Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia
Identification and Pharmacological Evaluation of Surrogate Ligands of Cannabinoid Receptors
Mariana Sofia Gregório Castanheira
Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas
2019
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia
Identification and Pharmacological Evaluation of Surrogate Ligands of Cannabinoid Receptors
Mariana Sofia Gregório Castanheira
Monografia de Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa através da Faculdade de Farmácia
Orientador: Andhika Mahardhika, Estudante de Doutoramento Co-Orientador: Doutora Elsa Rodrigues, Professora Auxiliar
2019 1
Index
Figures Index ...... 4 Tables Index ...... 5 Acknowledgements ...... 6 Abbreviations ...... 7 Abstract ...... 10 Resumo ...... 11 Introduction ...... 12 1. G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) ...... 12 1.1. GPCRs as therapeutic targets ...... 17 2. Cannabinoid receptors ...... 20 3. Cannabinoids compounds and endocannabinoids ...... 20 4. CB1 and CB2: two cannabinoid receptors ...... 21 4.1. Ligands and therapeutic applications ...... 21 5. GPR55 and GPR18: two distinct orphan receptors ...... 24 5.1. GPR55 ...... 24 5.1.1. Ligands ...... 25 5.1.2. Therapeutic applications ...... 26 5.2. GPR18 ...... 27 5.2.1. Ligands ...... 28 5.2.2. Therapeutic applications ...... 30 Materials and Methods ...... 32 1. Cell Culture ...... 32 2. β-Arrestin Assay ...... 32 3. Membrane Preparation ...... 33 4. Lowry Method ...... 34 5. Radioligand Binding Assay ...... 34 6. cAMP Accumulation Assay ...... 35 7. Data Analysis ...... 36 Results...... 37 1. Compound library 1 on GPR18 ...... 37 1.1. Compounds from compound library 1 did not show agonist activity on GPR18 ...... 37 1.2. Compounds from compound library 1 showed to be selective for GPR18 39 1.3. Some of the compounds from compound library 1 showed moderate antagonist potency ...... 41 2. Compound library 2 on GPR18 ...... 47
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2.1. Only compound 57, compound 59 and compound 72 showed antagonist activity in the initial screening ...... 47 2.2. None of the compounds from compound library 2 showed agonist activity on GPR55 ...... 49 2.3. The compound 56 showed the highest agonist potency on GPR18 ...... 51 2.4. The antagonist potency on GPR55 of compound 61, compound 68, compound 71 and compound 72 was not significant ...... 56 3. Compound library 3 on CB2...... 58 3.1. None of the compounds studied showed antagonist activity on CB2 ...... 58 3.2. The compounds tested showed high potency on CB2 ...... 60 3.3. The compounds 74, 75 and 78 did not show specificity for CB2 ...... 63 Discussion, Conclusions and Future Perspectives ...... 65 Bibliography ...... 70
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Figures Index
Figure 1: Structural characteristics of GPCRs...... 13 Figure 2: The type of ligands influences the response of the GPCR...... 14 Figure 3: GPCR signaling cycle...... 16 Figure 4: Number of agents approved versus number of drugs in clinical trial according to the pathology...... 19 Figure 5: Chemical structures of some cannabinoids...... 22 Figure 6: Chemical Structures of SR141716A ...... 23 Figure 7: Chemical Structures of the CB2 receptor selective agonists S-777469 (left) and GW842166X (right) ...... 24 Figure 8: Chemical structures of the GPR55 ligands LPI (left) and 2-AGPI (right)...... 25 Figure 9: Chemical structures of O-1602 (left) and AM251 (right)...... 26 Figure 10:Chemical Structure of N-arachidonoylglycine (NAGly) ...... 28 Figure 11: Chemical Structure of Resolvin D2 (RvD2) ...... 29 Figure 12:Chemical Structure of Amauromine ...... 29 Figure 13: Chemical Structure of PSB-CB-5 ...... 30 Figure 14: Screening of agonist activity of compound library 1 on GPR18...... 37 Figure 15: Screening of antagonist activity of compound library 1 on GPR18...... 38 Figure 16: Screening of agonist activity of compound library 1 on GPR55 to study the selectivity for GPR18...... 39 Figure 17: Screening of antagonist activity of compound library 1 on GPR55 to study the selectivity for GPR18...... 40 Figure 18: Screening of agonist activity of compound library 2 on GPR18...... 47 Figure 19: Screening of antagonist activity of compound library 2 on GPR18...... 48 Figure 20: Screening of agonist activity of compound library 2 on GPR55 to study the selectivity for GPR18...... 49 Figure 21: Screening of antagonist activity of compound library 2 on GPR55 to study the selectivity for GPR18...... 50 Figure 22: Screening of agonist (A) and antagonist (B) activity of compound library 3 on CB2...... 59 Figure 23:Representation of the number of compounds from compound library 1 vs type of modulation activity on GPR18 and GPR55...... 66 Figure 24: Representation of the number of compounds from compound library 2 vs type of modulation activity on GPR18 and GPR55...... 67 Figure 25: Representation of the number of compounds from compound library 3 vs type of modulation activity on CB2 and CB1...... 68
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Tables Index
Table 1: Signalling pathways activated according to the Gα Family ...... 15 Table 2: Examples of GPCR-targeting drugs ...... 17 Table 3: Examples of new molecules acting via GPCR approved by the FDA between 2014 and 2017 ...... 18 Table 4: Evaluation of the antagonist potencies of compound library 1 on GPR18...... 41 Table 5: Evaluation of the agonist potencies of compound library 2 on GPR18...... 51 Table 6: Evaluation of the antagonist potencies of compound library 2 on GPR18...... 55 Table 7: Evaluation of the antagonist potencies of compound library 2 on GPR55...... 57 Table 8: Evaluation of the agonist potencies of compound library 3 on CB2...... 60 Table 9: Screening and evaluation of the agonist potencies of compound library 3 on CB1. 64
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Acknowledgements
Ao Andhika, quero agradecer por todos os ensinamentos, paciência e momentos de boa disposição e gargalhadas proporcionadas.
Quero também deixar um enorme obrigado à Professora Elsa Rodrigues, por todo o apoio, conselhos e tempo dedicado.
À Universidade de Bonn, por me acolherem tão bem e pela excelente experiência que me proporcionaram.
À Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa por ter sido a minha segunda casa nesta caminhada que foi o Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas.
Por último, gostaria de agradecer à minha família, em especial aos meus pais, por me terem apoiado incondicionalmente ao longo destes 5 anos e por serem um exemplo, ao meu irmão e à minha avó. Aos meus amigos, obrigada por todas as memórias inesquecíveis e por me terem acompanhado neste percurso, que não teria sido tão bom sem vocês a meu lado.
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Abbreviations Δ9-THC Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol 2-AG 2-arachidonyl glycerol 2-AGPI 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoinositol 5-HT Serotonin
5HT1AR Serotonin receptor 1A
5HT2AR Serotonin receptor 2A
5HT6R Serotonin receptor 6
5HT7R Serotonin receptor 7 AC Adenylyl cyclase abn-CBD Abnormal-cannabidinol AD Alzheimer’s disease AEA N-arachidonyl ethanolamine ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis b-gal β-galactosidase BSA Bovine serum albumin cAMP Cyclic adenosine monophosphate CaSR Ca2+-sensing receptor CB1 Cannabinoid receptor 1 CB2 Cannabinoid receptor 2 CBD Cannabidiol CCR5 C-C chemokine receptor type 5 cGMP Cyclic guanosine monophosphate CGRP Calcitonin gene related peptide CHO Chinese hamster ovary CNR1 CB1 receptor gene CNR2 CB2 receptor gene CNS Central nervous system CREB cAMP response element binding protein CXCR4 C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 DAG Diacylglycerol DMEM Dulbecco's modified eagle medium DMSO Dimethyl sulfoxide DRD2 Dopamine Receptor D2
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EA Enzyme acceptor EC Extracellular ECL Extracellular loop ECS endocannabinoid system ED Enzyme donor EFC Enzyme fragment complementation ERK Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase F12 Nutrient mixture F-12 FCS Fetal calf serum FDA Food and Drug Administration FFAR1 Free fatty acid receptor 1
GABAB Gamma-aminobutyric acid GDP Guanosine diphosphate GLP1 Glucagon-like peptide-1 GLP1R Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor GnRH Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone G-protein GTP binding protein GPCR G protein-coupled receptor GPR18 G-protein coupled receptor 18 GPR23 G-protein coupled receptor 23 GPR35 G-protein coupled receptor 35 GPR55 G-protein coupled receptor 55 GPR84 G-protein coupled receptor 84 GPR92 G-protein coupled receptor 92 GPR119 G-protein coupled receptor 119 GRK G protein-coupled receptor kinase GSK GlaxoSmithKline Company GTP Guanosine-5'-triphosphate H2R Histamine Receptor 2 HBSS Hank’s buffered saline solution HD Huntington’s Disease HIV-1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 IC Intracellular ICL Intracellular loop
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IP3 Inositol triphosphate LPA Lysophosphatidic acid LPI L-α-lysophosphatidylinositol mAbs Monoclonal antibodies mGluR Metabotropic glutamate receptor MS Multiple Sclerosis
NAGly Acylamino acid N-arachidonoylglycine International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Committee on NC IUPHAR Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification NIH United States National Institutes of Health NK1R Neurokinin 1 receptor OEA Oleoylethanolamida P2Y5 Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 6 PBS Phosphate buffer saline PD Parkinson´s disease PEA Palmitoylethanilamida PLA1 Ca2+-dependent phospholipase A1 PLA2 Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 PK ProLink™ PKA cAMP - protein kinase A PKC IP3 – protein kinase C PLC Phosphoinositide phospholipase C