Neuroreceptor activation by vibration-assisted tunneling

Sci Rep. 2015 Apr 24:5:9990. doi: 10.1038/srep09990.

Abstract

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large family of receptor proteins that sense molecular signals on the exterior of a cell and activate signal transduction pathways within the cell. Modeling how an agonist activates such a receptor is fundamental for an understanding of a wide variety of physiological processes and it is of tremendous value for pharmacology and drug design. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) has been proposed as a model for the mechanism by which olfactory GPCRs are activated by a bound agonist. We apply this hyothesis to GPCRs within the mammalian nervous system using quantum chemical modeling. We found that non-endogenous agonists of the serotonin receptor share a particular IET spectral aspect both amongst each other and with the serotonin molecule: a peak whose intensity scales with the known agonist potencies. We propose an experiential validation of this model by utilizing lysergic acid dimethylamide (DAM-57), an ergot derivative, and its deuterated isotopologues; we also provide theoretical predictions for comparison to experiment. If validated our theory may provide new avenues for guided drug design and elevate methods of in silico potency/activity prediction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Design
  • Electrons
  • Humans
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / pharmacology
  • Models, Chemical
  • Quantum Theory
  • Receptors, Serotonin / chemistry
  • Receptors, Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists
  • Doxorubicin
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide