Exploiting Cell-Based Assays to Accelerate Drug Development for G Protein-Coupled Receptors

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are relevant targets for health and disease as they regulate various aspects of metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and immune pathways. They are implicated in several disease areas, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mental disorders. It is worth noting that about a third of all marketed drugs target GPCRs, making them prime pharmacological targets for drug discovery. Numerous functional assays have been developed to assess GPCR activity and GPCR signaling in living cells. Here, we review the current literature of genetically encoded cell-based assays to measure GPCR activation and downstream signaling at different hierarchical levels of signaling, from the receptor to transcription, via transducers, effectors, and second messengers. Singleplex assay formats provide one data point per experimental condition. Typical examples are bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays and protease cleavage assays (e.g., Tango or split TEV). By contrast, multiplex assay formats allow for the parallel measurement of multiple receptors and pathways and typically use molecular barcodes as transcriptional reporters in barcoded assays. This enables the efficient identification of desired on-target and on-pathway effects as well as detrimental off-target and off-pathway effects. Multiplex assays are anticipated to accelerate drug discovery for GPCRs as they provide a comprehensive and broad identification of compound effects.