Exploring a model of human chemokine receptor CCR2 in presence of TAK779: A membrane based molecular dynamics study

• Molecular docking and MD simulations were performed on a CCR2 homology model.
• Simulations yielded insights into the binding mechanism of TAK779.
• TAK779 produced a larger structural effect on the TM-III, TM-IV, TM-V and TM-VI.
• Conserved residues of DRY motif and NPxxY motif formed key interaction network with ligand.

Chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) and a crucial target for various inflammation-driven diseases. In the present study, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed on a CCR2 homology model. This work includes the comparative MD simulations of uncomplexed and ‘antagonist-complexed’ CCR2 models. These simulations yield insights into the binding mechanism of antagonist TAK779 and improve the understanding of various structural changes induced by the ligand in the CCR2 protein. Here, one 20 ns MD simulation was carried out on the uncomplexed CCR2 model in lipid bilayer to explore the effects of lipid membrane on the protein. Another 20 ns MD simulation was performed under the similar conditions on the docked CCR2-TAK779 complex. An alteration in the position and orientation of the ligand in binding site was observed after the simulation. Examination of protein–ligand complex suggested that TAK779 produced a greater structural change on the TM-III, TM-IV, TM-V and TM-VI than TM-I, TM-II and TM-VII. Interaction networks involving the conserved residues of uncomplexed and ‘antagonist-complexed’ CCR2 models were also examined. The major difference was observed to be the role of conserved residues of the DRY motif of TM-III and the NPxxY motif of TM-VII of CCR2.

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