While exploring the structure-activity relationship of 4-phenyl-2-dimethylaminotetralins (PATs) at serotonin 5-HT2C receptors, we discovered that relatively minor modification of PAT chemistry impacts function at 5-HT2C receptors. In HEK293 cells expressing human 5-HT2C-INI receptors, for example, (-)-trans-3'-Br-PAT and (-)-trans-3'-Cl-PAT are agonists regarding Gαq-inositol phosphate signaling, whereas (-)-trans-3'-CF3-PAT is an inverse agonist. To investigate the ligand-receptor interactions that govern this change in function, we performed site-directed mutagenesis of 14 amino acids of the 5-HT2C receptor based on molecular modeling and reported G protein-coupled receptor crystal structures, followed by molecular pharmacology studies. We found that S3.36, T3.37, and F5.47 in the orthosteric binding pocket are critical for affinity (Ki) of all PATs tested, we also found that F6.44, M6.47, C7.45, and S7.46 are primarily involved in regulating EC/IC50 functional potencies of PATs. We discovered that when residue S5.43, N6.55, or both are mutated to alanine, (-)-trans-3'-CF3-PAT switches from inverse agonist to agonist function, and when N6.55 is mutated to leucine, (-)-trans-3'-Br-PAT switches from agonist to inverse agonist function. Notably, most point-mutations that affected PAT pharmacology did not significantly alter affinity (KD) of the antagonist radioligand [3H]mesulergine, but every mutation tested negatively impacted serotonin binding. Also, amino acid mutations differentially affected the pharmacology of other commercially available 5-HT2C ligands tested. Collectively, the data show that functional outcomes shared by different ligands are mediated by different amino acids and that some 5-HT2C receptor residues important for pharmacology of one ligand are not necessarily important for another ligand.
Keywords: 5-HT2C receptor; Serotonin; drug discovery; mutagenesis; pharmacology.