新型M5胆碱受体选择性拮抗剂的发现及药理活性研究

目的:选择性拮抗M5胆碱受体可成为治疗药物成瘾的新途径,本文旨在利用虚拟筛选、结构优化、分子与细胞水平的药理活性评价,以期获得新型M5胆碱受体选择性拮抗剂。方法:通过虚拟筛选获得具有新型骨架的候选化合物,以该结构为基础进行结构优化;利用放射配基实验对系列化合物进行活性测定;进一步评价其亲和力对各胆碱受体亚型的选择性,并利用细胞内钙离子释放实验评价其拮抗活性。结果:通过虚拟筛选得到具有新型骨架的M5胆碱受体拮抗剂WXY-1-1,对其进行三轮结构优化共合成20个化合物;放射配基实验表明,其中化合物WXY-3-5对M5胆碱受体亚型具有亚微摩尔级亲和力(Ki=0.7μM)且具有亚型选择性(高出其他4个亚型9-35倍);钙流实验表明,化合物WXY-3-5对M5胆碱受体亚型具有拮抗活性(IC_(50)=6.1μM)。结论:通过虚拟筛选、结构优化以及药理活性评价,获得具有新骨架的M5胆碱受体选择性拮抗剂,为后续药物开发提供了新的先导结构。     

两个黄酮类化合物对GPR35受体激动活性的研究

GPR35受体是G蛋白偶联受体家族中的孤儿受体,它的很多生物学功能还不是很清楚.寻找发现GPR35受体的配体对于GPR35受体的生物学及药理学研究具有重要意义.本研究利用无标记细胞靶点药理学筛选技术,系统研究了天然黄酮类化合物对GPR35受体的激动活性,新发现了草质素和异补骨脂二氢黄酮具有GPR35受体激动活性,其中草质素EC50=(1.452±0.093)μmol/L,是最具药物开发潜力的一个GPR35受体激动剂.     

乙酰胆碱对自然杀伤细胞活性的影响

目的:观察乙酰胆碱(ACh)对自然杀伤(NK)细胞活性的影响,并初步探讨其作用的受体机制.方法:根据不同的实验目的,选择ACh、胆碱能受体激动剂和拮抗剂分别作用于NK细胞,以乳酸脱氢酶(lactate dehydrogenase,LDH)自然释放法检测不同实验条件下NK细胞杀伤肿瘤靶细胞(Yac)的活性.结果:ACh、M受体激动剂毛果芸香碱和N受体激动剂烟碱在10-10～10-6mol/L浓度范围内都能显著抑制NK细胞杀伤肿瘤细胞的活性.M受体拮抗剂阿托品(10-8和10-7mol/L)能完全阻断同浓度ACh抑制NK细胞活性的作用;但N受体拮抗剂筒箭毒碱(10-8和10-7mol/L)不能阻断同浓度ACh抑制NK细胞活性的作用.结论:ACh可抑制NK细胞对肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用,此作用主要由淋巴细胞上的M受体和N1受体介导.     

组胺H1受体拮抗剂高通量筛选模型的建立及应用

组胺H1受体拮抗剂被用于治疗某些过敏性疾病,如鼻炎、荨麻疹和过敏性皮炎。本文采用无标记细胞整合药理学技术建立了组胺H1受体拮抗剂高通量筛选模型。应用基于共振波导光栅的动态质量重置分析方法检测了已知的激动剂和拮抗剂作用于A431细胞上内源性H1受体后所产生的特征信号,获取特征信号谱,建立组胺H1受体拮抗剂筛选模型。进而应用此模型筛选了32个天然产物对组胺H1受体的拮抗活性。结果表明,无标记DMR分析适合于H1受体拮抗剂的高通量筛选;在筛选的32个化合物中,从亚贡中分离得到的内酯类化合物为活性较强的拮抗剂。上述结果表明,无标记DMR分析可能成为组胺H1受体拮抗剂发现的新方法。     

VPAC2在CHO细胞的表达及鉴定

PAC2是垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽(Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide,PACAP)和血管活性肠肽(vasoactive intestinal peptide,VIP)的共同受体,介导多种重要生物学功能。为获得稳定特异表达VPAC2的中国仓鼠卵巢(Chinesehamsterovary,CHO)细胞,将pcDNA-VPAC2表达载体转染CHO细胞,G418筛选转染阳性克隆,PACAP38标准品诱导阳性克隆细胞的胞内cAMP生成,筛选出对PACAP38最为敏感的阳性单克隆细胞株(VPAC2-CHO),运用RT-PCR、Westernblot和免疫荧光法检测VPAC2受体表达情况,利用VPAC2受体特异激动剂通过竞争性结合试验和促进胞内第二信使cAMP生成的活性检测实验证实,VPAC2-CHO特异表达有功能的VPAC2。Scatchard作图分析显示VPAC2-CHO的VPAC2受体密度为(1.1±0.2)pmol/mg膜蛋白,PACAP38与VPAC2的解离常数Kd值为(0.55±0.10)nmol/L。特异表达VPAC2受体细胞系的构建为深入研究该受体理化性质、生物学功能以及筛选、开发VPAC2受体新型特异激动剂和拮抗剂等研究奠定了基础。     

大鼠鞘内注射多巴胺受体激动剂与拮抗剂对痛及针刺镇痛的影响

在大鼠电刺激甩测痛模型上,应用鞘内注射（ｉｔ）多巴胺（ＤＡ）受体选择性激动剂与拮抗剂,分析大鼠脊髓ＤＡ受体亚型Ｄ１和Ｄ２在痛及针刺镇痛（ＡＡ）中的作用。结果显示,在正常清醒大鼠,ｉｔ Ｄ２受体选择性激动剂,Ｙ１７１５５５（ＬＹ）或Ｄ１／Ｄ２受体激动剂阿朴吗啡（ＡＰＯ）有镇痛作用（呈剂量依赖式增加）,并加强ＡＡ,而ｉｔ Ｄ１受体选择性激动剂ＳＫＦ３８３９３（ＳＫＦ）对痛及ＡＡ均无影响;ｉｔ Ｄ１受体     

疾病干预的新靶点:嘌呤与嘧啶受体

内源性核苷、核苷酸通过嘌呤与嘧啶受体(P受体),参与机体组织器官多种功能的调节。在肿瘤、细胞凋亡、局部缺血、伤口愈合、骨质疏松、药物毒性、炎症及痛觉等病理状态下,P受体的内源性配体核苷与核苷酸发挥保护作用,P1、P2受体及其受体亚型的选择性激动剂和桔抗剂具有宽广的临床应用前景。     

芹菜根中一种具有抗癌活性的双氨基甲酸酯

研究芹菜根(Apium graveolens L.)乙醇提取物的化学成分及其体外抗肿瘤活性。利用多种色谱方法进行分离纯化,现代波谱技术对分离得到的化合物进行结构鉴定;采用MTT法对分离出的单体化合物进行抗肿瘤实验。从芹菜根的乙醇提取物中分离得到3个单体化合物,它们的结构分别为双氨基甲酸酯AG-01 (1)佛手柑内酯(2)芹菜素(3)。化合物1为一新化合物,MTT细胞毒活性显示其对人体胃癌细胞SGC-7901和肝癌细胞BEL-7402的IC50分别为29. 6μM和32. 4μM。     

四种中药单体选择性抑制环氧合酶-2活性的评价北大核心CSCD

为研究COX-2与中药抗肿瘤多药耐药的相关性,通过体外酶反应筛选实验,测定姜黄素、青藤碱、牡荆素、芹菜素对环氧合酶-1(COX-1)、环氧合酶-2(COX-2)的活性抑制作用,使用选择性指数(COX-1的IC50/COX-2的IC50)评价其COX-2活性的选择性,该实验结果显示:这四种物质对COX-2选择性指数依次为:牡荆素128. 71、姜黄素16. 24、芹菜素8. 45、青藤碱3. 55。并首次用分子对接相关数据中对接分子的对接内能及其与分子酶结合能差异性大小比较,评价了这四种物质对COX-2选择性活性,所得分子选择性结果与体外酶反应实验结果相吻合。从抑制活性和对COX-2选择性指数综合评价,牡荆素为较优化合物,可作为新的对COX-2有更高选择性活性的先导化合物。     

M1毒蕈碱乙酰胆碱受体同源建模模板的选取及验证

目的:探讨不同同源模板所获得M1毒蕈碱乙酰胆碱受体模型的合理性及可靠性。方法:以牛视紫红素受体、人源β2-肾上腺素受体、M2胆碱受体和M3胆碱受体为模板,分别对M1胆碱受体进行同源建模;采用分子对接获得各M1胆碱受体同源模板与配体的互作模式,并与已报道的M胆碱受体晶体结构进行静态比对,得到最佳M1胆碱受体同源模板;采用分子动力学模拟分析配体与关键残基距离的变化,对M1胆碱受体同源模板进行动态验证。结果:M2胆碱受体与M1胆碱受体的序列相似度较高,为67.9%;以Inactive M2胆碱受体为模板构建的M1胆碱受体(M1R_(inactive-M2R))与其他晶体结构间RMSD值的均值最低,为1.39;M1R_(inactive-M2R)别构位点K392及E397残基侧链与结合口袋距离更近,与配体结合构象更匹配;分子对接结果显示,双位点别构激动剂VU0184670与M1R_(inactive-M2R)别构结合位点Y85、Y381的距离分别为4.8、6.8,优于其他模型;分子动力学模拟后,配体与Q177残基的距离由7.4降至2.9,提示配体VU0184670向Q177方向偏转,与文献结果一致。结论:以Inactive M2受体结构为模板构建的M1胆碱受体模型最为合理,更接近M1胆碱受体的晶体结构。本研究为M1胆碱受体药物开发提供重要工具,为其他GPCRs受体同源建模提供创新范式。     

Regulation of signal transduction at M2 muscarinic receptor

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors mediate transmission of an extracellular signal represented by released acetylcholine to neuronal or effector cells. There are five subtypes of closely homologous muscarinic receptors which are coupled by means of heterotrimeric G-proteins to a variety of signaling pathways resulting in a multitude of target cell effects. Endogenous agonist acetylcholine does not discriminate among individual subtypes and due to the close homology of the orthosteric binding site the same holds true for most of exogenous agonists. In addition to the classical binding site muscarinic receptors have one or more allosteric binding sites at extracellular domains. Binding of allosteric modulators induces conformational changes in the receptor that result in subtype-specific changes in orthosteric binding site affinity for both muscarinic agonists and antagonists. This overview summarizes our recent experimental effort in investigating certain aspects of M2 muscarinic receptor functioning concerning i) the molecular determinants that contribute to the binding of allosteric modulators, ii) G-protein coupling specificity and subsequent cellular responses and iii) possible functional assays that exploit the unique properties of allosteric modulators for characterization of muscarinic receptor subtypes in intact tissue. A detailed knowledge of allosteric properties of muscarinic receptors is required to permit drug design that will modulate signal transmission strength of specific muscarinic receptor subtypes. Furthermore, allosteric modulation of signal transmission strength is determined by cooperativity rather than concentration of allosteric modulator and thus reduces the danger of overdose.     

Oxotremorine-M potentiates NMDA receptors by muscarinic receptor dependent and independent mechanisms

Muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptors play an important role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and cortex. Potentiation of NMDA receptors as a consequence of muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptor activation is a crucial event mediating the cholinergic modulation of synaptic plasticity, which is a cellular mechanism for learning and memory. In Alzheimer's disease, the cholinergic input to the hippocampus and cortex is severely degenerated, and agonists or positive allosteric modulators of M1 receptors are therefore thought to be of potential use to treat the deficits in cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease. In this study we developed a simple system in which muscarinic modulation of NMDA receptors can be studied in vitro. Human M1 receptors and NR1/2B NMDA receptors were co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes and various muscarinic agonists were assessed for their modulatory effects on NMDA receptor-mediated responses. As expected, NMDA receptor-mediated responses were potentiated by oxotremorine-M, oxotremorine or xanomeline when the drugs were applied between subsequent NMDA responses, an effect which was fully blocked by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. However, in oocytes expressing NR1/2B NMDA receptors but not muscarinic M1 receptors, oxotremorine-M co-applied with NMDA also resulted in a potentiation of NMDA currents and this effect was not blocked by atropine, demonstrating that oxotremorine-M is able to directly potentiate NMDA receptors. Oxotremorine, which is a close analogue of oxotremorine-M, and xanomeline, a chemically distinct muscarinic agonist, did not potentiate NMDA receptors by this direct mechanism. Comparing the chemical structures of the three different muscarinic agonists used in this study suggests that the tri-methyl ammonium moiety present in oxotremorine-M is important for the compound's interaction with NMDA receptors.     

Identification of new allosteric sites and modulators of AChE through computational and experimental tools

Allosteric sites on proteins are targeted for designing more selective inhibitors of enzyme activity and to discover new functions. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is most widely known for the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, has a peripheral allosteric subsite responsible for amyloidosis in Alzheimer’s disease through interaction with amyloid β-peptide. However, AChE plays other non-hydrolytic functions. Here, we identify and characterise using computational tools two new allosteric sites in AChE, which have allowed us to identify allosteric inhibitors by virtual screening guided by structure-based and fragment hotspot strategies. The identified compounds were also screened for in vitro inhibition of AChE and three were observed to be active. Further experimental (kinetic) and computational (molecular dynamics) studies have been performed to verify the allosteric activity. These new compounds may be valuable pharmacological tools in the study of non-cholinergic functions of AChE.     

Allosteric small molecules unveil a role of an extracellular E2/transmembrane helix 7 junction for G protein-coupled receptor activation

G protein-coupled receptors represent the largest superfamily of cell membrane-spanning receptors. We used allosteric small molecules as a novel approach to better understand conformational changes underlying the inactive-to-active switch in native receptors. Allosteric molecules bind outside the orthosteric area for the endogenous receptor activator. The human muscarinic M(2) acetylcholine receptor is prototypal for the study of allosteric interactions. We measured receptor-mediated G protein activation, applied a series of structurally diverse muscarinic allosteric agents, and analyzed their cooperative effects with orthosteric receptor agonists. A strong negative cooperativity of receptor binding was observed with acetylcholine and other full agonists, whereas a pronounced negative cooperativity of receptor activation was observed with the partial agonist pilocarpine. Applying a newly synthesized allosteric tool, point mutated receptors, radioligand binding, and a three-dimensional receptor model, we found that the deviating allosteric/orthosteric interactions are mediated through the core region of the allosteric site. A key epitope is M(2)Trp(422) in position 7.35 that is located at the extracellular top of transmembrane helix 7 and that contacts, in the inactive receptor, the extracellular loop E2. Trp 7.35 is critically involved in the divergent allosteric/orthosteric cooperativities with acetylcholine and pilocarpine, respectively. In the absence of allosteric agents, Trp 7.35 is essential for receptor binding of the full agonist and for receptor activation by the partial agonist. This study provides first evidence for a role of an allosteric E2/transmembrane helix 7 contact region for muscarinic receptor activation by orthosteric agonists.     

Differential Effects of Lithium on Muscarinic Cholinoceptor-Stimulated CMP-Phosphatidate Accumulation in Cerebellar Granule Cells, CHO-M3 Cells, and SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells

Abstract: The ability of lithium to potentiate muscarinic cholinoceptor-stimulated CMP-phosphatidate (CMP.PA) accumulation has been examined in various cells in which muscarinic cholinoceptor agonists evoke a phosphoinositide response. Cell types examined include rat cerebellar granule cells, Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected to express the human muscarinic M3 receptor (CHO-M3 cells), and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Neither carbachol (1 m M ) nor lithium (10 m M ) caused significant increases in CMP.PA accumulation in rat cerebellar granule cells; however, when added together for 20 min a linear 17-fold increase over basal levels was observed. The increase was dependent on the concentration of carbachol and lithium present, and the effect could be reversed by addition of exogenous myo -inositol (10 m M ). Addition of carbachol alone to CHO-M3 cells caused a five-fold increase in CMP.PA accumulation. In the presence of lithium, a 70-fold increase was observed at 20 min after carbachol plus lithium addition. This latter response was concentration dependent and could be abolished by preincubation in the presence of 10 m M myo -inositol. In contrast, whereas carbachol elicited a three-fold increase in CMP.PA accumulation in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, which reached a plateau 10 min after agonist addition, the response could neither be augmented by addition of lithium nor inhibited by addition of myo -inositol. These results emphasise that the ability of lithium to affect agonist-stimulated CMP.PA accumulation is not simply a function of stimulus strength, but is also crucially dependent on the intracellular concentration of inositol.     

FRET-based sensors for the human M1-, M3-, and M5-acetylcholine receptors

Based on the recently developed approach to generate fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based sensors to measure GPCR activation, we generated sensor constructs for the human M₁-, M₃-, and M₅-acetylcholine receptor. The receptors were labeled with cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) at their C-terminus, and with fluorescein arsenical hairpin binder (FlAsH) via tetra-cysteine tags inserted in the third intracellular loop. We then measured FRET between the donor CFP and the acceptor FlAsH in living cells and real time. Agonists like acetylcholine, carbachol, or muscarine activate each receptor construct with half-maximal activation times between 60 and 70 ms. Removal of the agonist caused the reversal of the signal. Compared with all other agonists, oxotremorine M differed in two major aspects: it caused significantly slower signals at M₁- and M₅-acetylcholine receptors and the amplitude of these signals was larger at the M₁-acetylcholine receptor. Concentration-response curves for the agonists reveal that all agonists tested, with the mentioned exception of oxotremorine M, caused similar maximal FRET-changes as acetylcholine for the M₁-, M₃- and M₅-acetylcholine receptor constructs. Taken together our data support the notion that orthosteric agonists behave similar at different muscarinic receptor subtypes but that kinetic differences can be observed for receptor activation.     

Tyrosine Kinase Activity Is Essential for Interleukin-1β-Stimulated Production of Interleukin-6 in U373 Human Astrocytoma Cells

Abstract: Previous studies have shown that PC12 cells depend on growth factors for their survival. When deprived of growth factors, the cells undergo a dying process termed "apoptosis" (programed cell death). We show here that muscarinic agonists inhibited the apoptotic death of growth factor-deprived PC12M1 cells (PC12 cells stably expressing cloned m1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors). This protective effect of the muscarinic agonists was observed in both proliferating and neuronal PC12M1 cells, was blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, and was not observed in PC12 cells lacking m1 receptors. Muscarinic receptors therefore mediate inhibition of apoptosis in these cells. In addition to its effect on survival, the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine induced inhibition of DNA synthesis as well as growth arrest of exponentially growing PC12M1 cells at the S and G₂/M phases of the cell cycle. Muscarinic receptors in these cells may therefore mediate inhibition of cell cycle progression.     

Discovery of the first low-shift positive allosteric modulators for the muscarinic M1 receptor

Positive modulation of the muscarinic M1-receptor has for a long time attracted scientists and drug developers for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease or Schizophrenia. The precognitive potential of M1 activation has however not been clinically demonstrated as a result of side effects associated both with agonists and positive allosteric modulators (PAM’s) of the M1-receptor. To avoid excessive activation of the M1-receptor we have designed a new screening format and developed the first low-shift positive allosteric modulators for the M1 receptor. Low-shift PAM’s offer the potential of “use-dependent” attenuation of transmitter-signaling while avoiding pseudo-agonistic behavior in vivo as a common limitation of the so far described high-shift PAM’s. With these novel M1-PAM’s, the M1 receptor is potentially the first GPCR for which both, high- and low shift PAM’s have become available.     

Flow injection microscopy for the study of intracellular calcium mobilization by muscarinic agonists

The study of cellular response to chemical agonists is essential in understanding the complex functions mediated by cell surface receptors. Flow injection microscopy has been used with the CHO-M1-WT3 cell line and the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator Fura-2-AM to monitor mobilization of internal Ca2+. Repeated stimulation of cells mounted in an inverted radial flow chamber allows the direct comparison of relative intracellular Ca2+ mobilization with respect to agonist dose. The process of determining dose-response relationships is simplified since an entire dose-response curve can be constructed from a distinct set of cells. Use of flow injection lends precision to the application and removal of agonists while allowing cellular activity to be monitored throughout the stimulation and recovery processes. In this work, dose-response curves have been constructed for the muscarinic agonists carbachol, acetylcholine, and pilocarpine resulting in EC50 values of 1.7 microM, 56 nM, and 6.8 microM, respectively.