Modified ligand-gated ion channels and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084853-B2
Application number	US-201715644295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 7, 2016
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

This document relates to materials and methods for controlling ligand gated ion channel (LGIC) activity. For example, modified LGICs including at least one LGIC subunit having a modified ligand binding domain (LBD) and/or a modified ion pore domain (IPD) are provided. Also provided are exogenous LGIC ligands that can bind to and activate the modified LGIC, as well as methods of modulating ion transport across the membrane of a cell of a mammal, methods of modulating the excitability of a cell in a mammal, and methods of treating a mammal having a channelopathy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modified ligand gated ion channel (LGIC) comprising at least one modified LGIC subunit, said modified LGIC subunit comprising:
(a) an alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α-7-nAChR) ligand binding domain (LBD) having:
(i) at least 93 percent sequence identity to a sequence set forth in residues 23-224 of SEQ ID NO:1, residues 23-229 of SEQ ID NO:2, or residues 23-233 of SEQ ID NO:11; and
(ii) an amino acid modification comprising from 1-6 amino acid substitutions at one or more of amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of 27, 41, 77, 79, 115, 131, 139, 141, 175, 210, 216, 217, and 219 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, and SEQ ID NO:11; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 27 is R27D; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 41 is E41R; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 77 is W77F, W77Y, or W77M; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 79 is Q79A, Q79G, or Q79S; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 115 is Y115F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 131 is L131G, L131A, L131M, L131N, L131Q, L131V, or L131F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 139 is Q139G or Q139L; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 141 is L141F or L141P; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 175 is G175K, G175A, G175F, G175H, G175M, G175R, G175S, or G175V; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 210 is Y210F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 216 is P2161; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 217 is Y217F; and wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 219 is D219A; and

(b) an ion pore domain (IPD), wherein the IPD is selected from the group consisting of a serotonin 3 receptor (5HT3) IPD, a glycine receptor (GlyR) IPD, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor IPD, and an alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR)IPD
wherein the modified LGIC has reduced potency for activation with acetylcholine (ACh) relative to a LGIC lacking said at least one modified LGIC subunit.

2. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD comprises a L131G amino acid substitution, a Q139L amino acid substitution, and/or a Y217F amino acid substitution.

3. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD comprises a W77F amino acid substitution, a Q79G amino acid substitution, and/or a G175K amino acid substitution.

4. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD comprises a Q79G amino acid substitution, a Y115F amino acid substitution, and/or a G175K amino acid substitution.

5. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD comprises a Y115F amino acid substitution and/or a G175K amino acid substitution.

6. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD comprises a Q79G amino acid substitution and/or a 2161 amino acid substitution.

7. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the α7-nAChR LBD further comprises a R27D amino acid substitution and/or a E41R amino acid substitution.

8. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the GlyR IPD comprises an A298G substitution at residue 298 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:7.

9. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the GABA IPD comprises a W298A substitution at residue 298 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:10.

10. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein the 5HT3 IPD comprises a R420Q amino acid substitution at residue 420 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:8, a R424D amino acid substitution at residue 424 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:8, and/or a R428A amino acid substitution at residue 428 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:8.

11. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein an exogenous LGIC ligand activates the modified LGIC, and wherein the exogenous LGIC ligand a synthetic exogenous LGIC ligand selected from the group consisting of a quinuclidine, a tropane, a 9-azabicyclo [3.3.1]nonane, a 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino(2,3-h)benzazepine, a 2-phenyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6H-6,10-methanoazepino[4,5-g]quinoxaline, a 1,4-diazabicyclo[3.2.2]nonane, and varenicline.

12. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein said α7-nAChR LBD comprises a sequence having at least 95 percent sequence identity to a sequence set forth in residues 23-224 of SEQ ID NO:1, residues 23-229 of SEQ ID NO:2, or residues 23-233 SEQ ID NO:11.

13. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein said α7-nAChR LBD comprises a sequence having at least 97 percent sequence identity to a sequence set forth in residues 23-224 of SEQ ID NO:1, residues 23-229 of SEQ ID NO:2, or residues 23-233 SEQ ID NO:11.

14. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein said modified LGIC has an EC50 of >20 μM for ACh.

15. The modified LGIC of claim 1 , wherein said reduced potency for activation with ACh is a reduction of at least 3-fold relative to said LGIC lacking said at least one modified LGIC subunit.

16. A modified LGIC comprising at least one modified LGIC subunit, said modified LGIC subunit comprising:
(a) an α7-nAChR LBD having:
(i) at least 95 percent sequence identity to a sequence set forth in residues 23-224 of SEQ ID NO:1, a sequence set forth in residues 23-229 of SEQ ID NO:2, or a sequence set forth in residues 23-233 of SEQ ID NO:11; and
(ii) an amino acid modification comprising from 1-6 amino acid substitutions at one or more of amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of 27, 41, 77, 79, 115, 131, 139, 141, 175, 210, 216, 217, and 219 as numbered in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, and SEQ ID NO:11; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 27 is R27D; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 41 is E41R; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 77 is W77F, W77Y, or W77M; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 79 is Q79A, Q79G, or Q79S; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 115 is Y115F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 131 is L131G, L131A, L131M, L131N, L131Q, L131V, or L131F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 139 is Q139G or Q139L; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 141 is L141F or L141P; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 175 is G175K, G175A, G175F, G175H, G175M, G175R, G175S, or G175V; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 210 is Y210F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 216 is P216I; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 217 is Y217F; and wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 219 is D219A; and

(b) an IPD, wherein the IPD is an IPD from a receptor selected from the group consisting of a 5HT3 IPD, a GlyR IPD, a GABA receptor IPD, and an α7-nAChR IPD.

17. The modified LGIC of claim 16 , wherein sai α7-nAChR LBD has at least 97 percent sequence identity to said sequence set forth in residues 23-224 of SEQ ID NO:1, said sequence set forth in residues 23-229 of SEQ ID NO:2, or said sequence set forth in residues 23-233 of SEQ ID NO:11.

18. A modified LGIC comprising at least one modified LGIC subunit, said modified LGIC subunit comprising:
(a) a human α7-nAChR LBD comprising an amino acid modification, the amino acid modification comprising from 1-6 amino acid substitutions at one or more of amino acid residues 27, 41, 77, 79, 115, 131, 139, 141, 175, 210, 216, 217, and 219, wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 27 is R27D; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 41 is E41R; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 77 is W77F, W77Y, or W77M; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 79 is Q79A, Q79G, or Q79S; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 115 is Y115F; wherein the amino acid substitution at residue 131 is L131G, L131A, L131M, L131N, L131Q, L131V, or L131F; wherein the amino a

Assignees

• Hughes Howard Med Inst

Inventors

• Sternson Scott
• Lee Peter
• Magnus Christopher

Classifications

• C07K14/70571 Primary

  for neuromediators, e.g. serotonin receptor, dopamine receptor · CPC title

• C12N2750/14143

  viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector · CPC title

• C07K2319/00

  Fusion polypeptide · CPC title

• A61P25/00

  Drugs for disorders of the nervous system · CPC title

• A61P43/00

  Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00 · CPC title