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Tunisi L, D'Angelo L, Fernández-Rilo AC, Forte N, Piscitelli F, Imperatore R, de Girolamo P, Di Marzo V, Cristino L. Orexin-A/Hypocretin-1 Controls the VTA-NAc Mesolimbic Pathway via Endocannabinoid-Mediated Disinhibition of Dopaminergic Neurons in Obese Mice. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:622405. [PMID: 33613258 PMCID: PMC7890184 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.622405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Disinhibition of orexin-A/hypocretin-1 (OX-A) release occurs to several output areas of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) in the brain of leptin knockout obese ob/ob mice. In this study, we have investigated whether a similar increase of OX-A release occurs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), an orexinergic LH output area with functional effects on dopaminergic signaling at the mesolimbic circuit. By confocal and correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) morphological studies coupled to molecular, biochemical, and pharmacological approaches, we investigated OX-A-mediated dopaminergic signaling at the LH-VTA-nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway in obese ob/ob mice compared to wild-type (wt) lean littermates. We found an elevation of OX-A trafficking and release to the VTA of ob/ob mice and consequent orexin receptor-1 (OX1R)-mediated over-activation of dopaminergic (DA) neurons via phospholipase C (PLC)/diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL-α)-induced biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). In fact, by retrograde signaling to cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) at inhibitory inputs to DA neurons, 2-AG inhibited GABA release thus inducing an increase in DA concentration in the VTA and NAc of ob/ob mice. This effect was prevented by the OX1R antagonist SB-334867 (30 mg/Kg, i.p.), or the CB1R antagonist AM251 (10 mg/Kg, i.p.) and mimicked by OX-A injection (40 μg/Kg, i.p.) in wt lean mice. Enhanced DA signaling to the NAc in ob/ob mice, or in OX-A-injected wt mice, was accompanied by β-arrestin2-mediated desensitization of dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) in a manner prevented by SB-334867 or the D2R antagonist L741 (1.5 mg/Kg, i.p.). These results further support the role of OX-A signaling in the control of neuroadaptive responses, such as compulsive reward-seeking behavior or binge-like consumption of high palatable food, and suggest that aberrant OX-A trafficking to the DA neurons in the VTA of ob/ob mice influences the D2R response at NAc, a main target area of the mesolimbic pathway, via 2-AG/CB1-mediated retrograde signaling.
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Bertrand JA, Woodward DF, Sherwood JM, Spenlehauer A, Silvestri C, Piscitelli F, Marzo VD, Yamazaki M, Sakimura K, Inoue Y, Watanabe K, Overby DR. Deletion of the gene encoding prostamide/prostaglandin F synthase reveals an important role in regulating intraocular pressure. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2021; 165:102235. [PMID: 33418484 PMCID: PMC9251352 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2020.102235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Prostamide/prostaglandin F synthase (PM/PGFS) is an enzyme with very narrow substrate specificity and is dedicated to the biosynthesis of prostamide F2α and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α.). The importance of this enzyme, relative to the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) series, in providing functional tissue prostamide F2α levels was determined by creating a line of PM/PGFS gene deleted mice. Deletion of the gene encoding PM/PGFS (Fam213b / Prxl2b) was accomplished by a two exon disruption. Prostamide F2α levels in wild type (WT) and PM/PGFS knock-out (KO) mice were determined by LC/MS/MS. Deletion of Fam213b (Prxl2b) had no observed effect on behavior, appetite, or fertility. In contrast, tonometrically measured intraocular pressure was significantly elevated by approximately 4 mmHg in PM/PGFS KO mice compared to littermate WT mice. Outflow facility was measured in enucleated mouse eyes using the iPerfusion system. No effect on pressure dependent outflow facility occurred, which is consistent with the effects of prostamide F2α and PGF2α increasing outflow through the unconventional pathway. The elevation of intraocular pressure caused by deletion of the gene encoding the PM/PGFS enzyme likely results from a diversion of the endoperoxide precursor pathway to provide increased levels of those prostanoids known to raise intraocular pressure, namely prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and thromboxane A2 (TxA2). It follows that PM/PGFS may serve an important regulatory role in the eye by providing PGF2α and prostamide F2α to constrain the influence of those prostanoids that raise intraocular pressure.
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Di Bartolomeo M, Stark T, Maurel OM, Iannotti FA, Kuchar M, Ruda-Kucerova J, Piscitelli F, Laudani S, Pekarik V, Salomone S, Arosio B, Mechoulam R, Maccarrone M, Drago F, Wotjak CT, Di Marzo V, Vismara M, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C, Micale V. Crosstalk between the transcriptional regulation of dopamine D2 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia: Analyses in patients and in perinatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-exposed rats. Pharmacol Res 2021; 164:105357. [PMID: 33285233 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) affects brain development and might increase the incidence of psychopathology later in life, which seems to be related to a dysregulation of endocannabinoid and/or dopaminergic systems. We here evaluated the transcriptional regulation of the genes encoding for the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) and the dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2) in perinatal THC-(pTHC) exposed male rats, focusing on the role of DNA methylation analyzed by pyrosequencing. Simultaneously, the molecular and behavioral abnormalities at two different time points (i.e., neonatal age and adulthood) and the potential preventive effect of peripubertal treatment with cannabidiol, a non-euphoric component of Cannabis, were assessed. The DRD2 methylation was also evaluated in a cohort of subjects with schizophrenia. We observed an increase in both Cnr1 and Drd2 mRNA levels selectively in the prefrontal cortex of adult pTHC-exposed rats with a consistent reduction in DNA methylation at the Drd2 regulatory region, paralleled by social withdrawal and cognitive impairment which were reversed by cannabidiol treatment. These adult abnormalities were preceded at neonatal age by delayed appearance of neonatal reflexes, higher Drd2 mRNA and lower 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) brain levels, which persisted till adulthood. Alterations of the epigenetic mark for DRD2 were also found in subjects with schizophrenia. Overall, reported data add further evidence to the dopamine-cannabinoid interaction in terms of DRD2 and CNR1 dysregulation which could be implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, suggesting that cannabidiol treatment may normalize pTHC-induced psychopathology by modulating the altered dopaminergic activity.
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Piscitelli F, Di Marzo V. Cannabinoids: a class of unique natural products with unique pharmacology. RENDICONTI LINCEI-SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-020-00966-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Ruocco C, Ragni M, Rossi F, Carullo P, Ghini V, Piscitelli F, Cutignano A, Manzo E, Ioris RM, Bontems F, Tedesco L, Greco CM, Pino A, Severi I, Liu D, Ceddia RP, Ponzoni L, Tenori L, Rizzetto L, Scholz M, Tuohy K, Bifari F, Di Marzo V, Luchinat C, Carruba MO, Cinti S, Decimo I, Condorelli G, Coppari R, Collins S, Valerio A, Nisoli E. Manipulation of Dietary Amino Acids Prevents and Reverses Obesity in Mice Through Multiple Mechanisms That Modulate Energy Homeostasis. Diabetes 2020; 69:2324-2339. [PMID: 32778569 PMCID: PMC7576563 DOI: 10.2337/db20-0489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reduced activation of energy metabolism increases adiposity in humans and other mammals. Thus, exploring dietary and molecular mechanisms able to improve energy metabolism is of paramount medical importance because such mechanisms can be leveraged as a therapy for obesity and related disorders. Here, we show that a designer protein-deprived diet enriched in free essential amino acids can 1) promote the brown fat thermogenic program and fatty acid oxidation, 2) stimulate uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-independent respiration in subcutaneous white fat, 3) change the gut microbiota composition, and 4) prevent and reverse obesity and dysregulated glucose homeostasis in multiple mouse models, prolonging the healthy life span. These effects are independent of unbalanced amino acid ratio, energy consumption, and intestinal calorie absorption. A brown fat-specific activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 seems involved in the diet-induced beneficial effects, as also strengthened by in vitro experiments. Hence, our results suggest that brown and white fat may be targets of specific amino acids to control UCP1-dependent and -independent thermogenesis, thereby contributing to the improvement of metabolic health.
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Pagano E, Iannotti FA, Piscitelli F, Romano B, Lucariello G, Venneri T, Di Marzo V, Izzo AA, Borrelli F. Efficacy of combined therapy with fish oil and phytocannabinoids in murine intestinal inflammation. Phytother Res 2020; 35:517-529. [PMID: 32996187 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Fish oil (FO) and phytocannabinoids have received considerable attention for their intestinal anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated whether the combination of FO with cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabidiol (CBD) or a combination of all three treatments results in a more pronounced intestinal antiinflammatory action compared to the effects achieved separately. Colitis was induced in mice by 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS). CBD and CBG levels were detected and quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry and ion trap mass spectrometry (LC-MS-IT-TOF). Endocannabinoids and related mediators were assessed by LC-MS. DNBS increased colon weight/colon length ratio, myeloperoxidase activity, interleukin-1β, and intestinal permeability. CBG, but not CBD, given by oral gavage, ameliorated DNBS-induced colonic inflammation. FO pretreatment (at the inactive dose) increased the antiinflammatory action of CBG and rendered oral CBD effective while reducing endocannabinoid levels. Furthermore, the combination of FO, CBD, and a per se inactive dose of CBG resulted in intestinal anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, FO did not alter phytocannabinoid levels in the serum and in the colon. By highlighting the apparent additivity between phytocannabinoids and FO, our preclinical data support a novel strategy of combining these substances for the potential development of a treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
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Ayoub SM, Smoum R, Farag M, Atwal H, Collins SA, Rock EM, Limebeer CL, Piscitelli F, Iannotti FA, Lichtman AH, Leri F, Di Marzo V, Mechoulam R, Parker LA. Oleoyl alanine (HU595): a stable monomethylated oleoyl glycine interferes with acute naloxone precipitated morphine withdrawal in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:2753-2765. [PMID: 32556401 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05570-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Oleoyl glycine, a little studied fatty acid amide similar in structure to anandamide, interferes with nicotine addiction in mice and acute naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal (MWD) in rats. Because endogenous oleoyl glycine is subject to rapid enzymatic deactivation, we evaluated the potential of more stable analogs to interfere with opiate withdrawal. OBJECTIVES The potential of monomethylated oleoyl glycine (oleoyl alanine, HU595) to interfere with somatic and aversive effects of acute naloxone-precipitated MWD, its duration, and mechanism of action was assessed in male Sprague Dawley rats. The potential of dimethylated oleoyl glycine (HU596) to interfere with the aversive effects of naloxone-precipitated MWD was also investigated. RESULTS Oleoyl alanine (HU595) interfered with somatic and aversive effects produced by naloxone-precipitated MWD at equivalent doses (1 and 5 mg/kg, i.p.) as we have reported for oleoyl glycine; however, oleoyl alanine produced a longer lasting (60 min) interference, yet did not produce rewarding or aversive effects on its own and did not modify locomotor activity. HU596 was not effective. The interference with aversive effects of naloxone-precipitated MWD by oleoyl alanine was prevented by both a PPARα antagonist and a CB1 receptor antagonist. Accordingly, the compound was found to inhibit FAAH and activate PPARα in vitro. Finally, oleoyl alanine also reduced acute naloxone-precipitated MWD anhedonia, as measured by decreased saccharin preference. CONCLUSIONS Oleoyl alanine (also an endogenous fatty acid) may be a more stable and effective treatment for opiate withdrawal than oleoyl glycine.
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Forner-Piquer I, Beato S, Piscitelli F, Santangeli S, Di Marzo V, Habibi HR, Maradonna F, Carnevali O. Effects of BPA on zebrafish gonads: Focus on the endocannabinoid system. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 264:114710. [PMID: 32417572 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), a monomer used for polycarbonate manufacture, has been widely reported as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Among other alterations, BPA induces reproductive dysfunctionalities. Changes in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) have been recently shown to be associated with reproductive disorders. The ECS is a lipid-based signaling system (cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and enzymatic machinery) involved in several physiological functions. The main goal of the present study was to assess the effects of two environmental concentrations of BPA (10 and 20 μg/L) on the ECS in 1-year old zebrafish gonads. In males, BPA increased the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and altered testicular levels of endocannabinoids as well as reduced the testicular area occupied by spermatogonia. In male liver, exposure to 20 μg/L BPA significantly increased vitellogenin (vtg) transcript levels. In female zebrafish, BPA altered ovarian endocannabinoid levels, elevated hepatic vtg mRNA levels as well as increased the percentage of vitellogenic oocytes in the ovaries. In conclusion, exposure to two environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA altered the ECS and consequently, gonadal function in both male and female zebrafish.
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Piscitelli F, Silvestri C. Role of the Endocannabinoidome in Human and Mouse Atherosclerosis. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 25:3147-3164. [PMID: 31448709 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190826162735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The Endocannabinoid (eCB) system and its role in many physiological and pathological conditions is well described and accepted, and includes cardiovascular disorders. However, the eCB system has been expanded to an "-ome"; the endocannabinoidome (eCBome) that includes endocannabinoid-related mediators, their protein targets and metabolic enzymes, many of which significantly impact upon cardiometabolic health. These recent discoveries are here summarized with a special focus on their potential involvement in atherosclerosis. We described the role of classical components of the eCB system (eCBs, CB1 and CB2 receptors) and eCB-related lipids, their regulatory enzymes and molecular targets in atherosclerosis. Furthermore, since increasing evidence points to significant cross-talk between the eCBome and the gut microbiome and the gut microbiome and atherosclerosis, we explore the possibility that a gut microbiome - eCBome axis has potential implications in atherosclerosis.
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Forner-Piquer I, Santangeli S, Maradonna F, Rabbito A, Piscitelli F, Habibi HR, di Marzo V, Carnevali O. Comments on Disruption of the gonadal endocannabinoid system in zebrafish exposed to diisononyl phthalate - Forner-Piquer et al. (2018)": rebuttal to Prosser CM. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 261:114028. [PMID: 32085902 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
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Stark T, Di Bartolomeo M, Di Marco R, Drazanova E, Platania CBM, Iannotti FA, Ruda-Kucerova J, D'Addario C, Kratka L, Pekarik V, Piscitelli F, Babinska Z, Fedotova J, Giurdanella G, Salomone S, Sulcova A, Bucolo C, Wotjak CT, Starcuk Z, Drago F, Mechoulam R, Di Marzo V, Micale V. Altered dopamine D3 receptor gene expression in MAM model of schizophrenia is reversed by peripubertal cannabidiol treatment. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 177:114004. [PMID: 32360362 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gestational methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) treatment produces offspring with adult phenotype relevant to schizophrenia, including positive- and negative-like symptoms, cognitive deficits, dopaminergic dysfunction, structural and functional abnormalities. Here we show that adult rats prenatally treated with MAM at gestational day 17 display significant increase in dopamine D3 receptor (D3) mRNA expression in prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus and nucleus accumbens, accompanied by increased expression of dopamine D2 receptor (D2) mRNA exclusively in the PFC. Furthermore, a significant change in the blood perfusion at the level of the circle of Willis and hippocampus, paralleled by the enlargement of lateral ventricles, was also detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Peripubertal treatment with the non-euphoric phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (30 mg/kg) from postnatal day (PND) 19 to PND 39 was able to reverse in MAM exposed rats: i) the up-regulation of the dopamine D3 receptor mRNA (only partially prevented by haloperidol 0.6 mg/kg/day); and ii) the regional blood flow changes in MAM exposed rats. Molecular modelling predicted that cannabidiol could bind preferentially to dopamine D3 receptor, where it may act as a partial agonist according to conformation of ionic-lock, which is highly conserved in GPCRs. In summary, our results demonstrate that the mRNA expression of both dopamine D2 and D3 receptors is altered in the MAM model; however only the transcript levels of D3 are affected by cannabidiol treatment, likely suggesting that this gene might not only contribute to the schizophrenia symptoms but also represent an unexplored target for the antipsychotic activity of cannabidiol.
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Piscitelli F, Guida F, Luongo L, Iannotti FA, Boccella S, Verde R, Lauritano A, Imperatore R, Smoum R, Cristino L, Lichtman AH, Parker LA, Mechoulam R, Maione S, Di Marzo V. Protective Effects of N-Oleoylglycine in a Mouse Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:1117-1128. [PMID: 32017529 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the main causes of death in young people for which currently no efficacious treatment exists. Recently, we have reported that mice with mild-TBI with a specific injury in the insula showed elevated levels of a little investigated N-acyl amino acid, N-oleoylglycine (OlGly). N-acyl amino acids have recently experienced an increased interest because of their important biological activities. They belong to the endocannabinoidome family of lipids with structural similarities with the endocannabinoids (eCBs). The aim of this study was to test the neuroprotective and antihyperalgesic actions of OlGly in a model of mouse mild-TBI (mTBI) and its effect on levels of eCBs and N-acylethanolamines at the end of treatment. Following mTBI, mice were administered a daily injection of OlGly (10-50-100 mg/kg i.p.) for 14 days. Treatment with OlGly normalized motor impairment and behavior in the light/dark box test, ameliorated TBI-induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, and normalized aggressiveness and depression. Moreover, levels of eCBs and some N-acylethanolamines underwent significant changes 60 days after TBI, especially in the prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus, and OlGly reversed some of these changes. In conclusion, our findings reveal that OlGly ameliorates the behavioral alterations associated with mTBI in mice, while concomitantly modulating eCB and eCB-like mediator tone.
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Guida F, Boccella S, Belardo C, Iannotta M, Piscitelli F, De Filippis F, Paino S, Ricciardi F, Siniscalco D, Marabese I, Luongo L, Ercolini D, Di Marzo V, Maione S. Altered gut microbiota and endocannabinoid system tone in vitamin D deficiency-mediated chronic pain. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 85:128-141. [PMID: 30953765 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence points to the gut microbiota as a regulator of brain and behavior, although it remains to be determined if gut bacteria play a role in chronic pain. The endocannabinoid system is implicated in inflammation and chronic pain processing at both the gut and central nervous system (CNS) levels. In the present study, we used low Vitamin D dietary intake in mice and evaluated possible changes in gut microbiota, pain processing and endocannabinoid system signaling. Vitamin D deficiency induced a lower microbial diversity characterized by an increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes. Concurrently, vitamin D deficient mice showed tactile allodynia associated with neuronal hyperexcitability and alterations of endocannabinoid system members (endogenous mediators and their receptors) at the spinal cord level. Changes in endocannabinoid (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol) levels were also observed in the duodenum and colon. Remarkably, the anti-inflammatory anandamide congener, palmitoylethanolamide, counteracted both the pain behaviour and spinal biochemical changes in vitamin D deficient mice, whilst increasing the levels of Akkermansia, Eubacterium and Enterobacteriaceae, as compared with vehicle-treated mice. Finally, induction of spared nerve injury in normal or vitamin D deficient mice was not accompanied by changes in gut microbiota composition. Our data suggest the existence of a link between Vitamin D deficiency - with related changes in gut bacterial composition - and altered nociception, possibly via molecular mechanisms involving the endocannabinoid and related mediator signaling systems.
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Perry CJ, Finch P, Müller‐Taubenberger A, Leung K, Warren EC, Damstra‐Oddy J, Sharma D, Patra PH, Glyn S, Boberska J, Stewart B, Baldwin A, Piscitelli F, Harvey RJ, Harwood A, Thompson C, Claus SP, Greene ND, McNeish AJ, Williams CM, Whalley BJ, Williams RS. A new mechanism for cannabidiol in regulating the one-carbon cycle and methionine levels in Dictyostelium and in mammalian epilepsy models. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:912-928. [PMID: 31693171 PMCID: PMC7024701 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Epidiolex™, a form of highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) derived from Cannabis plants, has demonstrated seizure control activity in patients with Dravet syndrome, without a fully elucidated mechanism of action. We have employed an unbiased approach to investigate this mechanism at a cellular level. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We use a tractable biomedical model organism, Dictyostelium, to identify a protein controlling the effect of CBD and characterize this mechanism. We then translate these results to a Dravet syndrome mouse model and an acute in vitro seizure model. KEY RESULTS CBD activity is partially dependent upon the mitochondrial glycine cleavage system component, GcvH1 in Dictyostelium, orthologous to the human glycine cleavage system component H protein, which is functionally linked to folate one-carbon metabolism (FOCM). Analysis of FOCM components identified a mechanism for CBD in directly inhibiting methionine synthesis. Analysis of brain tissue from a Dravet syndrome mouse model also showed drastically altered levels of one-carbon components including methionine, and an in vitro rat seizure model showed an elevated level of methionine that is attenuated following CBD treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results suggest a novel mechanism for CBD in the regulating methionine levels and identify altered one-carbon metabolism in Dravet syndrome and seizure activity.
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Cinquina V, Calvigioni D, Farlik M, Halbritter F, Fife-Gernedl V, Shirran SL, Fuszard MA, Botting CH, Poullet P, Piscitelli F, Máté Z, Szabó G, Yanagawa Y, Kasper S, Di Marzo V, Mackie K, McBain CJ, Bock C, Keimpema E, Harkany T. Life-long epigenetic programming of cortical architecture by maternal 'Western' diet during pregnancy. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:22-36. [PMID: 31735910 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0580-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of human diets led to preferences toward polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content with 'Western' diets enriched in ω-6 PUFAs. Mounting evidence points to ω-6 PUFA excess limiting metabolic and cognitive processes that define longevity in humans. When chosen during pregnancy, ω-6 PUFA-enriched 'Western' diets can reprogram maternal bodily metabolism with maternal nutrient supply precipitating the body-wide imprinting of molecular and cellular adaptations at the level of long-range intercellular signaling networks in the unborn fetus. Even though unfavorable neurological outcomes are amongst the most common complications of intrauterine ω-6 PUFA excess, cellular underpinnings of life-long modifications to brain architecture remain unknown. Here, we show that nutritional ω-6 PUFA-derived endocannabinoids desensitize CB1 cannabinoid receptors, thus inducing epigenetic repression of transcriptional regulatory networks controlling neuronal differentiation. We found that cortical neurons lose their positional identity and axonal selectivity when mouse fetuses are exposed to excess ω-6 PUFAs in utero. Conversion of ω-6 PUFAs into endocannabinoids disrupted the temporal precision of signaling at neuronal CB1 cannabinoid receptors, chiefly deregulating Stat3-dependent transcriptional cascades otherwise required to execute neuronal differentiation programs. Global proteomics identified the immunoglobulin family of cell adhesion molecules (IgCAMs) as direct substrates, with DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility profiling uncovering epigenetic reprogramming at >1400 sites in neurons after prolonged cannabinoid exposure. We found anxiety and depression-like behavioral traits to manifest in adult offspring, which is consistent with genetic models of reduced IgCAM expression, to suggest causality for cortical wiring defects. Overall, our data uncover a regulatory mechanism whose disruption by maternal food choices could limit an offspring's brain function for life.
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Collu R, Scherma M, Piscitelli F, Giunti E, Satta V, Castelli MP, Verde R, Fratta W, Bisogno T, Fadda P. Impaired brain endocannabinoid tone in the activity-based model of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2019; 52:1251-1262. [PMID: 31456239 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite the growing knowledge on the functional relationship between an altered endocannabinoid (eCB) system and development of anorexia nervosa (AN), to date no studies have investigated the central eCB tone in the activity-based anorexia (ABA) model that reproduces key aspects of human AN. METHOD We measured levels of two major eCBs, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), those of two eCB-related lipids, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) density in the brain of female ABA rats, focusing on areas involved in homeostatic and rewarding-related regulation of feeding behavior (i.e., prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, caudato putamen, amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus). Analysis was carried out also at the end of recovery from the ABA condition. RESULTS At the end of the ABA induction phase, 2-AG was significantly decreased in ABA rats in different brain areas but not in the caudato putamen. No changes were detected in AEA levels in any region, whereas the levels of OEA and PEA were decreased exclusively in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Furthermore, CB1R density was decreased in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus and in the lateral hypothalamus. After recovery, both 2-AG levels and CB1R density were partially normalized in some areas. In contrast, AEA levels became markedly reduced in all the analyzed areas. DISCUSSION These data demonstrate an altered brain eCB tone in ABA rats, further supporting the involvement of an impaired eCB system in AN pathophysiology that may contribute to the maintenance of some symptomatic aspects of the disease.
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Forner-Piquer I, Fakriadis I, Mylonas CC, Piscitelli F, Di Marzo V, Maradonna F, Calduch-Giner J, Pérez-Sánchez J, Carnevali O. Effects of Dietary Bisphenol A on the Reproductive Function of Gilthead Sea Bream ( Sparus aurata) Testes. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20205003. [PMID: 31658598 PMCID: PMC6835794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20205003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), was administered by diet to gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in order to study its effects on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and gonadal steroidogenesis. 2-year-old male gilthead sea bream were fed with two different concentrations of BPA (LOW at 4 and HIGH at 4000 µg/kg body weight for 21 days during the reproductive season. Exposure to 4000 µg BPA/kg bw/day (BPA HIGH) reduced sperm motility and altered the straight-line velocity (VSL) and linearity (LIN). Effects on steroidogenesis were evident, with testosterone (T) being up-regulated by both treatments and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) down-regulated by BPA HIGH. Plasma levels of 17β-estradiol (E2) were not affected. The Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) increased in the BPA HIGH group. Interestingly, the levels of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-like compounds were significantly reduced after both treatments. Unpredictably, a few changes were noticed in the expression of genes coding for ECS enzymes, while the receptors were up-regulated depending on the BPA dose. Reproductive markers in testis (leptin receptor (lepr), estrogen receptors (era, erb), progesterone receptors (pr) and the gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (gnrhr)) were up-regulated. BPA induced the up-regulation of the hepatic genes involved in oogenesis (vitellogenin (vtg) and zona pellucida 1 (zp1)).
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Salaga M, Binienda A, Piscitelli F, Mokrowiecka A, Cygankiewicz AI, Verde R, Malecka-Panas E, Kordek R, Krajewska WM, Di Marzo V, Fichna J. Corrigendum to "Systemic administration of serotonin exacerbates abdominal pain and colitis via interaction with the endocannabinoid system" [Biochem. Pharmacol. 161 (2019) 37-51]. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 169:113636. [PMID: 31526940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Giacovazzo G, Bisogno T, Piscitelli F, Verde R, Oddi S, Maccarrone M, Coccurello R. Different Routes to Inhibit Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase: Do All Roads Lead to the Same Place? Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184503. [PMID: 31514437 PMCID: PMC6771131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is robust evidence indicating that enhancing the endocannabinoid (eCB) tone has therapeutic potential in several brain disorders. The inhibition of eCBs degradation by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) blockade, is the best-known option to increase N-acyl-ethanolamines-(NAEs)-mediated signaling. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that intranasal delivery is an effective route for different FAAH inhibitors, such as URB597 and PF-04457845. URB597 and PF-04457845 were subchronically administered in C57BL/6 male mice every other day for 20 days for overall 10 drug treatment, and compared for their ability to inhibit FAAH activity by the way of three different routes of administration: intranasal (i.n.), intraperitoneal (i.p.) and oral (p.o.). Lastly, we compared the efficacy of the three routes in terms of URB597-induced increase of NAEs levels in liver and in different brain areas. Results: We show that PF-04457845 potently inhibits FAAH regardless the route selected, and that URB597 was less effective in the brain after p.o. administration while reached similar effects by i.n. and i.p. routes. Intranasal URB597 delivery always increased NAEs levels in brain areas, whereas a parallel increase was not observed in the liver. By showing the efficacy of intranasal FAAH inhibition, we provide evidence that nose-to-brain delivery is a suitable alternative to enhance brain eCB tone for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and improve patients’ compliance.
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Petrie GN, Wills KL, Piscitelli F, Smoum R, Limebeer CL, Rock EM, Humphrey AE, Sheppard-Perkins M, Lichtman AH, Mechoulam R, Di Marzo V, Parker LA. Oleoyl glycine: interference with the aversive effects of acute naloxone-precipitated MWD, but not morphine reward, in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2623-2633. [PMID: 30993360 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05237-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Oleoyl glycine (OlGly), a recently discovered fatty acid amide that is structurally similar to N- acylethanolamines, which include the endocannabinoid, anandamide (AEA), as well as endogenous peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), has been shown to interfere with nicotine reward and dependence in mice. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Behavioral and molecular techniques were used to investigate the ability of OlGly to interfere with the affective properties of morphine and morphine withdrawal (MWD) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS Synthetic OlGly (1-30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [ip]) produced neither a place preference nor aversion on its own; however, at doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg, ip, it blocked the aversive effects of MWD in a place aversion paradigm. This effect was reversed by the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor antagonist, AM251 (1 mg/kg, ip), but not the PPARα antagonist, MK886 (1 mg/kg, ip). OlGly (5 or 30 mg/kg, ip) did not interfere with a morphine-induced place preference or reinstatement of a previously extinguished morphine-induced place preference. Ex vivo analysis of tissue (nucleus accumbens, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and interoceptive insular cortex) collected from rats experiencing naloxone-precipitated MWD revealed that OlGly was selectively elevated in the nucleus accumbens. MWD did not modify levels of the endocannabinoids 2-AG and AEA, nor those of the PPARα ligands, OEA and PEA, in any region evaluated. CONCLUSION Here, we show that OlGly interferes with the aversive properties of acute naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal in rats. These results suggest that OlGly may reduce the impact of MWD and may possess efficacy in treating opiate withdrawal.
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Piscitelli F, Coccurello R, Totaro A, Leuti A, Giacovazzo G, Verde R, Rossi E, Podaliri Vulpiani M, Ferri N, Giacominelli Stuffler R, Di Marzo V, Oddi S, Bisogno T, Maccarrone M. Targeted Lipidomics Investigation of
N
‐acylethanolamines in a Transgenic Mouse Model of AD: A Longitudinal Study. EUR J LIPID SCI TECH 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201900015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Zamberletti E, Gabaglio M, Piscitelli F, Brodie JS, Woolley-Roberts M, Barbiero I, Tramarin M, Binelli G, Landsberger N, Kilstrup-Nielsen C, Rubino T, Di Marzo V, Parolaro D. Cannabidivarin completely rescues cognitive deficits and delays neurological and motor defects in male Mecp2 mutant mice. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:894-907. [PMID: 31084246 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119844184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests that 2-week treatment with the non-psychotomimetic cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) could be beneficial towards neurological and social deficits in early symptomatic Mecp2 mutant mice, a model of Rett syndrome (RTT). AIM The aim of this study was to provide further insights into the efficacy of CBDV in Mecp2-null mice using a lifelong treatment schedule (from 4 to 9 weeks of age) to evaluate its effect on recognition memory and neurological defects in both early and advanced stages of the phenotype progression. METHODS CBDV 0.2, 2, 20 and 200 mg/kg/day was administered to Mecp2-null mice from 4 to 9 weeks of age. Cognitive and neurological defects were monitored during the whole treatment schedule. Biochemical analyses were carried out in brain lysates from 9-week-old wild-type and knockout mice to evaluate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels as well as components of the endocannabinoid system. RESULTS CBDV rescues recognition memory deficits in Mecp2 mutant mice and delays the appearance of neurological defects. At the biochemical level, it normalizes BDNF/IGF1 levels and the defective PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in Mecp2 mutant mice at an advanced stage of the disease. Mecp2 deletion upregulates CB1 and CB2 receptor levels in the brain and these changes are restored after CBDV treatment. CONCLUSIONS CBDV administration exerts an enduring rescue of memory deficits in Mecp2 mutant mice, an effect that is associated with the normalization of BDNF, IGF-1 and rpS6 phosphorylation levels as well as CB1 and CB2 receptor expression. CBDV delays neurological defects but this effect is only transient.
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Stark T, Ruda-Kucerova J, Iannotti FA, D'Addario C, Di Marco R, Pekarik V, Drazanova E, Piscitelli F, Bari M, Babinska Z, Giurdanella G, Di Bartolomeo M, Salomone S, Sulcova A, Maccarrone M, Wotjak CT, Starcuk Z, Drago F, Mechoulam R, Di Marzo V, Micale V. Peripubertal cannabidiol treatment rescues behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities in the MAM model of schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2019; 146:212-221. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Salaga M, Binienda A, Piscitelli F, Mokrowiecka A, Cygankiewicz AI, Verde R, Malecka-Panas E, Kordek R, Krajewska WM, Di Marzo V, Fichna J. Systemic administration of serotonin exacerbates abdominal pain and colitis via interaction with the endocannabinoid system. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 161:37-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Ligresti A, Silvestri C, Vitale RM, Martos JL, Piscitelli F, Wang JW, Allarà M, Carling RW, Luongo L, Guida F, Illiano A, Amoresano A, Maione S, Amodeo P, Woodward DF, Di Marzo V, Marino G. FAAH-Catalyzed C-C Bond Cleavage of a New Multitarget Analgesic Drug. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:424-437. [PMID: 30226747 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of extended catalytic versatilities is of great importance in both the chemistry and biotechnology fields. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) belongs to the amidase signature superfamily and is a major endocannabinoid inactivating enzyme using an atypical catalytic mechanism involving hydrolysis of amide and occasionally ester bonds. FAAH inhibitors are efficacious in experimental models of neuropathic pain, inflammation, and anxiety, among others. We report a new multitarget drug, AGN220653, containing a carboxyamide-4-oxazole moiety and endowed with efficacious analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, which are partly due to its capability of achieving inhibition of FAAH, and subsequently increasing the tissue concentrations of the endocannabinoid anandamide. This inhibitor behaves as a noncompetitive, slowly reversible inhibitor. Autoradiography of purified FAAH incubated with AGN220653, opportunely radiolabeled, indicated covalent binding followed by fragmentation of the molecule. Molecular docking suggested a possible nucleophilic attack by FAAH-Ser241 on the carbonyl group of the carboxyamide-4-oxazole moiety, resulting in the cleavage of the C-C bond between the oxazole and the carboxyamide moieties, instead of either of the two available amide bonds. MRM-MS analyses only detected the Ser241-assisted formation of the carbamate intermediate, thus confirming the cleavage of the aforementioned C-C bond. Quantum mechanics calculations were fully consistent with this mechanism. The study exemplifies how FAAH structural features and mechanism of action may override the binding and reactivity propensities of substrates. This unpredicted mechanism could pave the way to the future development of a completely new class of amidase inhibitors, of potential use against pain, inflammation, and mood disorders.
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