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Brimson JM, Prasanth MI, Malar DS, Brimson S, Thitilertdecha P, Tencomnao T. Drugs that offer the potential to reduce hospitalization and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection: The possible role of the sigma-1 receptor and autophagy. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:435-449. [PMID: 34236922 PMCID: PMC8290373 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.1952987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the availability of new vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, there has been slow uptake and problems with supply in some parts of the world. Hence, there is still a necessity for drugs that can prevent hospitalization of patients and reduce the strain on health care systems. Drugs with sigma affinity potentially provide protection against the most severe symptoms of SARS-COV-2 and could prevent mortality via interactions with the sigma-1 receptor.Areas covered: This review examines the role of the sigma-1 receptor and autophagy in SARS-CoV-2 infections and how they may be linked. The authors reveal how sigma ligands may reduce the symptoms, complications, and deaths resulting from SARS-CoV-2 and offer insights on those patient cohorts that may benefit most from these drugs.Expert opinion: Drugs with sigma affinity potentially offer protection against the most severe symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 via interactions with the sigma-1 receptor. Agonists of the sigma-1 receptor may provide protection of the mitochondria, activate mitophagy to remove damaged and leaking mitochondria, prevent ER stress, manage calcium ion transport, and induce autophagy to prevent cell death in response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Michael Brimson
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mani Iyer Prasanth
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Dicson Sheeja Malar
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sirikalaya Brimson
- Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Premrutai Thitilertdecha
- Siriraj Research Group in Immunobiology and Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tewin Tencomnao
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Abbas H, Borde P, Willars GB, Ferry DR, Safrany ST. Hazards of Using Masking Protocols When Performing Ligand Binding Assays: Lessons From the Sigma-1 and Sigma-2 Receptors. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:309. [PMID: 32231573 PMCID: PMC7082753 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sigma-1 and sigma-2 receptors are emerging therapeutic targets. Although the molecular identity of the sigma-2 receptor has recently been determined, receptor quantitation has used, and continues to use, the sigma-1 selective agents (+) pentazocine or dextrallorphan to mask the sigma-1 receptor in radioligand binding assays. Here, we have assessed the suitability of currently established saturation and competition binding isotherm assays that are used to quantify parameters of the sigma-2 receptor. We show that whilst the sigma-1 receptor mask (+) pentazocine has low affinity for the sigma-2 receptor (Ki 406 nM), it can effectively compete at this site with [³H] di-O-tolyl guanidine (DTG) at the concentrations frequently used to mask the sigma-1 receptor (100 nM and 1 µM). This competition influences the apparent affinity of DTG and other ligands tested in this system. A more troublesome issue is that DTG can displace (+) pentazocine from the sigma-1 receptor, rendering it partly unmasked. Indeed, commonly used concentrations of (+) pentazocine, 100 nM and 1 µM, allowed 37 and 11% respectively of sigma-1 receptors to be bound by DTG (300 nM), which could result in an overestimation of sigma-2 receptor numbers in assays where sigma-1 receptors are also present. Similarly, modelled data for 1 µM dextrallorphan show that only 71–86% of sigma-1 receptors would be masked in the presence of 300 nM DTG. Therefore, the use of dextrallorphan as a masking agent would also lead to the overestimation of sigma-2 receptors in systems where sigma-1 receptors are present. These data highlight the dangers of using masking agents in radioligand binding studies and we strongly recommend that currently used masking protocols are not used in the study of sigma-2 receptors. In order to overcome these problems, we recommend the use of a cell line apparently devoid of sigma-1 receptors [e.g., MCF7 (ATCC HTB-22)] in the absence of any masking agent when determining the affinity of agents for the sigma-2 receptor. In addition, assessing the relative levels of sigma-1 and sigma-2 receptors can be achieved using [³H] DTG saturation binding followed by two-site analysis of (+) pentazocine competition binding with [³H] DTG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haider Abbas
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.,Oncology Department, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Preeti Borde
- School of Medicine, RCSI-Bahrain, Adliya, Bahrain
| | - Gary B Willars
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - David R Ferry
- Gastrointestinal Oncology Strategy, Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Iyamu ID, Lv W, Malik N, Mishra RK, Schiltz GE. Development of Tetrahydroindazole-Based Potent and Selective Sigma-2 Receptor Ligands. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:1248-1256. [PMID: 31071238 PMCID: PMC6613831 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The sigma-2 receptor has been shown to play important roles in a number of important diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) disorders and cancer. However, mechanisms by which sigma-2 contributes to these diseases remain unclear. The development of new sigma-2 ligands that can be used to probe the function of this protein and potentially as drug discovery leads is therefore of great importance. Herein we report the development of a series of tetrahydroindazole compounds that are highly potent and selective for sigma-2. Structure-activity relationship data were used to generate a pharmacophore model that summarizes the common features present in the potent ligands. Assays for solubility and microsomal stability showed that several members of this compound series possess promising characteristics for further development of useful chemical probes or drug discovery leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iredia D Iyamu
- Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Wei Lv
- Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Neha Malik
- Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Rama K Mishra
- Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Gary E Schiltz
- Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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Pascual R, Almansa C, Plata-Salamán C, Vela JM. A New Pharmacophore Model for the Design of Sigma-1 Ligands Validated on a Large Experimental Dataset. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:519. [PMID: 31214020 PMCID: PMC6555132 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent publication of the σ1R crystal structure is an important cornerstone for the derivation of more accurate activity prediction models. We report here a comparative study involving a set of more than 25,000 structures from our internal database that had been screened for σ1R affinity. Using the recently published crystal structure, 5HK1, two new pharmacophore models were generated. The first one, 5HK1-Ph.A, was obtained by an algorithm that identifies the most important receptor-ligand interactions including volume restrictions enforced by the atomic structure of the recognition site. The second, 5HK1-Ph.B, resulted from a manual edition of the first one by the fusion of two hydrophobic (HYD) features. Finally, we also docked the database using a high throughput docking technique and scored the resulting poses with seven different scoring functions. Statistical performance measures were obtained for the two models, comparing them with previously published σ1R pharmacophores (Hit Rate, sensitivity, specificity, and Receiver Operator Characteristic) and 5HK1-Ph.B emerged as the best one in discriminating between active and inactive compounds, with a ROC-AUC value above 0.8 and enrichment values above 3 at different fractions of screened samples. 5HK1-Ph.B also showed better results than the direct docking, which may be due to the rigidity of the crystal structure in the docking process (i.e., feature tolerances in the pharmacophore model). Additionally, the impact of the HYD interactions and the penalty for desolvating ligands with polar atoms may be not adequately captured by scoring functions, whereas HYD groups filling up such regions of the binding site are entailed in the pharmacophore model. Altogether, using annotated data from a large and diverse compound collection together with crystal structure information provides a sound basis for the generation and validation of predictive models to design new molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalia Pascual
- ESTEVE Pharmaceuticals S.A., Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Almansa
- ESTEVE Pharmaceuticals S.A., Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Plata-Salamán
- ESTEVE Pharmaceuticals S.A., Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Miguel Vela
- ESTEVE Pharmaceuticals S.A., Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development, Barcelona, Spain
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Bhyrapuneni G, Thentu JB, Mohammed AR, Aleti RR, Padala NP, Ajjala DR, Nirogi R. Assessment of sigma-1 receptor occupancy in mice with non-radiolabelled FTC-146 as a tracer. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2018; 38:290-298. [PMID: 29912606 DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2018.1478855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is advantageous in in-vivo receptor occupancy assays at pre-clinical drug developmental stages. Relatively, its application is effective in terms of high throughput, data reproducibility, sensitivity, and sample processing. In this perspective, we have evaluated the use of FTC-146 as a non-radiolabelled tracer to determine the sigma-1 receptor occupancy of test drugs in mice brain. Further, the brain and plasma exposures of test drug were determined at their corresponding occupancies. In this occupancy method, the optimized tracer treatment (sacrification) time after intravenous administration was 30 min. The tracer dose was 3 µg/kg and specific brain regions of interest were frontal cortex, pons and midbrain. Mice were pretreated orally with SA4503, fluspidine, haloperidol, and donepezil followed by tracer treatment. Among the test drugs, SA4503 was used as positive control group at its highest test dose (7 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). There was a dose-dependent decrease in brain regional FTC-146 binding in pretreated mice. From the occupancy curves of SA4503, fluspidine, haloperidol, and donepezil the effective dose (ED50) value ranges are 0.74-1.45, 0.09-0.11, 0.11-0.12, and 0.07-0.09 mg/kg, respectively. Their corresponding brain effective concentration (EC50) values are 74.3-132.5, 3.4-3.7, 122.5-139.5, and 8.8-11.0 ng/g and plasma EC50 values are 34.3-53.7, 0.08-0.10, 7.8-9.5, and 0.6-0.7 ng/mL. Brain regional distribution and binding inhibition upon pretreatment were comparable with data reported with labeled [18F]FTC-146. Drug exposures were simultaneously determined and correlated with sigma-1 occupancy from the same experiment. Wide category drugs can be assayed for sigma-1 receptor engagement and their correlation with exposures aid in clinical development.
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Rennekamp AJ, Huang XP, Wang Y, Patel S, Lorello PJ, Cade L, Gonzales APW, Yeh JRJ, Caldarone BJ, Roth BL, Kokel D, Peterson RT. σ1 receptor ligands control a switch between passive and active threat responses. Nat Chem Biol 2016; 12:552-8. [PMID: 27239788 PMCID: PMC4912403 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Humans and many animals show 'freezing' behavior in response to threatening stimuli. In humans, inappropriate threat responses are fundamental characteristics of several mental illnesses. To identify small molecules that modulate threat responses, we developed a high-throughput behavioral assay in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and evaluated 10,000 compounds for their effects on freezing behavior. We found three classes of compounds that switch the threat response from freezing to escape-like behavior. We then screened these for binding activity across 45 candidate targets. Using target profile clustering, we identified the sigma-1 (σ1) receptor as having a role in the mechanism of behavioral switching and confirmed that known σ1 ligands also disrupt freezing behavior. Furthermore, mutation of the gene encoding σ1 prevented the behavioral effect of escape-inducing compounds. One compound, which we call finazine, potently bound mammalian σ1 and altered threat-response behavior in mice. Thus, pharmacological and genetic interrogation of the freezing response revealed σ1 as a mediator of threat responses in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Rennekamp
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program and Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7365, USA
| | - You Wang
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Samir Patel
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Paul J. Lorello
- NeuroBehavior Laboratory, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center and Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Lindsay Cade
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Andrew P. W. Gonzales
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
| | - Jing-Ruey Joanna Yeh
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Barbara J. Caldarone
- NeuroBehavior Laboratory, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center and Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Bryan L. Roth
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program and Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7365, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7360, USA
| | - David Kokel
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143, USA
| | - Randall T. Peterson
- Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142, USA
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