Novel binding sites on GABA (A) receptors for the alternative effects of zolpidem: in vivo and in silico studies
Patients with brain injuries commonly suffered significant motor and cognitive decline which interfere with their recovery process. To improve the quality of life in these patients, pharmacological intervention targeting the motor and cognitive functions are usually administered. There have been...
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Main Author: | |
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Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2023
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://eprints.usm.my/58896/1/FATIN%20HILYANI%20BINTI%20MOHAMAD-24%20pages.pdf |
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Summary: | Patients with brain injuries commonly suffered significant motor and
cognitive decline which interfere with their recovery process. To improve the quality
of life in these patients, pharmacological intervention targeting the motor and
cognitive functions are usually administered. There have been reports on the
awakening effects of the sleeping pill, zolpidem when administered to patients with
different types of brain injury. Since the sedative and hypnotic effect of the drug is
elicited from the α(1/2/3/5)-γ interface of GABA (A) receptor, it is possible that this
effect is contributed from different binding sites which have not been explored
before. Hence, this thesis aimed to investigate the molecular and pharmacological
reason behind this paradoxical effect through zolpidem administration in animal
behavioural studies (in vivo) supported with analysis on protein-ligand complex
through computational methods (in silico). These rats with induced ischaemic injury
and impaired cognitive functions were given different doses of zolpidem (control,
saline, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg) and underwent open-field test and Morris water maze
tests. Zolpidem administration on these animals showed improvement from the
groups receiving 1.0 mg/kg zolpidem in comparison to the non-treated and those
receiving higher doses of zolpidem. Further, immunohistochemistry study showed
significant effects on the expression of hippocampal α1 and ε subunits of GABA (A) receptors. The observations suggested; both subunits have complementary action
during ischaemic injury and both subunits have modulatory action towards 1.0 mg/kg
of zolpidem. To prove this, binary α1β3α1 and GABA (A) ε-containing receptors
were created using homology modelling technique and molecular docking of
zolpidem were performed at several targeted interfaces of these receptors, followed
by molecular dynamics simulation. Comparison of energy binding, protein-ligand
interaction and structural stability to the control α1+-γ2- interface of α1β3γ2 GABA
(A) receptor, showed potential binding action of zolpidem towards α1+-α1- interface
from binary α1β3α1 and α1+-ε- interface of α1β3εε GABA (A) receptors. Even
though the mechanism on how exactly these interfaces contribute to the awakening
action of zolpidem is not revealed, these data are still able to demonstrate the binding
affinity of zolpidem towards the novel binding sites of α1+-α1- and α1+-ε- interfaces.
As a result, proving the existence of other binding sites of zolpidem within GABA
(A) receptors possibly created due to subunit rearrangement in post-brain injuries,
which could have caused the awakening action of zolpidem. |
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