McCoull D, Ococks E, Large JM, Tickle DC, Mathie A, Jerman J, Wright PD. A "Target Class" Screen to Identify Activators of Two-Pore Domain Potassium (K2P) Channels.
SLAS DISCOVERY 2020;
26:428-438. [PMID:
33375888 PMCID:
PMC7900820 DOI:
10.1177/2472555220976126]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels carry background (or leak) potassium
current and play a key role in regulating resting membrane potential and
cellular excitability. Accumulating evidence points to a role for K2Ps in human
pathophysiologies, most notably in pain and migraine, making them attractive
targets for therapeutic intervention. However, there remains a lack of selective
pharmacological tools. The aim of this work was to apply a “target class”
approach to investigate the K2P superfamily and identify novel activators across
all the described subclasses of K2P channels. Target class drug discovery allows
for the leveraging of accumulated knowledge and maximizing synergies across a
family of targets and serves as an additional approach to standard target-based
screening. A common assay platform using baculovirus (BacMam) to transiently
express K2P channels in mammalian cells and a thallium flux assay to determine
channel activity was developed, allowing the simultaneous screening of multiple
targets. Importantly, this system, by allowing precise titration of channel
function, allows optimization to facilitate the identification of activators. A
representative set of channels (THIK-1, TWIK-1, TREK-2, TASK-3, and TASK-2) were
screened against a library of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved
compounds and the LifeArc Index Set. Activators were then analyzed in
concentration–response format across all channels to assess selectivity. Using
the target class approach to investigate the K2P channels has enabled us to
determine which of the K2Ps are amenable to small-molecule activation, de-risk
multiple channels from a technical point of view, and identify a diverse range
of previously undescribed pharmacology.
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