The G alpha protein GL2 alpha improves the ability to detect the subthreshold expressions of receptors linked to phospholipase C in Xenopus oocytes

The use of Xenopus oocytes in drug screening

INTRODUCTION

The physiological roles of ion channels are receiving increased interest in both basic research and drug discovery, and a demand for pharmacological approaches that can characterize or screen ion channels and their ligands with higher throughput has emerged. Traditionally, screening of compound libraries at ion channel targets has been performed using assays such as binding assays, fluorescence-based assays and flux assays that allow high-throughput, but sacrifice high data quality. The use of these assays with ion channel targets can also be problematic, emphasizing the usefulness of automated Xenopus oocyte electrophysiological assays in drug screening.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes the use of Xenopus oocytes in drug screening, presents the advantages and disadvantages of the use of Xenopus oocytes as expression system, and addresses the options available for automated two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings from Xenopus oocytes.

EXPERT OPINION

Automated and manual Xenopus oocyte two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings are useful and important techniques in drug screening. Although they are not compatible with high-throughput experimentation, these techniques are excellent in combination or as alternatives to fluorescence-based assays for hit validation, screening of focused compound libraries and safety screening on ion channels with their high flexibility for the choice of molecular targets, quality of data and reproducibility.

Xenopus oocyte electrophysiology in GPCR drug discovery

Deorphanization of the large group of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for which an endogenous activating ligand has not yet been identified (orphan GPCRs) has become increasingly difficult. A specialized technique that has been successfully applied to deorphanize some of these GPCRs involves two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings of currents through ion channels, which are activated by GPCRs heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The ion channels that couple to GPCR activation in Xenopus oocytes can be endogenous calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) or heterologously expressed G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRKs). We will describe a general approach for expression of GPCRs in Xenopus oocytes and characterization of these using electrophysiological recordings. We will focus on the detection of GPCR activation by recordings of currents through CaCCs that are activated by calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum and thus the G(q) signaling pathway.