Designer Benzodiazepines' Activity on Opioid Receptors: A Docking Study.


Journal

Current pharmaceutical design
ISSN: 1873-4286
Titre abrégé: Curr Pharm Des
Pays: United Arab Emirates
ID NLM: 9602487

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
2022
Historique:
received: 12 12 2021
accepted: 21 03 2022
pubmed: 12 5 2022
medline: 25 10 2022
entrez: 11 5 2022
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Previous studies have reported that benzodiazepines (BZDs) seem to enhance euphoric and reinforcing properties of opioids in opioid users so that a direct effect on opioid receptors has been postulated, together with a possible synergistic induction of severe side effects due to co use of BDZs and opioids. This is particularly worrisome given the appearance on the market of designer benzodiazepines (DBZDs), whose activity/toxicity profiles are scarcely known. This study aimed to evaluate, through computational studies, the binding affinity (or lack thereof) of 101 DBZDs identified online on the kappa, mu, and delta opioid receptors (K, M, DOR); and to assess whether their mechanism of action could include activation of the latter. MOE® was used for the computational studies. Pharmacophore mapping based on strong opioids agonist binders' 3D chemical features was used to filter the DBZDs. Resultant DBZDs were docked into the crystallised 3D active conformation of KOR (PDB6B73), DOR (PDB6PT3) and MOR (PDB5C1M). Co-crystallised ligands and four strong agonists were used as reference compounds. A score (S, Kcal/mol) representative of the predicted binding affinity, and a description of ligand interactions were obtained from MOE®. The docking results, filtered for S < -8.0 and the interaction with the Asp residue, identified five DBZDs as putative binders of the three ORs : ciclotizolam, fluloprazolam, JQ1, Ro 48-6791, and Ro 48-8684. It may be inferred that at least some DBZDs may have the potential to activate opioid receptors. This could mediate/increase their anxiolytic, analgesic, and addiction potentials, as well as worsen the side effects associated with opioid co-use.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reported that benzodiazepines (BZDs) seem to enhance euphoric and reinforcing properties of opioids in opioid users so that a direct effect on opioid receptors has been postulated, together with a possible synergistic induction of severe side effects due to co use of BDZs and opioids. This is particularly worrisome given the appearance on the market of designer benzodiazepines (DBZDs), whose activity/toxicity profiles are scarcely known.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to evaluate, through computational studies, the binding affinity (or lack thereof) of 101 DBZDs identified online on the kappa, mu, and delta opioid receptors (K, M, DOR); and to assess whether their mechanism of action could include activation of the latter.
METHODS
MOE® was used for the computational studies. Pharmacophore mapping based on strong opioids agonist binders' 3D chemical features was used to filter the DBZDs. Resultant DBZDs were docked into the crystallised 3D active conformation of KOR (PDB6B73), DOR (PDB6PT3) and MOR (PDB5C1M). Co-crystallised ligands and four strong agonists were used as reference compounds. A score (S, Kcal/mol) representative of the predicted binding affinity, and a description of ligand interactions were obtained from MOE®.
RESULTS
The docking results, filtered for S < -8.0 and the interaction with the Asp residue, identified five DBZDs as putative binders of the three ORs : ciclotizolam, fluloprazolam, JQ1, Ro 48-6791, and Ro 48-8684.
CONCLUSION
It may be inferred that at least some DBZDs may have the potential to activate opioid receptors. This could mediate/increase their anxiolytic, analgesic, and addiction potentials, as well as worsen the side effects associated with opioid co-use.

Identifiants

pubmed: 35538798
pii: CPD-EPUB-123341
doi: 10.2174/1381612828666220510153319
doi:

Substances chimiques

Analgesics 0
Analgesics, Opioid 0
Anti-Anxiety Agents 0
Benzodiazepines 12794-10-4
Ligands 0
Receptors, Opioid 0
Receptors, Opioid, delta 0
Receptors, Opioid, kappa 0
Receptors, Opioid, mu 0
Designer Drugs 0

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

2639-2652

Informations de copyright

Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.

Auteurs

Valeria Catalani (V)

Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life & Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

Michelle Botha (M)

Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life & Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

John Martin Corkery (JM)

Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life & Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

Amira Guirguis (A)

Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life & Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
Swansea University Medical School, The Grove, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, United Kingdom.

Alessandro Vento (A)

Department of Mental Health, ASL Roma 2, Rome, Italy.
Addictions\' Observatory (ODDPSS), Rome, Italy.
Guglielmo Marconi' University, Rome, Italy.

Fabrizio Schifano (F)

Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life & Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

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Classifications MeSH