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Interaction of ibogaine with human alpha3beta4-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in different conformational states.

Hugo R Arias, Avraham Rosenberg, Katarzyna M Targowska-Duda, Dominik Feuerbach, Xiao Juan Yuan, Krzysztof Jozwiak, Ruin Moaddel, Irving W. Wainer

The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology September 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2010.05.011 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Experimental study Peer reviewed
Population Human alpha3beta4-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Interventions Ibogaine Phencyclidine
Topics Ibogaine
Keywords Ibogaine: ibogaine Human brain receptor Key brain receptors Receptor's channel Desensitized state Inactive phase Shut down state Blocks Inhibiting Potency Binds strongly Potential therapeutic actions Pcp comparison: pcp
Citations 29
Key findings Ibogaine binds with higher potency than PCP to a single site in the human alpha3beta4 AChR ion channel and dissociates more slowly from the desensitized state, likely prolonging receptor desensitization.

Abstract

The interaction of ibogaine and phencyclidine (PCP) with human (h) alpha3beta4-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in different conformational states was determined by functional and structural approaches including, radioligand binding assays, Ca2+ influx detections, and thermodynamic and kinetics measurements. The results established that (a) ibogaine inhibits (+/-)-epibatidine-induced Ca2+ influx in h(alpha)3beta4 AChRs with approximately 9-fold higher potency than that for PCP, (b) [3H]ibogaine binds to a single site in the h(alpha)3beta4 AChR ion channel with relatively high affinity (Kd = 0.46 +/- 0.06 microM), and ibogaine inhibits [3H]ibogaine binding to the desensitized h(alpha)3beta4 AChR with slightly higher affinity compared to the resting AChR. This is explained by a slower dissociation rate from the desensitized ion channel compared to the resting ion channel, and (c) PCP inhibits [3H]ibogaine binding to the h(alpha)3beta4 AChR, suggesting overlapping sites. The experimental results correlate with the docking simulations suggesting that ibogaine and PCP interact with a binding domain located between the serine (position 6') and valine/phenylalanine (position 13') rings. This interaction is mediated mainly by van der Waals contacts, which is in agreement with the observed enthalpic contribution determined by non-linear chromatography. However, the calculated entropic contribution also indicates local conformational changes. Collectively our data suggest that ibogaine and PCP bind to overlapping sites located between the serine and valine/phenylalanine rings, to finally block the AChR ion channel, and in the case of ibogaine, to probably maintain the AChR in the desensitized state for longer time.