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Potentiation of a neuronal nicotinic receptor via pseudo-agonist site

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Abstract

Neuronal nicotinic receptors containing α4 and β2 subunits assemble in two pentameric stoichiometries, (α4)3(β2)2 and (α4)2(β2)3, each with distinct pharmacological signatures; (α4)3(β2)2 receptors are strongly potentiated by the drug NS9283, whereas (α4)2(β2)3 receptors are unaffected. Despite this stoichiometry-selective pharmacology, the molecular identity of the target for NS9283 remains elusive. Here, studying (α4)3(β2)2 receptors, we show that mutations at either the principal face of the β2 subunit or the complementary face of the α4 subunit prevent NS9283 potentiation of ACh-elicited single-channel currents, suggesting the drug targets the β2–α4 pseudo-agonist sites, the α4–α4 agonist site, or both sites. To distinguish among these possibilities, we generated concatemeric receptors with mutations at specified subunit interfaces, and monitored the ability of NS9283 to potentiate ACh-elicited single-channel currents. We find that a mutation at the principal face of the β2 subunit at either β2–α4 pseudo-agonist site suppresses potentiation, whereas mutation at the complementary face of the α4 subunit at the α4–α4 agonist site allows a significant potentiation. Thus, monitoring potentiation of single concatemeric receptor channels reveals that the β2–α4 pseudo-agonist sites are required for stoichiometry-selective drug action. Together with the recently determined structure of the (α4)3(β2)2 receptor, the findings have implications for structure-guided drug design.

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Abbreviations

nAChR:

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

ACh:

Acetylcholine

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIH Grant NS31744 to SMS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Receptor Biology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Simone Mazzaferro & Steven M. Sine

  2. Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Steven M. Sine

  3. Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Steven M. Sine

  4. School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 OBP, UK

    Isabel Bermudez

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  1. Simone Mazzaferro
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  2. Isabel Bermudez
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SMS, SM, and IB conceived and coordinated the research; SM performed the research; SM and SMS analyzed the results; SMS and SM wrote the paper. All authors edited and approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Steven M. Sine.

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Mazzaferro, S., Bermudez, I. & Sine, S.M. Potentiation of a neuronal nicotinic receptor via pseudo-agonist site. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 76, 1151–1167 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-018-2993-7

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