Successful virtual screening for a submicromolar antagonist of the neurokinin-1 receptor based on a ligand-supported homology model

The neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor belongs to the family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which represents one of the most relevant target families in small-molecule drug design. In this paper, we describe a homology modeling of the NK1 receptor based on the high-resolution X-ray structure of rhodopsin and the successful virtual screening based on this protein model. The NK1 receptor model has been generated using our new MOBILE (modeling binding sites including ligand information explicitly) approach. Starting with preliminary homology models, it generates improved models of the protein binding pocket together with bound ligands. Ligand information is used as an integral part in the homology modeling process. For the construction of the NK1 receptor, antagonist CP-96345 was used to restrain the modeling. The quality of the obtained model was validated by probing its ability to accommodate additional known NK1 antagonists from structurally diverse classes. On the basis of the generated model and on the analysis of known NK1 antagonists, a pharmacophore model was deduced, which subsequently guided the 2D and 3D database search with UNITY. As a following step, the remaining hits were docked into the modeled binding pocket of the NK1 receptor. Finally, seven compounds were selected for biochemical testing, from which one showed affinity in the submicromolar range. Our results suggest that ligand-supported homology models of GPCRs may be used as effective platforms for structure-based drug design.