Abstract
Carvedilol is among the most effective β-blockers for improving survival after myocardial infarction. Yet the mechanisms by which carvedilol achieves this superior clinical profile are still unclear. Beyond blockade of β1-adrenoceptors, arrestin-biased signalling via β2-adrenoceptors is a molecular mechanism proposed to explain the survival benefits. Here, we offer an alternative mechanism to rationalize carvedilol’s cellular signalling. Using primary and immortalized cells genome-edited by CRISPR/Cas9 to lack either G proteins or arrestins; and combining biological, biochemical, and signalling assays with molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that G proteins drive all detectable carvedilol signalling through β2ARs. Because a clear understanding of how drugs act is imperative to data interpretation in basic and clinical research, to the stratification of clinical trials or to the monitoring of drug effects on the target pathway, the mechanistic insight gained here provides a foundation for the rational development of signalling prototypes that target the β-adrenoceptor system.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 7109 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 19 Nov 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank Ulrike Rick and Kimberly Harisch for excellent assistance. This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) 290847012/FOR2372 to E.K. and Heisenberg professorships KO4095/4-1 and KO4095/5-1 to P.K. T.B. was a member of the DFG-funded Research Training Group RTG1873 (214362475/GRK1873/2). A.C. and M.S. were supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (INTER/FWO “Nanokine” grant 15/10358798, INTER/FNRS grants 20/15084569, and PoC “Megakine” 19/14209621), F.R.S-FNRS-Télévie (7.8504.20). D.C. was supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship (212313/Z/18/Z). This article is based upon work from COST Action ERNEST (CA18133), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, www.cost.eu ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General
- General Physics and Astronomy