Ivermectin antagonizes ethanol inhibition in purinergic P2X4 receptors.
ATP-gated purinergic P2X4 receptors (P2X4Rs) are expressed in the central nervous system and are sensitive to ethanol at intoxicating concentrations. P2XRs are trimeric; each subunit consists of two transmembrane (TM) alpha-helical segments, a large extracellular domain, and intracellular amino and carboxyl terminals. Recent work indicates that position 336 (Met336) in the TM2 segment is critical for ethanol modulation of P2X4Rs. The anthelmintic medication ivermectin (IVM) positively modulates P2X4Rs and is believed to act in the same region as ethanol. The present study tested the hypothesis that IVM can antagonize ethanol action. We investigated IVM and ethanol effects in wild-type and mutant P2X4Rs expressed in Xenopus oocytes by using a two-electrode voltage clamp. IVM antagonized ethanol-induced inhibition of P2X4Rs in a concentration-dependent manner. The size and charge of substitutions at position 336 affected P2X4R sensitivity to both ethanol and IVM. The first molecular model of the rat P2X4R, built onto the X-ray crystal structure of zebrafish P2X4R, revealed a pocket formed by Asp331, Met336, Trp46, and Trp50 that may play a role in the actions of ethanol and IVM. These findings provide the first evidence for IVM antagonism of ethanol effects in P2X4Rs and suggest that the antagonism results from the ability of IVM to interfere with ethanol action on the putative pocket at or near position 336. Taken with the building evidence supporting a role for P2X4Rs in ethanol intake, the present findings suggest that the newly identified alcohol pocket is a potential site for development of medication for alcohol use disorders.
Asatryan
Liana
L
Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. asatryan@usc.edu
Popova
Maya
M
Perkins
Daya
D
Trudell
James R
JR
Alkana
Ronald L
RL
Davies
Daryl L
DL
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019921:Biotinylation; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D000431:Ethanol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008715:Methionine / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D018075:RNA, Complementary / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000737:chemistry; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D014981:Xenopus; D015027:Zebrafish
D000871:Anthelmintics; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; C548228:P2rx4 protein, rat; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D000431:Ethanol; D007559:Ivermectin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D008715:Methionine