Molecular Modeling of the Interaction of Neurotrophins with the P75NTR Common Neurotrophin Receptor

Abstract

Neurotrophins are a family of proteins with pleiotropic effects mediated by two distinct receptor types, namely the trk family and the common neurotrophin receptor p75 NTR Binding of four mammalian neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5), to p75 NTR is studied by large scale molecular dynamics simulations using CHARMM force field. Geometric match of neurotrophin/receptor binding domains in the complexes is evaluated by the Lawrence & Colman’s shape complementarity statistic S c. The model of neurotrophin/receptor interactions suggests that the receptor binding domains of neurotrophins (loops I and IV) are geometrically and electrostatically complementary to a putative binding site of p75 NTR formed by the second and part of the third cysteine-rich domains. All charged residues within the loops I and IV of the neurotrophins, previously determined as being critical for p75 NTR binding, directly participate in receptor binding in the framework of the model. Principal residues of the binding site of p75 NTR include Asp 47, Lys 56, Asp 75, Asp 76, Asp 88 and Glu 89. The additional involvement of Arg 80 and Glu 73 is specific for NGF and BDNF, respectively, and Glu 73 participates in binding with NT-3 and NT-4/5. The model developed has utility in computer-aided molecular design.