1
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den Hollander LS, IJzerman AP, Heitman LH. Pharmacological characterization of allosteric modulators: A case for chemokine receptors. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:2291-2306. [PMID: 38634664 DOI: 10.1002/med.22043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Chemokine receptors are relevant targets for a multitude of immunological diseases, but drug attrition for these receptors is remarkably high. While many drug discovery programs have been pursued, most prospective drugs failed in the follow-up studies due to clinical inefficacy, and hence there is a clear need for alternative approaches. Allosteric modulators of receptor function represent an excellent opportunity for novel drugs, as they modulate receptor activation in a controlled manner and display increased selectivity, and their pharmacological profile can be insurmountable. Here, we discuss allosteric ligands and their pharmacological characterization for modulation of chemokine receptors. Ligands are included if (1) they show clear signs of allosteric modulation in vitro and (2) display evidence of binding in a topologically distinct manner compared to endogenous chemokines. We discuss how allosteric ligands affect binding of orthosteric (endogenous) ligands in terms of affinity as well as binding kinetics in radioligand binding assays. Moreover, their effects on signaling events in functional assays and how their binding site can be elucidated are specified. We substantiate this with examples of published allosteric ligands targeting chemokine receptors and hypothetical graphs of pharmacological behavior. This review should serve as an effective starting point for setting up assays for characterizing allosteric ligands to develop safer and more efficacious drugs for chemokine receptors and, ultimately, other G protein-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S den Hollander
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Leiden, The Netherlands
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2
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Kenakin T. Know your molecule: pharmacological characterization of drug candidates to enhance efficacy and reduce late-stage attrition. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:626-644. [PMID: 38890494 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-024-00958-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Despite advances in chemical, computational and biological sciences, the rate of attrition of drug candidates in clinical development is still high. A key point in the small-molecule discovery process that could provide opportunities to help address this challenge is the pharmacological characterization of hit and lead compounds, culminating in the selection of a drug candidate. Deeper characterization is increasingly important, because the 'quality' of drug efficacy, at least for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), is now understood to be much more than activation of commonly evaluated pathways such as cAMP signalling, with many more 'efficacies' of ligands that could be harnessed therapeutically. Such characterization is being enabled by novel assays to characterize the complex behaviour of GPCRs, such as biased signalling and allosteric modulation, as well as advances in structural biology, such as cryo-electron microscopy. This article discusses key factors in the assessments of the pharmacology of hit and lead compounds in the context of GPCRs as a target class, highlighting opportunities to identify drug candidates with the potential to address limitations of current therapies and to improve the probability of them succeeding in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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3
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Toy L, Huber ME, Lee M, Bartolomé AA, Ortiz Zacarías NV, Nasser S, Scholl S, Zlotos DP, Mandour YM, Heitman LH, Szpakowska M, Chevigné A, Schiedel M. Fluorophore-Labeled Pyrrolones Targeting the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of the Chemokine Receptor CCR1. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:2080-2092. [PMID: 39022357 PMCID: PMC11249626 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we describe the structure-based development of the first fluorescent ligands targeting the intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) of the CC chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that has been pursued as a drug target in inflammation and immune diseases. Starting from previously reported intracellular allosteric modulators of CCR1, tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled ligands were designed, synthesized, and tested for their suitability as fluorescent tracers to probe binding to the IABS of CCR1. In the course of these studies, we developed LT166 (12) as a highly versatile fluorescent CCR1 ligand, enabling cell-free as well as cellular NanoBRET-based binding studies in a nonradioactive and high-throughput manner. Besides the detection of intracellular allosteric ligands by direct competition with 12, we were also able to monitor the binding of extracellular antagonists due to their positive cooperative binding with 12. Thereby, we provide a straightforward and nonradioactive method to easily distinguish between ligands binding to the IABS of CCR1 and extracellular negative modulators. Further, we applied 12 for the identification of novel chemotypes for intracellular CCR1 inhibition that feature high binding selectivity for CCR1 over CCR2. For one of the newly identified intracellular CCR1 ligands (i.e., 23), we were able to show CCR1 over CCR2 selectivity also on a functional level and demonstrated that this compound inhibits basal β-arrestin recruitment to CCR1, thereby acting as an inverse agonist. Thus, our fluorescent CCR1 ligand 12 represents a highly promising tool for future studies of CCR1-targeted pharmacology and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Toy
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Max E. Huber
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, Erlangen 91058, Germany
| | - Minhee Lee
- Institute
of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstraße 55, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Ana Alonso Bartolomé
- Immuno-Pharmacology
and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Rue Henri Koch 29, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4354, Luxembourg
- Faculty
of Science, Technology and Medicine, University
of Luxembourg, 2 Avenue
de l’Université, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4365, Luxembourg
| | - Natalia V. Ortiz Zacarías
- Leiden
Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Division of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, Netherlands
| | - Sherif Nasser
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, the German University in Cairo, New Cairo City 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Stephan Scholl
- Institute
for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering (ICTV), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 7, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Darius P. Zlotos
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, the German University in Cairo, New Cairo City 11835, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasmine M. Mandour
- School
of Life and Medical Sciences, University
of Hertfordshire Hosted by Global Academic Foundation, New Administrative Capital, Cairo 11578, Egypt
| | - Laura H. Heitman
- Leiden
Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Division of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, Netherlands
- Oncode
Institute, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, Netherlands
| | - Martyna Szpakowska
- Immuno-Pharmacology
and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Rue Henri Koch 29, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4354, Luxembourg
| | - Andy Chevigné
- Immuno-Pharmacology
and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Rue Henri Koch 29, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4354, Luxembourg
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, Erlangen 91058, Germany
- Institute
of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstraße 55, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
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4
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Huber ME, Wurnig SL, Moumbock AFA, Toy L, Kostenis E, Alonso Bartolomé A, Szpakowska M, Chevigné A, Günther S, Hansen FK, Schiedel M. Development of a NanoBRET Assay Platform to Detect Intracellular Ligands for the Chemokine Receptors CCR6 and CXCR1. ChemMedChem 2024:e202400284. [PMID: 38932712 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202400284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
A conserved intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) was recently identified at several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This target site allows the binding of allosteric modulators and enables a new mode of GPCR inhibition. Herein, we report the development of a NanoBRET-based assay platform based on the fluorescent ligand LT221 (5), to detect intracellular binding to CCR6 and CXCR1, two chemokine receptors that have been pursued as promising drug targets in inflammation and immuno-oncology. Our assay platform enables cell-free as well as cellular NanoBRET-based binding studies in a nonisotopic and straightforward manner. By combining this screening platform with a previously reported CXCR2 assay, we investigated CXCR1/CXCR2/CCR6 selectivity profiles for both known and novel squaramide analogues derived from navarixin, a known intracellular CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist and phase II clinical candidate for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. By means of these studies we identified compound 10, a previously reported tert-butyl analogue of navarixin, as a low nanomolar intracellular CCR6 antagonist. Further, our assay platform clearly indicated intracellular binding of the CCR6 antagonist PF-07054894, currently evaluated in phase I clinical trials for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, thereby providing profound evidence for the existence and the pharmacological relevance of a druggable IABS at CCR6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Huber
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Silas L Wurnig
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Aurélien F A Moumbock
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 9, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lara Toy
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Evi Kostenis
- Molecular, Cellular and Pharmacobiology Section, Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 6, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ana Alonso Bartolomé
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, rue Henri Koch 29, 4354, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 Avenue de l'Université, L-4365, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Martyna Szpakowska
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, rue Henri Koch 29, 4354, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Andy Chevigné
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, rue Henri Koch 29, 4354, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Stefan Günther
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 9, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Finn K Hansen
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstraße 55, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
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5
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Vogt H, Shinkwin P, Huber ME, Staffen N, Hübner H, Gmeiner P, Schiedel M, Weikert D. Development of a Fluorescent Ligand for the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of the Neurotensin Receptor 1. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:1533-1545. [PMID: 38751637 PMCID: PMC11092115 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The membrane protein family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represents a major class of drug targets. Over the last years, the presence of additional intracellular binding sites besides the canonical orthosteric binding pocket has been demonstrated for an increasing number of GPCRs. Allosteric modulators harnessing these pockets may represent valuable alternatives when targeting the orthosteric pocket is not successful for drug development. Starting from SBI-553, a recently discovered intracellular allosteric modulator for neurotensin receptor subtype 1 (NTSR1), we developed the fluorescent molecular probe 14. Compound 14 binds to NTSR1 with an affinity of 0.68 μM in the presence of the agonist NT(8-13). NanoBRET-based ligand binding assays with 14 were established to derive the affinity and structure-activity relationships for allosteric NTSR1 modulators in a direct and nonisotopic manner, thereby facilitating the search for and optimization of novel allosteric NTSR1 ligands. As a consequence of cooperativity between the ligands binding to the allosteric and orthosteric pocket, compound 14 can also be used to investigate orthosteric NTSR1 agonists and antagonists. Moreover, employing 14 as a probe in a drug library screening, we identified novel chemotypes as binders for the intracellular allosteric SBI-553 binding pocket of NTSR1 with single-digit micromolar affinity. These hits may serve as interesting starting points for the development of novel intracellular allosteric ligands for NTSR1 as a highly interesting yet unexploited drug target in the fields of pain and addiction disorder therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Vogt
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Patrick Shinkwin
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Max E. Huber
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nico Staffen
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- FAU
NeW − Research Center New Bioactive Compounds, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Institute
of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstraße 55, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dorothee Weikert
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- FAU
NeW − Research Center New Bioactive Compounds, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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6
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Zhang X, Qiu L, Sultan DH, Luehmann HP, Yu Y, Zhang X, Heo GS, Li A, Lahad D, Rho S, Tu Z, Liu Y. Development of a CCR2 targeted 18F-labeled radiotracer for atherosclerosis imaging with PET. Nucl Med Biol 2024; 130-131:108893. [PMID: 38422918 PMCID: PMC10964492 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2024.108893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. CC motif chemokine ligand 2 and its corresponding cognate receptor 2 (CCL2/CCR2) signaling has been implicated in regulating monocyte recruitment and macrophage polarization during inflammatory responses that plays a pivotal role in atherosclerosis initiation and progression. In this study, we report the design and synthesis of a novel 18F radiolabeled small molecule radiotracer for CCR2-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in atherosclerosis. The binding affinity of this radiotracer to CCR2 was evaluated via in vitro binding assay using CCR2+ membrane and cells. Ex vivo biodistribution was carried out in wild type mice to assess radiotracer pharmacokinetics. CCR2 targeted PET imaging of plaques was performed in two murine atherosclerotic models. The sensitive detection of atherosclerotic lesions highlighted the potential of this radiotracer for CCR2 targeted PET and warranted further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Zhang
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lin Qiu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Debbie H Sultan
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hannah P Luehmann
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yanbo Yu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiuli Zhang
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gyu Seong Heo
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alexandria Li
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Divangana Lahad
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shinji Rho
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zhude Tu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yongjian Liu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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7
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Dawson JRD, Wadman GM, Zhang P, Tebben A, Carter PH, Gu S, Shroka T, Borrega-Roman L, Salanga CL, Handel TM, Kufareva I. Molecular determinants of antagonist interactions with chemokine receptors CCR2 and CCR5. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.15.567150. [PMID: 38014122 PMCID: PMC10680698 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.15.567150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
By driving monocyte chemotaxis, the chemokine receptor CCR2 shapes inflammatory responses and the formation of tumor microenvironments. This makes it a promising target in inflammation and immuno-oncology; however, despite extensive efforts, there are no FDA-approved CCR2-targeting therapeutics. Cited challenges include the redundancy of the chemokine system, suboptimal properties of compound candidates, and species differences that confound the translation of results from animals to humans. Structure-based drug design can rationalize and accelerate the discovery and optimization of CCR2 antagonists to address these challenges. The prerequisites for such efforts include an atomic-level understanding of the molecular determinants of action of existing antagonists. In this study, using molecular docking and artificial-intelligence-powered compound library screening, we uncover the structural principles of small molecule antagonism and selectivity towards CCR2 and its sister receptor CCR5. CCR2 orthosteric inhibitors are shown to universally occupy an inactive-state-specific tunnel between receptor helices 1 and 7; we also discover an unexpected role for an extra-helical groove accessible through this tunnel, suggesting its potential as a new targetable interface for CCR2 and CCR5 modulation. By contrast, only shape complementarity and limited helix 8 hydrogen bonding govern the binding of various chemotypes of allosteric antagonists. CCR2 residues S1012.63 and V2446.36 are implicated as determinants of CCR2/CCR5 and human/mouse orthosteric and allosteric antagonist selectivity, respectively, and the role of S1012.63 is corroborated through experimental gain-of-function mutagenesis. We establish a critical role of induced fit in antagonist recognition, reveal strong chemotype selectivity of existing structures, and demonstrate the high predictive potential of a new deep-learning-based compound scoring function. Finally, this study expands the available CCR2 structural landscape with computationally generated chemotype-specific models well-suited for structure-based antagonist design.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R D Dawson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Grant M Wadman
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Percy H Carter
- Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, USA
- (current affiliation) Blueprint Medicines, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Siyi Gu
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- (current affiliation) Lycia Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA
| | - Thomas Shroka
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- (current affiliation) Avidity Biosciences Inc., San Diego, CA
| | - Leire Borrega-Roman
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Catherina L Salanga
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tracy M Handel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Irina Kufareva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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8
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Huber ME, Wurnig S, Toy L, Weiler C, Merten N, Kostenis E, Hansen FK, Schiedel M. Fluorescent Ligands Enable Target Engagement Studies for the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of the Chemokine Receptor CXCR2. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37463496 PMCID: PMC10388362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we report the structure-based development of fluorescent ligands targeting the intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) of CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that has been pursued as a drug target in oncology and inflammation. Starting from the cocrystallized intracellular CXCR2 antagonist 00767013 (1), tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled CXCR2 ligands were designed, synthesized, and tested for their suitability as fluorescent reporters to probe binding to the IABS of CXCR2. By means of these studies, we developed Mz438 (9a) as a high-affinity and selective fluorescent CXCR2 ligand, enabling cell-free as well as cellular NanoBRET-based binding studies in a nonisotopic and high-throughput manner. Further, we show that 9a can be used as a tool to visualize intracellular target engagement for CXCR2 via fluorescence microscopy. Thus, our small-molecule-based fluorescent CXCR2 ligand 9a represents a promising tool for future studies of CXCR2 pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Huber
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Silas Wurnig
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lara Toy
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Corinna Weiler
- Molecular, Cellular and Pharmacobiology Section, Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 6, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Nicole Merten
- Molecular, Cellular and Pharmacobiology Section, Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 6, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Evi Kostenis
- Molecular, Cellular and Pharmacobiology Section, Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 6, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Finn K Hansen
- Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstraße 55, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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9
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Chan WKB, Carlson HA, Traynor JR. Application of Mixed-Solvent Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Prediction of Allosteric Sites on G Protein-Coupled Receptors. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 103:274-285. [PMID: 36868791 PMCID: PMC10166447 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.122.000612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of small molecule allosteric modulators acting at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is becoming increasingly attractive. Such compounds have advantages over traditional drugs acting at orthosteric sites on these receptors, in particular target specificity. However, the number and locations of druggable allosteric sites within most clinically relevant GPCRs are unknown. In the present study, we describe the development and application of a mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MixMD)-based method for the identification of allosteric sites on GPCRs. The method employs small organic probes with druglike qualities to identify druggable hotspots in multiple replicate short-timescale simulations. As proof of principle, we first applied the method retrospectively to a test set of five GPCRs (cannabinoid receptor type 1, C-C chemokine receptor type 2, M2 muscarinic receptor, P2Y purinoceptor 1, and protease-activated receptor 2) with known allosteric sites in diverse locations. This resulted in the identification of the known allosteric sites on these receptors. We then applied the method to the μ-opioid receptor. Several allosteric modulators for this receptor are known, although the binding sites for these modulators are not known. The MixMD-based method revealed several potential allosteric sites on the mu-opioid receptor. Implementation of the MixMD-based method should aid future efforts in the structure-based drug design of drugs targeting allosteric sites on GPCRs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Allosteric modulation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has the potential to provide more selective drugs. However, there are limited structures of GPCRs bound to allosteric modulators, and obtaining such structures is problematic. Current computational methods utilize static structures and therefore may not identify hidden or cryptic sites. Here we describe the use of small organic probes and molecular dynamics to identify druggable allosteric hotspots on GPCRs. The results reinforce the importance of protein dynamics in allosteric site identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace K B Chan
- Department of Pharmacology and Edward F. Domino Research Center (W.K.B.C., J.R.T.) and Department of Medicinal Chemistry (H.A.C., J.R.T.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Heather A Carlson
- Department of Pharmacology and Edward F. Domino Research Center (W.K.B.C., J.R.T.) and Department of Medicinal Chemistry (H.A.C., J.R.T.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - John R Traynor
- Department of Pharmacology and Edward F. Domino Research Center (W.K.B.C., J.R.T.) and Department of Medicinal Chemistry (H.A.C., J.R.T.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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10
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Tripathi DK, Nagar N, Kumar V, Joshi N, Roy P, Poluri KM. Gallate Moiety of Catechin Is Essential for Inhibiting CCL2 Chemokine-Mediated Monocyte Recruitment. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:4990-5005. [PMID: 36942659 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c01283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Leukocyte recruitment witnesses an orchestrated complex formation between the chemokines and their molecular partners. CCL2 chemokine that regulates monocyte trafficking is a worthwhile system from the pharmaceutical perspective. In the current study, four major catechins (EC/EGC/ECG/EGCG) were assessed for their inhibitory potential against CCL2-regulated monocyte/macrophage recruitment. Interestingly, catechins with the gallate moiety (ECG/EGCG) could only attenuate the CCL2-induced macrophage migration. These molecules specifically bound to CCL2 on a pocket comprising the N-terminal, β0-sheets, and β3-sheets, and the binding affinity of ECGC (Kd = 22 ± 4 μM) is ∼4 times higher than that of the ECG complex (Kd = 85 ± 6 μM). MD simulation analysis evidenced that the molecular specificity/stability of CCL2-catechin complexes is regulated by multiple factors, including stereospecificity, number of hydroxyl groups on the annular ring-B, the positioning of the carbonyl group, and the methylation of the galloyl ring. Further, a significant overlap on the binding surface of CCL2 for EGCG/ECG and receptor interactions as evidenced from NMR data provided the rationale for the observed inhibition of macrophage migration in response to EGCG/ECG binding. In summary, these galloylated epicatechins can be considered as potent protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors that regulate CCL2-directed leukocyte recruitment for resolving inflammatory/immunomodulatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar Tripathi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Nupur Nagar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Viney Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Nidhi Joshi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Partha Roy
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Krishna Mohan Poluri
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, Uttarakhand, India
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11
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Jasiewicz NE, Brown AD, Deci M, Matysiak S, Earp HS, Nguyen J. Discovery and characterization of a functional scFv for CCR2 inhibition via an extracellular loop. Int J Pharm 2023; 632:122547. [PMID: 36572264 PMCID: PMC10641734 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The chemokine receptor CCR2 plays a key role in cellular migration and inflammatory processes. While tremendous progress has been made in elucidating CCR2 function and inhibition, the majority of approaches target its N-terminal domain and less is known about the function of the remaining extracellular loops and their potential as targets. Here, we used phage display to identify an antibody-derived scFv (single chain variable fragment) clone that specifically targets the second extracellular epitope of CCR2 (ECL2) for inhibition. Using in silico molecular docking, we identified six potential primary binding conformations of the novel scFv to the specified CCR2 epitope. In silico molecular dynamic analysis was used to determine conformational stability and identify protein-protein interactions. Umbrella sampling of a range of configurations with incrementally increasing separation of scFv and target generated by force pulling simulations was used to calculate binding energies. Downstream characterization by ELISA showed high binding affinity of the ECL2-scFv to CCR2. Furthermore, we showed that blocking the second extracellular loop inhibits macrophage migration and polarized macrophages towards M1 inflammatory cytokine production as potently as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These studies highlight the applicability of epitope-specific targeting, emphasize the importance of in silico predictive modeling, and warrant further investigation into the role of the remaining epitopes of CCR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Jasiewicz
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Adam D Brown
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Michael Deci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Silvina Matysiak
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Juliane Nguyen
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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12
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den Hollander LS, Béquignon OJM, Wang X, van Wezel K, Broekhuis J, Gorostiola González M, de Visser KE, IJzerman AP, van Westen GJP, Heitman LH. Impact of cancer-associated mutations in CC chemokine receptor 2 on receptor function and antagonism. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 208:115399. [PMID: 36581051 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a G protein-coupled receptor, plays a role in many cancer-related processes such as metastasis formation and immunosuppression. Since ∼ 20 % of human cancers contain mutations in G protein-coupled receptors, ten cancer-associated CCR2 mutants obtained from the Genome Data Commons were investigated for their effect on receptor functionality and antagonist binding. Mutations were selected based on either their vicinity to CCR2's orthosteric or allosteric binding sites or their presence in conserved amino acid motifs. One of the mutant receptors, namely S101P2.63 with a mutation near the orthosteric binding site, did not express on the cell surface. All other studied mutants showed a decrease in or a lack of G protein activation in response to the main endogenous CCR2 ligand CCL2, but no change in potency was observed. Furthermore, INCB3344 and LUF7482 were chosen as representative orthosteric and allosteric antagonists, respectively. No change in potency was observed in a functional assay, but mutations located at F1163.28 impacted orthosteric antagonist binding significantly, while allosteric antagonist binding was abolished for L134Q3.46 and D137N3.49 mutants. As CC chemokine receptor 2 is an attractive drug target in cancer, the negative effect of these mutations on receptor functionality and drugability should be considered in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S den Hollander
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - O J M Béquignon
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - X Wang
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K van Wezel
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - J Broekhuis
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M Gorostiola González
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K E de Visser
- Oncode Institute, Leiden, The Netherlands; Netherlands Cancer Institute, Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Leiden University, Department of Immunology, Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A P IJzerman
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - G J P van Westen
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - L H Heitman
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden, The Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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13
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Huber ME, Toy L, Schmidt MF, Weikert D, Schiedel M. Small Molecule Tools to Study Cellular Target Engagement for the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of GPCRs. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202202565. [PMID: 36193681 PMCID: PMC10100284 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202202565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A conserved intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) has recently been identified at several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Ligands targeting the IABS, so-called intracellular allosteric antagonists, are highly promising compounds for pharmaceutical intervention and currently evaluated in several clinical trials. Beside co-crystal structures that laid the foundation for the structure-based development of intracellular allosteric GPCR antagonists, small molecule tools that enable an unambiguous identification and characterization of intracellular allosteric GPCR ligands are of utmost importance for drug discovery campaigns in this field. Herein, we discuss recent approaches that leverage cellular target engagement studies for the IABS and thus play a critical role in the evaluation of IABS-targeted ligands as potential therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Huber
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lara Toy
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian F Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
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14
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Toy L, Huber ME, Schmidt MF, Weikert D, Schiedel M. Fluorescent Ligands Targeting the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of the Chemokine Receptor CCR2. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2142-2152. [PMID: 35838163 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescently labeled ligands are versatile molecular tools to study G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and can be used for a range of different applications, including bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays. Here, we report the structure-based development of fluorescent ligands targeting the intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) of the CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a class A GPCR that has been pursued as a drug target in oncology and inflammation. Starting from previously reported intracellular CCR2 antagonists, several tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled CCR2 ligands were designed, synthesized, and tested for their suitability as fluorescent reporters to probe binding to the IABS of CCR2. By means of these studies, we developed 14 as a fluorescent CCR2 ligand, enabling cell-free as well as cellular NanoBRET-based binding studies in a non-isotopic and high-throughput manner. Further, we show that 14 can be used as a tool for fragment-based screening approaches. Thus, our small-molecule-based fluorescent CCR2 ligand 14 represents a promising tool for future studies of CCR2 pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Toy
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Max E Huber
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian F Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schiedel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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15
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Billen M, Schols D, Verwilst P. Targeting chemokine receptors from the inside-out: discovery and development of small-molecule intracellular antagonists. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:4132-4148. [PMID: 35274633 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc07080k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ever since the first biologically active chemokines were discovered in the late 1980s, these messenger proteins and their receptors have been the target for a plethora of drug discovery efforts in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as in academia. Owing to the publication of several chemokine receptor X-ray crystal structures, a highly druggable, intracellular, allosteric binding site which partially overlaps with the G protein binding site was discovered. This intriguing, new approach for chemokine receptor antagonism has captured researchers around the world, pushing the exploration of this intracellular binding site and new antagonists thereof. In this review, we have highlighted the past two decades of research on small-molecule chemokine receptor antagonists that modulate receptor function at the intracellular binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Billen
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Dominique Schols
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Verwilst
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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16
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Michael E, Covic L, Kuliopulos A. Lipopeptide Pepducins as Therapeutic Agents. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2383:307-333. [PMID: 34766299 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1752-6_21] [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] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Pepducins are lipidated peptides that target the intracellular loops of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in order to modulate transmembrane signaling to internally located effectors. With a wide array of potential activities ranging from partial, biased, or full agonism to antagonism, pepducins represent a versatile class of compounds that can be used to potentially treat diverse human diseases or be employed as novel tools to probe complex mechanisms of receptor activation and signaling in cells and in animals. Here, we describe a number of different pepducins including an advanced compound, PZ-128, that has successfully progressed through phase 2 clinical trials in cardiac patients demonstrating safety and efficacy in suppressing myonecrosis and arterial thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Michael
- Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lidija Covic
- Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Athan Kuliopulos
- Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Joshi N, Tripathi DK, Nagar N, Poluri KM. Hydroxyl Groups on Annular Ring-B Dictate the Affinities of Flavonol-CCL2 Chemokine Binding Interactions. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:10306-10317. [PMID: 34056184 PMCID: PMC8153786 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the astounding biological properties, dietary plant flavonoids have received considerable attention toward developing unique supplementary food sources to prevent various ailments. Chemokines are chemotactic proteins involved in leukocyte trafficking through their interactions with G-protein-coupled receptors and cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). CCL2 chemokine, a foremost member of CC chemokines, is associated with the pathogenesis of various inflammatory infirmities, thus making the CCL2-Receptor (CCR2)/GAG axis a potential pharmacological target. The current study is designed to unravel the structural details of CCL2-flavonol interactions. Molecular interactions between flavonols (kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin) with human/murine CCL2 orthologs and their monomeric/dimeric variants were systematically investigated using a combination of biophysical approaches. Fluorescence studies have unveiled that flavonols interact with CCL2 orthologs specifically but with differential affinities. The dissociation constants (K d) were in the range of 10-5-10-7 μM. The NMR- and computational docking-based outcomes have strongly suggested that the flavonols interact with CCL2, comprising the N-terminal and β1- and β3-sheets. It has also been observed that the number of hydroxyl groups on the annular ring-B imposed a significant cumulative effect on the binding affinities of flavonols for CCL2 chemokine. Further, the binding surface of these flavonols to CCL2 orthologs was observed to be extensively overlapped with that of the receptor/GAG-binding surface, thus suggesting attenuation of CCL2-CCR2/GAG interactions in their presence. Considering the pivotal role of CCL2 during monocyte/macrophage trafficking and the immunomodulatory features of these flavonols, their direct interactions highlight the promising role of flavonols as nutraceuticals.
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18
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Hemorphins Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14030225. [PMID: 33799973 PMCID: PMC7998264 DOI: 10.3390/ph14030225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemorphins are short peptides produced by the proteolysis of the beta subunit of hemoglobin. These peptides have diverse physiological effects especially in the nervous and the renin-angiotensin systems. Such effects occur through the modulation of a diverse range of proteins including enzymes and receptors. In this review, we focus on pharmacological and functional targeting of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by hemorphins and their implication in physiology and pathophysiology. Among GPCRs, the opioid receptors constitute the first set of targets of hemorphins with implication in analgesia. Subsequently, several other GPCRs have been reported to be directly or indirectly involved in hemorphins’ action. This includes the receptors for angiotensin II, oxytocin, bombesin, and bradykinin, as well as the human MAS-related G protein-coupled receptor X1. Interestingly, both orthosteric activation and allosteric modulation of GPCRs by hemorphins have been reported. This review links hemorphins with GPCR pharmacology and signaling, supporting the implication of GPCRs in hemorphins’ effects. Thus, this aids a better understanding of the molecular basis of the action of hemorphins and further demonstrates that hemorphin-GPCR axis constitutes a valid target for therapeutic intervention in different systems.
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19
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Ortiz Zacarías NV, Chahal KK, Šimková T, van der Horst C, Zheng Y, Inoue A, Theunissen E, Mallee L, van der Es D, Louvel J, IJzerman AP, Handel TM, Kufareva I, Heitman LH. Design and Characterization of an Intracellular Covalent Ligand for CC Chemokine Receptor 2. J Med Chem 2021; 64:2608-2621. [PMID: 33600174 PMCID: PMC7958898 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Covalently acting inhibitors constitute a large and growing fraction of approved
small-molecule therapeutics as well as useful tools for a variety of in
vitro and in vivo applications. Here, we aimed to develop a
covalent antagonist of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a class A GPCR that has been
pursued as a therapeutic target in inflammation and immuno-oncology. Based on a known
intracellularly binding CCR2 antagonist, several covalent derivatives were synthesized
and characterized by radioligand binding and functional assays. These studies revealed
compound 14 as an intracellular covalent ligand for CCR2. In
silico modeling followed by site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that
14 forms a covalent bond with one of three proximal cysteine residues,
which can be engaged interchangeably. To our knowledge, compound 14
represents the first covalent ligand reported for CCR2. Due to its unique properties, it
may represent a promising tool for ongoing and future studies of CCR2 pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Ortiz Zacarías
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kirti K Chahal
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Tereza Šimková
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cas van der Horst
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yi Zheng
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Emy Theunissen
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lloyd Mallee
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daan van der Es
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Julien Louvel
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tracy M Handel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Irina Kufareva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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20
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An X, Bai Q, Bing Z, Liu H, Zhang Q, Liu H, Yao X. Revealing the Positive Binding Cooperativity Mechanism between the Orthosteric and the Allosteric Antagonists of CCR2 by Metadynamics and Gaussian Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:628-637. [PMID: 31968162 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) and its endogenous CC chemokine ligands are associated with numerous inflammatory, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. CCR2 is becoming an attractive target in the treatment of autoimmune disease and neurodegenerative diseases. The orthosteric antagonist BMS-681 and allosteric antagonist CCR2-RA-[R] of CCR2 show positive binding cooperativity. We performed well-tempered metadynamics simulations and Gaussian accelerated MD simulations to reveal the influence of the orthosteric antagonist on the unbinding of allosteric antagonist of CCR2. We revealed different unbinding pathways of CCR2-RA-[R] in binary complex CCR2-VT5 and ternary complex CCR2-73R-VT5. The different unbinding pathways of CCR2-RA-[R] are due to the conformational dynamics of TM6. We obtained the significant conformational differences of the intracellular side of TM6 upon CCR2 binding to different ligands by GaMD simulation. The conformational dynamics of TM6 are consistent with the unbinding pathway analysis. GaMD simulations indicate that BMS-681 binding restricts the bend of intracellular side of TM6 by stabilizing the extracellular sides of TM6 and TM7. The charged residues Arg2065.43 of TM5 and Glu2917.39 of TM7 play key roles in stabling TM7 and TM6. TM6 and TM7 are crucial components in the orthosteric and allosteric binding sites. Our results illustrate the conformational details about the effect of the orthosteric antagonist on the allosteric antagonist of CCR2. The conformational dynamics of CCR2 upon binding to different ligands can provide a rational basis for development of allosteric ligands of CCR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli An
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Qifeng Bai
- School of Basic Medical Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhitong Bing
- School of Basic Medical Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Institute of Modern Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Hongli Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
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21
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Lückmann M, Trauelsen M, Frimurer TM, Schwartz TW. Structural basis for GPCR signaling by small polar versus large lipid metabolites-discovery of non-metabolite ligands. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 63:38-48. [PMID: 31951921 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2019.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Key metabolites act through specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as extracellular signals of fuel availability and metabolic stress. Here, we focus on the succinate receptor SUCNR1/GPR91 and the long chain fatty acid receptor FFAR1/GPR40, for which 3D structural information is available. Like other small polar acidic metabolites, succinate is excreted from the cell by transporter proteins to bind to an extracellular, solvent-exposed pocket in SUCNR1. Non-metabolite pharmacological tool compounds are currently being designed based on the structure of the SUCNR1 binding pocket. In FFAR1, differently signaling lipid mimetics bind in two distinct membrane-exposed sites corresponding to each of the lipid bilayer leaflets. Conceivably endogenous lipid ligands gain access to these sites by way of the membrane and probably occupy both sites under physiological circumstances. Design of polar agonists for a dynamic, solvent-exposed pocket in FFAR1 underlines the possibility of structure-based approaches for development of novel tool compounds even in lipid sensing metabolite GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lückmann
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Trauelsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas M Frimurer
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thue W Schwartz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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22
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Ortiz Zacarías NV, van Veldhoven JPD, den Hollander LS, Dogan B, Openy J, Hsiao YY, Lenselink EB, Heitman LH, IJzerman AP. Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Triazolopyrimidinone Derivatives as Noncompetitive, Intracellular Antagonists for CC Chemokine Receptors 2 and 5. J Med Chem 2019; 62:11035-11053. [PMID: 31742400 PMCID: PMC6935887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
![]()
CC chemokine receptors 2 (CCR2) and 5 (CCR5) are involved
in many
inflammatory diseases; however, most CCR2 and CCR5 clinical candidates
have been unsuccessful. (Pre)clinical evidence suggests that dual
CCR2/CCR5 inhibition might be more effective in the treatment of such
multifactorial diseases. In this regard, the highly conserved intracellular
binding site in chemokine receptors provides a new avenue for the
design of multitarget ligands. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated
the biological activity of a series of triazolopyrimidinone
derivatives in CCR2 and CCR5. Radioligand binding assays first showed
that they bind to the intracellular site of CCR2, and in combination
with functional assays on CCR5, we explored structure–affinity/activity
relationships in both receptors. Although most compounds were CCR2-selective, 39 and 43 inhibited β-arrestin recruitment
in CCR5 with high potency. Moreover, these compounds displayed an
insurmountable mechanism of inhibition in both receptors, which holds
promise for improved efficacy in inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Ortiz Zacarías
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Jacobus P D van Veldhoven
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Lisa S den Hollander
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Burak Dogan
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Joseph Openy
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Ya-Yun Hsiao
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Eelke B Lenselink
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research , Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
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23
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Cheng R, Huang C, Hennig M, Nar H, Schnapp G. In situ
crystallography as an emerging method for structure solution of membrane proteins: the case of CCR2A. FEBS J 2019; 287:866-873. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.15098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chia‐Ying Huang
- Swiss Light Source Paul Scherrer Institute Villigen Switzerland
| | | | - Herbert Nar
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG Biberach Germany
| | - Gisela Schnapp
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG Biberach Germany
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24
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Tesch GH, Pullen N, Jesson MI, Schlerman FJ, Nikolic-Paterson DJ. Combined inhibition of CCR2 and ACE provides added protection against progression of diabetic nephropathy in Nos3-deficient mice. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2019; 317:F1439-F1449. [PMID: 31566438 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00340.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-mediated renal injury promotes the development of diabetic nephropathy. Blockade of chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) inhibits kidney macrophage accumulation and early glomerular damage in diabetic animals. This study tested early and late interventions with a CCR2 antagonist (CCR2A) in a model of progressive diabetic glomerulosclerosis and determined whether CCR2A provides added benefit over conventional treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi). Diabetes was induced in hypertensive endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Nos3)-deficient mice by administration of five low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) injections daily. Groups of diabetic Nos3-/- mice received a CCR2A (30 mg·kg-1·day-1 PF-04634817 in chow) as an early intervention (weeks 2-15 after STZ). The late intervention (weeks 8-15 after STZ) involved PF-04634817 alone, ACEi (captopril in water 10 mg·kg-1·day-1) alone, or combined ACEi + CCR2A. Control diabetic and nondiabetic Nos3-/- mice received normal chow and water. Early intervention with a CCR2A inhibited kidney inflammation and glomerulosclerosis, albuminuria, podocyte loss, and renal function impairment but not hypertension in diabetic Nos3-/- mice. Late intervention with a CCR2A also inhibited kidney inflammation, glomerulosclerosis, and renal dysfunction but did not affect albuminuria. ACEi alone suppressed hypertension and albuminuria and partially reduced podocyte loss and glomerulosclerosis but did not affect renal dysfunction. Compared with ACEi alone, the combined late intervention with ACEi + CCR2A provided better protection against kidney damage (inflammation, glomerulosclerosis, and renal function impairment) but not albuminuria. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that combining CCR2A and ACEi provides broader and superior renal protection than ACEi alone in a model of established diabetic glomerulosclerosis with hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory H Tesch
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Monash University Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nick Pullen
- Pfizer Global Research & Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - David J Nikolic-Paterson
- Department of Nephrology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Monash University Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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25
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Massink A, Amelia T, Karamychev A, IJzerman AP. Allosteric modulation of G protein-coupled receptors by amiloride and its derivatives. Perspectives for drug discovery? Med Res Rev 2019; 40:683-708. [PMID: 31495942 PMCID: PMC7028016 DOI: 10.1002/med.21633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The function of G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) can be modulated by compounds that bind to other sites than the endogenous orthosteric binding site, so‐called allosteric sites. Structure elucidation of a number of GPCRs has revealed the presence of a sodium ion bound in a conserved allosteric site. The small molecule amiloride and analogs thereof have been proposed to bind in this same sodium ion site. Hence, this review seeks to summarize and reflect on the current knowledge of allosteric effects by amiloride and its analogs on GPCRs. Amiloride is known to modulate adenosine, adrenergic, dopamine, chemokine, muscarinic, serotonin, gonadotropin‐releasing hormone, GABAB, and taste receptors. Amiloride analogs with lipophilic substituents tend to be more potent modulators than amiloride itself. Adenosine, α‐adrenergic and dopamine receptors are most strongly modulated by amiloride analogs. In addition, for a few GPCRs, more than one binding site for amiloride has been postulated. Interestingly, the nature of the allosteric effect of amiloride and derivatives varies considerably between GPCRs, with both negative and positive allosteric modulation occurring. Since the sodium ion binding site is strongly conserved among class A GPCRs it is to be expected that amiloride also binds to class A GPCRs not evaluated yet. Investigating this typical amiloride‐GPCR interaction further may yield general insight in the allosteric mechanisms of GPCR ligand binding and function, and possibly provide new opportunities for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnault Massink
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tasia Amelia
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alex Karamychev
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
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26
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Arimont M, Hoffmann C, de Graaf C, Leurs R. Chemokine Receptor Crystal Structures: What Can Be Learned from Them? Mol Pharmacol 2019; 96:765-777. [PMID: 31266800 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.117168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokine receptors belong to the class A of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and are implicated in a wide variety of physiologic functions, mostly related to the homeostasis of the immune system. Chemokine receptors are also involved in multiple pathologic processes, including immune and autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer. Hence, several members of this GPCR subfamily are considered to be very relevant therapeutic targets. Since drug discovery efforts can be significantly reinforced by the availability of crystal structures, substantial efforts in the area of chemokine receptor structural biology could dramatically increase the outcome of drug discovery campaigns. This short review summarizes the available data on chemokine receptor crystal structures, discusses the numerous applications from chemokine receptor structures that can enhance the daily work of molecular pharmacologists, and describes the challenges and pitfalls to consider when relying on crystal structures for further research applications. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This short review summarizes the available data on chemokine receptor crystal structures, discusses the numerous applications from chemokine receptor structures that can enhance the daily work of molecular pharmacologists, and describes the challenges and pitfalls to consider when relying on crystal structures for further research applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Arimont
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.A., R.L.); Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Centre for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany (C.H.); and Sosei Heptares, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Carsten Hoffmann
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.A., R.L.); Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Centre for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany (C.H.); and Sosei Heptares, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.A., R.L.); Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Centre for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany (C.H.); and Sosei Heptares, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Rob Leurs
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.A., R.L.); Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, Centre for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany (C.H.); and Sosei Heptares, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
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27
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Light-activated chimeric GPCRs: limitations and opportunities. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 57:196-203. [PMID: 31207383 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Light-activated chimeric GPCRs, termed OptoXRs, can elicit cell signalling responses with the high spatial and temporal precision of light. In recent years, an expanding OptoXR toolkit has been applied to, for example, dissect neural circuits in awake rodents, guide cell migration during vertebrate development and even restore visual responses in a rodent model of blindness. OptoXRs have been further developed through incorporation of highly sensitive photoreceptor domains and a plethora of signalling modules. The availability of new high-resolution structures of GPCRs and a deeper understanding of GPCR function allows critically revisitation of the design of OptoXRs. Next-generation OptoXRs will build on advances in structural biology, receptor function and photoreceptor diversity to manipulate GPCR signalling with unprecedented accuracy and precision.
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28
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Regan DP, Coy JW, Chahal KK, Chow L, Kurihara JN, Guth AM, Kufareva I, Dow SW. The Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Losartan Suppresses Growth of Pulmonary Metastases via AT1R-Independent Inhibition of CCR2 Signaling and Monocyte Recruitment. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 202:3087-3102. [PMID: 30971441 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory monocytes have been shown to play key roles in cancer metastasis through promotion of tumor cell extravasation, growth, and angiogenesis. Monocyte recruitment to metastases is mediated primarily via the CCL2-CCR2 chemotactic axis. Thus, disruption of this axis represents an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of metastatic disease. Losartan, a type I angiotensin II receptor (AT1R) antagonist, has been previously shown to have immunomodulatory actions involving monocyte and macrophage activity. However, the exact mechanisms accounting for these effects have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the effects of losartan and its primary metabolite on CCL2-mediated monocyte recruitment and CCR2 receptor function using mouse tumor models and in vitro human monocyte cultures. We show, in this study, that losartan and its metabolite potently inhibit monocyte recruitment through the noncompetitive inhibition of CCL2-induced ERK1/2 activation, independent of AT1R activity. Studies in experimental metastasis models demonstrated that losartan treatment significantly reduced the metastatic burden in mice, an effect associated with a significant decrease in CD11b+/Ly6C+-recruited monocytes in the lungs. Collectively, these results indicate that losartan can exert antimetastatic activity by inhibiting CCR2 signaling and suppressing monocyte recruitment and therefore suggest that losartan (and potentially other AT1R blocker drugs) could be repurposed for use in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Regan
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.,Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
| | - Jonathan W Coy
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; and
| | - Kirti Kandhwal Chahal
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Lyndah Chow
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; and
| | - Jade N Kurihara
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; and
| | - Amanda M Guth
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; and
| | - Irina Kufareva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Steven W Dow
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; .,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; and
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29
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Apel AK, Cheng RK, Tautermann CS, Brauchle M, Huang CY, Pautsch A, Hennig M, Nar H, Schnapp G. Crystal Structure of CC Chemokine Receptor 2A in Complex with an Orthosteric Antagonist Provides Insights for the Design of Selective Antagonists. Structure 2019; 27:427-438.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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30
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Arginine 313 of the putative 8th helix mediates Gα q/14 coupling of human CC chemokine receptors CCR2a and CCR2b. Cell Signal 2018; 53:170-183. [PMID: 30321592 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In man, two CC chemokine receptor isoforms, CCR2a and CCR2b, are present that belong to the rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor family, and couple to Gi and Gq family members. The CCR2 receptors are known to regulate canonical functions of chemokines such as directed migration of leukocytes, and to potentially control non-canonical functions such as differentiation, proliferation, and gene transcription of immune and non-immune cells. We recently reported on the activation of phospholipase C isoenzymes and RhoA GTPases by coupling of the two CCR2 receptors to members of the Gq family, in particular Gαq and Gα14. So far little is known about the structural requirements for the CCR2/Gq/14 interaction. Interestingly, the CCR2 receptor isoforms are identical up to arginine 313 (R313) that is part of the putative 8th helix in CCR2 receptors, and the 8th helix has been implicated in the interaction of rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors with Gαq. In the present work we describe that the 8th helix of both CCR2a and CCR2b is critically involved in selectively activating Gαq/14-regulated signaling. Refined analysis using various CCR2a and CCR2b mutants and analyzing their cellular signaling, e.g. ligand-dependent (i) activation of phospholipase C isoenzymes, (ii) stimulation of serum response factor-mediated gene transcription, (iii) activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, (iv) internalization, and (v) changes in intracellular calcium concentrations, identified arginine 313 within the amino terminal portion of helix 8 to play a role for the agonist-mediated conformational changes and the formation of a Gαq/14 binding surface. We show that R313 determines Gαq/14 protein-dependent but not Gi protein-dependent cellular signaling, and plays no role in Gq/Gi-independent receptor internalization, indicating a role of R313 in biased signaling of CCR2 receptors.
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31
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Ortiz Zacarías NV, van Veldhoven JPD, Portner L, van Spronsen E, Ullo S, Veenhuizen M, van der Velden WJC, Zweemer AJM, Kreekel RM, Oenema K, Lenselink EB, Heitman LH, IJzerman AP. Pyrrolone Derivatives as Intracellular Allosteric Modulators for Chemokine Receptors: Selective and Dual-Targeting Inhibitors of CC Chemokine Receptors 1 and 2. J Med Chem 2018; 61:9146-9161. [PMID: 30256641 PMCID: PMC6328288 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
![]()
The
recent crystal structures of CC chemokine receptors 2 and 9
(CCR2 and CCR9) have provided structural evidence for an allosteric,
intracellular binding site. The high conservation of residues involved
in this site suggests its presence in most chemokine receptors, including
the close homologue CCR1. By using [3H]CCR2-RA-[R], a high-affinity, CCR2 intracellular ligand, we report
an intracellular binding site in CCR1, where this radioligand also
binds with high affinity. In addition, we report the synthesis and
biological characterization of a series of pyrrolone derivatives for
CCR1 and CCR2, which allowed us to identify several high-affinity
intracellular ligands, including selective and potential multitarget
antagonists. Evaluation of selected compounds in a functional [35S]GTPγS assay revealed that they act as inverse agonists
in CCR1, providing a new manner of pharmacological modulation. Thus,
this intracellular binding site enables the design of selective and
multitarget inhibitors as a novel therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Ortiz Zacarías
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Jacobus P D van Veldhoven
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Laura Portner
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Eric van Spronsen
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Salviana Ullo
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Margo Veenhuizen
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Wijnand J C van der Velden
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Annelien J M Zweemer
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Roy M Kreekel
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Kenny Oenema
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Eelke B Lenselink
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety , Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden , The Netherlands
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32
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Ortiz Zacarías NV, Lenselink EB, IJzerman AP, Handel TM, Heitman LH. Intracellular Receptor Modulation: Novel Approach to Target GPCRs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2018; 39:547-559. [PMID: 29653834 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent crystal structures of multiple G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have revealed a highly conserved intracellular pocket that can be used to modulate these receptors from the inside. This novel intracellular site partially overlaps with the G protein and β-arrestin binding site, providing a new manner of pharmacological intervention. Here we provide an update of the architecture and function of the intracellular region of GPCRs, until now portrayed as the signaling domain. We review the available evidence on the presence of intracellular binding sites among chemokine receptors and other class A GPCRs, as well as different strategies to target it, including small molecules, pepducins, and nanobodies. Finally, the potential advantages of intracellular (allosteric) ligands over orthosteric ligands are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Ortiz Zacarías
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eelke B Lenselink
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tracy M Handel
- University of California, San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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33
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Amin SA, Adhikari N, Baidya SK, Gayen S, Jha T. Structural refinement and prediction of potential CCR2 antagonists through validated multi-QSAR modeling studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2018; 37:75-94. [PMID: 29251559 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2017.1418679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Chemokines trigger numerous inflammatory responses and modulate the immune system. The interaction between monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) may be the cause of atherosclerosis, obesity, and insulin resistance. However, CCR2 is also implicated in other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, and neuropathic pain. Therefore, there is a paramount importance of designing potent and selective CCR2 antagonists despite a number of drug candidates failed in clinical trials. In this article, 83 CCR2 antagonists by Jhonson and Jhonson Pharmaceuticals have been considered for robust validated multi-QSAR modeling studies to get an idea about the structural and pharmacophoric requirements for designing more potent CCR2 antagonists. All these QSAR models were validated and statistically reliable. Observations resulted from different modeling studies correlated and validated results of other ones. Finally, depending on these QSAR observations, some new molecules were proposed that may exhibit higher activity against CCR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Abdul Amin
- a Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology , Jadavpur University , P. O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032 , West Bengal , India
| | - Nilanjan Adhikari
- a Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology , Jadavpur University , P. O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032 , West Bengal , India
| | - Sandip Kumar Baidya
- a Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology , Jadavpur University , P. O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032 , West Bengal , India
| | - Shovanlal Gayen
- b Laboratory of Drug Design and Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Dr. Harisingh Gour University , Sagar 470003 , Madhya Pradesh , India
| | - Tarun Jha
- a Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology , Jadavpur University , P. O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032 , West Bengal , India
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Kufareva I, Gustavsson M, Zheng Y, Stephens BS, Handel TM. What Do Structures Tell Us About Chemokine Receptor Function and Antagonism? Annu Rev Biophys 2017; 46:175-198. [PMID: 28532213 PMCID: PMC5764094 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-051013-022942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemokines and their cell surface G protein-coupled receptors are critical for cell migration, not only in many fundamental biological processes but also in inflammatory diseases and cancer. Recent X-ray structures of two chemokines complexed with full-length receptors provided unprecedented insight into the atomic details of chemokine recognition and receptor activation, and computational modeling informed by new experiments leverages these insights to gain understanding of many more receptor:chemokine pairs. In parallel, chemokine receptor structures with small molecules reveal the complicated and diverse structural foundations of small molecule antagonism and allostery, highlight the inherent physicochemical challenges of receptor:chemokine interfaces, and suggest novel epitopes that can be exploited to overcome these challenges. The structures and models promote unique understanding of chemokine receptor biology, including the interpretation of two decades of experimental studies, and will undoubtedly assist future drug discovery endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Kufareva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Martin Gustavsson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Yi Zheng
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Bryan S Stephens
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
| | - Tracy M Handel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; ,
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Arimont M, Sun SL, Leurs R, Smit M, de Esch IJP, de Graaf C. Structural Analysis of Chemokine Receptor-Ligand Interactions. J Med Chem 2017; 60:4735-4779. [PMID: 28165741 PMCID: PMC5483895 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b01309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
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This
review focuses on the construction and application of structural chemokine
receptor models for the elucidation of molecular determinants of chemokine
receptor modulation and the structure-based discovery and design of
chemokine receptor ligands. A comparative analysis of ligand binding
pockets in chemokine receptors is presented, including a detailed
description of the CXCR4, CCR2, CCR5, CCR9, and US28 X-ray structures,
and their implication for modeling molecular interactions of chemokine
receptors with small-molecule ligands, peptide ligands, and large
antibodies and chemokines. These studies demonstrate how the integration
of new structural information on chemokine receptors with extensive
structure–activity relationship and site-directed mutagenesis
data facilitates the prediction of the structure of chemokine receptor–ligand
complexes that have not been crystallized. Finally, a review of structure-based
ligand discovery and design studies based on chemokine receptor crystal
structures and homology models illustrates the possibilities and challenges
to find novel ligands for chemokine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Arimont
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Shan-Liang Sun
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Leurs
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martine Smit
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Iwan J P de Esch
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Zheng Y, Qin L, Zacarías NVO, de Vries H, Han GW, Gustavsson M, Dabros M, Zhao C, Cherney RJ, Carter P, Stamos D, Abagyan R, Cherezov V, Stevens RC, IJzerman AP, Heitman LH, Tebben A, Kufareva I, Handel TM. Structure of CC chemokine receptor 2 with orthosteric and allosteric antagonists. Nature 2016; 540:458-461. [PMID: 27926736 PMCID: PMC5159191 DOI: 10.1038/nature20605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is one of 19 members of the chemokine receptor subfamily of human class A G-protein-coupled receptors. CCR2 is expressed on monocytes, immature dendritic cells, and T-cell subpopulations, and mediates their migration towards endogenous CC chemokine ligands such as CCL2 (ref. 1). CCR2 and its ligands are implicated in numerous inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases including atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, neuropathic pain, and diabetic nephropathy, as well as cancer. These disease associations have motivated numerous preclinical studies and clinical trials (see http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) in search of therapies that target the CCR2-chemokine axis. To aid drug discovery efforts, here we solve a structure of CCR2 in a ternary complex with an orthosteric (BMS-681 (ref. 6)) and allosteric (CCR2-RA-[R]) antagonist. BMS-681 inhibits chemokine binding by occupying the orthosteric pocket of the receptor in a previously unseen binding mode. CCR2-RA-[R] binds in a novel, highly druggable pocket that is the most intracellular allosteric site observed in class A G-protein-coupled receptors so far; this site spatially overlaps the G-protein-binding site in homologous receptors. CCR2-RA-[R] inhibits CCR2 non-competitively by blocking activation-associated conformational changes and formation of the G-protein-binding interface. The conformational signature of the conserved microswitch residues observed in double-antagonist-bound CCR2 resembles the most inactive G-protein-coupled receptor structures solved so far. Like other protein-protein interactions, receptor-chemokine complexes are considered challenging therapeutic targets for small molecules, and the present structure suggests diverse pocket epitopes that can be exploited to overcome obstacles in drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zheng
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Ling Qin
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Natalia V Ortiz Zacarías
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Henk de Vries
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Gye Won Han
- Bridge Institute, Departments of Chemistry and Physics &Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Martin Gustavsson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Marta Dabros
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA
| | - Chunxia Zhao
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | | | - Percy Carter
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA
| | - Dean Stamos
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., 11010 Torreyana Road, San Diego, California 92121, USA
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- Bridge Institute, Departments of Chemistry and Physics &Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Raymond C Stevens
- The Bridge Institute, Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Adriaan P IJzerman
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H Heitman
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Tebben
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA
| | - Irina Kufareva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Tracy M Handel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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Bégin-Lavallée V, Midavaine É, Dansereau MA, Tétreault P, Longpré JM, Jacobi AM, Rose SD, Behlke MA, Beaudet N, Sarret P. Functional inhibition of chemokine receptor CCR2 by dicer-substrate-siRNA prevents pain development. Mol Pain 2016; 12:12/0/1744806916653969. [PMID: 27306408 PMCID: PMC4956154 DOI: 10.1177/1744806916653969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that the C-C chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2, or monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) acts as a neuromodulator in the central nervous system through its binding to the C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). Notably, it is well established that the CCL2/CCR2 axis plays a key role in neuron-glia communication as well as in spinal nociceptive transmission. Gene silencing through RNA interference has recently emerged as a promising avenue in research and drug development, including therapeutic management of chronic pain. In the present study, we used 27-mer Dicer-substrate small interfering RNA (DsiRNA) targeting CCR2 and assessed their ability to reverse the nociceptive behaviors induced by spinal CCL2 injection or following intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant. RESULTS To this end, we first developed high-potency DsiRNAs designed to target different sequences distributed across the rat CCR2 (rCCR2) messenger RNA. For optimization, methyl groups were added to the two most potent DsiRNA candidates (Evader and M7 2'-O-methyl modified duplexes) in order to improve in vivo duplex stability and to reduce potential immunostimulatory activity. Our results demonstrated that all modified candidates formulated with the cell-penetrating peptide reagent Transductin showed strong RNAi activity following intrathecal delivery, exhibiting >50% rCCR2 knockdown in lumbar dorsal root ganglia. Accordingly, we found that these DsiRNA duplexes were able to reduce spinal microglia activation and were effective at blocking CCL2-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Along with similar reductions of rCCR2 messenger RNA, both sequences and methylation patterns were similarly effective in inhibiting the CCL2 nociceptive action for the whole seven days testing period, compared to mismatch DsiRNA. DsiRNAs against CCR2 also reversed the hypernociceptive responses observed in the complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammatory chronic pain model. CONCLUSION Altogether, these results validate CCR2 as a an appropriate molecular target for pain control and demonstrate that RNAi-based gene therapy represent an highly specific alternative to classical pharmacological approaches to treat central pathologies such as chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Bégin-Lavallée
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Philippe Sarret, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12th Avenue North, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
| | - Élora Midavaine
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marc-André Dansereau
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Pascal Tétreault
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Michel Longpré
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | - Scott D Rose
- Integrated DNA Technologies Inc, Coralville, IA, USA
| | - Mark A Behlke
- Integrated DNA Technologies Inc, Coralville, IA, USA
| | - Nicolas Beaudet
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Sarret
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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38
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Zhang P, Leger AJ, Baleja JD, Rana R, Corlin T, Nguyen N, Koukos G, Bohm A, Covic L, Kuliopulos A. Allosteric Activation of a G Protein-coupled Receptor with Cell-penetrating Receptor Mimetics. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:15785-15798. [PMID: 25934391 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.636316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are remarkably versatile signaling systems that are activated by a large number of different agonists on the outside of the cell. However, the inside surface of the receptors that couple to G proteins has not yet been effectively modulated for activity or treatment of diseases. Pepducins are cell-penetrating lipopeptides that have enabled chemical and physical access to the intracellular face of GPCRs. The structure of a third intracellular (i3) loop agonist, pepducin, based on protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) was solved by NMR and found to closely resemble the i3 loop structure predicted for the intact receptor in the on-state. Mechanistic studies revealed that the pepducin directly interacts with the intracellular H8 helix region of PAR1 and allosterically activates the receptor through the adjacent (D/N)PXXYYY motif through a dimer-like mechanism. The i3 pepducin enhances PAR1/Gα subunit interactions and induces a conformational change in fluorescently labeled PAR1 in a very similar manner to that induced by thrombin. As pepducins can potentially be made to target any GPCR, these data provide insight into the identification of allosteric modulators to this major drug target class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Andrew J Leger
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - James D Baleja
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Rajashree Rana
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Tiffany Corlin
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Nga Nguyen
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Georgios Koukos
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Andrew Bohm
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Lidija Covic
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Athan Kuliopulos
- From the Center of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, and Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
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