Rational design of CCR2 antagonists: a survey of computational studies

Harmonizing hope: navigating the osteoarthritis melody through the CCL2/CCR2 axis for innovative therapeutic avenues

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by a complex interplay of molecular signals orchestrated by the CCL2/CCR2 axis. The pathogenesis of OA has been revealed to be influenced by a multifaceted effect of CCL2/CCR2 signaling on inflammation, cartilage degradation, and joint homeostasis. The CCL2/CCR2 axis promotes immune cell recruitment and tips the balance toward degeneration by influencing chondrocyte behavior. Insights into these intricate pathways will offer novel therapeutic approaches, paving the way for targeted interventions that may redefine OA management in the future. This review article explores the molecular symphony through the lens of the CCL2/CCR2 axis, providing a harmonious blend of current knowledge and future directions on OA treatment. Furthermore, in this study, through a meticulous review of recent research, the key players and molecular mechanisms that amplify the catabolic cascade within the joint microenvironment are identified, and therapeutic approaches to targeting the CCL2/CCR axis are discussed.

Docking-based Design of Galantamine Derivatives with Dual-site Binding to Acetylcholinesterase

The enzyme acetylcholinesterase is a key target in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease because of its ability to hydrolyze acetylcholine via the catalytic binding site and to accelerate the aggregation of amyloid-β peptide via the peripheral anionic site (PAS). Using docking-based predictions, in the present study we design 20 novel galantamine derivatives with alkylamide spacers of different length ending with aromatic fragments. The galantamine moiety blocks the catalytic site, while the terminal aromatic fragments bind in PAS. The best predicted compounds are synthesized and tested for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The experimental results confirm the predictions and show that the heptylamide spacer is of optimal length to bridge the galantamine moiety bound in the catalytic site and the aromatic fragments interacting with PAS. Among the tested terminal aromatic fragments, the phenethyl substituent is the most suitable for binding in PAS.

Activation of corticotropin-releasing factor 1 receptor: insights from molecular dynamics simulations

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane-bound proteins involved in translation of extracellular signals into intracellular responses. They regulate diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes, and hence, they are prime drug targets for therapeutic intervention. In spite of the recent advancements in membrane protein crystallography, limited information is available on the molecular signatures of activation of GPCRs. Although few studies have been reported for class A GPCRs, the activation mechanism of class B GPCRs remains unexplored. Corticotropin-releasing factor 1 receptor (CRF1R), a class B GPCR, is associated with various disease conditions including stress, anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome. Here, we report the activation of CRF1R using accelerated molecular dynamics simulations of the apo receptor. The breakage of His155(2.50)-Glu209(3.50) and Glu209(3.50)-Thr316(6.42) interactions is found to be crucial in transition of the receptor to its active conformation. Compared to the inactive crystal structure, major structural rearrangements occurred in the intracellular region of the transmembrane (TM) domain upon activation: TM3 twisted away from TM2, and an opening of the G-protein binding site occurred as a result of the outward movements of TM5 and TM6 from the helical bundle. Further, an inward tilt of TM7 toward the helical core is observed at the extracellular side, in agreement with recent findings (Coin et al. Cell 2013, 155, 1258-1269), where it is proposed that this movement helps in establishing favorable interactions with peptide agonist. Moreover, different allosteric pathways in the inactive and active states are identified using the correlations in torsion angle space. The inactive state is found to be less dynamic as compared to the putative active state of the receptor. Results from the current study could present a model for class B GPCRs activation and aid in the design of CRF1R modulators against brain and metabolic disorders.

CCR2 Antagonists for the Treatment of Diseases Associated with Inflammation

The CCR2 and MCP-1 pathway has become one of the most-studied chemokine systems for therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases and conditions. It plays a pivotal role in inflammatory diseases, especially those that are characterized by monocyte-rich infiltration. This chapter reviews the biology of CCR2 and MCP-1, and their roles in diseases and conditions related to inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, nephropathy, cancer, pulmonary fibrosis and pain. Intense drug-discovery efforts over the past 15 years have generated a large number of CCR2 antagonists in diverse structural classes. Mutagenesis studies have elucidated important residues on CCR2 that interact with many classes of these CCR2 antagonists. To facilitate understanding of CCR2 antagonist SAR, a simple pharmacophore model is used to summarize the large number of diverse chemical structures. The majority of published compounds are classified based on their central core structures using this model. Key SAR points in the published literature are briefly discussed for most of the series. Lead compounds in each chemical series are highlighted where information is available. The challenges in drug discovery and development of CCR2 antagonists are briefly discussed. Clinical candidates in various diseases in the public domain are summarized with a brief discussion about the clinical challenges.

The use of G-protein coupled receptor models in lead optimization

With the emerging new crystal structures of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), the number of reported in silico receptor models vastly increases every year. The use of these models in lead optimization (LO) is investigated here. Although there are many studies where GPCR models are used to identify new chemotypes by virtual screening, the classical application in LO is rarely reported. The reason for this may be that the quality of a model, which is appropriate for atomistic modeling, must be very high, and the biology of GPCR ligand-dependent signaling is still not fully understood. However, the few reported studies show that GPCR models can be used efficiently in LO for various problems, such as affinity optimization or tuning of physicochemical parameters.