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Chen Z, Fan L, Wang H, Yu J, Lu D, Qi J, Nie F, Luo Z, Liu Z, Cheng J, Wang S. Structure-based design of a novel third-generation antipsychotic drug lead with potential antidepressant properties. Nat Neurosci 2021; 25:39-49. [PMID: 34887590 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00971-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Partial agonist activity at the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) is a key feature of third-generation antipsychotics (TGAs). However, TGAs also act as antagonists or weak partial agonists to the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) 2A receptor (5-HT2AR). Here we present the crystal structures of aripiprazole- and cariprazine-bound human 5-HT2AR. Both TGAs adopt an unexpected 'upside-down' pose in the 5-HT2AR binding pocket, with secondary pharmacophores inserted in a similar way to a 'bolt'. This insight into the binding modes of TGAs offered a structural mechanism underlying their varied partial efficacies at 5-HT2AR and DRD2. These structures enabled the design of a partial agonist at DRD2/3 and 5-HT1AR with negligible 5-HT2AR binding that displayed potent antipsychotic-like activity without motor side effects in mice. This TGA lead also had antidepressant-like effects and improved cognitive performance in mouse models via 5-HT1AR. This work indicates that 5-HT2AR affinity is a dispensable contributor to the therapeutic actions of TGAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangcheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Luyu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dengyu Lu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technolog, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianzhong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fen Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhipu Luo
- Institute of Molecular Enzymology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technolog, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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Abstract
1. Indirect evidence suggests that the concentration of arginine vasopressin in the plasma of normally hydrated man is about 1 mu-u./ml., but this is usually considered to be below the limit of sensitivity of the standard assay preparation, the water-loaded Wistar rat under ethanol anaesthesia.2. It was found that there was a surprising variation in sensitivity to vasopressin between batches of Wistar rats, and that other varieties of rat (including those with diabetes insipidus) were no more sensitive.3. Three modifications of the standard assay procedure produced an increase in sensitivity:(a) using Wistar rats weighing 100-150 g, rather than larger animals;(b) commencing the assay shortly after surgery, i.e. as soon as the urine flow reached 25 mul./min;(c) infusing vasopressin intravenously (0.5-3 mu-u./min). By using modification (a) with either (b) or (c) it was possible to detect as little as 0.5 mu-u.4. With these modifications antidiuretic activity equivalent to 0.5-2.0 mu-u./ml. of arginine vasopressin was measured in nine samples of plasma from a normally hydrated subject.5. It is suggested that the frequent reports of enhanced sensitivity may have been due to the fortuitous use of a particularly sensitive batch of rats, or to a high endogenous secretion of vasopressin due to operative trauma.
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