1
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Patil M, Casari I, Warne LN, Falasca M. G protein-coupled receptors driven intestinal glucagon-like peptide-1 reprogramming for obesity: Hope or hype? Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 172:116245. [PMID: 38340396 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
'Globesity' is a foremost challenge to the healthcare system. The limited efficacy and adverse effects of available oral pharmacotherapies pose a significant obstacle in the fight against obesity. The biology of the leading incretin hormone glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been highly captivated during the last decade owing to its multisystemic pleiotropic clinical outcomes beyond inherent glucoregulatory action. That fostered a pharmaceutical interest in synthetic GLP-1 analogues to tackle type-2 diabetes (T2D), obesity and related complications. Besides, mechanistic insights on metabolic surgeries allude to an incretin-based hormonal combination strategy for weight loss that emerged as a forerunner for the discovery of injectable 'unimolecular poly-incretin-agonist' therapies. Physiologically, intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells (EECs) are the prominent endogenous source of GLP-1 peptide. Despite comprehending the potential of various G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to stimulate endogenous GLP-1 secretion, decades of translational GPCR research have failed to yield regulatory-approved endogenous GLP-1 secretagogue oral therapy. Lately, a dual/poly-GPCR agonism strategy has emerged as an alternative approach to the traditional mono-GPCR concept. This review aims to gain a comprehensive understanding by revisiting the pharmacology of a few potential GPCR-based complementary avenues that have drawn attention to the design of orally active poly-GPCR agonist therapy. The merits, challenges and recent developments that may aid future poly-GPCR drug discovery are critically discussed. Subsequently, we project the mechanism-based therapeutic potential and limitations of oral poly-GPCR agonism strategy to augment intestinal GLP-1 for weight loss. We further extend our discussion to compare the poly-GPCR agonism approach over invasive surgical and injectable GLP-1-based regimens currently in clinical practice for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohan Patil
- Metabolic Signalling Group, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Ilaria Casari
- Metabolic Signalling Group, Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Leon N Warne
- Little Green Pharma, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia
| | - Marco Falasca
- University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
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2
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Jhinjharia D, Kaushik AC, Sahi S. A high-throughput structural dynamics approach for identification of potential agonists of FFAR4 for type 2 diabetes mellitus therapy. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-21. [PMID: 37978906 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2280707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that persists as a global threat to the world. A G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4), has emerged as a potential target for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity-related disorders. The current study has investigated the FFAR4, deploying 3-dimensional structure modeling, molecular docking, machine learning, and high-throughput virtual screening methods to unravel the receptor's crucial and non-crucial binding site residues. We screened four lakh compounds and shortlisted them based on binding energy, stereochemical considerations, non-bonded interactions, and pharmacokinetic profiling. Out of the screened compounds, four compounds were selected for ligand-bound simulations. The molecular dynamic simulations were carried out for 1µs for native FFAR4 and 500 ns each for complexes of FFAR4 with compound 1, compound 2, compound 3, and compound 4. Our findings showed that in addition to reported binding site residues ARG99, ARG183, and VAL98 in known agonists like TUG-891, the amino acids ARG22, ARG24, THR23, TRP305, and GLU43 were also critical binding site residues. These amino acids impart stability to the FFAR4 complexes and contribute to the stronger binding affinity of the compounds. The study also indicated that aromatic residues like PHE211 are crucial for recognizing the active site's pi-pi and C-C double bonds. Since FFAR4 is a membrane protein, the simulation studies give an insight into the mechanisms of the crucial protein-lipid and lipid-water interactions. The analysis of the molecular dynamics trajectories showed all four compounds as potential hit molecules that can be developed further into potential agonists for T2DM therapy. Amongst the four compounds, compound 4 showed relatively better binding affinity, stronger non-bonded interactions, and a stable complex.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Jhinjharia
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Aman Chandra Kaushik
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shakti Sahi
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
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3
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How Arrestins and GRKs Regulate the Function of Long Chain Fatty Acid Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012237. [PMID: 36293091 PMCID: PMC9602559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
FFA1 and FFA4, two G protein-coupled receptors that are activated by long chain fatty acids, play crucial roles in mediating many biological functions in the body. As a result, these fatty acid receptors have gained considerable attention due to their potential to be targeted for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. However, the relative contribution of canonical G protein-mediated signalling versus the effects of agonist-induced phosphorylation and interactions with β-arrestins have yet to be fully defined. Recently, several reports have highlighted the ability of β-arrestins and GRKs to interact with and modulate different functions of both FFA1 and FFA4, suggesting that it is indeed important to consider these interactions when studying the roles of FFA1 and FFA4 in both normal physiology and in different disease settings. Here, we discuss what is currently known and show the importance of understanding fully how β-arrestins and GRKs regulate the function of long chain fatty acid receptors.
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4
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Zhu S, Zhang J, Jiang X, Wang W, Chen YQ. Free fatty acid receptor 4 deletion attenuates colitis by modulating Treg Cells via ZBED6-IL33 pathway. EBioMedicine 2022; 80:104060. [PMID: 35588628 PMCID: PMC9120243 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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Zou H, Zhang M, Zhu X, Zhu L, Chen S, Luo M, Xie Q, Chen Y, Zhang K, Bu Q, Wei Y, Ye T, Li Q, Yan X, Zhou Z, Yang C, Li Y, Zhou H, Zhang C, You X, Zheng G, Zhao G. Ginsenoside Rb1 Improves Metabolic Disorder in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice Associated With Modulation of Gut Microbiota. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:826487. [PMID: 35516426 PMCID: PMC9062662 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.826487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota plays an important role in metabolic homeostasis. Previous studies demonstrated that ginsenoside Rb1 might improve obesity-induced metabolic disorders through regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver and adipose tissues. Due to low bioavailability and enrichment in the intestinal tract of Rb1, we hypothesized that modulation of the gut microbiota might account for its pharmacological effects as well. Here, we show that oral administration of Rb1 significantly decreased serum LDL-c, TG, insulin, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) in mice with a high-fat diet (HFD). Dynamic profiling of the gut microbiota showed that this metabolic improvement was accompanied by restoring of relative abundance of some key bacterial genera. In addition, the free fatty acids profiles in feces were significantly different between the HFD-fed mice with or without Rb1. The content of eight long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) was significantly increased in mice with Rb1, which was positively correlated with the increase of Akkermansia and Parasuttereller, and negatively correlated with the decrease of Oscillibacter and Intestinimonas. Among these eight increased LCFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), octadecenoic acids, and myristic acid were positively correlated with metabolic improvement. Furthermore, the colonic expression of the free fatty acid receptors 4 (Ffar4) gene was significantly upregulated after Rb1 treatment, in response to a notable increase of LCFA in feces. These findings suggested that Rb1 likely modulated the gut microbiota and intestinal free fatty acids profiles, which should be beneficial for the improvement of metabolic disorders in HFD-fed mice. This study provides a novel mechanism of Rb1 for the treatment of metabolic disorders induced by obesity, which may provide a therapeutic avenue for the development of new nutraceutical-based remedies for treating metabolic diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Nutrition, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Man Zhang
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoting Zhu
- Zhejiang Hongguan Bio-Pharma Co., Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Liyan Zhu
- Zhejiang Hongguan Bio-Pharma Co., Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingjing Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qinglian Xie
- Engineering Laboratory for Nutrition, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Kangxi Zhang
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Qingyun Bu
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuchen Wei
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tao Ye
- Zhejiang Hongguan Bio-Pharma Co., Ltd., Jiaxing, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Suzhou BiomeMatch Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Yan
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Yang
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Li
- Engineering Laboratory for Nutrition, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haokui Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Haokui Zhou,
| | - Chenhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Chenhong Zhang,
| | - Xiaoyan You
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Xiaoyan You,
| | - Guangyong Zheng
- Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Guangyong Zheng,
| | - Guoping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Master Lab for Innovative Application of Nature Products, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Suzhou BiomeMatch Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Bio-Med Big Data Center, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Guoping Zhao,
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6
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Holst JJ, Jepsen SL, Modvig I. GLP-1 – Incretin and pleiotropic hormone with pharmacotherapy potential. Increasing secretion of endogenous GLP-1 for diabetes and obesity therapy. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2022; 63:102189. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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7
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Free Fatty Acid Receptors (FFARs) in Adipose: Physiological Role and Therapeutic Outlook. Cells 2022; 11:cells11040750. [PMID: 35203397 PMCID: PMC8870169 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acids (FFAs) are important biological molecules that serve as a major energy source and are key components of biological membranes. In addition, FFAs play important roles in metabolic regulation and contribute to the development and progression of metabolic disorders like diabetes. Recent studies have shown that FFAs can act as important ligands of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) on the surface of cells and impact key physiological processes. Free fatty acid-activated receptors include FFAR1 (GPR40), FFAR2 (GPR43), FFAR3 (GPR41), and FFAR4 (GPR120). FFAR2 and FFAR3 are activated by short-chain fatty acids like acetate, propionate, and butyrate, whereas FFAR1 and FFAR4 are activated by medium- and long-chain fatty acids like palmitate, oleate, linoleate, and others. FFARs have attracted considerable attention over the last few years and have become attractive pharmacological targets in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Several lines of evidence point to their importance in the regulation of whole-body metabolic homeostasis including adipose metabolism. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the physiological functions of FFAR isoforms in adipose biology and explore the prospect of FFAR-based therapies to treat patients with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
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8
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Xu F, Wang J, Wang P, Hou T, Zhou H, Zhao Y, Wang J, Liu Y, Liang X. Ursodesoxycholic acid is an FFA4 agonist and reduces hepatic steatosis via FFA4 signaling. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 917:174760. [PMID: 35033554 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.174760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a safe bile acid effective in reducing hepatic steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the mechanism of action linked to this effect is poorly defined. In the present study, we identified that UDCA acted as a free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFA4) agonist with EC50 of 10.4 ± 0.7 μM, and its activity was determined by dynamic mass redistribution, fluorometric imaging plate reader, inositol monophosphate and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays. Moreover, UDCA showed FFA4 selectivity over eleven other G protein-coupled receptors. Real-Time PCR and immunocytochemistry analyses showed that FFA4 was abundantly expressed in human hepatocytes HuH-7 cells. In an in vitro model of NAFLD induced by oleic acid (OA), UDCA downregulated lipid accumulation in HuH-7 cells and suppressed sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA expression. This suppression of SREBP-1c was restored when FFA4 expression was knocked down in siRNA assay. In a mouse model of hepatic steatosis, db/db mice were exposed to a high-fat diet (HFD), and treatment of UDCA or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an endogenous FFA4 agonist) effectively prevented body weight gain and hepatic fat deposition and reduced triglyceride (TG) levels in serum and liver. This study not only identified a new skeleton of FFA4 agonists, but also demonstrated that FFA4 signal was accounting for the protective effects of UDCA in the NAFLD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang, 330000, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang, 330000, China
| | - Pan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Han Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yaopeng Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jixia Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang, 330000, China.
| | - Yanfang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang, 330000, China.
| | - Xinmiao Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang, 330000, China.
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9
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Pal A, Curtin JF, Kinsella GK. Structure based prediction of a novel GPR120 antagonist based on pharmacophore screening and molecular dynamics simulations. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:6050-6063. [PMID: 34849208 PMCID: PMC8605389 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypothesis of the important residues in conserving the GPR120S “ionic-lock”. Computational model targeting W277 and N313 for virtual screening of GPR120S ligands. Cpd 9 emerged as a potential GPR120S antagonist and anti-cancer treatment.
The G-protein coupled receptor, GPR120, has ubiquitous expression and multifaceted roles in modulating metabolic and anti-inflammatory processes. Recent implications of its role in cancer progression have presented GPR120 as an attractive oncogenic drug target. GPR120 gene knockdown in breast cancer studies revealed a role of GPR120-induced chemoresistance in epirubicin and cisplatin-induced DNA damage in tumour cells. Higher expression and activation levels of GPR120 is also reported to promote tumour angiogenesis and cell migration in colorectal cancer. Some agonists targeting GPR120 have been reported, such as TUG891 and Compound39, but to date development of small-molecule inhibitors of GPR120 is limited. Herein, following homology modelling of the receptor a pharmacophore hypothesis was derived from 300 ns all-atomic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on apo, TUG891-bound and Compound39-bound GPR120S (short isoform) receptor models embedded in a water solvated lipid bilayer system. We performed comparative MD analysis on protein–ligand interactions between the two agonist and apo simulations on the stability of the “ionic lock” – a Class A GPCRs characteristic of receptor activation and inactivation. The detailed analysis predicted that ligand interactions with W277 and N313 are critical to conserve the “ionic-lock” conformation (R136 of Helix 3) and prevent GPR120S receptor activation. The results led to generation of a W277 and N313 focused pharmacophore hypothesis and the screening of the ZINC15 database using ZINCPharmer through the structure-based pharmacophore. 100 ns all-atomic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on 9 small molecules identified and Cpd 9, (2-hydroxy-N-{4-[(6-hydroxy-2-methylpyrimidin-4-yl) amino] phenyl} benzamide) was predicted to be a small-molecule GPR120S antagonist. The conformational results from the collective all-atomic MD analysis provided structural information for further identification and optimisation of novel druggable inhibitors of GPR120S using this rational design approach, which could have future potential for anti-cancer drug development studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Pal
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, College of Sciences and Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin D07 ADY7, Ireland.,Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Grangegorman, Technological University Dublin, Dublin D07 H6K8, Ireland
| | - James F Curtin
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, College of Sciences and Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin D07 ADY7, Ireland
| | - Gemma K Kinsella
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, College of Sciences and Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin D07 ADY7, Ireland
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10
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Liu YJ, Zeng SH, Hu YD, Zhang YH, Li JP. Overexpression of NREP Promotes Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer Through Facilitating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:746194. [PMID: 34746143 PMCID: PMC8565479 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.746194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets for gastric cancer (GC), the most common cause of cancer-related deaths around the world, is currently a major focus area in research. Here, we examined the utility of Neuronal Regeneration Related Protein (NREP) as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC. We assessed the clinical relevance, function, and molecular role of NREP in GC using bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Our results showed that in GC, NREP overexpression was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. Our findings also suggested that NREP may be involved in the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), with transforming growth factor β1 mediating both processes. In addition, NREP expression showed a positive correlation with the abundance of M2 macrophages, which are potent immunosuppressors. Together, these results indicate that NREP is overexpressed in GC and affects GC prognosis. Thus, NREP could be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Jie Liu
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China.,Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shu-Hong Zeng
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi-Dou Hu
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong-Hua Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie-Pin Li
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China.,No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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11
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Kaczmarek I, Suchý T, Prömel S, Schöneberg T, Liebscher I, Thor D. The relevance of adhesion G protein-coupled receptors in metabolic functions. Biol Chem 2021; 403:195-209. [PMID: 34218541 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) modulate a variety of physiological functions and have been proven to be outstanding drug targets. However, approximately one-third of all non-olfactory GPCRs are still orphans in respect to their signal transduction and physiological functions. Receptors of the class of Adhesion GPCRs (aGPCRs) are among these orphan receptors. They are characterized by unique features in their structure and tissue-specific expression, which yields them interesting candidates for deorphanization and testing as potential therapeutic targets. Capable of G-protein coupling and non-G protein-mediated function, aGPCRs may extend our repertoire of influencing physiological function. Besides their described significance in the immune and central nervous systems, growing evidence indicates a high importance of these receptors in metabolic tissue. RNAseq analyses revealed high expression of several aGPCRs in pancreatic islets, adipose tissue, liver, and intestine but also in neurons governing food intake. In this review, we focus on aGPCRs and their function in regulating metabolic pathways. Based on current knowledge, this receptor class represents high potential for future pharmacological approaches addressing obesity and other metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabell Kaczmarek
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tomáš Suchý
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone Prömel
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Cell Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Torsten Schöneberg
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ines Liebscher
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Doreen Thor
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Hidalgo MA, Carretta MD, Burgos RA. Long Chain Fatty Acids as Modulators of Immune Cells Function: Contribution of FFA1 and FFA4 Receptors. Front Physiol 2021; 12:668330. [PMID: 34276398 PMCID: PMC8280355 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.668330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-chain fatty acids are molecules that act as metabolic intermediates and constituents of membranes; however, their novel role as signaling molecules in immune function has also been demonstrated. The presence of free fatty acid (FFA) receptors on immune cells has contributed to the understanding of this new role of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in immune function, showing their role as anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory molecules and elucidating their intracellular mechanisms. The FFA1 and FFA4 receptors, also known as GPR40 and GPR120, respectively, have been described in macrophages and neutrophils, two key cells mediating innate immune response. Ligands of the FFA1 and FFA4 receptors induce the release of a myriad of cytokines through well-defined intracellular signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the cellular responses and intracellular mechanisms activated by LCFAs, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), in T-cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, as well as the role of the FFA1 and FFA4 receptors in immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Inflammation Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Morphophysiology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Maria D Carretta
- Laboratory of Inflammation Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Morphophysiology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rafael A Burgos
- Laboratory of Inflammation Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Morphophysiology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Metzler-Zebeli BU, Klinsoda J, Vötterl J, Sharma S, Koger S, Sener-Aydemir A. Short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acid profiles and signaling is responsive to dietary phytase and lactic acid treatment of cereals along the gastrointestinal tract of growing pigs. J Anim Sci 2021; 99:6231813. [PMID: 33864091 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary and microbially derived fatty acids (FA) play important roles in gut mucosal inflammatory signaling, barrier function, and oxidative stress response. Nevertheless, little information is available about gastrointestinal FA profiles and receptor distribution in pigs, especially for long-chain FA (LCFA). Therefore, the present pilot study aimed to (1) investigate the gastrointestinal FA profiles; (2) link the luminal FA profiles to the mucosal expression of genes related to FA sensing and signaling; and (3) assess potential dietary effects on gut and systemic lipid metabolism in pigs. Gut, liver, and serum samples were obtained from barrows (13.1 ± 2.3 kg) fed diets containing either phytase (500 phytase units/kg diet) or cereals treated with 2.5% lactic acid (LA; n = 8/diet) for 18 d. Results showed gut regional and diet-related differences in luminal FA profiles and mucosal receptor expression, whereas diet little affected hepatic expression levels and serum lipids. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) increased from stomach, jejunum, and ileum to the cecum (P < 0.05), whereas LCFA were higher in stomach, cecum, and colon than in jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). LA-treated cereals enhanced cecal acetate and butyrate, whereas phytase and LA treated cereals decreased the LCFA by 35.9% and 14.4%, respectively (P < 0.05). Gut regional differences suggested stronger signaling via FFAR1 expression in the ileum, and via FFAR2, FFAR4, and HCAR1 expression in cecum and colon (P < 0.05). Expression of AMPK, FASN, PPARG, SREBP1, and SREBP2 was higher in the cecum and colon compared with the small intestine (P < 0.05), with stronger sensing via FASN and SREBP2. Phytase decreased expression of FFAR2 and FFAR4, whereas it increased that of FFAR3 and MCT1 in the cecum (P < 0.05). LA-treated cereals raised cecal expression of FFAR3 and HCAR1 (P < 0.05). Pearson's correlations (|r| > 0.35; P < 0.05) supported that FA receptor- and nuclear transcription factor-dependent pathways were involved in the mucosal regulation of gut incretin expression but differed across gut regions. In conclusion, results support regional differences in SCFA, lactate and LCFA sensing and absorption capacities in the small and large intestines of pigs. Effects of phytase and the LA-treated cereals on intestinal FA levels and signaling can be explained by differences in nutrient flows (e.g., phosphorus and carbohydrate fractions). This overview provides a solid basis for future intestinal FA sensing in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara U Metzler-Zebeli
- Unit Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jutamat Klinsoda
- Unit Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Food Research and Product Development, University of Kasetsart, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Julia Vötterl
- Unit Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Suchitra Sharma
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simone Koger
- Institute of Food Research and Product Development, University of Kasetsart, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arife Sener-Aydemir
- Institute of Food Research and Product Development, University of Kasetsart, Bangkok, Thailand
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Advances in Technologies for Highly Active Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Krill Oil: Clinical Applications. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19060306. [PMID: 34073184 PMCID: PMC8226823 DOI: 10.3390/md19060306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Euphausia superba, commonly known as krill, is a small marine crustacean from the Antarctic Ocean that plays an important role in the marine ecosystem, serving as feed for most fish. It is a known source of highly bioavailable omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid). In preclinical studies, krill oil showed metabolic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and chemo preventive effects, while in clinical trials it showed significant metabolic, vascular and ergogenic actions. Solvent extraction is the most conventional method to obtain krill oil. However, different solvents must be used to extract all lipids from krill because of the diversity of the polarities of the lipid compounds in the biomass. This review aims to provide an overview of the chemical composition, bioavailability and bioaccessibility of krill oil, as well as the mechanisms of action, classic and non-conventional extraction techniques, health benefits and current applications of this marine crustacean.
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Anti-Atherosclerotic Potential of Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 (FFAR4). Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9050467. [PMID: 33923318 PMCID: PMC8146529 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acids (FAs) are considered not only as a basic nutrient, but are also recognized as signaling molecules acting on various types of receptors. The receptors activated by FAs include the family of rhodopsin-like receptors: GPR40 (FFAR1), GPR41 (FFAR3), GPR43 (FFAR2), GPR120 (FFAR4), and several other, less characterized G-protein coupled receptors (GPR84, GPR109A, GPR170, GPR31, GPR132, GPR119, and Olfr78). The ubiquitously distributed FFAR4 can be activated by saturated and unsaturated medium- and long-chain fatty acids (MCFAs and LCFAs), as well as by several synthetic agonists (e.g., TUG-891). The stimulation of FFAR4 using selective synthetic agonists proved to be promising strategy of reduction of inflammatory reactions in various tissues. In this paper, we summarize the evidence showing the mechanisms of the potential beneficial effects of FFAR4 stimulation in atherosclerosis. Based partly on our own results, we also suggest that an important mechanism of such activity may be the modulatory influence of FFAR4 on the phenotype of macrophage involved in atherogenesis.
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