Human M1-M5 Research Articles

Characterization of methanthelinium binding and function at human M1-M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

Firstly, it was determined whether methanthelinium bromide (MB) binds to human M1-M5 (hM1-hM5) muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in comparison to the classical muscarinic antagonist N-methylscopolamine (NMS). [3H]NMS dissociation binding experiments revealed an allosteric retardation of dissociation at 100μM of MB ranging from none in hM3 to 4.6-fold in hM2 receptors. Accordingly, global non-linear regression analysis of equilibrium inhibition binding curves between [3H]NMS (0.2 and 2.0nM) and MB was applied and compared using either an allosteric or a competitive model. The allosteric cooperativity of MB binding within MB/NMS/hM receptor complexes was strongly negative and undistinguishable from a competitive interaction throughout all subtypes. Applying the competitive model to the equilibrium binding data of MB and NMS, suggested competition at all hM subtypes: logKI (± S.E.) hM3 = 8.71 ± 0.15, hM1 = 8.68 ± 0.14, hM5 = 8.58 ± 0.07, hM2 = 8.27 ± 0.07 to hM4 = 8.25 ± 0.11. Secondly, the effects of MB on acetylcholine (ACh) induced hM receptor function showed very strong negative allosteric cooperativity at all subtypes pointing against an allosteric antagonism of MB with ACh. Competition with ACh was characterized by logKB: hM1 = 9.53 ± 0.05, hM4 = 9.33 ± 0.05, hM5 = 8.80 ± 0.05, hM2 = 8,79± 0.06, to hM3 = 8.43 ± 0.04. In conclusion, MB, below 1μM, binds competitively and non-selectively (except for the difference between hM3 vs. hM4) to all five hM receptor subtypes with nanomolar affinity and is able to functionally inhibit ACh responses in a competitive fashion, with a slight subtype preference for hM1 and hM4.

Muscarine-like compounds derived from a pyrolysis product of cellulose.

Cellulose represents a key component of a renewable biomass source, from which chiral compounds with a high added value in the application for the synthesis of potentially bioactive molecules can be obtained. The anhydrosugar (1R,5S)-1-hydroxy-3,6-dioxa-bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-one (LAC), produced on the gram-scale by catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose, was used as a building block in the synthesis of five new enantiomerically pure muscarine-like products. The structures of the target compounds 4-8 showed different substituents at the C-2 and C-4 positions, but each of them had the same (2S,4R) configuration as the natural (+)-muscarine. A renewed interest in new muscarinic analogues is due to the design and synthesis of molecules exhibiting a higher selectivity for a specific muscarinic receptor and due to the development of effective agents in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders. In this context, products 4-8 were investigated with respect to their binding affinity to human M1-M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. The data indicated that compound 8, emerging as the most active in the series with values comparable to natural (+)-muscarine and a moderate selectivity in favor of the hM2 subtype receptor, also exhibited the highest stability during the interaction with the hM2 (3UON) subtype muscarinic receptor by using a docking calculation.

Pharmacological Characterization of GSK573719 (Umeclidinium): A Novel, Long-Acting, Inhaled Antagonist of the Muscarinic Cholinergic Receptors for Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

Activation of muscarinic subtype 3 (M3) muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChRs) increases airway tone, whereas its blockade improves lung function and quality of life in patients with pulmonary diseases. The present study evaluated the pharmacological properties of a novel mAChR antagonist, GSK573719 (4-[hydroxy(diphenyl)methyl]-1-{2-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]ethyl}-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane; umeclidinium). The affinity (Ki) of GSK573719 for the cloned human M1-M5 mAChRs ranged from 0.05 to 0.16 nM. Dissociation of [(3)H]GSK573719 from the M3 mAChR was slower than that for the M2 mAChR [half-life (t1/2) values: 82 and 9 minutes, respectively]. In Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with recombinant human M3 mAChRs, GSK573719 demonstrated picomolar potency (-log pA2 = 23.9 pM) in an acetylcholine (Ach)-mediated Ca(2+) mobilization assay. Concentration-response curves indicate competitive antagonism with partial reversibility after drug washout. Using isolated human bronchial strips, GSK573719 was also potent and showed competitive antagonism (-log pA2 = 316 pM) versus carbachol, and was slowly reversible in a concentration-dependent manner (1-100 nM). The time to 50% restoration of contraction at 10 nM was about 381 minutes (versus 413 minutes for tiotropium bromide). In mice, the ED50 value was 0.02 μg/mouse intranasally. In conscious guinea pigs, intratracheal administration of GSK573719 dose dependently blocked Ach-induced bronchoconstriction with long duration of action, and was comparable to tiotropium; 2.5 μg elicited 50% bronchoprotection for >24 hours. Thus, GSK573719 is a potent anticholinergic agent that demonstrates slow functional reversibility at the human M3 mAChR and long duration of action in animal models. This pharmacological profile translated into a 24-hour duration of bronchodilation in vivo, which suggested umeclidinium will be a once-daily inhaled treatment of pulmonary diseases.

Pharmacological characterization of a novel investigational antimuscarinic drug, fesoterodine, in vitro and in vivo

To investigate the primary pharmacology of fesoterodine (a novel antimuscarinic drug developed for treating overactive bladder) and SPM 7605 (its active metabolite, considered to be the main pharmacologically active principle of fesoterodine in man) against human muscarinic receptor subtypes, and to investigate in vitro and in vivo functional activity of these agents on the rat bladder compared with existing standard agents. The displacement of radioligand binding by fesoterodine, SPM 7605 and standard agents in membrane preparations of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the different human muscarinic receptors (M1-M5) was characterized. Agonistic and antagonistic activities were studied using different CHO cell lines stably expressing the human recombinant muscarinic receptor subtypes. The effects of fesoterodine and SPM 7605 on isolated bladder strips contracted by carbachol or electrical field stimulation (EFS) were investigated. In vivo the effects of fesoterodine and SPM 7605 on micturition variables were assessed using continuous cystometry in conscious female Sprague-Dawley rats, and compared to those of oxybutynin and atropine. In vitro SPM 7605 potently inhibited radioligand binding at all five human muscarinic receptor subtypes with equal affinity across all five. Fesoterodine had a similar balanced selectivity profile but was less potent than SPM 7605. Both substances were competitive antagonists of cholinergic agonist-stimulated responses in human M1-M5 cell lines and had a similar potency and selectivity profile to the radioligand-binding studies. In rat bladder strips, fesoterodine and SPM 7605 caused a rightward shift of the concentration-response curve for carbachol with no depression of the maximum, and concentration-dependently reduced contractions induced by EFS. The potency of both drugs was similar to that of atropine and oxybutynin. In the presence of the esterase inhibitor neostigmine, the concentration-response curve of fesoterodine was shifted to the right, suggesting that part of the activity was caused by metabolism to SPM 7605 by tissue enzymes. In vivo, low doses (0.01 mg/kg) of fesoterodine and SPM 7605 reduced micturition pressure and increased intercontraction intervals and bladder capacity, but did not affect residual volume. Fesoterodine and its active metabolite, SPM 7605, are nonsubtype selective, competitive antagonists of human muscarinic receptors, but SPM 7605 has greater potency than the parent compound. Pharmacodynamic studies in the rat bladder in vitro confirm the competitive muscarinic antagonist profile of these agents in a native tissue preparation, and in vivo studies in the rat showed effects on bladder function consistent with a muscarinic antagonist profile.

High Level Stable Expression of Pharmacologically Active Human M1–M5 Muscarinic Receptor Subtypes in Mammalian Cells

cDNAs encoding for five mAChR subtypes (M1-M5) were cloned under different promoters in various eukaryotic vectors and each subtype was expressed in different mammalian cell lines. CHO-K1 cell line was the best for generating stable cell lines expressing muscarinic receptors. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry revealed that expression of M1-M5 was primarily localized on the cell membrane. Western blotting and radio-ligand binding studies revealed that expression of each receptor was stable at higher passages.

N-desmethylclozapine, an allosteric agonist at muscarinic 1 receptor, potentiates N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity.

The molecular and neuronal substrates conferring on clozapine its unique and superior efficacy in the treatment of schizophrenia remain elusive. The interaction of clozapine with many G protein-coupled receptors is well documented but less is known about its biologically active metabolite, N-desmethylclozapine. Recent clinical and preclinical evidences of the antipsychotic activity of the muscarinic agonist xanomeline prompted us to investigate the effects of N-desmethylclozapine on cloned human M1-M5 muscarinic receptors. N-desmethylclozapine preferentially bound to M1 muscarinic receptors with an IC50 of 55 nM and was a more potent partial agonist (EC50, 115 nM and 50% of acetylcholine response) at this receptor than clozapine. Furthermore, pharmacological and site-directed mutagenesis studies suggested that N-desmethylclozapine preferentially activated M1 receptors by interacting with a site that does not fully overlap with the acetylcholine orthosteric site. As hypofunction of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-driven neuronal ensembles has been implicated in psychotic disorders, the neuronal activity of N-desmethylclozapine was electrophysiologically investigated in hippocampal rat brain slices. N-desmethylclozapine was shown to dose-dependently potentiate NMDA receptor currents in CA1 pyramidal cells by 53% at 100 nM, an effect largely mediated by activation of muscarinic receptors. Altogether, our observations provide direct evidence that the brain penetrant metabolite N-desmethylclozapine is a potent, allosteric agonist at human M1 receptors and is able to potentiate hippocampal NMDA receptor currents through M1 receptor activation. These observations raise the possibility that N-desmethylclozapine contributes to clozapine's clinical activity in schizophrenics through modulation of both muscarinic and glutamatergic neurotransmission.

C(8) substituted 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-enes and C(8) substituted 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-4-ones: novel muscarinic receptor antagonists.

Expedient syntheses of C(8) substituted 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-enes and C(8) substituted 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-4-ones are reported to begin with 2,5-disubstituted pyridines. Catalytic reduction of the pyridine to the piperidine followed by treatment with ethyl acrylate and Dieckmann cyclization gave diastereomeric mixtures of C(8) substituted 3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-hydroxy-1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-enes, which were separable by chromatography. We found that the catalytic reduction (PtO2, H2) procedure provided the cis-substituted piperidine but that pyridine reduction was accompanied by competitive cleavage of the C(2) pyridyl substituent. Accordingly, an alternative route was devised that afforded a diastereomeric mixture of the cis- and trans-2,5-disubstituted piperidine. Treatment of the substituted pyridine with m-CPBA gave the pyridine N-oxide, which was reduced to the piperidine by sequential reduction with ammonium formate in the presence of Pd-C followed by NaBH3CN. Addition of ethyl acrylate completed the synthesis of the substituted piperidine. The overall four-step reaction gave higher yields (57%) than the two-step procedure (13%) with little cleavage of the C(2) pyridyl substituent. Acid decarboxylation of the bicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-enes provided the C(8) substituted 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-4-ones. Structural studies revealed diagnostic 13C NMR signals that permit assignment of the orientation of the C(8) substituent. Pharmacological investigations documented that 3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-hydroxy-1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-enes efficiently bind to the human M1-M5 muscarinic receptors and function as antagonists. We observed that exo-8-benzyloxymethyl-3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-hydroxy-1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-ene (3) displayed the highest affinity, exhibiting Ki values at all five muscarinic receptors that were approximately 10-50 times lower than carbachol and approximately 30-230 times lower than arecoline. Receptor selectivity was observed for 3. Compound 3 contained two different pharmacophores found in many muscarinic receptor ligands, and preliminary findings indicated the importance of both structural elements for maximal activity. Compound 3 serves as a novel lead compound for further drug development.

Comparison of GTP-γ- 35S and 3H-NMS binding in CHO cells stably expressing human M1–M5 muscarinic receptors using scintillation proximity assays

Comparison of GTP-γ- 35S and 3H-NMS binding in CHO cells stably expressing human M1–M5 muscarinic receptors using scintillation proximity assays

Cloning and expression of a G protein-linked acetylcholine receptor from Caenorhabditis elegans.

We have isolated a cDNA clone from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that encodes a protein of greatest sequence similarity to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. This gene codes for a polypeptide of 682 amino acids containing seven putative transmembrane domains. The amino acid identities, excluding a highly variable middle portion of the third intracellular loop, to the human m1-m5 receptors are 28-34%. When this cloned receptor was coexpressed with a G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ channel (GIRK1) in Xenopus oocyte, acetylcholine was able to elicit the GIRK current. This acetylcholine-induced current was substantially inhibited by the muscarinic antagonist atropine in a reversible manner. However, another muscarinic agonist oxotremorine and antagonists scopolamine and pirenzepine had little or negligible effects on this receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that the cloned gene encodes a G protein-linked acetylcholine receptor that is most similar to but pharmacologically distinct from muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

Interaction of neuromuscular blocking drugs with recombinant human m1-m5 muscarinic receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

1. Neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBD's) are known to produce cardiovascular side effects manifesting as brady/tachycardias. In this study we have examined the interaction of a range of steroidal NMBD's with recombinant human m1-m5 muscarinic receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Our main hypothesis is that NMBD's may interact with m2 (cardiac) muscarinic receptors. 2. All binding studies were performed with cell membranes prepared from CHO m1-m5 cells in 1 ml volumes of 20 mM HEPES, 1 mM MgCl2 at pH 7.4 for 1 h. Muscarinic receptors were labelled with [3H]-NMS and displacement studies were performed with pancuronium, vecuronium, pipecuronium, rocuronium and gallamine. In addition a range of muscarinic receptor subtype selective reference compounds were included. In order to determine the nature of any interaction the effects of pancuronium, rocuronium and vecuronium on methacholine inhibition of forskolin stimulated cyclic AMP formation in CHO m2 cells was examined. Cyclic AMP formation was assessed in whole cells using a radioreceptor assay. All data are mean +/- s.e.mean (n > or = 5). 3. The binding of [3H]-NMS was dose-dependent and saturable in all cells tested. Bmax and Kd values in m1-m5 cells were 2242+/-75, 165+/-13, 1877+/-33, 458+/-30, 127+/-2 fmol mg(-1) protein and 0.11+/-0.02, 0.15+/-0.01, 0.12+/-0.01, 0.12+/-0.01, 0.22+/-0.01 nM respectively. 4. The binding of [3H]-NMS was displaced dose dependently (pK50) by pirenzepine in CHO m1 membranes (7.97+/-0.04), methoctramine in CHO m2 membranes (8.55+/-0.1), 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl piperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) in CHO m3 membranes (9.38+/-0.03), tropicamide in CHO m4 membranes (6.98+/-0.01). 4-DAMP, pirenzepine, tropicamide and methoctramine displaced [3H]NMS in CHO m5 membranes with pK50 values of 9.20+/-0.14, 6.59+/-0.04, 6.89+/-0.05 and 7.22+/-0.01 respectively. These data confirm homogenous subtype expression in CHO m1-m5 cells. 5. [3H]NMS binding was displaced dose-dependently (pK50) by pancuronium (m1, 6.43+/-0.12; m2, 7.68+/-0.02; m3, 6.53+/-0.06; m4, 6.56+/-0.03; m5, 5.79+/-0.10), vecuronium (m1, 6.14+/-0.04; m2, 6.90+/-0.05; m3, 6.17+/-0.04; m4, 7.31+/-0.02; m5, 6.20+/-0.07), pipecuronium (m1, 6.34+/-0.11; m2, 6.58+/-0.03; m3, 5.94+/-0.01; m4, 6.60+/-0.06; m5, 4.80+/-0.03), rocuronium (m1, 5.42+/-0.01; m2, 5.40+/-0.02; m3, 4.34+/-0.02; m4, 5.02+/-0.04; m5, 5.10+/-0.03) and gallamine (m1, 6.83+/-0.05; m2, 7.67+/-0.04; m3, 6.06+/-0.06; m4, 6.20+/-0.03; m5, 5.34+/-0.03). 6. Cyclic AMP formation was inhibited dose dependently by methacholine in CHO m2 cells pEC50 for control and pancuronium (300 nM) treated cells were 6.18+/-0.34 and 3.57+/-0.36 respectively. Methacholine dose-response curves in the absence and presence of rocuronium (1 microM) and vecuronium (1 microM) did not differ significantly. Pancuronium, vecuronium and rocuronium did not inhibit cyclic AMP formation alone indicating no agonist activity. 7. With the exception of rocuronium there was a significant interaction with m2 muscarinic receptors with all NMBD's at clinically achievable concentrations suggesting that the brady/tachycardias associated with these agents may result from an interaction with cardiac muscarinic receptors. Furthermore pancuronium at clinically achievable concentrations antagonised methacholine inhibition of cyclic AMP formation in CHO m2 cells further suggesting that the tachycardia produced by this agent results from muscarinic antagonism. The mechanism of the bradycardia produced by vecuronium is unclear.

Non-selectivity of the monoclonal antibody M35 for subtypes of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

The monoclonal antibody M35, one of the first monoclonal antibodies successfully raised against muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, has been widely used to study the distribution of this protein in a variety of tissues and cell types of different species. It is not fully known, however, to which muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes M35 binds. Knowledge of subtype-selectivity of M35 is a necessary step towards a functional interpretation of the obtained immunocytochemical data. The aim of the present study was to determine the subtype-selectivity of M35 employing transfected CHO-K1 cells stably expressing human m1-m5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors separately, and to study M35 immunoreactivity in areas of rat central and peripheral tissues known to be specifically enriched in a single muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype. The results show that (a) all five transfected cell lines were immunopositive for M35, (b) nontransfected control cells were immunonegative, (c) the number of mAChRs expressed per cell correlated positively with the intensity of M35 immunoreactivity, and (d) cell types in aldehyde-fixed rat tissue enriched in a single m1-m4 subtypes revealed clear M35 immunoreactivity. Taken together, the present results show that M35 does not discriminate between muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes. Evidently, the epitope of M35 on the receptor-protein is preserved on all muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes. The epitope for M35 must, therefore, be localized on a homologous part of each subtype.