No abstract

The cannabinoid CB(1) receptor transmembrane helix (TMH) 3-4-5-6 region includes an aromatic microdomain comprised of residues F3.25, F3.36, W4.64, Y5.39, W5.43, and W6.48. In previous work, we have demonstrated that aromaticity at position 5.39 in CB(1) is crucial for proper function of CB(1). Modeling studies reported here suggest that in the inactive state of CB(1), the binding site of the CB(1) inverse agonist/antagonist SR141716A is within the TMH3-4-5-6 aromatic microdomain and involves direct aromatic stacking interactions with F3.36, Y5.39, and W5.43, as well as hydrogen bonding with K3.28. Further, modeling studies suggest that in the active state of CB(1), the CB agonist WIN55,212-2 binds in this same aromatic microdomain, with direct aromatic stacking interactions with F3.36, W5.43, and W6.48. In contrast, in the binding pocket model, the CB agonist anandamide binds in the TMH2-3-6-7 region in which hydrogen bonding and C-H.pi interactions appear to be important. Only one TMH3 aromatic residue, F3.25, was found to be part of the anandamide binding pocket. To probe the importance of the TMH3-4-5-6 aromatic microdomain to ligand binding, stable transfected cell lines were created for single-point mutations of each aromatic microdomain residue to alanine. Improper cellular expression of the W4.64A was observed and precluded further characterization of this mutation. The affinity of the cannabinoid agonist CP55,940 was unaffected by the F3.25A, F3.36A, W5.43A, or W6.48A mutations, making CP55,940 an appropriate choice as the radioligand for binding studies. The binding of SR141716A and WIN55,212-2 were found to be affected by the F3.36A, W5.43A, and W6.48A mutations, suggesting that these residues are part of the binding site for these two ligands. Only the F3.25A mutation was found to affect the binding of anandamide, suggesting a divergence in binding site regions for anandamide from WIN55,212-2, as well as SR141716A. Taken together, these results support modeling studies that identify the TMH3-4-5-6 aromatic microdomain as the binding region of SR141716A and WIN55,212-2, but not of anandamide.

Pregnenolone is considered the inactive precursor of all steroid hormones and its potential functional effects have been largely neglected. The administration of the main active principle of Cannabis sativa (marijuana) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) substantially increases the synthesis of pregnenolone in the brain via the activation of type-1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor. Pregnenolone then, acting as a signaling specific inhibitor of the CB1 receptor, reduces several effects of THC. This negative feedback mediated by pregnenolone reveals an unknown paracrine/autocrine loop protecting the brain from CB1 receptor over-activation that could open an unforeseen novel approach for the treatment of cannabis intoxication and addiction.

The cannabinoid receptors belong to the class A (rhodopsin family) of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).2 The second cannabinoid receptor subtype, CB2 (2), is highly expressed throughout the immune system (3, 4) and has been described in the central nervous system under both pathological (5) and physiological conditions (6). All known CB2 ligands are highly lipophilic. In fact, the CB2 endogenous cannabinoid, sn-2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) (7,8), is synthesized on demand from the lipid bilayer itself in a two-step process in which phospholipase C-␤ hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to generate diacylglycerol, which is then hydrolyzed by diacylglycerol lipase to yield 2-AG (9, 10). After 2-AG interaction with the membraneembedded CB receptor, it is hydrolyzed to arachidonic acid and glycerol by a membrane-associated enzyme, monoacylglycerol lipase (11). As revealed by the crystal structures of rhodopsin (12-15), the ␤ 2 -adrenergic receptor (AR) (16 -18), ␤ 1 -AR (19), and adenosine A2A receptor (20), the general topology of a GPCR includes the following: 1) an extracellular (EC) N terminus; 2) seven transmembrane ␣-helices (TMHs) arranged to form a closed bundle; 3) loops connecting TMHs that extend intra-and extracellularly; and 4) an intracellular (IC) C terminus that begins with a short helical segment (helix 8) oriented parallel to the membrane surface. Agonists bind inside the crevice formed by the TMH bundle and produce conformational changes on the IC face of the receptor that uncover previously masked G protein-binding sites (21), which then lead to G protein coupling. Biophysical studies using a variety of techniques indicate that ligand-induced receptor activation produces the following changes: 1) a conformational change in the W6.48 "toggle switch" within the ligand binding pocket (22); 2) a change in the relative orientations of TMH3 and -6 that breaks an IC "ionic lock" (23-28), with the intracellular end of TMH6 moving away from TMH3 by hinging and moving up toward lipid (27); 3) the uptake of two protons (29); and 4) an influx of water (30).Recent isothiocyanate covalent labeling studies have suggested that a classical cannabinoid, AM841, enters the CB2 receptor via the lipid bilayer (1). However, the sequence of steps involved in such a lipid pathway entry has not yet been elucidated. We report here microsecond time scale unbiased

No abstract

In superior cervical ganglion neurons, N-(piperidiny-1-yl)-5-(4-

The CB1 cannabinoid receptor has been shown to play important physiological roles in the central nervous system, as well as peripherally, and is a target for development of therapeutic medications. To gain insight on the ligand binding site(s) and structural features of activation, we designed and synthesized (Ϫ)-7Ј-isothiocyanato-11-hydroxy-1Ј,1Ј-dimethylheptylhexahydrocannabinol (AM841), a classical cannabinoid affinity label that incorporates an isothiocyanate substituent as an electrophilic reactive group capable of interacting irreversibly with a suitably located and properly oriented nucleophilic amino acid residue at or near the binding site. To obtain evidence for the site of covalent attachment of AM841, C6.47, identified in part by interactive ligand docking, was mutated to serine, alanine, and leucine to reduce or eliminate the nucleophilic character. Wild-type (WT) and mutant CB1 receptors were evaluated for their abilities to recognize a series of cannabinergic ligands. Each bound comparably to WT, excluding C6.47L, which displayed a reduced affinity for It is noteworthy that AM841 was shown to bind irreversibly to WT CB1 but exhibited no covalent attachment with the mutants and behaved as an agonist suggesting irreversible attachment to C6.47 maintains CB1 in its active state. The evidence presented identifies C6.47 as the site of covalent bond formation with AM841 and combined with the binding data fully supports the molecular modeling. These studies present the first report of tandem applications of affinity labeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and interactive ligand docking for CB1.The CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are relatively new members in the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. They have been shown to play important physiological roles and represent targets for development of therapeutic medications. From a pharmacological standpoint, agonist activation of both receptors results in the release of G␣ iproteins, causing a concomitant reduction in intracellular This work has been supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse grants DA05955 (to R.P.P.) DA00355 (to A.D.K.), DA09158, DA03801, DA07215, DA07312 (to A.M.), DA03934, DA00489 (to P.H.R.), DA05274, and DA09978 (to M.E.A.).

SUMMARY The extensive physiological influence of transmission through the CB2 cannabinoid receptor makes this G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) a promising therapeutic target for treating neuropathic pain, inflammation, and immune disorders. However, there is little direct structural information pertaining to either GPCR or CB2-receptor ligand recognition and activation. The present work helps characterize experimentally the ligand-binding interactions of the human CB2 (hCB2) receptor. This study illustrates how our overall experimental approach, “ligand-assisted protein structure” (LAPS), affords direct determination of the requirements for ligand binding to the hCB2 receptor and discrimination among the binding motifs for ligands that activate therapeutically relevant GPCRs.