Repository logo
 

In silico screening of GMQ-like compounds reveals guanabenz and sephin1 as new allosteric modulators of acid-sensing ion channel 3.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

No Thumbnail Available

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Callejo, Gerard 
Pattison, Luke A 
Greenhalgh, Jack C 
Chakrabarti, Sampurna  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2750-3877
Andreopoulou, Evangelia 

Abstract

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are voltage-independent cation channels that detect decreases in extracellular pH. Dysregulation of ASICs underpins a number of pathologies. Of particular interest is ASIC3, which is recognised as a key sensor of acid-induced pain and is important in the establishment of pain arising from inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, the identification of new ASIC3 modulators and the mechanistic understanding of how these compounds modulate ASIC3 could be important for the development of new strategies to counteract the detrimental effects of dysregulated ASIC3 activity in inflammation. Here, we report the identification of novel ASIC3 modulators based on the ASIC3 agonist, 2-guanidine-4-methylquinazoline (GMQ). Through a GMQ-guided in silico screening of Food and Drug administration (FDA)-approved drugs, 5 compounds were selected and tested for their modulation of rat ASIC3 (rASIC3) using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Of the chosen drugs, guanabenz (GBZ), an α2-adrenoceptor agonist, produced similar effects to GMQ on rASIC3, activating the channel at physiological pH (pH 7.4) and potentiating its response to mild acidic (pH 7) stimuli. Sephin1, a GBZ derivative that lacks α2-adrenoceptor activity, has been proposed to act as a selective inhibitor of a regulatory subunit of the stress-induced protein phosphatase 1 (PPP1R15A) with promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. However, we found that like GBZ, sephin1 activates rASIC3 at pH 7.4 and potentiates its response to acidic stimulation (pH 7), i.e. sephin1 is a novel modulator of rASIC3. Furthermore, docking experiments showed that, like GMQ, GBZ and sephin1 likely interact with the nonproton ligand sensor domain of rASIC3. Overall, these data demonstrate the utility of computational analysis for identifying novel ASIC3 modulators, which can be validated with electrophysiological analysis and may lead to the development of better compounds for targeting ASIC3 in the treatment of inflammatory conditions.

Description

Keywords

Acid, Acid-sensing ion channel, GMQ, Protons, Sephin1, Acid Sensing Ion Channels, Allosteric Regulation, Animals, CHO Cells, Computer Simulation, Cricetinae, Cricetulus, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Evaluation, Preclinical, Guanabenz, Guanidines, Protein Structure, Secondary, Quinazolines

Journal Title

Biochem Pharmacol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0006-2952
1873-2968

Volume Title

174

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
ARTHRITIS RESEARCH UK (20930)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/R006210/1)
Arthritis Research UK (11600/21973)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/M011194/1)
BBSRC (1943916)
This work was supported by Versus Arthritis Research Grants (RG20930 and RG21973; GC and EStJS), BBSRC grant (BB/R006210/1; JRFH and EStJS), BBSRC-funded studentships (LAP and JCG, BB/M011194/1) and Gates Cambridge Trust (SC).