Polyoxometalates as potent inhibitors of P2X receptors

P2X receptors are trimeric ion channels that are activated by ATP and are permeable for the cations Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺. Seven different subunits exist, which are assembled as homo- or heterotrimers of various stoichiometry.1,2 Polyoxometalates (POMs) are discrete, polynuclear metal-oxo anions of early transition metals in high oxidation states (e. g. W⁶⁺, Mo⁶⁺, V⁵⁺), comprising edge- and corner-shared MO₆ octahedra. They exhibit enormous flexibility with respect to shape, size, composition and charge.3 POMs are relatively large molecules (> 1 nm) and bear several negative charges. In this respect they bear similarity to ATP, which binds to P2X2 and P2X4 in its tetraanionic form (ATP^4-) and to P2X1 and P2X3 possibly also in its dianionic state as a Mg²⁺ complex (MgATP^2-).4 We previously found that certain POMs can inhibit alkaline phosphatase5 and ectonucleotidases,6, 7 enzymes that are capable of hydrolyzing nucleotides such as ATP and ADP. In the present study we investigated whether POMs can interact with P2X receptors. A series of POMs was investigated for their effects to inhibit ATP-induced calcium influx in recombinant 1321N1 astrocytoma cells stably transfected with P2X1, P2X2, P2X3, P2X4 or P2X7 receptors. Several POMs were found to be highly potent inhibitors of P2X receptors with potency in the low nanomolar range. The compounds were found to be non-cytotoxic at pharmacologically active concentrations, whereas some POMs showed cytotoxic effects in an MTT assay at concentrations typically higher than 1 µM.

1 Young, MT (2010), Trends Biochem. Sci. 35: 83-90
2 Torres, GE, Egan, TM, Voigt, MM (1999), J Biol. Chem. 274: 6653-6659
3 Hasenknopf, B (2005), Front Biosci. 10: 275-28
4 Li, M, Silberberg, SD, Swartz, KJ (2013), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA: 110: E3455-E3463
5 Raza, R, Matin, A, Sarwar, S, Barsukova-Stuckart, M, Ibrahim, M, Kortz, U, Iqbal, J (2012), Dalton Trans. 41: 14329-14336
6 Müller, CE, Iqbal, J, Baqi, Y, Zimmermann, H, Röllich, A, Stephan, H (2006), Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 16: 5943-5947
7 Stephan, H, Kubeil, M, Emmerling, F, Müller, CE (2013), Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 1585-1594