIA was inactive on mammalian NaV1.2 and NaV1.7 even at high concentrations (10 µM). Given the fact that invertebrate NaV channel and T-type calcium channels (CaV3.x) are evolutionarily related, we examined the possibility that TxVIA may act on CaV3.x. Electrophysiological characterisation of the native TxVIA on CaV3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 revealed that TxVIA preferentially inhibits CaV3.2 current (IC50 = 0.24 mM) and enhances CaV3.1 current at higher concentrations. In fish bioassays TxVIA showed little effect on zebrafish behaviours when injected intramuscular at 250 ng/100 mg fish. The binding sites for TxVIA at NaV1.7 and CaV3.1 revealed that their channel binding sites contained a common epitope.
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18
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Gao S, Na R, Yang L, Yu H, Zhao X, Huang X. Investigation of binding modes of spider toxin–human voltage-gated sodium channel subtybe 1.7. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 39:4981-4989. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1783363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Gao
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Risong Na
- College of plant protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, P.R China
| | - Lianjuan Yang
- Department of Mycology, Shanghai Dermatology Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Yu
- College of Science, Beihua Univesrity, Jilin, China
| | - Xi Zhao
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuri Huang
- College of plant protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, P.R China
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19
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Spider Knottin Pharmacology at Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels and Their Potential to Modulate Pain Pathways. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11110626. [PMID: 31671792 PMCID: PMC6891507 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11110626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) are a key determinant of neuronal signalling. Neurotoxins from diverse taxa that selectively activate or inhibit NaV channels have helped unravel the role of NaV channels in diseases, including chronic pain. Spider venoms contain the most diverse array of inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) toxins (knottins). This review provides an overview on how spider knottins modulate NaV channels and describes the structural features and molecular determinants that influence their affinity and subtype selectivity. Genetic and functional evidence support a major involvement of NaV subtypes in various chronic pain conditions. The exquisite inhibitory properties of spider knottins over key NaV subtypes make them the best lead molecules for the development of novel analgesics to treat chronic pain.
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20
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Spider Venom: Components, Modes of Action, and Novel Strategies in Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11100611. [PMID: 31652611 PMCID: PMC6832493 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11100611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This review gives an overview on the development of research on spider venoms with a focus on structure and function of venom components and techniques of analysis. Major venom component groups are small molecular mass compounds, antimicrobial (also called cytolytic, or cationic) peptides (only in some spider families), cysteine-rich (neurotoxic) peptides, and enzymes and proteins. Cysteine-rich peptides are reviewed with respect to various structural motifs, their targets (ion channels, membrane receptors), nomenclature, and molecular binding. We further describe the latest findings concerning the maturation of antimicrobial, and cysteine-rich peptides that are in most known cases expressed as propeptide-containing precursors. Today, venom research, increasingly employs transcriptomic and mass spectrometric techniques. Pros and cons of venom gland transcriptome analysis with Sanger, 454, and Illumina sequencing are discussed and an overview on so far published transcriptome studies is given. In this respect, we also discuss the only recently described cross contamination arising from multiplexing in Illumina sequencing and its possible impacts on venom studies. High throughput mass spectrometric analysis of venom proteomes (bottom-up, top-down) are reviewed.
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21
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Ma RSY, Kayani K, Whyte-Oshodi D, Whyte-Oshodi A, Nachiappan N, Gnanarajah S, Mohammed R. Voltage gated sodium channels as therapeutic targets for chronic pain. J Pain Res 2019; 12:2709-2722. [PMID: 31564962 PMCID: PMC6743634 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s207610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Being maladaptive and frequently unresponsive to pharmacotherapy, chronic pain presents a major unmet clinical need. While an intact central nervous system is required for conscious pain perception, nociceptor hyperexcitability induced by nerve injury in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is sufficient and necessary to initiate and maintain neuropathic pain. The genesis and propagation of action potentials is dependent on voltage-gated sodium channels, in particular, Nav1.7, Nav1.8 and Nav1.9. However, nerve injury triggers changes in their distribution, expression and/or biophysical properties, leading to aberrant excitability. Most existing treatment for pain relief acts through non-selective, state-dependent sodium channel blockage and have narrow therapeutic windows. Natural toxins and developing subtype-specific and molecular-specific sodium channel blockers show promise for treatment of neuropathic pain with minimal side effects. New approaches to analgesia include combination therapy and gene therapy. Here, we review how individual sodium channel subtypes contribute to pain, and the attempts made to develop more effective analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Siu Yu Ma
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kayani Kayani
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Raihan Mohammed
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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22
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Cardoso FC, Lewis RJ. Structure-Function and Therapeutic Potential of Spider Venom-Derived Cysteine Knot Peptides Targeting Sodium Channels. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:366. [PMID: 31031623 PMCID: PMC6470632 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider venom-derived cysteine knot peptides are a mega-diverse class of molecules that exhibit unique pharmacological properties to modulate key membrane protein targets. Voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) are often targeted by these peptides to allosterically promote opening or closing of the channel by binding to structural domains outside the channel pore. These effects can result in modified pain responses, muscle paralysis, cardiac arrest, priapism, and numbness. Although such effects are often deleterious, subtype selective spider venom peptides are showing potential to treat a range of neurological disorders, including chronic pain and epilepsy. This review examines the structure–activity relationships of cysteine knot peptides from spider venoms that modulate NaV and discusses their potential as leads to novel therapies for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda C Cardoso
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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23
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Bennett DL, Clark AJ, Huang J, Waxman SG, Dib-Hajj SD. The Role of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels in Pain Signaling. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1079-1151. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00052.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 256] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute pain signaling has a key protective role and is highly evolutionarily conserved. Chronic pain, however, is maladaptive, occurring as a consequence of injury and disease, and is associated with sensitization of the somatosensory nervous system. Primary sensory neurons are involved in both of these processes, and the recent advances in understanding sensory transduction and human genetics are the focus of this review. Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are important determinants of sensory neuron excitability: they are essential for the initial transduction of sensory stimuli, the electrogenesis of the action potential, and neurotransmitter release from sensory neuron terminals. Nav1.1, Nav1.6, Nav1.7, Nav1.8, and Nav1.9 are all expressed by adult sensory neurons. The biophysical characteristics of these channels, as well as their unique expression patterns within subtypes of sensory neurons, define their functional role in pain signaling. Changes in the expression of VGSCs, as well as posttranslational modifications, contribute to the sensitization of sensory neurons in chronic pain states. Furthermore, gene variants in Nav1.7, Nav1.8, and Nav1.9 have now been linked to human Mendelian pain disorders and more recently to common pain disorders such as small-fiber neuropathy. Chronic pain affects one in five of the general population. Given the poor efficacy of current analgesics, the selective expression of particular VGSCs in sensory neurons makes these attractive targets for drug discovery. The increasing availability of gene sequencing, combined with structural modeling and electrophysiological analysis of gene variants, also provides the opportunity to better target existing therapies in a personalized manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alex J. Clark
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jianying Huang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Sulayman D. Dib-Hajj
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
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24
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Maatuf Y, Geron M, Priel A. The Role of Toxins in the Pursuit for Novel Analgesics. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11020131. [PMID: 30813430 PMCID: PMC6409898 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11020131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a major medical issue which reduces the quality of life of millions and inflicts a significant burden on health authorities worldwide. Currently, management of chronic pain includes first-line pharmacological therapies that are inadequately effective, as in just a portion of patients pain relief is obtained. Furthermore, most analgesics in use produce severe or intolerable adverse effects that impose dose restrictions and reduce compliance. As the majority of analgesic agents act on the central nervous system (CNS), it is possible that blocking pain at its source by targeting nociceptors would prove more efficient with minimal CNS-related side effects. The development of such analgesics requires the identification of appropriate molecular targets and thorough understanding of their structural and functional features. To this end, plant and animal toxins can be employed as they affect ion channels with high potency and selectivity. Moreover, elucidation of the toxin-bound ion channel structure could generate pharmacophores for rational drug design while favorable safety and analgesic profiles could highlight toxins as leads or even as valuable therapeutic compounds themselves. Here, we discuss the use of plant and animal toxins in the characterization of peripherally expressed ion channels which are implicated in pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossi Maatuf
- The Institute for Drug Research (IDR), School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
| | - Matan Geron
- The Institute for Drug Research (IDR), School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
| | - Avi Priel
- The Institute for Drug Research (IDR), School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
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25
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Xu H, Li T, Rohou A, Arthur CP, Tzakoniati F, Wong E, Estevez A, Kugel C, Franke Y, Chen J, Ciferri C, Hackos DH, Koth CM, Payandeh J. Structural Basis of Nav1.7 Inhibition by a Gating-Modifier Spider Toxin. Cell 2019; 176:702-715.e14. [PMID: 30661758 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are targets of disease mutations, toxins, and therapeutic drugs. Despite recent advances, the structural basis of voltage sensing, electromechanical coupling, and toxin modulation remains ill-defined. Protoxin-II (ProTx2) from the Peruvian green velvet tarantula is an inhibitor cystine-knot peptide and selective antagonist of the human Nav1.7 channel. Here, we visualize ProTx2 in complex with voltage-sensor domain II (VSD2) from Nav1.7 using X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy. Membrane partitioning orients ProTx2 for unfettered access to VSD2, where ProTx2 interrogates distinct features of the Nav1.7 receptor site. ProTx2 positions two basic residues into the extracellular vestibule to antagonize S4 gating-charge movement through an electrostatic mechanism. ProTx2 has trapped activated and deactivated states of VSD2, revealing a remarkable ∼10 Å translation of the S4 helix, providing a structural framework for activation gating in voltage-gated ion channels. Finally, our results deliver key templates to design selective Nav channel antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Tianbo Li
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Alexis Rohou
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | | | - Foteini Tzakoniati
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Evera Wong
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Alberto Estevez
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Christine Kugel
- Department of Biomolecular Resources, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Yvonne Franke
- Department of Biomolecular Resources, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Claudio Ciferri
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - David H Hackos
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Christopher M Koth
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Jian Payandeh
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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26
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Gonçalves TC, Benoit E, Partiseti M, Servent D. The Na V1.7 Channel Subtype as an Antinociceptive Target for Spider Toxins in Adult Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1000. [PMID: 30233376 PMCID: PMC6131673 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although necessary for human survival, pain may sometimes become pathologic if long-lasting and associated with alterations in its signaling pathway. Opioid painkillers are officially used to treat moderate to severe, and even mild, pain. However, the consequent strong and not so rare complications that occur, including addiction and overdose, combined with pain management costs, remain an important societal and economic concern. In this context, animal venom toxins represent an original source of antinociceptive peptides that mainly target ion channels (such as ASICs as well as TRP, CaV, KV and NaV channels) involved in pain transmission. The present review aims to highlight the NaV1.7 channel subtype as an antinociceptive target for spider toxins in adult dorsal root ganglia neurons. It will detail (i) the characteristics of these primary sensory neurons, the first ones in contact with pain stimulus and conveying the nociceptive message, (ii) the electrophysiological properties of the different NaV channel subtypes expressed in these neurons, with a particular attention on the NaV1.7 subtype, an antinociceptive target of choice that has been validated by human genetic evidence, and (iii) the features of spider venom toxins, shaped of inhibitory cysteine knot motif, that present high affinity for the NaV1.7 subtype associated with evidenced analgesic efficacy in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tânia C Gonçalves
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery - High Content Biology, Paris, France.,Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, CEA de Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Evelyne Benoit
- Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, CEA de Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, UMR CNRS/Université Paris-Sud 9197, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Michel Partiseti
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery - High Content Biology, Paris, France
| | - Denis Servent
- Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, CEA de Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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27
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Polido G, Shi X, Xu D, Guo C, Thai R, Patterson JP, Gianneschi NC, Suchyna TM, Sachs F, Holland GP. Investigating the interaction of Grammostola rosea venom peptides and model lipid bilayers with solid-state NMR and electron microscopy techniques. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1861:151-160. [PMID: 30463698 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Spider venom contains a number of small peptides that can control the gating properties of a wide range of ion channels with high affinity and specificity. These ion channels are responsible for coordination and control of many bodily functions such as transducing signals into sensory functions, smooth muscle contractions as well as serving as sensors in volume regulation. Hence, these peptides have been the topic of many research efforts in hopes that they can be used as biomedical therapeutics. Several peptides are known to control the gating properties of ion channels by involving the lipid membrane. GsMTx4, originally isolated from the Chilean Rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea), is known to selectively inhibit mechanosensitive ion channels by partitioning into the lipid bilayer. To further understand this indirect gating mechanism, we investigated the interactions between native GsAF2, VsTx1 and a synthetic form of GsMTx4 with model DMPC lipid bilayers using 31P solid-state NMR, 13C CP-MAS NMR, NS-TEM and cryo-TEM. The results reveal that these inhibitor cystine knot peptides perforate the DMPC lipid vesicles similarly with some subtle differences and ultimately create small spherical vesicles and anisotropic cylindrical and discoidal vesicles at concentrations near 1.0-1.5 mol% peptide. The anisotropic components align with their long axes along the NMR static B0 magnetic field, a property that should be useful in future NMR structural investigations of these systems. These findings move us forward in our understanding of how these peptides bind and interact with the lipid bilayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Polido
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-1030, USA
| | - Xiangyan Shi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Dian Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Chengchen Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Rich Thai
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-1030, USA
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nathan C Gianneschi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Thomas M Suchyna
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Frederick Sachs
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Gregory P Holland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-1030, USA.
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28
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Wright ZVF, McCarthy S, Dickman R, Reyes FE, Sanchez-Martinez S, Cryar A, Kilford I, Hall A, Takle AK, Topf M, Gonen T, Thalassinos K, Tabor AB. The Role of Disulfide Bond Replacements in Analogues of the Tarantula Toxin ProTx-II and Their Effects on Inhibition of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Ion Channel Na v1.7. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:13063-13075. [PMID: 28880078 PMCID: PMC5618157 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b06506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Spider
venom toxins, such as Protoxin-II (ProTx-II), have recently
received much attention as selective Nav1.7 channel blockers,
with potential to be developed as leads for the treatment of chronic
nocioceptive pain. ProTx-II is a 30-amino acid peptide with three
disulfide bonds that has been reported to adopt a well-defined inhibitory
cystine knot (ICK) scaffold structure. Potential drawbacks with such
peptides include poor pharmacodynamics and potential scrambling of
the disulfide bonds in vivo. In order to address
these issues, in the present study we report the solid-phase synthesis
of lanthionine-bridged analogues of ProTx-II, in which one of the
three disulfide bridges is replaced with a thioether linkage, and
evaluate the biological properties of these analogues. We have also
investigated the folding and disulfide bridging patterns arising from
different methods of oxidation of the linear peptide precursor. Finally,
we report the X-ray crystal structure of ProTx-II to atomic resolution;
to our knowledge this is the first crystal structure of an ICK spider
venom peptide not bound to a substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë V F Wright
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen McCarthy
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Dickman
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Francis E Reyes
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Ashburn, Virginia 20147, United States
| | - Silvia Sanchez-Martinez
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Ashburn, Virginia 20147, United States
| | - Adam Cryar
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London , Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.,Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London , London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Kilford
- European Knowledge Centre, Eisai Limited , Mosquito Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9SN, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Hall
- European Knowledge Centre, Eisai Limited , Mosquito Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9SN, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew K Takle
- European Knowledge Centre, Eisai Limited , Mosquito Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9SN, United Kingdom
| | - Maya Topf
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London , London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Tamir Gonen
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Ashburn, Virginia 20147, United States
| | - Konstantinos Thalassinos
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London , Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.,Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London , London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Alethea B Tabor
- Department of Chemistry, University College London , 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
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29
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Hung A, Kuyucak S, Schroeder CI, Kaas Q. Modelling the interactions between animal venom peptides and membrane proteins. Neuropharmacology 2017; 127:20-31. [PMID: 28778835 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The active components of animal venoms are mostly peptide toxins, which typically target ion channels and receptors of both the central and peripheral nervous system, interfering with action potential conduction and/or synaptic transmission. The high degree of sequence conservation of their molecular targets makes a range of these toxins active at human receptors. The high selectivity and potency displayed by some of these toxins have prompted their use as pharmacological tools as well as drugs or drug leads. Molecular modelling has played an essential role in increasing our molecular-level understanding of the activity and specificity of animal toxins, as well as engineering them for biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. This review focuses on the biological insights gained from computational and experimental studies of animal venom toxins interacting with membranes and ion channels. A host of recent X-ray crystallography and electron-microscopy structures of the toxin targets has contributed to a dramatic increase in the accuracy of the molecular models of toxin binding modes greatly advancing this exciting field of study. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Venom-derived Peptides as Pharmacological Tools.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hung
- School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Serdar Kuyucak
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
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30
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Rajamani R, Wu S, Rodrigo I, Gao M, Low S, Megson L, Wensel D, Pieschl RL, Post-Munson DJ, Watson J, Langley DR, Ahlijanian MK, Bristow LJ, Herrington J. A Functional NaV1.7-NaVAb Chimera with a Reconstituted High-Affinity ProTx-II Binding Site. Mol Pharmacol 2017. [DOI: 10.1124/mol.117.108712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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31
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Rahnama S, Deuis JR, Cardoso FC, Ramanujam V, Lewis RJ, Rash LD, King GF, Vetter I, Mobli M. The structure, dynamics and selectivity profile of a NaV1.7 potency-optimised huwentoxin-IV variant. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173551. [PMID: 28301520 PMCID: PMC5354290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Venom-derived peptides have attracted much attention as potential lead molecules for pharmaceutical development. A well-known example is Huwentoxin-IV (HwTx-IV), a peptide toxin isolated from the venom of the Chinese bird-eating spider Haplopelma schmitdi. HwTx-IV was identified as a potent blocker of a human voltage-gated sodium channel (hNaV1.7), which is a genetically validated analgesic target. The peptide was promising as it showed high potency at NaV1.7 (IC50 ~26 nM) and selectivity over the cardiac NaV subtype (NaV1.5). Mutagenesis studies aimed at optimising the potency of the peptide resulted in the development of a triple-mutant of HwTx-IV (E1G, E4G, Y33W, m3-HwTx-IV) with significantly increased potency against hNaV1.7 (IC50 = 0.4 ± 0.1 nM) without increased potency against hNaV1.5. The activity of m3-HwTx-IV against other NaV subtypes was, however, not investigated. Similarly, the structure of the mutant peptide was not characterised, limiting the interpretation of the observed increase in potency. In this study we produced isotope-labelled recombinant m3-HwTx-IV in E. coli, which enabled us to characterise the atomic-resolution structure and dynamics of the peptide by NMR spectroscopy. The results show that the structure of the peptide is not perturbed by the mutations, whilst the relaxation studies reveal that residues in the active site of the peptide undergo conformational exchange. Additionally, the NaV subtype selectivity of the recombinant peptide was characterised, revealing potent inhibition of neuronal NaV subtypes 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6 and 1.7. In parallel to the in vitro studies, we investigated NaV1.7 target engagement of the peptide in vivo using a rodent pain model, where m3-HwTx-IV dose-dependently suppressed spontaneous pain induced by the NaV1.7 activator OD1. Thus, our results provide further insight into the structure and dynamics of this class of peptides that may prove useful in guiding the development of inhibitors with improved selectivity for analgesic NaV subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sassan Rahnama
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Jennifer R. Deuis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Fernanda C. Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Richard J. Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Lachlan D. Rash
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Mehdi Mobli
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- * E-mail:
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32
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Flinspach M, Xu Q, Piekarz AD, Fellows R, Hagan R, Gibbs A, Liu Y, Neff RA, Freedman J, Eckert WA, Zhou M, Bonesteel R, Pennington MW, Eddinger KA, Yaksh TL, Hunter M, Swanson RV, Wickenden AD. Insensitivity to pain induced by a potent selective closed-state Nav1.7 inhibitor. Sci Rep 2017; 7:39662. [PMID: 28045073 PMCID: PMC5206724 DOI: 10.1038/srep39662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain places a devastating burden on patients and society and current pain therapeutics exhibit limitations in efficacy, unwanted side effects and the potential for drug abuse and diversion. Although genetic evidence has clearly demonstrated that the voltage-gated sodium channel, Nav1.7, is critical to pain sensation in mammals, pharmacological inhibitors of Nav1.7 have not yet fully recapitulated the dramatic analgesia observed in Nav1.7-null subjects. Using the tarantula venom-peptide ProTX-II as a scaffold, we engineered a library of over 1500 venom-derived peptides and identified JNJ63955918 as a potent, highly selective, closed-state Nav1.7 blocking peptide. Here we show that JNJ63955918 induces a pharmacological insensitivity to pain that closely recapitulates key features of the Nav1.7-null phenotype seen in mice and humans. Our findings demonstrate that a high degree of selectivity, coupled with a closed-state dependent mechanism of action is required for strong efficacy and indicate that peptides such as JNJ63955918 and other suitably optimized Nav1.7 inhibitors may represent viable non-opioid alternatives for the pharmacological treatment of severe pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Flinspach
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Q Xu
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - A D Piekarz
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - R Fellows
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - R Hagan
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - A Gibbs
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Y Liu
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - R A Neff
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - J Freedman
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - W A Eckert
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - M Zhou
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - R Bonesteel
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | | | - K A Eddinger
- University of California, San Diego, Department Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0818, USA
| | - T L Yaksh
- University of California, San Diego, Department Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0818, USA
| | - M Hunter
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - R V Swanson
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - A D Wickenden
- Janssen R&D, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
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33
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Rogers M, Zidar N, Kikelj D, Kirby RW. Characterization of Endogenous Sodium Channels in the ND7-23 Neuroblastoma Cell Line: Implications for Use as a Heterologous Ion Channel Expression System Suitable for Automated Patch Clamp Screening. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2016; 14:109-30. [PMID: 26991361 PMCID: PMC4800267 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2016.704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rodent neuroblastoma cell line, ND7-23, is used to express voltage-dependent sodium (Nav) and other neuronal ion channels resistant to heterologous expression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) or human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. Their advantage is that they provide endogenous factors and signaling pathways to promote ion channel peptide folding, expression, and function at the cell surface and are also amenable to automated patch clamping. However, ND7-23 cells exhibit endogenous tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive Nav currents, and molecular profiling has revealed the presence of Nav1.2, Nav1.3, Nav1.6, and Nav1.7 transcripts, but no study has determined which subtypes contribute to functional channels at the cell surface. We profiled the repertoire of functional Nav channels endogenously expressed in ND7-23 cells using the QPatch automated patch clamp platform and selective toxins and small molecules. The potency and subtype selectivity of the ligands (Icagen compound 68 from patent US-20060025415-A1-20060202, 4,9 anhydro TTX, and Protoxin-II) were established in human Nav1.3, Nav1.6, and Nav1.7 channel cell lines before application of selective concentrations to ND7-23 cells. Our data confirm previous studies that >97% of macroscopic Nav current in ND7-23 cells is carried by TTX-sensitive channels (300 nM TTX) and that Nav1.7 is the predominant channel contributing to this response (65% of peak inward current), followed by Nav1.6 (∼20%) and negligible Nav1.3 currents (∼2%). In addition, our data are the first to assess the Nav1.6 potency (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] of 33 nM) and selectivity (50-fold over Nav1.7) of 4,9 anhydro TTX in human Nav channels expressed in mammalian cells, confirming previous studies of rodent Nav channels expressed in oocytes and HEK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Rogers
- 1 Xention Limited , Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nace Zidar
- 2 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana , Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Danijel Kikelj
- 2 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana , Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Barkan DT, Cheng XL, Celino H, Tran TT, Bhandari A, Craik CS, Sali A, Smythe ML. Clustering of disulfide-rich peptides provides scaffolds for hit discovery by phage display: application to interleukin-23. BMC Bioinformatics 2016; 17:481. [PMID: 27881076 PMCID: PMC5120537 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-016-1350-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs) are found throughout nature. They are suitable scaffolds for drug development due to their small cores, whose disulfide bonds impart extraordinary chemical and biological stability. A challenge in developing a DRP therapeutic is to engineer binding to a specific target. This challenge can be overcome by (i) sampling the large sequence space of a given scaffold through a phage display library and by (ii) panning multiple libraries encoding structurally distinct scaffolds. Here, we implement a protocol for defining these diverse scaffolds, based on clustering structurally defined DRPs according to their conformational similarity. RESULTS We developed and applied a hierarchical clustering protocol based on DRP structural similarity, followed by two post-processing steps, to classify 806 unique DRP structures into 81 clusters. The 20 most populated clusters comprised 85% of all DRPs. Representative scaffolds were selected from each of these clusters; the representatives were structurally distinct from one another, but similar to other DRPs in their respective clusters. To demonstrate the utility of the clusters, phage libraries were constructed for three of the representative scaffolds and panned against interleukin-23. One library produced a peptide that bound to this target with an IC50 of 3.3 μM. CONCLUSIONS Most DRP clusters contained members that were diverse in sequence, host organism, and interacting proteins, indicating that cluster members were functionally diverse despite having similar structure. Only 20 peptide scaffolds accounted for most of the natural DRP structural diversity, providing suitable starting points for seeding phage display experiments. Through selection of the scaffold surface to vary in phage display, libraries can be designed that present sequence diversity in architecturally distinct, biologically relevant combinations of secondary structures. We supported this hypothesis with a proof-of-concept experiment in which three phage libraries were constructed and panned against the IL-23 target, resulting in a single-digit μM hit and suggesting that a collection of libraries based on the full set of 20 scaffolds increases the potential to identify efficiently peptide binders to a protein target in a drug discovery program.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Barkan
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA
| | - Xiao-Li Cheng
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA
| | - Herodion Celino
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA
| | - Tran T Tran
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA
| | - Ashok Bhandari
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA
| | - Charles S Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Andrej Sali
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Mark L Smythe
- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., 521 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 100, Milpitas, CA, 95035-74521, USA. .,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia.
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Xu X, Zhang B, Yang S, An S, Ribeiro JMC, Andersen JF. Structure and Function of FS50, a salivary protein from the flea Xenopsylla cheopis that blocks the sodium channel Na V1.5. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36574. [PMID: 27819327 PMCID: PMC5098211 DOI: 10.1038/srep36574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring toxins have been invaluable tools for the study of structural and functional relationships of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC). Few studies have been made of potential channel-modulating substances from blood-feeding arthropods. He we describe the characterization FS50, a salivary protein from the flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, that exhibits an inhibitory activity against the NaV1.5 channel with an IC50 of 1.58 μM. The pore-blocking mechanism of this toxin is evident from the kinetics of activation and inactivation suggesting that FS50 does not interfere with the voltage sensor of NaV1.5. FS50 exhibits high specificity for NaV1.5, since 10 μM FS50 had no discernable effect on voltage-gated Na+, K+ and Ca2+ channels in rat dorsal root ganglia or VGSC forms individually expressed in HEK 293T cells. Furthermore, intravenous injection of FS50 into rats and monkeys elicited recovery from arrhythmia induced by BaCl2, as would be expected from a blockade of NaV1.5. The crystal structure of FS50 revealed a βαββ domain similar to that of scorpion β toxin and a small N-terminal βαβ domain. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments have implicated a basic surface including the side chains of Arg 6, His 11 and Lys 32 as potentially important in the FS50 NaV1.5 interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China.,The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852 USA
| | - Bei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Shilong Yang
- The Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Su An
- The Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852 USA
| | - John F Andersen
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852 USA
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Ahern CA, Payandeh J, Bosmans F, Chanda B. The hitchhiker's guide to the voltage-gated sodium channel galaxy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 147:1-24. [PMID: 26712848 PMCID: PMC4692491 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201511492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels contribute to the rising phase of action potentials and served as an early muse for biophysicists laying the foundation for our current understanding of electrical signaling. Given their central role in electrical excitability, it is not surprising that (a) inherited mutations in genes encoding for Nav channels and their accessory subunits have been linked to excitability disorders in brain, muscle, and heart; and (b) Nav channels are targeted by various drugs and naturally occurring toxins. Although the overall architecture and behavior of these channels are likely to be similar to the more well-studied voltage-gated potassium channels, eukaryotic Nav channels lack structural and functional symmetry, a notable difference that has implications for gating and selectivity. Activation of voltage-sensing modules of the first three domains in Nav channels is sufficient to open the channel pore, whereas movement of the domain IV voltage sensor is correlated with inactivation. Also, structure–function studies of eukaryotic Nav channels show that a set of amino acids in the selectivity filter, referred to as DEKA locus, is essential for Na+ selectivity. Structures of prokaryotic Nav channels have also shed new light on mechanisms of drug block. These structures exhibit lateral fenestrations that are large enough to allow drugs or lipophilic molecules to gain access into the inner vestibule, suggesting that this might be the passage for drug entry into a closed channel. In this Review, we will synthesize our current understanding of Nav channel gating mechanisms, ion selectivity and permeation, and modulation by therapeutics and toxins in light of the new structures of the prokaryotic Nav channels that, for the time being, serve as structural models of their eukaryotic counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Jian Payandeh
- Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Frank Bosmans
- Department of Physiology and Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 Department of Physiology and Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Baron Chanda
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705 Department of Neuroscience and Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
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Henriques ST, Deplazes E, Lawrence N, Cheneval O, Chaousis S, Inserra M, Thongyoo P, King GF, Mark AE, Vetter I, Craik DJ, Schroeder CI. Interaction of Tarantula Venom Peptide ProTx-II with Lipid Membranes Is a Prerequisite for Its Inhibition of Human Voltage-gated Sodium Channel NaV1.7. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:17049-65. [PMID: 27311819 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.729095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
ProTx-II is a disulfide-rich peptide toxin from tarantula venom able to inhibit the human voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 (hNaV1.7), a channel reported to be involved in nociception, and thus it might have potential as a pain therapeutic. ProTx-II acts by binding to the membrane-embedded voltage sensor domain of hNaV1.7, but the precise peptide channel-binding site and the importance of membrane binding on the inhibitory activity of ProTx-II remain unknown. In this study, we examined the structure and membrane-binding properties of ProTx-II and several analogues using NMR spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance, fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show a direct correlation between ProTx-II membrane binding affinity and its potency as an hNaV1.7 channel inhibitor. The data support a model whereby a hydrophobic patch on the ProTx-II surface anchors the molecule at the cell surface in a position that optimizes interaction of the peptide with the binding site on the voltage sensor domain. This is the first study to demonstrate that binding of ProTx-II to the lipid membrane is directly linked to its potency as an hNaV1.7 channel inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evelyne Deplazes
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Queensland 4072 and
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alan E Mark
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Queensland 4072 and
| | - Irina Vetter
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and the School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Queensland 4102, Australia
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Salari A, Vega BS, Milescu LS, Milescu M. Molecular Interactions between Tarantula Toxins and Low-Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23894. [PMID: 27045173 PMCID: PMC4820701 DOI: 10.1038/srep23894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Few gating-modifier toxins have been reported to target low-voltage-activated (LVA) calcium channels, and the structural basis of toxin sensitivity remains incompletely understood. Studies of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels have identified the S3b–S4 “paddle motif,” which moves at the protein-lipid interface to drive channel opening, as the target for these amphipathic neurotoxins. Voltage-gated calcium (Cav) channels contain four homologous voltage sensor domains, suggesting multiple toxin binding sites. We show here that the S3–S4 segments within Cav3.1 can be transplanted into Kv2.1 to examine their individual contributions to voltage sensing and pharmacology. With these results, we now have a more complete picture of the conserved nature of the paddle motif in all three major voltage-gated ion channel types (Kv, Nav, and Cav). When screened with tarantula toxins, the four paddle sequences display distinct toxin binding properties, demonstrating that gating-modifier toxins can bind to Cav channels in a domain specific fashion. Domain III was the most commonly and strongly targeted, and mutagenesis revealed an acidic residue that is important for toxin binding. We also measured the lipid partitioning strength of all toxins tested and observed a positive correlation with their inhibition of Cav3.1, suggesting a key role for membrane partitioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autoosa Salari
- University of Missouri, Division of Biological Sciences, Columbia, 65211, USA
| | - Benjamin S Vega
- University of Missouri, Division of Biological Sciences, Columbia, 65211, USA
| | - Lorin S Milescu
- University of Missouri, Division of Biological Sciences, Columbia, 65211, USA
| | - Mirela Milescu
- University of Missouri, Division of Biological Sciences, Columbia, 65211, USA
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Paiva ALB, Matavel A, Peigneur S, Cordeiro MN, Tytgat J, Diniz MRV, de Lima ME. Differential effects of the recombinant toxin PnTx4(5-5) from the spider Phoneutria nigriventer on mammalian and insect sodium channels. Biochimie 2015; 121:326-35. [PMID: 26747232 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The toxin PnTx4(5-5) from the spider Phoneutria nigriventer is extremely toxic/lethal to insects but has no macroscopic behavioral effects observed in mice after intracerebral injection. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that it inhibits the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) - subtype of glutamate receptors of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. PnTx4(5-5) has 63% identity to PnTx4(6-1), another insecticidal toxin from P. nigriventer, which can slow down the sodium current inactivation in insect central nervous system, but has no effect on Nav1.2 and Nav1.4 rat sodium channels. Here, we have cloned and heterologous expressed the toxin PnTx4(5-5) in Escherichia coli. The recombinant toxin rPnTx4(5-5) was tested on the sodium channel NavBg from the cockroach Blatella germanica and on mammalian sodium channels Nav1.2-1.6, all expressed in Xenopus leavis oocytes. We showed that the toxin has different affinity and mode of action on insect and mammalian sodium channels. The most remarkable effect was on NavBg, where rPnTx4(5-5) strongly slowed down channel inactivation (EC50 = 212.5 nM), and at 1 μM caused an increase on current peak amplitude of 105.2 ± 3.1%. Interestingly, the toxin also inhibited sodium current on all the mammalian channels tested, with the higher current inhibition on Nav1.3 (38.43 ± 8.04%, IC50 = 1.5 μM). Analysis of activation curves on Nav1.3 and Nav1.5 showed that the toxin shifts channel activation to more depolarized potentials, which can explain the sodium current inhibition. Furthermore, the toxin also slightly slowed down sodium inactivation on Nav1.3 and Nav1.6 channels. As far as we know, this is the first araneomorph toxin described which can shift the sodium channel activation to more depolarized potentials and also slows down channel inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L B Paiva
- Departamento de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Matavel
- Departamento de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Marta N Cordeiro
- Departamento de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marcelo R V Diniz
- Departamento de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Three Peptide Modulators of the Human Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel 1.7, an Important Analgesic Target, from the Venom of an Australian Tarantula. Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:2494-513. [PMID: 26134258 PMCID: PMC4516925 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7072494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are responsible for propagating action potentials in excitable cells. NaV1.7 plays a crucial role in the human pain signalling pathway and it is an important therapeutic target for treatment of chronic pain. Numerous spider venom peptides have been shown to modulate the activity of NaV channels and these peptides represent a rich source of research tools and therapeutic lead molecules. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of NaV1.7-active peptides in the venom of an Australian Phlogius sp. tarantula and to characterise their potency and subtype selectivity. We isolated three novel peptides, μ-TRTX-Phlo1a, -Phlo1b and -Phlo2a, that inhibit human NaV1.7 (hNaV1.7). Phlo1a and Phlo1b are 35-residue peptides that differ by one amino acid and belong in NaSpTx family 2. The partial sequence of Phlo2a revealed extensive similarity with ProTx-II from NaSpTx family 3. Phlo1a and Phlo1b inhibit hNaV1.7 with IC50 values of 459 and 360 nM, respectively, with only minor inhibitory activity on rat NaV1.2 and hNaV1.5. Although similarly potent at hNaV1.7 (IC50 333 nM), Phlo2a was less selective, as it also potently inhibited rNaV1.2 and hNaV1.5. All three peptides cause a depolarising shift in the voltage-dependence of hNaV1.7 activation.
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Tanaka KI, Sekino S, Ikegami M, Ikeda H, Kamei J. Antihyperalgesic effects of ProTx-II, a Nav1.7 antagonist, and A803467, a Nav1.8 antagonist, in diabetic mice. J Exp Pharmacol 2015; 7:11-6. [PMID: 27186141 PMCID: PMC4863530 DOI: 10.2147/jep.s79973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the effects of intrathecal administration of ProTx-II (tarantula venom peptide) and A803467 (5-[4-chloro-phenyl]-furan-2-carboxylic acid [3,5-dimethoxy-phenyl]-amide), selective Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 antagonists, respectively, on thermal hyperalgesia in a painful diabetic neuropathy model of mice. Intrathecal administration of ProTx-II at doses from 0.04 to 4 ng to diabetic mice dose-dependently and significantly increased the tail-flick latency. Intrathecal administration of A803467 at doses from 10 to 100 ng to diabetic mice also dose-dependently and significantly increased the tail-flick latency. However, intrathecal administration of either ProTx-II (4 ng) or A803467 (100 ng) had no effect on the tail-flick latency in nondiabetic mice. The expression of either the Nav1.7 or Nav1.8 sodium channel protein in the dorsal root ganglion in diabetic mice was not different from that in nondiabetic mice. The present results suggest that ProTx-II and A803467, highly selective blockers of Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 sodium channels, respectively, in the spinal cord, can have antihyperalgesic effects in diabetic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichiro Tanaka
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shota Sekino
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Megumi Ikegami
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Ikeda
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junzo Kamei
- Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
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Kwong K, Carr MJ. Voltage-gated sodium channels. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2015; 22:131-9. [PMID: 26043074 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels play a key role in the transmission of sensory information about the status of organs in the periphery. Sensory fibers contain a heterogeneous yet specific distribution of voltage-gated sodium channel isoforms. Major efforts by industry and academic groups are underway to develop medicines that interrupt inappropriate signaling for a number of clinical indications by taking advantage of this specific distribution of channel isoforms. This review highlights recent advances in the study of human channelopathies, animal toxins and channel structure that may facilitate the development of selective voltage-gated sodium channel blockers.
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Murray JK, Ligutti J, Liu D, Zou A, Poppe L, Li H, Andrews KL, Moyer BD, McDonough SI, Favreau P, Stöcklin R, Miranda LP. Engineering Potent and Selective Analogues of GpTx-1, a Tarantula Venom Peptide Antagonist of the NaV1.7 Sodium Channel. J Med Chem 2015; 58:2299-314. [DOI: 10.1021/jm501765v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Philippe Favreau
- Atheris Laboratories, Case Postale
314, CH-1233 Bernex, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Reto Stöcklin
- Atheris Laboratories, Case Postale
314, CH-1233 Bernex, Geneva, Switzerland
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Tang C, Zhou X, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Hu Z, Wang M, Chen P, Liu Z, Liang S. The tarantula toxin jingzhaotoxin-XI (κ-theraphotoxin-Cj1a) regulates the activation and inactivation of the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.5. Toxicon 2014; 92:6-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2014] [Revised: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Berkut AA, Peigneur S, Myshkin MY, Paramonov AS, Lyukmanova EN, Arseniev AS, Grishin EV, Tytgat J, Shenkarev ZO, Vassilevski AA. Structure of membrane-active toxin from crab spider Heriaeus melloteei suggests parallel evolution of sodium channel gating modifiers in Araneomorphae and Mygalomorphae. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:492-504. [PMID: 25352595 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.595678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a structural and functional study of a sodium channel activation inhibitor from crab spider venom. Hm-3 is an insecticidal peptide toxin consisting of 35 amino acid residues from the spider Heriaeus melloteei (Thomisidae). We produced Hm-3 recombinantly in Escherichia coli and determined its structure by NMR spectroscopy. Typical for spider toxins, Hm-3 was found to adopt the so-called "inhibitor cystine knot" or "knottin" fold stabilized by three disulfide bonds. Its molecule is amphiphilic with a hydrophobic ridge on the surface enriched in aromatic residues and surrounded by positive charges. Correspondingly, Hm-3 binds to both neutral and negatively charged lipid vesicles. Electrophysiological studies showed that at a concentration of 1 μm Hm-3 effectively inhibited a number of mammalian and insect sodium channels. Importantly, Hm-3 shifted the dependence of channel activation to more positive voltages. Moreover, the inhibition was voltage-dependent, and strong depolarizing prepulses attenuated Hm-3 activity. The toxin is therefore concluded to represent the first sodium channel gating modifier from an araneomorph spider and features a "membrane access" mechanism of action. Its amino acid sequence and position of the hydrophobic cluster are notably different from other known gating modifiers from spider venom, all of which are described from mygalomorph species. We hypothesize parallel evolution of inhibitor cystine knot toxins from Araneomorphae and Mygalomorphae suborders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina A Berkut
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 117303 Moscow, Russia, and
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mikhail Yu Myshkin
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 117303 Moscow, Russia, and
| | - Alexander S Paramonov
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina N Lyukmanova
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Arseniev
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 117303 Moscow, Russia, and
| | - Eugene V Grishin
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zakhar O Shenkarev
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Vassilevski
- From the M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia,
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Chemoselective tarantula toxins report voltage activation of wild-type ion channels in live cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:E4789-96. [PMID: 25331865 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1406876111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrically excitable cells, such as neurons, exhibit tremendous diversity in their firing patterns, a consequence of the complex collection of ion channels present in any specific cell. Although numerous methods are capable of measuring cellular electrical signals, understanding which types of ion channels give rise to these signals remains a significant challenge. Here, we describe exogenous probes which use a novel mechanism to report activity of voltage-gated channels. We have synthesized chemoselective derivatives of the tarantula toxin guangxitoxin-1E (GxTX), an inhibitory cystine knot peptide that binds selectively to Kv2-type voltage gated potassium channels. We find that voltage activation of Kv2.1 channels triggers GxTX dissociation, and thus GxTX binding dynamically marks Kv2 activation. We identify GxTX residues that can be replaced by thiol- or alkyne-bearing amino acids, without disrupting toxin folding or activity, and chemoselectively ligate fluorophores or affinity probes to these sites. We find that GxTX-fluorophore conjugates colocalize with Kv2.1 clusters in live cells and are released from channels activated by voltage stimuli. Kv2.1 activation can be detected with concentrations of probe that have a trivial impact on cellular currents. Chemoselective GxTX mutants conjugated to dendrimeric beads likewise bind live cells expressing Kv2.1, and the beads are released by channel activation. These optical sensors of conformational change are prototype probes that can indicate when ion channels contribute to electrical signaling.
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Park JH, Carlin KP, Wu G, Ilyin VI, Musza LL, Blake PR, Kyle DJ. Studies Examining the Relationship between the Chemical Structure of Protoxin II and Its Activity on Voltage Gated Sodium Channels. J Med Chem 2014; 57:6623-31. [DOI: 10.1021/jm500687u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jae H. Park
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Kevin P. Carlin
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Gang Wu
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Victor I. Ilyin
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Laszlo L. Musza
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Paul R. Blake
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
| | - Donald J. Kyle
- Discovery
Research, Purdue Pharma L.P., 6 Cedar Brook Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512, United States
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Luo J, Zhang Y, Gong M, Lu S, Ma Y, Zeng X, Liang S. Molecular surface of JZTX-V (β-Theraphotoxin-Cj2a) interacting with voltage-gated sodium channel subtype NaV1.4. Toxins (Basel) 2014; 6:2177-93. [PMID: 25055801 PMCID: PMC4113750 DOI: 10.3390/toxins6072177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs; NaV1.1–NaV1.9) have been proven to be critical in controlling the function of excitable cells, and human genetic evidence shows that aberrant function of these channels causes channelopathies, including epilepsy, arrhythmia, paralytic myotonia, and pain. The effects of peptide toxins, especially those isolated from spider venom, have shed light on the structure–function relationship of these channels. However, most of these toxins have not been analyzed in detail. In particular, the bioactive faces of these toxins have not been determined. Jingzhaotoxin (JZTX)-V (also known as β-theraphotoxin-Cj2a) is a 29-amino acid peptide toxin isolated from the venom of the spider Chilobrachys jingzhao. JZTX-V adopts an inhibitory cysteine knot (ICK) motif and has an inhibitory effect on voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels. Previous experiments have shown that JZTX-V has an inhibitory effect on TTX-S and TTX-R sodium currents on rat DRG cells with IC50 values of 27.6 and 30.2 nM, respectively, and is able to shift the activation and inactivation curves to the depolarizing and the hyperpolarizing direction, respectively. Here, we show that JZTX-V has a much stronger inhibitory effect on NaV1.4, the isoform of voltage-gated sodium channels predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle cells, with an IC50 value of 5.12 nM, compared with IC50 values of 61.7–2700 nM for other heterologously expressed NaV1 subtypes. Furthermore, we investigated the bioactive surface of JZTX-V by alanine-scanning the effect of toxin on NaV1.4 and demonstrate that the bioactive face of JZTX-V is composed of three hydrophobic (W5, M6, and W7) and two cationic (R20 and K22) residues. Our results establish that, consistent with previous assumptions, JZTX-V is a Janus-faced toxin which may be a useful tool for the further investigation of the structure and function of sodium channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Luo
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Yiya Zhang
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Mengting Gong
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Shanshan Lu
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Yifeng Ma
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Xiongzhi Zeng
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Songping Liang
- The key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
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Xiao Y, Blumenthal K, Cummins TR. Gating-pore currents demonstrate selective and specific modulation of individual sodium channel voltage-sensors by biological toxins. Mol Pharmacol 2014; 86:159-67. [PMID: 24898004 DOI: 10.1124/mol.114.092338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels are critical determinants of nerve and muscle excitability. Although numerous toxins and small molecules target sodium channels, identifying the mechanisms of action is challenging. Here we used gating-pore currents selectively generated in each of the voltage-sensors from the four α-subunit domains (DI-DIV) to monitor the activity of individual voltage-sensors and to investigate the molecular determinants of sodium channel pharmacology. The tarantula toxin huwentoxin-IV (HWTX-IV), which inhibits sodium channel current, exclusively enhanced inward gating-pore currents through the DII voltage-sensor. By contrast, the tarantula toxin ProTx-II, which also inhibits sodium channel currents, altered the gating-pore currents in multiple voltage-sensors in a complex manner. Thus, whereas HWTX-IV inhibits central-pore currents by selectively trapping the DII voltage-sensor in the resting configuration, ProTx-II seems to inhibit central-pore currents by differentially altering the configuration of multiple voltage-sensors. The sea anemone toxin anthopleurin B, which impairs open-channel inactivation, exclusively enhanced inward gating-pore currents through the DIV voltage-sensor. This indicates that trapping the DIV voltage-sensor in the resting configuration selectively impairs open-channel inactivation. Furthermore, these data indicate that although activation of all four voltage-sensors is not required for central-pore current generation, activation of the DII voltage-sensor is crucial. Overall, our data demonstrate that gating-pore currents can determine the mechanism of action for sodium channel gating modifiers with high precision. We propose this approach could be adapted to identify the molecular mechanisms of action for gating modifiers of various voltage-gated ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucheng Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (Y.X., T.R.C.); Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York (K.B.)
| | - Kenneth Blumenthal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (Y.X., T.R.C.); Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York (K.B.)
| | - Theodore R Cummins
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (Y.X., T.R.C.); Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York (K.B.)
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50
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Bladen C, Hamid J, Souza IA, Zamponi GW. Block of T-type calcium channels by protoxins I and II. Mol Brain 2014; 7:36. [PMID: 24886690 PMCID: PMC4030284 DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-7-36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Low-voltage-activated (T-type) calcium channels play a crucial role in a number of physiological processes, including neuronal and cardiac pacemaker activity and nociception. Therefore, finding specific modulators and/or blockers of T-type channels has become an important field of drug discovery. One characteristic of T-type calcium channels is that they share several structural similarities with voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). We therefore hypothesized that binding sites for certain sodium channel blocking peptide toxins may be present in T-type calcium channels. Findings The sodium channel blocker ProTx I tonically blocked native and transiently expressed T-type channels in the sub- to low micro molar range with at least a ten-fold selectivity for the T-type calcium channel hCav3.1 over hCav3.3, and more than one hundred fold selectivity over hCav3.2. Using chimeras of hCav3.1 and hCav3.3, we determined that the domain IV region of hCav3.1 is a major determinant of toxin affinity, with a minor contribution from domain II. Further analysis revealed several residues in a highly conserved region between T-type and sodium channels that may correspond to toxin binding sites. Mutagenesis of several of these residues on an individual basis, however, did not alter the blocking effects of the toxin. ProTx II on the other hand preferentially blocked hCav3.2 and significantly shifted the steady state inactivation of this channel. Conclusions ProTx I blocks hCav3.1 both selectively and with high affinity. Domain IV appears to play a major role in this selectivity with some contribution from domain II. Given the structural similarities between sodium and T-type calcium channels and the apparent conservation in toxin binding sites, these data could provide insights into the development and synthesis of novel T-type channel antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gerald W Zamponi
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, NW, Canada.
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