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Nabit BP, Taylor A, Winder DG. Thalamocortical mGlu8 Modulates Dorsal Thalamus Excitatory Transmission and Sensorimotor Activity. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0119242024. [PMID: 38918065 PMCID: PMC11293446 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0119-24.2024] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 (mGlu8) is a heterogeneously expressed and poorly understood glutamate receptor with potential pharmacological significance. The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is a critical inhibitory modulator of the thalamocortical-corticothalamic (TC-CT) network and plays a crucial role in information processing throughout the brain, is implicated in a variety of psychiatric conditions, and is also a site of significant mGlu8 expression. Using both male and female mice, we determined via fluorescent in situ hybridization that parvalbumin-expressing cells in the TRN core and shell matrices (identified by spp1+ and ecel1+ expression, respectively), as well as the cortical layers involved in CT signaling, express grm8 mRNA. We then assayed the physiological and behavioral impacts of perturbing grm8 signaling in the TC circuit through conditional (adeno-associated virus-CRE mediated) and cell-type-specific constitutive deletion strategies. We show that constitutive parvalbumin grm8 knock-out (PV grm8 knock-out) mice exhibited (1) increased spontaneous excitatory drive onto dorsal thalamus relay cells and (2) impaired sensorimotor gating, measured via paired-pulse inhibition, but observed no differences in locomotion and thigmotaxis in repeated bouts of open field test (OFT). Conversely, we observed hyperlocomotive phenotypes and anxiolytic effects of AAV-mediated conditional knockdown of grm8 in the TRN (TRN grm8 knockdown) in repeated OFT. Our findings underscore a role for mGlu8 in regulating excitatory neurotransmission as well as anxiety-related locomotor behavior and sensorimotor gating, revealing potential therapeutic applications for various neuropsychiatric disorders and guiding future research endeavors into mGlu8 signaling and TRN function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bretton P Nabit
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
| | - Anne Taylor
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655
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2
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Panarello S, González-Díez A, Berizzi AE, Malhaire F, Borràs-Tudurí R, Rovira X, Serra C, Prézeau L, Pin JP, Goudet C, Llebaria A, Gómez-Santacana X. Photoswitchable positive allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 to improve selectivity. iScience 2024; 27:110123. [PMID: 38966572 PMCID: PMC11223089 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu) regulate multiple functions in the nervous systems and are involved in several neurological disorders. However, selectively targeting individual mGlu subtypes with spatiotemporal precision is still an unmet need. Photopharmacology can address this concern through the utilization of photoswitchable compounds such as optogluram, which is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of mGlu4 that enables the precise control of physiological responses using light but does not have an optimal selectivity profile. Optogluram analogs were developed to obtain photoswitchable PAMs of mGlu4 receptor with an improved selectivity. Among them, optogluram-2 emerged as a photoswitchable ligand for mGlu4 receptor with activity as both PAM and allosteric agonists. It presents a higher selectivity and offers improved photoswitching of mGlu4 activity. These improved properties make optogluram-2 an excellent candidate to study the role of mGlu4 with a high spatiotemporal precision in systems where mGlu4 can be co-expressed with other mGlu receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Panarello
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
- PhD Program in Organic Chemistry of the University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix González-Díez
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
- PhD Program in Organic Chemistry of the University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alice E. Berizzi
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Fanny Malhaire
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Xavier Rovira
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Serra
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laurent Prézeau
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Cyril Goudet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Amadeu Llebaria
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Gómez-Santacana
- MCS, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5203 CNRS and U 1191 INSERM, Montpellier, France
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3
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Wang Y, Jin B, Wu X, Xing J, Zhang B, Chen X, Liu X, Wan X, Du S. Exploration of prognostic and treatment markers in hepatocellular carcinoma via GPCR-related genes analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29659. [PMID: 38694033 PMCID: PMC11058304 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the biggest family of signaling receptors, account for 34 % of all the drug targets approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has been gradually recognized that GPCRs are of significance for tumorigenesis, but in-depth studies are still required to explore specific mechanisms. In this study, the role of GPCRs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was elucidated, and GPCR-related genes were employed for building a risk-score model for the prognosis and treatment efficacy prediction of HCC patients. Methods Patients' data on HCC were sourced from the Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Japan (LIRI-JP) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, while GPCR-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). Univariant and multivariant Cox regression analyses, as well as least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were performed with the aim of identifying differentially expressed GPCR-related genes and grouping patients. Differential expression and functional enrichment analyses were performed; protein-protein interaction (PPI) mechanisms were explored; hub genes and micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA)-target gene regulatory networks were constructed. The tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithm was utilized to evaluate immune infiltration levels and genetic variations. Sensitivity to immunotherapy and common antitumor drugs was predicted via the database Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC). Results A GPCR-related risk score containing eight GPCR-related genes (atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3), C-C chemokine receptor type 3 (CCR3), CCR7, frizzled homolog 5 (FZD5), metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 (GRM8), hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 5A (HTR5A) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 6 (NLRP6)) was set up. In addition, patients were classified into groups with high and low risks. Patients in the high-risk group exhibited a worse prognosis but demonstrated a more favorable immunotherapy response rate compared with those in the low-risk group. Distinct sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs was observed. A clinical prediction model on the basis of GPCR-related risk scores was constructed. Areas under the curves (AUC) corresponding to one-, three- and five-year survival were 0.731, 0.765 and 0.731, respectively. Conclusions In this study, an efficient HCC prognostic prediction model was constructed by only GPCR-related genes, which are all potential targets for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Bao Jin
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xiangan Wu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Xing
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Baoluhe Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaokun Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xueshuai Wan
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Shunda Du
- Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
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Ortí JEDLR, Cuerda-Ballester M, Sanchis-Sanchis CE, Lajara Romance JM, Navarro-Illana E, García Pardo MP. Exploring the impact of ketogenic diet on multiple sclerosis: obesity, anxiety, depression, and the glutamate system. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1227431. [PMID: 37693246 PMCID: PMC10485376 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1227431] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder. Individuals with MS frequently present symptoms such as functional disability, obesity, and anxiety and depression. Axonal demyelination can be observed and implies alterations in mitochondrial activity and increased inflammation associated with disruptions in glutamate neurotransmitter activity. In this context, the ketogenic diet (KD), which promotes the production of ketone bodies in the blood [mainly β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB)], is a non-pharmacological therapeutic alternative that has shown promising results in peripheral obesity reduction and central inflammation reduction. However, the association of this type of diet with emotional symptoms through the modulation of glutamate activity in MS individuals remains unknown. Aim To provide an update on the topic and discuss the potential impact of KD on anxiety and depression through the modulation of glutamate activity in subjects with MS. Discussion The main findings suggest that the KD, as a source of ketone bodies in the blood, improves glutamate activity by reducing obesity, which is associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, promoting central inflammation (particularly through an increase in interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17). This improvement would imply a decrease in extrasynaptic glutamate activity, which has been linked to functional disability and the presence of emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jose María Lajara Romance
- Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Esther Navarro-Illana
- Department of Nursing, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia, Spain
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Mao LM, Mathur N, Shah K, Wang JQ. Roles of metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 168:349-366. [PMID: 36868634 PMCID: PMC10162486 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors are G protein-coupled receptors. Among eight mGlu subtypes (mGlu1-8), mGlu8 has drawn increasing attention. This subtype is localized to the presynaptic active zone of neurotransmitter release and is among the mGlu subtypes with high affinity for glutamate. As a Gi/o-coupled autoreceptor, mGlu8 inhibits glutamate release to maintain homeostasis of glutamatergic transmission. mGlu8 receptors are expressed in limbic brain regions and play a pivotal role in modulating motivation, emotion, cognition, and motor functions. Emerging evidence emphasizes the increasing clinical relevance of abnormal mGlu8 activity. Studies using mGlu8 selective agents and knockout mice have revealed the linkage of mGlu8 receptors to multiple neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, including anxiety, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, and chronic pain. Expression and function of mGlu8 receptors in some limbic structures undergo long-lasting adaptive changes in animal models of these disorders, which may contribute to the remodeling of glutamatergic transmission critical for the pathogenesis and symptomatology of brain illnesses. This review summarizes the current understanding of mGlu8 biology and the possible involvement of the receptor in several common psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Min Mao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Nirav Mathur
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Karina Shah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - John Q Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States; Department of Anesthesiology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States.
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Lüffe TM, Bauer M, Gioga Z, Özbay D, Romanos M, Lillesaar C, Drepper C. Loss-of-Function Models of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Genes Grm8a and Grm8b Display Distinct Behavioral Phenotypes in Zebrafish Larvae (Danio rerio). Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:901309. [PMID: 35769333 PMCID: PMC9234528 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.901309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the family of metabotropic glutamate receptors are involved in the pathomechanism of several disorders of the nervous system. Besides the well-investigated function of dysfunctional glutamate receptor signaling in neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), like autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might also be partly caused by disturbed glutamate signaling during development. However, the underlying mechanism of the type III metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 (mGluR8 or GRM8) involvement in neurodevelopment and disease mechanism is largely unknown. Here we show that the expression pattern of the two orthologs of human GRM8, grm8a and grm8b, have evolved partially distinct expression patterns in the brain of zebrafish (Danio rerio), especially at adult stages, suggesting sub-functionalization of these two genes during evolution. Using double in situ hybridization staining in the developing brain we demonstrate that grm8a is expressed in a subset of gad1a-positive cells, pointing towards glutamatergic modulation of GABAergic signaling. Building on this result we generated loss-of-function models of both genes using CRISPR/Cas9. Both mutant lines are viable and display no obvious gross morphological phenotypes making them suitable for further analysis. Initial behavioral characterization revealed distinct phenotypes in larvae. Whereas grm8a mutant animals display reduced swimming velocity, grm8b mutant animals show increased thigmotaxis behavior, suggesting an anxiety-like phenotype. We anticipate that our two novel metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 zebrafish models may contribute to a deeper understanding of its function in normal development and its role in the pathomechanism of disorders of the central nervous system.
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Gupta PR, Prabhavalkar K. Combination therapy with neuropeptides for the treatment of anxiety disorder. Neuropeptides 2021; 86:102127. [PMID: 33607407 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2021.102127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety is a neurological disorder that is characterized by excessive, persistent, and unreasonable worry about everyday things like family, work, money, and relationships. The current therapy used for the treatment has many disadvantages like higher cost, severe adverse reactions, and has suboptimal efficiency. There is a need to look for more innovative approaches for the treatment of anxiety disorder which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional treatment. Recent findings suggest a strong correlation of glutamate with anxiety. Some promising drugs which have a novel mechanism for anxiolytic action are currently under clinical development for generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarly, an interrelation of oxytocin with neuropeptide S or glutamate or vasopressin can also be considered for further evaluation for the development of new drugs for anxiety treatment. Anxiolytic drug development is a multi-target approach, with the idea of more efficiently equilibrating perturbed circuits. This review focuses on targeting unconventional targets like the glutamate system, voltage-gated ion channels, and neuropeptides system either alone or in combination for the treatment of anxiety disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priti Ramakant Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, SVKM'S Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400 056, India
| | - Kedar Prabhavalkar
- Department of Pharmacology, SVKM'S Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400 056, India.
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8
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Boccella S, Marabese I, Guida F, Luongo L, Maione S, Palazzo E. The Modulation of Pain by Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors 7 and 8 in the Dorsal Striatum. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 18:34-50. [PMID: 31210112 PMCID: PMC7327935 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x17666190618121859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal striatum, apart from controlling voluntary movement, displays a recently demonstrated pain inhibition. It is connected to the descending pain modulatory system and in particular to the rostral ventromedial medulla through the medullary dorsal reticular nucleus. Diseases of the basal ganglia, such as Parkinson's disease, in addition to being characterized by motor disorders, are associated with pain and hyperactivation of the excitatory transmission. A way to counteract glutamatergic hyperactivation is through the activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which are located on presynaptic terminals inhibiting neurotransmitter release. So far the mGluRs of group III have been the least investigated, owing to a lack of selective tools. More recently, selective ligands for each mGluR of group III, in particular positive and negative allosteric modulators, have been developed and the role of each subtype is starting to emerge. The neuroprotective potential of group III mGluRs in pathological conditions, such as those characterized by elevate glutamate, has been recently shown. In the dorsal striatum, mGluR7 and mGluR8 are located at glutamatergic corticostriatal terminals and their stimulation inhibits pain in pathological conditions such as neuropathic pain. The two receptors in the dorsal striatum have instead a different role in pain control in normal conditions. This review will discuss recent results focusing on the contribution of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in the dorsal striatal control of pain. The role of mGluR4, whose antiparkinsonian activity is widely reported, will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Boccella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Ida Marabese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Guida
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Livio Luongo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Sabatino Maione
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Enza Palazzo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Division, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy
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Dhangar RR, Kale PP, Kadu PK, Prabhavalkar K. Possible Benefits of Considering Glutamate with Melatonin or Orexin or Oxytocin as a Combination Approach in the Treatment of Anxiety. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40495-019-00207-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Llinas Del Torrent C, Pérez-Benito L, Tresadern G. Computational Drug Design Applied to the Study of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24061098. [PMID: 30897742 PMCID: PMC6470756 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors are a family of eight GPCRs that are attractive drug discovery targets to modulate glutamate action and response. Here we review the application of computational methods to the study of this family of receptors. X-ray structures of the extracellular and 7-transmembrane domains have played an important role to enable structure-based modeling approaches, whilst we also discuss the successful application of ligand-based methods. We summarize the literature and highlight the areas where modeling and experiment have delivered important understanding for mGlu receptor drug discovery. Finally, we offer suggestions of future areas of opportunity for computational work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Llinas Del Torrent
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional Unitat de Bioestadistica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Laura Pérez-Benito
- Computational Chemistry, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N. V., Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Gary Tresadern
- Computational Chemistry, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N. V., Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium.
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11
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Ferraguti F. Metabotropic glutamate receptors as targets for novel anxiolytics. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2018; 38:37-42. [PMID: 29494817 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent psychiatric illnesses posing an important social and economic burden. Their current pharmacotherapy shows short term efficacy, though nearly one third of patients do not achieve sustained remission. There is, therefore, a strong medical need for new therapeutic agents acting through novel mechanisms of action. Considerable work has focused on metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors as potential targets for novel anxiolytics. Ligands acting at mGlu receptors showed promising results in preclinical studies, whereas their efficacy was dubious in clinical trials. Recent preclinical and clinical studies have opened new prospects for targeting mGlu receptors to treat anxiety disorders. This review provides an outlook on these progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Peter Mayr Strasse 1A, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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12
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Dalton JAR, Pin JP, Giraldo J. Analysis of positive and negative allosteric modulation in metabotropic glutamate receptors 4 and 5 with a dual ligand. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4944. [PMID: 28694498 PMCID: PMC5504000 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
As class C GPCRs and regulators of synaptic activity, human metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) 4 and 5 are prime targets for allosteric modulation, with mGlu5 inhibition or mGlu4 stimulation potentially treating conditions like chronic pain and Parkinson’s disease. As an allosteric modulator that can bind both receptors, 2-Methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) is able to negatively modulate mGlu5 or positively modulate mGlu4. At a structural level, how it elicits these responses and how mGluRs undergo activation is unclear. Here, we employ homology modelling and 30 µs of atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe allosteric conformational change in mGlu4 and mGlu5, with and without docked MPEP. Our results identify several structural differences between mGlu4 and mGlu5, as well as key differences responsible for MPEP-mediated positive and negative allosteric modulation, respectively. A novel mechanism of mGlu4 activation is revealed, which may apply to all mGluRs in general. This involves conformational changes in TM3, TM4 and TM5, separation of intracellular loop 2 (ICL2) from ICL1/ICL3, and destabilization of the ionic-lock. On the other hand, mGlu5 experiences little disturbance when MPEP binds, maintaining its inactive state with reduced conformational fluctuation. In addition, when MPEP is absent, a lipid molecule can enter the mGlu5 allosteric pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A R Dalton
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology and Bioinformatics, Institut de Neurociències and Unitat de Bioestadística, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.,Network Biomedical Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Université de Montpellier, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5302 CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Unité de recherche U1191, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Jesús Giraldo
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology and Bioinformatics, Institut de Neurociències and Unitat de Bioestadística, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain. .,Network Biomedical Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.
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Peterlik D, Flor PJ, Uschold-Schmidt N. The Emerging Role of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Pathophysiology of Chronic Stress-Related Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2016; 14:514-39. [PMID: 27296643 PMCID: PMC4983752 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x13666150515234920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress-related psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse are an enormous public health concern. The etiology of these pathologies is complex, with psychosocial stressors being among the most frequently discussed risk factors. The brain glutamatergic neurotransmitter system has often been found involved in behaviors and pathophysiologies resulting from acute stress and fear. Despite this, relatively little is known about the role of glutamatergic system components in chronic psychosocial stress, neither in rodents nor in humans. Recently, drug discovery efforts at the metabotropic receptor subtypes of the glutamatergic system (mGlu1-8 receptors) led to the identification of pharmacological tools with emerging potential in psychiatric conditions. But again, the contribution of individual mGlu subtypes to the manifestation of physiological, molecular, and behavioral consequences of chronic psychosocial stress remains still largely unaddressed. The current review will describe animal models typically used to analyze acute and particularly chronic stress conditions, including models of psychosocial stress, and there we will discuss the emerging roles for mGlu receptor subtypes. Indeed, accumulating evidence indicates relevance and potential therapeutic usefulness of mGlu2/3 ligands and mGlu5 receptor antagonists in chronic stress-related disorders. In addition, a role for further mechanisms, e.g. mGlu7-selective compounds, is beginning to emerge. These mechanisms are important to be analyzed in chronic psychosocial stress paradigms, e.g. in the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) model. We summarize the early results and discuss necessary future investigations, especially for mGlu5 and mGlu7 receptor blockers, which might serve to suggest improved therapeutic strategies to treat stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter J Flor
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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Goddyn H, Callaerts-Vegh Z, D'Hooge R. Functional Dissociation of Group III Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Revealed by Direct Comparison between the Behavioral Profiles of Knockout Mouse Lines. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyv053. [PMID: 25999589 PMCID: PMC4756720 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu4, mGlu7, mGlu8) display differential brain distribution, which suggests different behavioral functions. However, comparison across the available animal studies remains methodologically hazardous and controversial. The present report directly compares knockouts for each group III receptor subtype using a single behavioral test battery and multivariate analysis. METHODS The behavioral phenotypes of C57BL/6J mice lacking mGlu4, mGlu7, or mGlu8 and their respective littermates were examined using a multimetric test battery, which included elements of neuromotor performance, exploratory behavior, and learning and memory. Multivariate statistical methods were used to identify subtype-specific behavioral profiles and variables that distinguished between these mouse lines. RESULTS It generally appears that mGlu7 plays a significant role in hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and in some fear-related behaviors, whereas mGlu4 is most clearly involved in startle and motivational processes. Excepting its influence on body weight, the effect of mGlu8 deletion on behavior appears more subtle than that of the other group III receptors. These receptors have been proposed as potential drug targets for a variety of psychopathological conditions. CONCLUSION On the basis of these controlled comparisons, we presently conclude that the different group III receptors indeed have quite distinct behavioral functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannelore Goddyn
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Leuven, Belgium (Drs Goddyn, Callaerts-Vegh, and D'Hooge)
| | - Zsuzsanna Callaerts-Vegh
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Leuven, Belgium (Drs Goddyn, Callaerts-Vegh, and D'Hooge)
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Leuven, Belgium (Drs Goddyn, Callaerts-Vegh, and D'Hooge).
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