Nebivolol as a Potent TRPM8 Channel Blocker: A Drug-Screening Approach through Automated Patch Clamping and Ligand-Based Virtual Screening

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (TRPM8) from the melastatin TRP channel subfamily is a non-selective Ca(2+)-permeable ion channel with multimodal gating which can be activated by low temperatures and cooling compounds, such as menthol and icilin. Different conditions such as neuropathic pain, cancer, overactive bladder syndrome, migraine, and chronic cough have been linked to the TRPM8 mode of action. Despite the several potent natural and synthetic inhibitors of TRPM8 that have been identified, none of them have been approved for clinical use. The aim of this study was to discover novel blocking TRPM8 agents using automated patch clamp electrophysiology combined with a ligand-based virtual screening based on the SwissSimilarity platform. Among the compounds we have tested, nebivolol and carvedilol exhibited the greatest inhibitory effect, with an IC(50) of 0.97 ± 0.15 µM and 9.1 ± 0.6 µM, respectively. This study therefore provides possible candidates for future drug repurposing and suggests promising lead compounds for further optimization as inhibitors of the TRPM8 ion channel.