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He Q, Yuan Q, Shan H, Wu C, Gu Y, Wu K, Hu W, Zhang Y, He X, Xu HE, Zhao LH. Mechanisms of ligand recognition and activation of melanin-concentrating hormone receptors. Cell Discov 2024; 10:48. [PMID: 38710677 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-024-00679-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic neuropeptide that regulates food intake, energy balance, and other physiological functions by stimulating MCHR1 and MCHR2 receptors, both of which are class A G protein-coupled receptors. MCHR1 predominately couples to inhibitory G protein, Gi/o, and MCHR2 can only couple to Gq/11. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of MCH-activated MCHR1 with Gi and MCH-activated MCHR2 with Gq at the global resolutions of 3.01 Å and 2.40 Å, respectively. These structures reveal that MCH adopts a consistent cysteine-mediated hairpin loop configuration when bound to both receptors. A central arginine from the LGRVY core motif between the two cysteines of MCH penetrates deeply into the transmembrane pocket, triggering receptor activation. Integrated with mutational and functional insights, our findings elucidate the molecular underpinnings of ligand recognition and MCH receptor activation and offer a structural foundation for targeted drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingning Yuan
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Canrong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yimin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yumu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Li-Hua Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Kurban N, Qin Y, Zhao HL, Hu X, Chen X, Zhao YY, Peng YS, Wang HB, Cui SY, Zhang YH. Chronic Stress-Induced Elevation of Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in the Locus Coeruleus Inhibits Norepinephrine Production and Associated With Depression-Like Behaviors in Rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 27:pyad069. [PMID: 38135278 PMCID: PMC10799331 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyad069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that projects throughout the central nervous system, including the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC). Our previous study suggested that MCH/MCH receptor 1 (MCHR1) in the LC may be involved in the regulation of depression. The present study investigated whether the role of MCH/MCHR1 in the LC in depression-like behaviors is associated with the regulation of norepinephrine. METHOD Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) and an acute intra-LC microinjection of MCH induced depression-like behaviors in rats. The MCHR1 antagonist SNAP-94847 was also microinjected in the LC in rats that were suffering CUS or treated with MCH. The sucrose preference, forced swim, and locomotor tests were used for behavioral evaluation. Immunofluorescence staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection were used to explore the mechanism of MCH/MCHR1 in the regulation of depression-like behaviors. RESULTS CUS induced an abnormal elevation of MCH levels and downregulated MCHR1 in the LC, which was highly correlated with the formation of depression-like behaviors. SNAP-94847 exerted antidepressant effects in CUS-exposed rats by normalizing tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine β hydroxylase, and norepinephrine in the LC. An acute microinjection of MCH induced depression-like behaviors through its action on MCHR1. MCHR1 antagonism in the LC significantly reversed the MCH-induced downregulation of norepinephrine production by normalizing MCHR1-medicated cAMP-PKA signaling. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirmed that the MCH/MCHR1 system in the LC may be involved in depression-like behaviors by downregulating norepinephrine production. These results improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of depression that is related to the MCH/MCHR1 system in the LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurhumar Kurban
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Qin
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Ling Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Yi Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Shuo Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Su-Ying Cui
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Yong-He Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Peking University, School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
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Koyama Y. The role of orexinergic system in the regulation of cataplexy. Peptides 2023; 169:171080. [PMID: 37598758 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Loss of orexin/hypocretin causes serious sleep disorder; narcolepsy. Cataplexy is the most striking symptom of narcolepsy, characterized by abrupt muscle paralysis induced by emotional stimuli, and has been considered pathological activation of REM sleep atonia system. Clinical treatments for cataplexy/narcolepsy and early pharmacological studies in narcoleptic dogs tell us about the involvement of monoaminergic and cholinergic systems in the control of cataplexy/narcolepsy. Muscle atonia may be induced by activation of REM sleep-atonia generating system in the brainstem. Emotional stimuli may be processed in the limbic systems including the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex. It is now considered that orexin/hypocretin prevents cataplexy by modulating the activity of different points of cataplexy-inducing circuit, including monoaminergic/cholinergic systems, muscle atonia-generating systems, and emotion-related systems. This review will describe the recent advances in understanding the neural mechanisms controlling cataplexy, with a focus on the involvement of orexin/hypocretin system, and will discuss future experimental strategies that will lead to further understanding and treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimasa Koyama
- Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, Fukushima University, 1 Kanaya-gawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan..
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Bolborea M, Vercruysse P, Daria T, Reiners JC, Alami NO, Guillot SJ, Dieterlé S, Sinniger J, Scekic-Zahirovic J, Londo A, Arcay H, Goy MA, de Tapia CN, Thal DR, Shibuya K, Otani R, Arai K, Kuwabara S, Ludolph AC, Roselli F, Yilmazer-Hanke D, Dupuis L. Loss of hypothalamic MCH decreases food intake in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:773-791. [PMID: 37058170 PMCID: PMC10175407 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02569-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with impaired energy metabolism, including weight loss and decreased appetite which are negatively correlated with survival. Neural mechanisms underlying metabolic impairment in ALS remain unknown. ALS patients and presymptomatic gene carriers have early hypothalamic atrophy. The lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) controls metabolic homeostasis through the secretion of neuropeptides such as orexin/hypocretin and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). Here, we show loss of MCH-positive neurons in three mouse models of ALS based on SOD1 or FUS mutations. Supplementation with MCH (1.2 µg/d) through continuous intracerebroventricular delivery led to weight gain in male mutant Sod1G86R mice. MCH supplementation increased food intake, rescued expression of the key appetite-related neuropeptide AgRP (agouti-related protein) and modified respiratory exchange ratio, suggesting increased carbohydrate usage during the inactive phase. Importantly, we document pTDP-43 pathology and neurodegeneration in the LHA of sporadic ALS patients. Neuronal cell loss was associated with pTDP-43-positive inclusions and signs of neurodegeneration in MCH-positive neurons. These results suggest that hypothalamic MCH is lost in ALS and contributes to the metabolic changes, including weight loss and decreased appetite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matei Bolborea
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France.
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Pauline Vercruysse
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Tselmen Daria
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johanna C Reiners
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Najwa Ouali Alami
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Simon J Guillot
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphane Dieterlé
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jérôme Sinniger
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jelena Scekic-Zahirovic
- Department of Neurology, Neurology Clinic, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Institute for Pathology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Amela Londo
- Department of Neurology, Neurology Clinic, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Institute for Pathology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hippolyte Arcay
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marc-Antoine Goy
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Claudia Nelson de Tapia
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Dietmar R Thal
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Institute for Pathology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, and Leuven Brain Institute, KU louvain, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, Japan
| | - Kazumoto Shibuya
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryo Otani
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kimihito Arai
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Neurology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, Neurology Clinic, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, Neurology Clinic, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Deniz Yilmazer-Hanke
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France.
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