Conformational Propensities of Peptides Mimicking Transmembrane Helix 5 and Motif C in Wild-Type and Mutant Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporters

Vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) is a member of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS). It contains conserved sequence motifs originally defined in the bacterial multidrug resistance transporter family of the MFS. Motif C (GSLV227A228PPFGGIL) is located at the C-terminal end of transmembrane helix 5 (TM 5) in VAChT. The motif is rich in glycine and proline residues that often have special roles in backbone conformations of TMs. The A228G mutant of VAChT transports >3-fold faster than wild-type does [Chandrasekaran et al. (2006) J. Neurochem. 98, 1551−1559.]. In the current study, the structure of Loop 4/5, TM 5, and motif C were taken from a three-dimensional homology model for human VAChT. The peptide was immersed in implicit membrane and energy-minimized, and molecular dynamics (MD) were simulated. Kinking and wobbling occur in otherwise helical peptide at the hinge residues L226 and V227. MD also were simulated for A228G single mutant and V227L−A228A double mutant peptides to investigate the structural roles of the A228G mutation and β-branching at V227. Mutant peptides exhibit increased wobbling at the hinge residues, but in the double mutant the increase is less. Because motif C participates in the interface that mediates hypothesized rocker-switch reorientation of the acetylcholine binding site during transport, dynamics in motif C might be an important contributor to transport rate

Kinetic Parameters for the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter: Two Protons Are Exchanged for One Acetylcholine^†

The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) mediates ACh storage in synaptic vesicles by exchanging cytoplasmic ACh with vesicular protons. This study sought to determine the stoichiometry of exchange by analysis of ligand binding and transport kinetics. The effects of different pH values inside and outside, external ACh concentrations, and electrical potential gradients on ACh transport by vesicles isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo were determined using a pH-jump protocol. The equilibrium binding of a high-affinity analogue of ACh is inhibited by protonation with a pKa of 7.4 ± 0.3. A two-proton model fits the transport data much better than a one-proton model does, and uptake increases at more positive internal electrical potential, as expected for the two-proton model. Thus, the results support the two-proton model. The transport cycle begins with binding of external ACh to outwardly oriented site 2 (KACho = 20 mM) and protonation of inwardly oriented site 1 (pKa1 = 4.73 ± 0.05). Loaded VAChT reorients quickly (73 000 min-1) and releases ACh to the inside (KAChi = 44 000 mM) and the proton to the outside. Unloaded, internally oriented site 2 binds a proton (pKa2 = 7.0), after which VAChT reorients (150 ± 20 min-1) in the rate-limiting step and releases the proton to the outside to complete the cycle. Rate constants for the reverse direction also were estimated. Two protons provide a thermodynamic driving force beyond that utilized in vivo, which suggests that vesicular filling is regulated. Other phenomena related to VAChT, namely the time required to fill synaptic vesicles, the fractional orientation of the ACh binding site toward cytoplasm, orientational lifetimes, and the rate of nonquantal release of ACh from cholinergic nerve terminals, were computer-simulated, and the results are compared with physiological observations

Kinetic Parameters for the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter: Two Protons Are Exchanged for One Acetylcholine^†

The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) mediates ACh storage in synaptic vesicles by exchanging cytoplasmic ACh with vesicular protons. This study sought to determine the stoichiometry of exchange by analysis of ligand binding and transport kinetics. The effects of different pH values inside and outside, external ACh concentrations, and electrical potential gradients on ACh transport by vesicles isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo were determined using a pH-jump protocol. The equilibrium binding of a high-affinity analogue of ACh is inhibited by protonation with a pKa of 7.4 ± 0.3. A two-proton model fits the transport data much better than a one-proton model does, and uptake increases at more positive internal electrical potential, as expected for the two-proton model. Thus, the results support the two-proton model. The transport cycle begins with binding of external ACh to outwardly oriented site 2 (KACho = 20 mM) and protonation of inwardly oriented site 1 (pKa1 = 4.73 ± 0.05). Loaded VAChT reorients quickly (73 000 min-1) and releases ACh to the inside (KAChi = 44 000 mM) and the proton to the outside. Unloaded, internally oriented site 2 binds a proton (pKa2 = 7.0), after which VAChT reorients (150 ± 20 min-1) in the rate-limiting step and releases the proton to the outside to complete the cycle. Rate constants for the reverse direction also were estimated. Two protons provide a thermodynamic driving force beyond that utilized in vivo, which suggests that vesicular filling is regulated. Other phenomena related to VAChT, namely the time required to fill synaptic vesicles, the fractional orientation of the ACh binding site toward cytoplasm, orientational lifetimes, and the rate of nonquantal release of ACh from cholinergic nerve terminals, were computer-simulated, and the results are compared with physiological observations

Possible Important Pair of Acidic Residues in Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter

Invariant E309 is in contact with critical and invariant D398 in a three-dimensional homology model of vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT, TC 2.A.1.2.13) [Vardy, E., et al. (2004) Protein Sci. 13, 1832−1840]. In the work reported here, E309 and D398 in human VAChT were mutated singly and together to test their functions, assign pK values to them, and determine whether the residues are close to each other in three-dimensional space. Mutants were stably expressed in the PC12A123.7 cell line, and transport and binding properties were characterized at different pH values using radiolabeled ligands and filtration assays. Contrary to a prior conclusion, the results demonstrate that most D398 mutants do not bind the allosteric inhibitor vesamicol even weakly. Earlier work showed that most D398 mutants do not transport ACh. D398 therefore probably is the residue that must deprotonate with a pK of 6.5 for binding of vesamicol and with a pK of ∼5.9 for transport of ACh. Because E309Q has no effect on VAChT functions at physiological pH, E309 has no apparent critical role. However, radical mutations in E309 cause decreases in ACh and vesamicol affinities and total loss of ACh transport. Unlike wild-type VAChT, which exhibits a peak of [3H]vesamicol binding centered at pH 7.4, mutants E309Q, E309D, E309A, and E309K all exhibit peaks of binding centered at pH ≥9. The combination of high pH and mutated E309 apparently produces a relaxed (in contrast to tense) conformation of VAChT that binds vesamicol exceptionally tightly. No compensatory interactions between E309 and D398 in double mutants were discovered. Proof of a close spatial relationship between E309 and D398 was not found. Nevertheless, the data are more consistent with the homology model than an alternative hydropathy model of VAChT that likely locates E309 far from D398 and the ACh binding site in three-dimensional space. Also, a probable network of interactions involving E309 and an unknown residue having a pK of 10 has been revealed

Synthesis and <i>in Vitro</i> Biological Evaluation of Carbonyl Group-Containing Inhibitors of Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter

To identify selective high-affinity inhibitors of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), we have interposed a carbonyl group between the phenyl and piperidyl groups of the prototypical VAChT ligand vesamicol and its more potent analogues benzovesamicol and 5-aminobenzovesamicol. Of 33 compounds synthesized and tested, 6 display very high affinity for VAChT (Ki, 0.25−0.66 nM) and greater than 500-fold selectivity for VAChT over σ1 and σ2 receptors. Twelve compounds have high affinity (Ki, 1.0−10 nM) and good selectivity for VAChT. Furthermore, 3 halogenated compounds, namely, trans-3-[4-(4-fluorobenzoyl)piperidinyl]-2-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (28b) (Ki = 2.7 nM, VAChT/sigma selectivity index = 70), trans-3-[4-(5-iodothienylcarbonyl)piperidinyl]-2-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (28h) (Ki = 0.66 nM, VAChT/sigma selectivity index = 294), and 5-amino-3-[4-(p-fluorobenzoyl)piperidinyl]-2-hydroxy-1,2,3,4,-tetrahydronaphthalene (30b) (Ki = 2.40 nM, VAChT/sigma selectivity index = 410) display moderate to high selectivity for VAChT. These three compounds can be synthesized with the corresponding radioisotopes so as to serve as PET/SPECT probes for imaging the VAChT in vivo

Synthesis and in Vitro and in Vivo Evaluation of ¹⁸F-Labeled Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Ligands for Imaging the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter

A new class of vesicular acetylcholine transporter inhibitor that incorporates a carbonyl group into the benzovesamicol structure was synthesized, and analogues were evaluated in vitro. (±)-trans-2-Hydroxy-3-(4-(4-[18F]fluorobenzoyl)piperidino)tetralin (9e) has Ki values of 2.70 nM for VAChT, 191 nM for σ1, and 251 nM for σ2. The racemic precursor (9d) was resolved via chiral HPLC, and (±)-[18F]9e, (−)-[18F]9e, and (+)-[18F]9e were respectively radiolabeled via microwave irradiation of the appropriate precursors with [18F]/F− and Kryptofix/K2CO3 in DMSO with radiochemical yields of ∼50−60% and specific activities of >2000 mCi/μmol. (−)-[18F]9e uptake in rat brain was consistent with in vivo selectivity for the VAChT with an initial uptake of 0.911 %ID/g in rat striatum and a striatum/cerebellum ratio of 1.88 at 30 min postinjection (p.i.). MicroPET imaging of macaques demonstrated a 2.1 ratio of (−)-[18F]9e in putamen versus cerebellum at 2 h p.i. (−)-[18F]9e has potential to be a PET tracer for clinical imaging of the VAChT

Synthesis and in Vitro Biological Evaluation of Carbonyl Group-Containing Analogues for σ₁ Receptors

To identify the ligands for σ1 receptors that are potent and selective, analogues of prezamicol and trozamicol scaffolds of carbonyl-containing vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) inhibitors were explored. Of the 23 analogues synthesized and tested, 5 displayed very high affinity for σ1 (Ki = 0.48–4.05 nM) and high selectivity for σ1 relative to σ2 receptors (σ1/σ2 selectivity of >749-fold). Four of the five compounds (14a, 14b, 14c, and 14e) showed very low affinity for VAChT (Ki > 290 nM), and the fifth compound (14g) showed moderate affinity for VAChT (Ki = 44.2 nM). The compound [1′-(4-fluorobenzyl)-3′-hydroxy[1,4′]bipiperidinyl-4-yl]-(4-fluorophenyl)methanone (14a) displayed very high affinity and selectivity for σ1 receptor (Ki = 0.48 nM, σ1/σ2 > 3600). All four of these most promising compounds (14a, 14b, 14c, and 14e) can be radiosynthesized with fluorine-18 or carbon-11, which will allow further evaluation of their properties as PET probes for imaging σ1 receptor in vivo