Desensitisation of the human long chain fatty acid receptors FFA1 and FFA4

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest, most ubiquitous and most versatile family of membrane proteins encoded by the human genome. Due to diverse ligands and multiple physiological activities, this set of receptors has frequently been explored as potential drug targets. Deorphanisation of GPCRs successfully identified FFA1 and FFA4 (previously named GPR40 and GPR120) as long chain free fatty acid receptors. With diverse expression patterns and close association to pathophysiology of metabolic diseases, both receptors are being studied to understand both receptor pharmacology and their potential for drug development. Due to the overlap in the activation of FFA1 and FFA4 by endogenous fatty acid ligands, selective synthetic ligands have been developed for these receptors. Using a number of biochemical and biophysical assays, I have characterised TUG-770, TUG-905 and GW-1100 as FFA1 ligands and TUG-891, TUG-1197 and TUG-1275 as FFA4 ligands. TUG-905 was found to be most potent and selective FFA1 agonist and GW-1100 showed insurmountable antagonism at FFA1. At FFA4, TUG-1197 was found to be a highly potent and selective agonist. TUG-1275 showed insurmountable antagonism at FFA4 in β-arrestin2 recruitment, receptor internalisation and inositol monophosphate accumulation studies and showed complete selectivity for hFFA4. Agonist exposure rapidly phosphorylated FFA4 in an agonist-concentration-dependent fashion which was totally blocked by TUG-1275. The protein kinase C activator PMA was also noted to phosphorylate FFAA in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus both homologous and heterologous phosphorylation is involved in FFA4 regulation. The FFA4-agonist TUG-891 produced robust internalisation of FFA4 as detected by each of confocal microscopy, and both cell surface ELISA and biotinylation. PMA was able to internalise FFA4 although it was unable to recruit β-arrestin2 to FFA4 suggesting that this internalisation might not be β-arrestin2-dependent. Constitutive internalisation was seen for FFA1, where the selective FFA1 antagonist GW-1100 had no effect. Repeated agonist-exposure desensitised both FFA1 and FF4 as revealed in single-cell calcium imaging studies. Although there was a small reduction of FFA4-internalisation and a slight elevation of total calcium levels from a single-chronic exposure of agonist, elimination of β-arrestin1/2 from HEK293 cells by genome editing did not significantly change the desensitisation of FFA4 to repeated exposure of agonist and did not prevent agonist-promoted internalisation. These studies indicate that β-arrestins are not the sole factors in desensitisation of human FFA4. Gαq/11 elimination by genome editing completely blocked intracellular calcium mobilisation and accumulation of inositol monophosphates mediated by both FFA1 and FFA4 indicating that Gαq/11 coupling to agonist-activated receptors is essential for this functional signalling outcome via both receptors. FFA4 expressed in Gαq/11-null cells was found to be phosphorylated by agonist, indicating that phosphorylation-mediated desensitisation of this receptor is not dependent on Gαq/11 proteins. FRET and BRET experiments revealed for the first time homo and hetero-oligomerisation of both FFA1 and FFA4. Although ligand regulation of oligomerisation was not investigated these preliminary observations of oligomerisation may help in the future to answer many questions of regulation and desensitisation of these receptors. The selective FFA1 and FFA4 ligands characterised here in this project might be used as tool compounds to further explore the physiology and pharmacology of these therapeutically important receptors

Targeted elimination of G proteins and arrestins defines their specific contributions to both intensity and duration of G protein-coupled receptor signalling

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can initiate intracellular signalling cascades by coupling to an array of heterotrimeric G proteins and arrestin adaptor proteins. Understanding the contribution of each of these coupling options to GPCR signalling has been hampered by a paucity of tools to selectively perturb receptor function. Here we employ CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to eliminate selected G proteins (Gαq and Gα11) or arrestin2 and arrestin3 from HEK293 cells, together with the elimination of receptor phosphorylation sites, to define the relative contribution of G proteins, arrestins and receptor phosphorylation to the signalling outcomes of the free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFA4). A lack of FFA4-mediated elevation of intracellular [Ca2+] in Gαq/Gα11-null cells and agonist-mediated receptor internalization in arrestin2/3-null cells confirmed previously reported canonical signalling features of this receptor, thereby validating the genome-edited HEK293 cells. FFA4-mediated ERK1/2 activation was totally dependent on Gq/11 but intriguingly was substantially enhanced for FFA4 receptors lacking sites of regulated phosphorylation. This was not due to a simple lack of desensitization of Gq/11 signalling because the Gq/11-dependent calcium response was desensitized by both receptor phosphorylation and arrestin-dependent mechanisms whilst a substantially enhanced ERK1/2-response was only observed for receptors lacking phosphorylation sites and not in arrestin2/3-null cells. In conclusion, we validate CRISPR/Cas9 engineered HEK293 cells lacking Gq/11 or arrestin2/3 as systems for GPCR signalling research and employ these cells to reveal a previously unappreciated interplay of signalling pathways where receptor phosphorylation can impact on ERK1/2 signalling through a mechanism that is likely independent of arrestins

Evaluation of acute and subacute toxicity induced by methanol extract of Terminalia citrina leaves in Sprague Dawley rats

Objective: To evaluate acute and subacute toxicity of methanol extract of Terminalia citrina leaves (family: Combretaceae) in Sprague Dawley rats. Methods: The acute toxicity studies were conducted where the limit test dose of 3 200 mg/kg body weight used. Observations were made and recorded systemically on 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 h after dose administration for behavior, breathing, cutaneous effects, sensory nervous system response or gastrointestinal effects. For the subacute toxicity, four groups of 10 female rats were received; distilled water (control), 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg of extracts respectively every 24 h orally for 28 days. Results: No significant variation in the body and organ weights between the control and the treated group was observed after 28 days of treatment. Haematological analysis and biochemical parameters revealed no toxic effects of the extract. Pathologically, neither gross abnormalities nor histopathological changes were observed. No mortality was recorded in 28 days. Conclusions: It was safer and non toxic to rats even at higher doses and therefore could be well considered for further investigation for its medicinal and therapeutic efficacy

In vitro Comparative Dissolution Studies of Different Propranolol Generic Tablets Available in Bangladesh

The present study focused to assess in vitro dissolution profiles of four different products of propranolol 10 mg Tablets (Randomly coded as PRP1-PRP4) available in Bangladesh comparing with the reference brand (coded as REF). Propranolol is a competitive non selective beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist used to amend or restore normal heart rhythm in cardiovascular diseases. An in vitro dissolution study was carried out using the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) paddle method at 75 rpm with 500 mL of 0.1N HCl dissolution media at 37.0± 0.5 0C. All the tested locally manufactured propranolol products; PRP1, PRP2, PRP3, PRP4 showed compatible dissolution (87%, 86%, 87%, and 80%, respectively) pattern (dissolution criterion Q=80% in 30 minutes) compared with the reference brand (88% dissolution in 30 minutes). The dissolution behavior was estimated with the reference brand using a model dependent and model-independent approach (f2>50, f1 < 15).  A mechanistic mathematical release kinetics was also evaluated. The best-fit kinetic model was Hixon-Crowell release kinetics for reference brand and PRP1; and first order release kinetics was predominant for PRP2, PRP3 and PRP4. Keywords: propranolol, dissolution, similarity factor, difference factor, dissolution kinetic

Association of Antibacterial Susceptibility Profile with the Prevalence of Genes Encoding Efflux Proteins in the Bangladeshi Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

Expelling antibiotic molecules out of the cell wall through multiple efflux pumps is one of the potential mechanisms of developing resistance against a wide number of antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the antibiotic susceptibility profile and the prevalence of different efflux pump genes i.e., norA, norB, norC, mepA, sepA, mdeA, qacA/B, and smr in the clinical isolates of S. aureus. Sixty clinical isolates were collected from a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh. The disc diffusion method using ten antibiotics of different classes was used to discern the susceptibility profile. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to observe the resistance patterns and to detect the presence of plasmid and chromosomal encoded genes. Among the clinical isolates, 60% (36 out of 60) of the samples were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), whereas 55% (33 out of 60) of the bacterial samples were found to be multi-drug resistant. The bacteria showed higher resistance to vancomycin (73.33%), followed by ciprofloxacin (60%), cefixime (53.33%), azithromycin (43.33%), and amoxicillin (31.67%). The prevalence of the chromosomally-encoded efflux genes norA (91.67%), norB (90%), norC (93.33%), mepA (93.33%), sepA (98.33%), and mdeA (93.33%) were extremely high with a minor portion of them carrying the plasmid-encoded genes qacA/B (20%) and smr (8.33%). Several genetic combinations of efflux pump genes were revealed, among which norA + norB + norC + mepA + sepA + mdeA was the most widely distributed combination among MRSA and MSSA bacteria that conferred resistance against ciprofloxacin and probably vancomycin. Based on the present study, it is evident that the presence of multiple efflux genes potentiated the drug extrusion activity and may play a pivotal role in the development of multidrug resistance in S. aureus

Association of Antibacterial Susceptibility Profile with the Prevalence of Genes Encoding Efflux Proteins in the Bangladeshi Clinical Isolates of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Expelling antibiotic molecules out of the cell wall through multiple efflux pumps is one of the potential mechanisms of developing resistance against a wide number of antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the antibiotic susceptibility profile and the prevalence of different efflux pump genes i.e., norA, norB, norC, mepA, sepA, mdeA, qacA/B, and smr in the clinical isolates of S. aureus. Sixty clinical isolates were collected from a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh. The disc diffusion method using ten antibiotics of different classes was used to discern the susceptibility profile. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to observe the resistance patterns and to detect the presence of plasmid and chromosomal encoded genes. Among the clinical isolates, 60% (36 out of 60) of the samples were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), whereas 55% (33 out of 60) of the bacterial samples were found to be multi-drug resistant. The bacteria showed higher resistance to vancomycin (73.33%), followed by ciprofloxacin (60%), cefixime (53.33%), azithromycin (43.33%), and amoxicillin (31.67%). The prevalence of the chromosomally-encoded efflux genes norA (91.67%), norB (90%), norC (93.33%), mepA (93.33%), sepA (98.33%), and mdeA (93.33%) were extremely high with a minor portion of them carrying the plasmid-encoded genes qacA/B (20%) and smr (8.33%). Several genetic combinations of efflux pump genes were revealed, among which norA + norB + norC + mepA + sepA + mdeA was the most widely distributed combination among MRSA and MSSA bacteria that conferred resistance against ciprofloxacin and probably vancomycin. Based on the present study, it is evident that the presence of multiple efflux genes potentiated the drug extrusion activity and may play a pivotal role in the development of multidrug resistance in S. aureus