Activation of the α2B adrenoceptor by the sedative sympatholytic dexmedetomidine

The α2 adrenergic receptors (α2ARs) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that respond to adrenaline and noradrenaline and couple to the Gi/o family of G proteins. α2ARs play important roles in regulating the sympathetic nervous system. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2AR agonist used in post-operative patients as an anxiety-reducing, sedative medicine that decreases the requirement for opioids. As is typical for selective αAR agonists, dexmedetomidine consists of an imidazole ring and a substituted benzene moiety lacking polar groups, which is in contrast to βAR-selective agonists, which share an ethanolamine group and an aromatic system with polar, hydrogen-bonding substituents. To better understand the structural basis for the selectivity and efficacy of adrenergic agonists, we determined the structure of the α2BAR in complex with dexmedetomidine and Go at a resolution of 2.9 A by single-particle cryo-EM. The structure reveals the mechanism of α2AR-selective activation and provides insights into Gi/o coupling specificity. A cryo-EM structure of the GPCR α2B adrenergic receptor (α2BAR) in complex with the selective agonist dexmedetomidine and the G protein Go suggests a mechanism of selective activation and provides insights into G-protein coupling activity.