Allosteric Modulation of Adenosine A2A Receptors as a New Therapeutic Avenue

The Neuroprotective Effects of Oroxylum indicum Extract in SHSY-5Y Neuronal Cells by Upregulating BDNF Gene Expression under LPS Induced Inflammation

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role during neuronal development as well as during differentiation and synaptogenesis. They are important proteins present in the brain that support neuronal health and protect the neurons from detrimental signals. The results from the present study suggest BDNF expression can be increase up to ~8-fold by treating the neuroblastoma cells SHSY-5Y with an herbal extract of Oroxylum indicum (50 μg/mL) and ~5.5-fold under lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammation conditions. The Oroxylum indicum extract (Sabroxy) was standardized to 10% oroxylin A, 6% chrysin, and 15% baicalein. In addition, Sabroxy has shown to possess antioxidant activity that could decrease the damage caused by the exacerbation of radicals during neurodegeneration. A mode of action of over expression of BDNF with and without inflammation is proposed for the Oroxylum indicum extract, where the three major hydroxyflavones exert their effects through additive or synergistic effects via five possible targets including GABA, Adenoside A2A and estrogen receptor bindings, anti-inflammatory effects, and reduced mitochondrial ROS production.

Optochemical control of slow-wave sleep in the nucleus accumbens of male mice by a photoactivatable allosteric modulator of adenosine A2A receptors

Optochemistry, an emerging pharmacologic approach in which light is used to selectively activate or deactivate molecules, has the potential to alleviate symptoms, cure diseases, and improve quality of life while preventing uncontrolled drug effects. The development of in-vivo applications for optochemistry to render brain cells photoresponsive without relying on genetic engineering has been progressing slowly. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a region for the regulation of slow-wave sleep (SWS) through the integration of motivational stimuli. Adenosine emerges as a promising candidate molecule for activating indirect pathway neurons of the NAc expressing adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) to induce SWS. Here, we developed a brain-permeable positive allosteric modulator of A2ARs (A2AR PAM) that can be rapidly photoactivated with visible light (λ > 400 nm) and used it optoallosterically to induce SWS in the NAc of freely behaving male mice by increasing the activity of extracellular adenosine derived from astrocytic and neuronal activity.

A2A adenosine receptor agonists, antagonists, inverse agonists and partial agonists

The Gs-coupled A2A adenosine receptor (A2AAR) has been explored extensively as a pharmaceutical target, which has led to numerous clinical trials. However, only one selective A2AAR agonist (regadenoson, Lexiscan) and one selective A2AAR antagonist (istradefylline, Nouriast) have been approved by the FDA, as a pharmacological agent for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and as a cotherapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), respectively. Adenosine is widely used in MPI, as Adenoscan. Despite numerous unsuccessful clinical trials, medicinal chemical activity around A2AAR ligands has accelerated recently, particularly through structure-based drug design. New drug-like A2AAR antagonists for PD and cancer immunotherapy have been identified, and many clinical trials have ensued. For example, imaradenant (AZD4635), a compound that was designed computationally, based on A2AAR X-ray structures and biophysical mapping. Mixed A2AAR/A2BAR antagonists are also hopeful for cancer treatment. A2AAR antagonists may also have potential as neuroprotective agents for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Adenosine A2A receptors and sleep

Adenosine, a known endogenous somnogen, induces sleep via A1 and A2A receptors. In this chapter, we review the current knowledge regarding the role of the adenosine A2A receptor and its agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators in sleep-wake regulation. Although many adenosine A2A receptor agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators have been identified, only a few have been tested to see if they can promote sleep or wakefulness. In addition, the growing popularity of natural sleep aids has led to an investigation of natural compounds that may improve sleep by activating the adenosine A2A receptor. Finally, we discuss the potential therapeutic advantage of allosteric modulators of adenosine A2A receptors over classic agonists and antagonists for treating sleep and neurologic disorders.

Role of adenosine A2a receptor in cancers and autoimmune diseases

Adenosine receptors are P1 class of purinergic receptors that belong to G protein-coupled receptors. There are 4 subtypes of adenosine receptors, namely A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. A2AR has a high affinity for the ligand adenosine. Under pathological conditions or external stimuli, ATP is sequentially hydrolyzed to adenosine by CD39 and CD73. The combination of adenosine and A2AR can increase the concentration of cAMP and activate a series of downstream signaling pathways, and further playing the role of immunosuppression and promotion of tumor invasion. A2AR is expressed to some extent on various immune cells, where it is abnormally expressed on immune cells in cancers and autoimmune diseases. A2AR expression also correlates with disease progression. Inhibitors and agonists of A2AR may be potential new strategies for treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases. We herein briefly reviewed the expression and distribution of A2AR, adenosine/A2AR signaling pathway, expression, and potential as a therapeutic target.

Allosteric Regulation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: From Diversity of Molecular Mechanisms to Multiple Allosteric Sites and Their Ligands

Allosteric regulation is critical for the functioning of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their signaling pathways. Endogenous allosteric regulators of GPCRs are simple ions, various biomolecules, and protein components of GPCR signaling (G proteins and β-arrestins). The stability and functional activity of GPCR complexes is also due to multicenter allosteric interactions between protomers. The complexity of allosteric effects caused by numerous regulators differing in structure, availability, and mechanisms of action predetermines the multiplicity and different topology of allosteric sites in GPCRs. These sites can be localized in extracellular loops; inside the transmembrane tunnel and in its upper and lower vestibules; in cytoplasmic loops; and on the outer, membrane-contacting surface of the transmembrane domain. They are involved in the regulation of basal and orthosteric agonist-stimulated receptor activity, biased agonism, GPCR-complex formation, and endocytosis. They are targets for a large number of synthetic allosteric regulators and modulators, including those constructed using molecular docking. The review is devoted to the principles and mechanisms of GPCRs allosteric regulation, the multiplicity of allosteric sites and their topology, and the endogenous and synthetic allosteric regulators, including autoantibodies and pepducins. The allosteric regulation of chemokine receptors, proteinase-activated receptors, thyroid-stimulating and luteinizing hormone receptors, and beta-adrenergic receptors are described in more detail.

Pathophysiology roles for adenosine 2A receptor in obesity and related diseases

Obesity, a burgeoning worldwide health system challenge, is associated with several comorbidities, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, atherosclerosis, and osteoarthritis, leading to serious problems to people's health. Adenosine is a critical extracellular signaling molecule that has essential functions in regulating most organ systems by binding to four G-protein-coupled adenosine receptors, denoted A₁ , A_2A , A_2B , and A₃ . Among the receptors, a growing body evidence highlights the key roles of the adenosine 2A receptor (A_2A R) in obesity and related diseases. In the current review, we summarize the effects of A_2A R in obesity and obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and osteoarthritis, to clarify the complicated impacts of A_2A R on obesity and related diseases.

The Role of Microglial Purinergic Receptors in Pain Signaling

Pain is an essential modality of sensation in the body. Purinergic signaling plays an important role in nociceptive pain transmission, under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, and is important for communication between both neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Microglia and astrocytes express a variety of purinergic effectors, and a variety of receptors play critical roles in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. In this review, we discuss our current knowledge of purinergic signaling and of the compounds that modulate purinergic transmission, with the aim of highlighting the importance of purinergic pathways as targets for the treatment of persistent pain.

Modulating brain integrative actions as a new perspective on pharmacological approaches to neuropsychiatric diseases

A critical aspect of drug development in the therapy of neuropsychiatric diseases is the "Target Problem", that is, the selection of a proper target after not simply the etiopathological classification but rather the detection of the supposed structural and/or functional alterations in the brain networks. There are novel ways of approaching the development of drugs capable of overcoming or at least reducing the deficits without triggering deleterious side effects. For this purpose, a model of brain network organization is needed, and the main aspects of its integrative actions must also be established. Thus, to this aim we here propose an updated model of the brain as a hyper-network in which i) the penta-partite synapses are suggested as key nodes of the brain hyper-network and ii) interacting cell surface receptors appear as both decoders of signals arriving to the network and targets of central nervous system diseases. The integrative actions of the brain networks follow the "Russian Doll organization" including the micro (i.e., synaptic) and nano (i.e., molecular) levels. In this scenario, integrative actions result primarily from protein-protein interactions. Importantly, the macromolecular complexes arising from these interactions often have novel structural binding sites of allosteric nature. Taking G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as potential targets, GPCRs heteromers offer a way to increase the selectivity of pharmacological treatments if proper allosteric drugs are designed. This assumption is founded on the possible selectivity of allosteric interventions on G protein-coupled receptors especially when organized as "Receptor Mosaics" at penta-partite synapse level.