Structural basis of MK-97 positive allosteric modulation at the M4 mAChR

Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) represent a promising therapeutic strategy for treating cognitive deficits and neuropsychiatric disorders. While first-generation M4 mAChR PAMs, like LY2033298, demonstrated proof-of-concept, second-generation compounds, such as MK-97, exhibit substantially improved potency and reduced species variability. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the M4 mAChR bound to the endogenous agonist, acetylcholine, and MK-97 at 2.7 [A] resolution, revealing the molecular basis for improved M4 mAChR PAM activity. MK-97 adopts a distinctive boomerang-shaped conformation within the extracellular-facing allosteric binding site, with a central pyridine vertex, a lower cyclopentylmethylpyrazole arm extending toward the floor of the orthosteric site, and an upper isoindolinone arm projecting toward extracellular loop 2 (ECL2). This extended binding mode establishes a distributed interaction network across transmembrane helices TM2, TM3, TM5, TM6, and TM7, with key contacts including a hydrogen bond with Y922.64 and a {pi}-{pi} stacking interaction with W4357.35. Integration of structural data, molecular dynamics simulations, and mutagenesis validation reveals that the high affinity of MK-97 derives from optimized engagement across all three binding regions rather than dependence on any single critical contact. Insights from comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies provide a molecular framework for the rational design of next-generation M4 mAChR PAMs with improved pharmacological properties. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=70 SRC="FIGDIR/small/723386v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (20K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@75cb90org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1876c9corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1eba8d0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9818ad_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG