| Literature DB >> 32542862 |
Willem Jespers1, Grégory Verdon2, Jhonny Azuaje3,4, Maria Majellaro3,4, Henrik Keränen1,5, Xerardo García-Mera3, Miles Congreve2, Francesca Deflorian2, Chris de Graaf2, Andrei Zhukov2, Andrew S Doré2, Jonathan S Mason2, Johan Åqvist1, Robert M Cooke2, Eddy Sotelo3,4, Hugo Gutiérrez-de-Terán1.
Abstract
We present a robust protocol based on iterations of free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations, chemical synthesis, biophysical mapping and X-ray crystallography to reveal the binding mode of an antagonist series to the A2A adenosine receptor (AR). Eight A2A AR binding site mutations from biophysical mapping experiments were initially analyzed with sidechain FEP simulations, performed on alternate binding modes. The results distinctively supported one binding mode, which was subsequently used to design new chromone derivatives. Their affinities for the A2A AR were experimentally determined and investigated through a cycle of ligand-FEP calculations, validating the binding orientation of the different chemical substituents proposed. Subsequent X-ray crystallography of the A2A AR with a low and a high affinity chromone derivative confirmed the predicted binding orientation. The new molecules and structures here reported were driven by free energy calculations, and provide new insights on antagonist binding to the A2A AR, an emerging target in immuno-oncology.Entities:
Keywords: G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR); adenosine receptors; biophysical mapping (BPM); free energy perturbation (FEP)
Year: 2020 PMID: 32542862 PMCID: PMC7540567 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202003788
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl ISSN: 1433-7851 Impact factor: 15.336
Figure 1Binding mode and chemical structures of antagonists ZM241385 (A, crystal structure 4EIY26) and triazine 4 b (B). The experimental pose of the triazine (cyan) was superimposed on the same crystal structure of the receptor shown in panel A (ribbons). Both compounds had been characterized by BPM (residues labelled and depicted in gray sticks). Receptor‐ligand hydrogen bonds are depicted as magenta lines.
Figure 2Putative binding modes A (green) and B (magenta) of Chromone 14 to the A2AAR (H‐bonds in magenta). C) Experimental and calculated changes in binding free energies for each mutation in the BPM. The error bars correspond to the s.e.m. of the replica calculations for the calculated values, or are adjusted to the reported value of 0.1 pK D unit in the case of experimental data.27
Comparison between experimental and calculated relative binding free energies ( in kcal mol−1) for A2AAR mutants.
|
Mutant[a] |
ZM241385 |
Triazine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I66A2.64 |
0.14 |
0.83±0.34 |
0.41 |
1.94±0.34 |
|
L85A3.33 |
2.45 |
3.30±0.41 |
1.09 |
1.65±0.37 |
|
L167A5.28 |
0.00 |
0.60±0.31 |
−0.14 |
−0.39±0.36 |
|
M177A5.38 |
0.14 |
−0.09±0.44 |
−0.27 |
1.66±0.49 |
|
N181A5.42 |
1.23 |
1.47±0.57 |
0.82 |
−0.63±0.55 |
|
N253A6.55 |
≥5.86[c] |
5.81±0.57 |
≥4.36[c] |
5.64±0.56 |
|
Y271A7.36 |
1.09 |
0.84±0.74 |
0.41 |
−0.1±0.68 |
[a] Data for the mutant receptor constructs reported in reference 27. [b] Experimental relative binding free energies were calculated from K D values as with experimental errors in all cases reported as approximately 0.1 pK D unit, that is, less than 0.1 kcal mol−1.27 [c] Binding affinity of the ligand to the (mutant) receptor was lower than the experimental threshold (pK D<5 in all cases). Errors are standard error of the mean (s.e.m.) over a total of 10 replicates.
Scheme 1Structure and synthetic pathways employed to assembly chromones 4, 5 and 8.
SPR affinity data for the series of Chromone derivatives synthesized in this work.
|
Compound |
Substituents |
p | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
R2 |
R5 |
R6 |
R7 |
|
|
|
H |
H |
H |
H |
5.95 |
|
|
H |
H |
C3H7 |
H |
6.20 |
|
|
H |
CH3 |
H |
H |
5.80 |
|
|
H |
H |
C3H7 |
COCH3 |
8.60 |
|
|
CH3 |
H |
H |
H |
5.10 |
|
|
CH3 |
H |
C3H7 |
H |
5.42 |
|
|
CH3 |
CH3 |
H |
H |
5.36 |
|
|
CH3 |
H |
C3H7 |
COCH3 |
5.90 |
|
|
H |
H |
H |
H |
5.50 |
|
|
H |
H |
H |
C3H7 |
5.70 |
|
|
H |
H |
COCH3 |
C3H7 |
5.90 |
[a] Experimental errors in all cases reported as approximately 0.1 pK D unit, that is, less than 0.1 kcal mol−1. [b] Compounds previously reported in ref. 30.
Figure 3A) Dual binding mode of caffeine, as extracted from the A2AAR crystal structure with the A2AAR (PDB code 5MZP). Colour code is green (binding mode A) and magenta (binding mode B). B) modelled binding modes of Chromone 4 a, following the same colouring Scheme as in panel A.
Calculated free energy difference between two alternative poses for A2AAR antagonists.
|
|
Pose comparison A → B |
Ligand perturbation Ligand 1 (H) → Ligand 2 (CH3) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ligand 1 |
ΔΔ |
Ligand 2 |
ΔΔ |
ΔΔ |
|
Caffeine |
0.47±0.49 |
– |
– |
– |
|
Theophylline |
1.59±0.87 |
Caffeine |
0.6[b] |
0.31±0.32 |
|
|
1.65±0.93 |
|
1.16±0.1[c] |
2.06±0.72 |
|
|
8.76±0.81 |
|
3.68±0.1[d] |
1.66±1.09 |
[a] Calculations performed in the selected pose A (see text). [b] ΔG bind (caffeine—theophylline), extracted from ChEMBL.41 [c] ΔG bind (5 a–4 a) and [d] ΔG bind (5 d–4 d), data from Table 2.
Figure 4A) Crystal structures of the A2AAR and compound 4 d (PDB code: 6ZDR), ligand shown in sticks and sodium ion shown as a sphere. Electron densities of chromones 4 d (B) and 5 d (C; PDB code: 6ZDV). Omit maps are 2 F o−F c at 1 sigma (light blue mesh) and Fo‐Fc at 3 sigma (green mesh). Binding mode of compound 4 d (D) and 5 d (E); ligands and the conserved residue N2536.55 shown as sticks, water molecules in red spheres.
Figure 5Crystal structure (orange) and modelled coordinates (cyan) of (A) the highest affinity compound 4 d (PDB code: 6ZDR) and (B) the methylated derivative 5 d (PDB code: 6ZDV) with the A2AAR. H‐bond interactions are indicated in magenta.