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Mai P, Yang L, Tian L, Wang L, Jia S, Zhang Y, Liu X, Yang L, Li L. Endocannabinoid System Contributes to Liver Injury and Inflammation by Activation of Bone Marrow–Derived Monocytes/Macrophages in a CB1-Dependent Manner. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 195:3390-401. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Han S, Zhang FF, Qian HY, Chen LL, Pu JB, Xie X, Chen JZ. Development of Quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones as Potent and Selective Ligands of the Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor. J Med Chem 2015; 58:5751-69. [PMID: 26151231 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2Rs) play crucial roles in inflammatory diseases. There has been considerable interest in developing potent and selective ligands for CB2R. In this study, quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione analogs have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their potencies and binding properties toward the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) and CB2R. C5- or C8-substituted quinoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones demonstrate CB2R agonist activity, while the C6- or C7-substituted analogs are antagonists of CB2R. In addition, oral administration of 21 dose-dependently alleviates the clinical symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis and protects the central nervous system from immune damage. Furthermore, the interaction modes predicted by docking simulations and the 3D-QSAR model generated with CoMFA may offer guidance for further design and modification of CB2R modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Han
- †College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Fei-Fei Zhang
- ‡CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hai-Yan Qian
- †College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Li-Li Chen
- †College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jian-Bin Pu
- †College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xin Xie
- ‡CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jian-Zhong Chen
- †College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
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Coppola N, Zampino R, Bellini G, Stanzione M, Capoluongo N, Marrone A, Macera M, Pasquale G, Boemio A, Maione S, Adinolfi L, Del Giudice EM, Sagnelli E, Rossi F. The impact of the CB2-63 polymorphism on the histological presentation of chronic hepatitis B. Clin Microbiol Infect 2015; 21:609.e1-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Cannabidiol rescues acute hepatic toxicity and seizure induced by cocaine. Mediators Inflamm 2015; 2015:523418. [PMID: 25999668 PMCID: PMC4427116 DOI: 10.1155/2015/523418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is a commonly abused illicit drug that causes significant morbidity and mortality. The most severe and common complications are seizures, ischemic strokes, myocardial infarction, and acute liver injury. Here, we demonstrated that acute cocaine intoxication promoted seizure along with acute liver damage in mice, with intense inflammatory infiltrate. Considering the protective role of the endocannabinoid system against cell toxicity, we hypothesized that treatment with an anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor, URB597, or with a phytocannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), protects against cocaine toxicity. URB597 (1.0 mg/kg) abolished cocaine-induced seizure, yet it did not protect against acute liver injury. Using confocal liver intravital microscopy, we observed that CBD (30 mg/kg) reduced acute liver inflammation and damage induced by cocaine and prevented associated seizure. Additionally, we showed that previous liver damage induced by another hepatotoxic drug (acetaminophen) increased seizure and lethality induced by cocaine intoxication, linking hepatotoxicity to seizure dynamics. These findings suggest that activation of cannabinoid system may have protective actions on both liver and brain induced by cocaine, minimizing inflammatory injury promoted by cocaine, supporting its further clinical application in the treatment of cocaine abuse.
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105
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Barutta F, Bruno G, Grimaldi S, Gruden G. Inflammation in diabetic nephropathy: moving toward clinical biomarkers and targets for treatment. Endocrine 2015; 48:730-42. [PMID: 25273317 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-014-0437-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading cause of end stage renal failure and there is an urgent need to identify new clinical biomarkers and targets for treatment to effectively prevent and slow the progression of the complication. Many lines of evidence show that inflammation is a cardinal pathogenetic mechanism in DN. Studies in animal models of experimental diabetes have demonstrated that there is a low-grade inflammation in the diabetic kidney. Both pharmacological and genetic strategies targeting inflammatory molecules have been shown to be beneficial in experimental DN. In vitro studies have cast light on the cellular mechanisms whereby diabetes triggers inflammation and in turn inflammation magnifies the kidney injury. Translation of this basic science knowledge into potential practical clinical applications is matter of great interest for researchers today. This review focuses on key pro-inflammatory systems implicated in the development of DN: the tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α/TNF-α receptor system, the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/CC-chemokine receptor-2 system, and the Endocannabinoid system that have been selected as they appear particularly promising for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Barutta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, C/so AM Dogliotti 14, Turin, Italy
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106
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Hofer SC, Ralvenius WT, Gachet MS, Fritschy JM, Zeilhofer HU, Gertsch J. Localization and production of peptide endocannabinoids in the rodent CNS and adrenal medulla. Neuropharmacology 2015; 98:78-89. [PMID: 25839900 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) comprises the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 and their endogenous arachidonic acid-derived agonists 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and anandamide, which play important neuromodulatory roles. Recently, a novel class of negative allosteric CB1 receptor peptide ligands, hemopressin-like peptides derived from alpha hemoglobin, has been described, with yet unknown origin and function in the CNS. Using monoclonal antibodies we now identified the localization of RVD-hemopressin (pepcan-12) and N-terminally extended peptide endocannabinoids (pepcans) in the CNS and determined their neuronal origin. Immunohistochemical analyses in rodents revealed distinctive and specific staining in major groups of noradrenergic neurons, including the locus coeruleus (LC), A1, A5 and A7 neurons, which appear to be major sites of production/release in the CNS. No staining was detected in dopaminergic neurons. Peptidergic axons were seen throughout the brain (notably hippocampus and cerebral cortex) and spinal cord, indicative of anterograde axonal transport of pepcans. Intriguingly, the chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla were also strongly stained for pepcans. We found specific co-expression of pepcans with galanin, both in the LC and adrenal gland. Using LC-MS/MS, pepcan-12 was only detected in non-perfused brain (∼ 40 pmol/g), suggesting that in the CNS it is secreted and present in extracellular compartments. In adrenal glands, significantly more pepcan-12 (400-700 pmol/g) was measured in both non-perfused and perfused tissues. Thus, chromaffin cells may be a major production site of pepcan-12 found in blood. These data uncover important areas of peptide endocannabinoid occurrence with exclusive noradrenergic immunohistochemical staining, opening new doors to investigate their potential physiological function in the ECS. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Fluorescent Tools in Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie C Hofer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - William T Ralvenius
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - M Salomé Gachet
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zürich, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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Wasserman E, Tam J, Mechoulam R, Zimmer A, Maor G, Bab I. CB1 cannabinoid receptors mediate endochondral skeletal growth attenuation by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1335:110-9. [PMID: 25573322 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (EC) system regulates bone mass. Because cannabis use during pregnancy results in stature shorter than normal, we examined the role of the EC system in skeletal elongation. We show that CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are expressed specifically in hypertrophic chondrocytes of the epiphyseal growth cartilage (EGC), which drives vertebrate growth. These cells also express diacylglycerol lipases, critical biosynthetic enzymes of the main EC, and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which is present at significant levels in the EGC. Femora of CB1- and/or CB2-deficient mice at the end of the rapid growth phase are longer compared to wild-type (WT) animals. We find that Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) slows skeletal elongation of female WT and CB2-, but not CB1-, deficient mice, which is reflected in femoral and lumbar vertebral body length. This in turn results in lower body weight, but unaltered fat content. THC inhibits EGC chondrocyte hypertrophy in ex vivo cultures and reduces the hypertrophic cell zone thickness of CB1-, but not CB2-, deficient mice. These results demonstrate a local growth-restraining EC system in the EGC. The relevance of the present findings to humans remains to be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elad Wasserman
- Bone Laboratory, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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108
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Tomar S, Zumbrun EE, Nagarkatti M, Nagarkatti PS. Protective role of cannabinoid receptor 2 activation in galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver failure through regulation of macrophage polarization and microRNAs. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2015; 353:369-79. [PMID: 25749929 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.114.220368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute liver failure (ALF) is a potentially life-threatening disorder without any effective treatment strategies. d-Galactosamine (GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALF is a widely used animal model to identify novel hepato-protective agents. In the present study, we investigated the potential of a cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist, JWH-133 [(6aR,10aR)-3-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-6a,7,10,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran], in the amelioration of GalN/LPS-induced ALF. JWH-133 treatment protected the mice from ALF-associated mortality, mitigated alanine transaminase and proinflammatory cytokines, suppressed histopathological and apoptotic liver damage, and reduced liver infiltration of mononuclear cells (MNCs). Furthermore, JWH-133 pretreatment of M1/M2-polarized macrophages significantly increased the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in M1 macrophages and potentiated the expression of M2 markers in M2-polarized macrophages. In vivo, JWH-133 treatment also suppressed ALF-triggered expression of M1 markers in liver MNCs, while increasing the expression of M2 markers such as Arg1 and IL-10. microRNA (miR) microarray analysis revealed that JWH-133 treatment altered the expression of only a few miRs in the liver MNCs. Gene ontology analysis of the targets of miRs suggested that Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling was among the most significantly targeted cellular pathways. Among the altered miRs, miR-145 was found to be the most significantly decreased. This finding correlated with concurrent upregulated expression of its predicted target gene, interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 3, a negative regulator of TLR4 signaling. Together, these data are the first to demonstrate that CB2 activation attenuates GalN/LPS-induced ALF by inducing an M1 to M2 shift in macrophages and by regulating the expression of unique miRs that target key molecules involved in the TLR4 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Tomar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina (S.T., E.E.Z., M.N., P.S.N.); and Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina (M.N.)
| | - Elizabeth E Zumbrun
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina (S.T., E.E.Z., M.N., P.S.N.); and Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina (M.N.)
| | - Mitzi Nagarkatti
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina (S.T., E.E.Z., M.N., P.S.N.); and Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina (M.N.)
| | - Prakash S Nagarkatti
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina (S.T., E.E.Z., M.N., P.S.N.); and Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina (M.N.)
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Cooper ME, Regnell SE. The hepatic cannabinoid 1 receptor as a modulator of hepatic energy state and food intake. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2015; 77:21-30. [PMID: 23452341 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.12102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) has a well-established role in appetite regulation. Central CB1R antagonists, notably rimonabant, induced weight loss and improved the metabolic profile in obese individuals, but were discontinued due to psychiatric side-effects. The CB1R is also expressed peripherally, where its effects include promotion of liver fat accumulation, which consumes ATP. Type 2 diabetes in obese subjects is linked to excess liver fat, whilst there is a negative correlation between hepatic ATP content and insulin resistance. A decreased hepatic ATP/AMP ratio increases food intake by signals via the vagus nerve to the brain. The hepatic cannabinoid system is highly upregulated in obesity, and the effects of hepatic CB1R activation include increased activity of lipogenic and gluconeogenic transcription factors. Thus, blockade of hepatic CB1Rs could contribute significantly to the weight-reducing and insulin-sensitizing effects of CB1R antagonists. Additionally, upregulation of the hepatic CB1R may contribute to chronic liver inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis from causes including obesity, alcoholism and viral hepatitis. Peripheral CB1R antagonists induce weight loss and metabolic improvements in obese rodents; however, as there is evidence that hepatic CB1Rs are predominately intracellular, due to high intrinsic clearance, many drugs may not effectively block these receptors and therefore have limited efficacy. Hepatoselective CB1R antagonists may be effective at reducing hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and bodyweight in obese, diabetic patients, with far fewer side-effects than first-generation CB1R antagonists. Additionally, such compounds may be effective in treating inflammatory liver disease, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, reducing the likelihood of disease progression to cirrhosis or cancer.
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110
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Barutta F, Grimaldi S, Franco I, Bellini S, Gambino R, Pinach S, Corbelli A, Bruno G, Rastaldi MP, Aveta T, Hirsch E, Di Marzo V, Gruden G. Deficiency of cannabinoid receptor of type 2 worsens renal functional and structural abnormalities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Kidney Int 2014; 86:979-90. [DOI: 10.1038/ki.2014.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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111
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Flores-Contreras L, Sandoval-Rodríguez AS, Mena-Enriquez MG, Lucano-Landeros S, Arellano-Olivera I, Álvarez-Álvarez A, Sanchez-Parada MG, Armendáriz-Borunda J. Treatment with pirfenidone for two years decreases fibrosis, cytokine levels and enhances CB2 gene expression in patients with chronic hepatitis C. BMC Gastroenterol 2014; 14:131. [PMID: 25064094 PMCID: PMC4236537 DOI: 10.1186/1471-230x-14-131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess whether two-years treatment with Pirfenidone influences necroinflammation, fibrosis and steatosis, serum levels of TGF-β1, IL-6, TNF-α and CB1 and CB2 gene expression, in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS Twenty-eight patients out of 34 with CHC virus infection were enrolled in the study and received Pirfenidone (1200 mg/day) for 24 months. Six patients dropped out after 12 months of PFD. Liver biopsies and serum samples were obtained at the beginning and end of treatment. Modified HAI was calculated. CB1 and CB2 gene expression was correlated with fibrosis progression alongside with necroinflammation and steatosis. TGF-β1, IL-6, TNF-α and liver transaminases were measured in serum at two-months intervals. HCV genotype and viral load were also assessed. Quality of life was evaluated by SF36 questionnaires and the prognosis of disease was assessed with Child-Pugh score. The Wilcoxon test matched-pair signed ranks were used to analyze the outcomes. RESULTS Intention to treat analyses were performed for biochemistry and clinical parameters. At the end of treatment, necroinflammation grading was reduced in an average of 3.2 points in 82% of patients (p < 0.05) and Ishak's fibrosis stage decreased 2-points average in 67% of patients (p < 0.05). Steatosis decreased in 61% of patients. IL-6 and TGF-β1 serum levels decreased significantly in 93% and 67% of patients (p < 0.05), respectively, while TNF-α diminished in 47% of patients. ALT and AST tended to normalize in 81% of patients; CB2 mRNA levels increased in 86% and CB1 expression diminished in 29% of patients. Both, quality of life and Child-Pugh score improvements were reported in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Pirfenidone for two years benefits CHC patients and improves inflammation, fibrosis and steatosis in higher number of patients as previously shown for 12-months treatment with PFD. Additionally, PFD improved TGFβ1 and IL-6 levels and diminished liver expression of anti-fibrogenic receptor CB2. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02161952. Protocol Registration Date: 06/11/2014.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Flores-Contreras
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - Ana S Sandoval-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - Mayra G Mena-Enriquez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - Silvia Lucano-Landeros
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - Inmaculada Arellano-Olivera
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades Centro Medico Nacional de Occidente, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Arnulfo Álvarez-Álvarez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - M Guadalupe Sanchez-Parada
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
| | - Juan Armendáriz-Borunda
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Instituto de Biología Molecular en Medicina y Terapia Génica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44281, Mexico
- INNOVARE, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
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112
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Fujii H, Kawada N. Fibrogenesis in alcoholic liver disease. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:8048-8054. [PMID: 25009376 PMCID: PMC4081675 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i25.8048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In developed countries, ALD is a major cause of end-stage liver disease that requires transplantation. The spectrum of ALD includes simple steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Alcohol abstinence is the most effective therapy for ALD. However, targeted therapies are urgently needed for patients with severe ALD (i.e., alcoholic hepatitis) or those who do not abstain from alcohol. The lack of studies and the availability of animal models that do not reflect all the features of this disease in humans inhibit the development of new drugs for ALD. In ALD-associated fibrosis, hepatic stellate cells are the principal cell type responsible for extracellular matrix production. Although the mechanisms underlying fibrosis in ALD are largely similar to those observed in other chronic liver diseases, oxidative stress, methionine metabolism abnormalities, hepatocyte apoptosis, and endotoxin lipopolysaccharides that activate Kupffer cells may play unique roles in disease-related fibrogenesis. Lipogenesis during the early stages of ALD has recently been implicated as a risk factor for the progression of cirrhosis. Other topics include osteopontin, interleukin-1 signaling, and genetic polymorphism. In this review, we discuss the basic pathogenesis of ALD and focus on liver fibrogenesis.
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113
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Coppola N, Zampino R, Sagnelli C, Bellini G, Marrone A, Stanzione M, Capoluongo N, Boemio A, Minichini C, Adinolfi LE, Maione S, Giudice EMD, Sagnelli E, Rossi F. Cannabinoid receptor 2-63 QQ variant is associated with persistently normal aminotransferase serum levels in chronic hepatitis C. PLoS One 2014; 9:e99450. [PMID: 24940753 PMCID: PMC4062424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM To evaluate in anti-HCV-positive patients the clinical impact of the rs35761398 variant of the CNR2 gene leading to the substitution of Gln (Q) of codon 63 of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) with Arg (R). PATIENTS AND METHODS 253 consecutive anti-HCV-/HCV-RNA-positive patients were enrolled, of whom 53 were HCV carriers with persistently normal ALT (PNALT group) and 200 had a history of steadily abnormal serum ALT values (abnormal ALT group). All patients were naive for antiviral therapy and were screened for the CNR2 rs35761398 polymorphism by a TaqMan assay. RESULTS Subjects in the PNALT group, compared with those in the abnormal ALT group were older (58.5±12 vs. 50.7±12.4 years, p = 0.001), more frequently female (66% vs. 42%, p = 0.003), with lower body mass index (BMI) (24.5±3.1 vs. 26.6±4.6, p = 0.003), and more frequently with HCV genotype 2 (43.1% vs 17.7%, p = 0.0002) and CB2-63 QQ variant (34% vs. 11%, p = 0.0001). Considering all 253 patients, no difference in the demographic, biochemical, or virological data was observed between patients in the different CB2-63 variants. The logistic regression analysis identified CB2-63 QQ, HCV genotype 2, older age and lower BMI as independent predictors of PNALT (p<0.00001). DISCUSSION The CB2-63 QQ variant in HCV patients was independently associated with the PNALT status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Coppola
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Rosa Zampino
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Caterina Sagnelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giulia Bellini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Aldo Marrone
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Stanzione
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicolina Capoluongo
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Adriana Boemio
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Minichini
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Elio Adinolfi
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Sabatino Maione
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Evangelista Sagnelli
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Rossi
- Department of Pediatrics, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
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Wang M, Abais JM, Meng N, Zhang Y, Ritter JK, Li PL, Tang WX. Upregulation of cannabinoid receptor-1 and fibrotic activation of mouse hepatic stellate cells during Schistosoma J. infection: role of NADPH oxidase. Free Radic Biol Med 2014; 71:109-120. [PMID: 24657416 PMCID: PMC6739633 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2014.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 03/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (CS) has been implicated in the development of hepatic fibrosis such as schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis (SSLF). However, the mechanisms mediating the action of the CS in hepatic fibrosis are unclear. The present study hypothesized that Schistosoma J. infection upregulates cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) due to activation of NADPH oxidase leading to a fibrotic phenotype in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The SSLF model was developed by infecting mice with Schistosoma J. cercariae in the skin, and HSCs from control and infected mice were then isolated, cultured, and confirmed by analysis of HSC markers α-SMA and desmin. CB1 significantly increased in HSCs isolated from mice with SSLF, which was accompanied by a greater expression of fibrotic markers α-SMA, collagen I, and TIMP-1. CB1 upregulation and enhanced fibrotic changes were also observed in normal HSCs treated with soluble egg antigen (SEA) from Schistosoma J. Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis further demonstrated that superoxide (O2(-)) production was increased in infected HSCs or normal HSCs stimulated with SEA. Both Nox4 and Nox1 siRNA prevented SEA-induced upregulation of CB1, α-SMA, collagen I, and TIMP-1 by inhibition of O2(-) production, while CB1 siRNA blocked SEA-induced fibrotic changes without effect on O2(-) production in these HSCs. Taken together, these data suggest that the fibrotic activation of HSCs on Schistosoma J. infection or SEA stimulation is associated with NADPH oxidase-mediated redox regulation of CB1 expression, which may be a triggering mechanism for SSLF.
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MESH Headings
- Actins/genetics
- Actins/metabolism
- Animals
- Antigens, Helminth/isolation & purification
- Antigens, Helminth/pharmacology
- Collagen Type I/genetics
- Collagen Type I/metabolism
- Desmin/genetics
- Desmin/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Hepatic Stellate Cells/drug effects
- Hepatic Stellate Cells/metabolism
- Hepatic Stellate Cells/parasitology
- Host-Parasite Interactions
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/parasitology
- Liver/pathology
- Liver Cirrhosis/complications
- Liver Cirrhosis/genetics
- Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology
- Liver Cirrhosis/pathology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases/genetics
- NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases/metabolism
- NADPH Oxidase 1
- NADPH Oxidase 4
- NADPH Oxidases/genetics
- NADPH Oxidases/metabolism
- Oxidative Stress
- RNA, Small Interfering/genetics
- RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism
- Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Schistosoma japonicum/physiology
- Schistosomiasis japonica/complications
- Schistosomiasis japonica/genetics
- Schistosomiasis japonica/parasitology
- Schistosomiasis japonica/pathology
- Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/genetics
- Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Wang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie-Fang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Justine M Abais
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Nan Meng
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie-Fang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Joseph K Ritter
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Pin-Lan Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Wang-Xian Tang
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jie-Fang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China.
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115
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Endocannabinoid system activation contributes to glucose metabolism disorders of hepatocytes and promotes hepatitis C virus replication. Int J Infect Dis 2014; 23:75-81. [PMID: 24704332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2013.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insulin resistance is highly prevalent in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to some extent accounts for fibrosis and reducing viral eradication. Activated cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) signaling has been implicated in the development of phenotypes associated with insulin resistance and steatosis. We investigated the role of the endocannabinoid system in glucose metabolism disorders induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. METHODS Human hepatic stellate cells (HSC; LX-2 cells) were co-cultured with Huh-7.5 cells or Huh-7.5 cells harboring HCV replicon (replicon cells). Endocannabinoid levels were then measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The expression of CB1R and its downstream glucose metabolism genes in hepatocytes were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot. Glucose uptake by hepatocytes and glucose production were measured. Glucose metabolism tests and measurements of HCV RNA levels and nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) levels were taken after treatment with CB1R agonist arachidonyl-2-chloroethanolamide (ACEA) or antagonist AM251. RESULTS Compared to the co-culture with Huh-7.5 cells, the level of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and the CB1R mRNA and protein levels increased in the co-culture of LX-2 cells with replicon cells. The activation of CB1R decreased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, inhibited cell surface expression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), and suppressed cellular glucose uptake; furthermore, it increased cyclic AMP response element-binding protein H (CREBH), then up-regulated phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) genes and down-regulated the glucokinase (GK) gene, thus promoting glucose production. Interferon treatment restored the aforementioned changes. CB1R antagonist improved glucose metabolism disorders by an increase in glucose uptake and a decrease in glucose production, and inhibited HCV replication. CONCLUSIONS HCV replication may not only increase the 2-AG content, but may also up-regulate the expression of CB1R of hepatocytes, then change the expression profile of glucose metabolism-related genes, thereby causing glucose metabolism disorders of hepatocytes and promoting HCV replication. Treatment with CB1R antagonist improved glucose metabolism disorders and inhibited viral genome replication.
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116
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Abstract
Kupffer cells are a critical component of the mononuclear phagocytic system and are central to both the hepatic and systemic response to pathogens. Kupffer cells are reemerging as critical mediators of both liver injury and repair. Kupffer cells exhibit a tremendous plasticity; depending on the local metabolic and immune environment, then can express a range of polarized phenotypes, from the proinflammatory M1 phenotype to the alternative/M2 phenotype. Multiple M2 phenotypes can be distinguished, each involved in the resolution of inflammation and wound healing. Here, we have provided an update on recent research that has contributed to the developing delineation of the contribution of Kupffer cells to different types of liver injury, with an emphasis on alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases. These recent advances in our understanding of Kupffer cell function and regulation will likely provide new insights into the potential for therapeutic manipulation of Kupffer cells to promote the resolution of inflammation and enhance wound healing in liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Dixon
- Liver Disease Research Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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117
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Scerif M, Füzesi T, Thomas JD, Kola B, Grossman AB, Fekete C, Korbonits M. CB1 receptor mediates the effects of glucocorticoids on AMPK activity in the hypothalamus. J Endocrinol 2013; 219:79-88. [PMID: 23884964 DOI: 10.1530/joe-13-0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a regulator of cellular and systemic energy homeostasis, can be influenced by several hormones. Tissue-specific alteration of AMPK activity by glucocorticoids may explain the increase in appetite, the accumulation of lipids in adipose tissues, and the detrimental cardiac effects of Cushing's syndrome. Endocannabinoids are known to mediate the effects of various hormones and to influence AMPK activity. Cannabinoids have central orexigenic and direct peripheral metabolic effects via the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). In our preliminary experiments, WT mice received implants of a corticosterone-containing pellet to establish a mouse model of Cushing's syndrome. Subsequently, WT and Cb1 (Cnr1)-knockout (CB1-KO) littermates were treated with corticosterone and AMPK activity in the hypothalamus, various adipose tissues, liver and cardiac tissue was measured. Corticosterone-treated CB1-KO mice showed a lack of weight gain and of increase in hypothalamic and hepatic AMPK activity. In adipose tissues, baseline AMPK activity was higher in CB1-KO mice, but a glucocorticoid-induced drop was observed, similar to that observed in WT mice. Cardiac AMPK levels were reduced in CB1-KO mice, but while WT mice showed significantly reduced AMPK activity following glucocorticoid treatment, CB1-KO mice showed a paradoxical increase. Our findings indicate the importance of the CB1 receptor in the central orexigenic effect of glucocorticoid-induced activation of hypothalamic AMPK activity. In the periphery adipose tissues, changes may occur independently of the CB1 receptor, but the receptor appears to alter the responsiveness of the liver and myocardial tissues to glucocorticoids. In conclusion, our data suggest that an intact cannabinoid pathway is required for the full metabolic effects of chronic glucocorticoid excess.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miski Scerif
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1083, Hungary Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tupper Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Zhang Z, Guo Y, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Ni W, Kong D, Chen W, Zheng S. Curcumin modulates cannabinoid receptors in liver fibrosis in vivo and inhibits extracellular matrix expression in hepatic stellate cells by suppressing cannabinoid receptor type-1 in vitro. Eur J Pharmacol 2013; 721:133-40. [PMID: 24076327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2013.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 09/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a pivotal event leading to extracellular matrix (ECM) overproduction during hepatic fibrogenesis. Compelling evidence indicates that cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) play an important role in chronic liver disease. Antagonism of hepatic CBR type 1 (CBR1) could be a novel therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that curcumin has potent antifibrotic activity, but the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The current work was to examine the curcumin effect on CBRs system and its relevance to inhibition of ECM expression in HSCs. Our in vivo data demonstrated that curcumin ameliorated fibrotic injury, and downregulated CBR1 but upregulated CBR2 at both mRNA and protein levels in rat fibrotic liver caused by carbon tetrachloride. The subsequent in vitro investigations showed that curcumin reduced the mRNA and protein abundance of CBR1 in cultured HSCs and decreased the expression of three critical ECM proteins. Further analyses revealed that CBR1 agonist abrogated the curcumin inhibition of ECM expression, but CBR1 antagonist mimicked and reinforced the curcumin effects. Autodock simulations predicted that curcumin could bind to CBR1 with two hydrogen bonds. Collectively, our current studies revealed that curcumin reduction of liver fibrosis was associated with modulation of CBRs system and that antagonism of CBR1 contributed to curcumin inhibition of ECM expression in HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zili Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; National First-Class Key Discipline for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
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119
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Orman ES, Odena G, Bataller R. Alcoholic liver disease: pathogenesis, management, and novel targets for therapy. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013; 28 Suppl 1:77-84. [PMID: 23855300 PMCID: PMC4405238 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.12030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide, with much of its negative impact as the result of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is a broad term that encompasses a spectrum of phenotypes ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, progressive fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanisms underlying the development of these different disease stages are incompletely understood. Standard treatment of ALD, which includes abstinence, nutritional support, and corticosteroids, has not changed in the last 40 years despite continued poor outcomes. Novel therapies are therefore urgently needed. The development of such therapies has been hindered by inadequate resources for research and unsuitable animal models. However, recent developments in translational research have allowed for identification of new potential targets for therapy. These targets include: (i) CXC chemokines, (ii) IL-22/STAT3, (iii) TNF receptor superfamily, (iv) osteopontin, (v) gut microbiota and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), (vi) endocannabinoids, and (vii) inflammasomes. We review the natural history, risk factors, pathogenesis, and current treatments for ALD. We further discuss the findings of recent translational studies and potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Orman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
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120
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramon Bataller
- Departments of Medicine and Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bin Gao
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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121
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Kim DK, Kim YH, Jang HH, Park J, Kim JR, Koh M, Jeong WI, Koo SH, Park TS, Yun CH, Park SB, Chiang JYL, Lee CH, Choi HS. Estrogen-related receptor γ controls hepatic CB1 receptor-mediated CYP2E1 expression and oxidative liver injury by alcohol. Gut 2013; 62:1044-54. [PMID: 23023167 PMCID: PMC3812689 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-303347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hepatic endocannabinoid system and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), a key enzyme causing alcohol-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, are major contributors to the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. The nuclear hormone receptor oestrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ) is a constitutively active transcriptional activator regulating gene expression. OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of ERRγ in the alcohol-mediated regulation of CYP2E1 and to examine the possibility to control alcohol-mediated oxidative stress and liver injury through an ERRγ inverse agonist. DESIGN For chronic alcoholic hepatosteatosis study, C57BL/6J wild-type and CB1(-/-) mice were administered alcohol for 4 weeks. GSK5182 and chlormethiazole (CMZ) were given by oral gavage for the last 2 weeks of alcohol feeding. Gene expression profiles and biochemical assays were performed using the liver or blood of mice. RESULTS Hepatic ERRγ gene expression induced by alcohol-mediated activation of CB1 receptor results in induction of CYP2E1, while liver-specific ablation of ERRγ gene expression blocks alcohol-induced expression of CYP2E1 in mouse liver. An ERRγ inverse agonist significantly ameliorates chronic alcohol-induced liver injury in mice through inhibition of CYP2E1-mediated generation of ROS, while inhibition of CYP2E1 by CMZ abrogates the beneficial effects of the inverse agonist. Finally, chronic alcohol-mediated ERRγ and CYP2E1 gene expression, ROS generation and liver injury in normal mice were nearly abolished in CB1(-/-) mice. CONCLUSIONS ERRγ, as a previously unrecognised transcriptional regulator of hepatic CB1 receptor, controls alcohol-induced oxidative stress and liver injury through CYP2E1 induction, and its inverse agonist could ameliorate oxidative liver injury due to chronic alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don-Kyu Kim
- National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Nuclear Receptor Signals, Hormone Research Center, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
,School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Hoon Kim
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Jang
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Park
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ran Kim
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Sungnam, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Minseob Koh
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Il Jeong
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hoi Koo
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Sik Park
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Sungnam, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Ho Yun
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Bum Park
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
,Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - John Y L Chiang
- Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Chul-Ho Lee
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hueng-Sik Choi
- National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Nuclear Receptor Signals, Hormone Research Center, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
,School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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122
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Pacher P, Kunos G. Modulating the endocannabinoid system in human health and disease--successes and failures. FEBS J 2013; 280:1918-43. [PMID: 23551849 PMCID: PMC3684164 DOI: 10.1111/febs.12260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of the endocannabinoid system, comprising the G-protein coupled cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors (CB1/2), their endogenous lipid ligands or endocannabinoids, and synthetic and metabolizing enzymes, has triggered an avalanche of experimental studies implicating the endocannabinoid system in a growing number of physiological/pathological functions. These studies have also suggested that modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system holds therapeutic promise for a broad range of diseases, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders; obesity/metabolic syndrome; cachexia; chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting; and tissue injury and pain, amongst others. However, clinical trials with globally acting CB1 antagonists in obesity/metabolic syndrome, and other studies with peripherally-restricted CB1/2 agonists and inhibitors of the endocannabinoid metabolizing enzyme in pain, have introduced unexpected complexities, suggesting that a better understanding of the pathophysiological role of the endocannabinoid system is required to devise clinically successful treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pál Pacher
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-9413, USA.
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123
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Cao Z, Mulvihill MM, Mukhopadhyay P, Xu H, Erdélyi K, Hao E, Holovac E, Haskó G, Cravatt BF, Nomura DK, Pacher P. Monoacylglycerol lipase controls endocannabinoid and eicosanoid signaling and hepatic injury in mice. Gastroenterology 2013; 144:808-817.e15. [PMID: 23295443 PMCID: PMC3608818 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2012.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2012] [Revised: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The endocannabinoid and eicosanoid lipid signaling pathways have important roles in inflammatory syndromes. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) links these pathways, hydrolyzing the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol to generate the arachidonic acid precursor pool for prostaglandin production. We investigated whether blocking MAGL protects against inflammation and damage from hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and other insults. METHODS We analyzed the effects of hepatic I/R in mice given the selective MAGL inhibitor JZL184, in Mgll(-/-) mice, fatty acid amide hydrolase(-/-) mice, and in cannabinoid receptor type 1(-/-) (CB1-/-) and cannabinoid receptor type 2(-/-) (CB2-/-). Liver tissues were collected and analyzed, along with cultured hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. We measured endocannabinoids, eicosanoids, and markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death using molecular biology, biochemistry, and mass spectrometry analyses. RESULTS Wild-type mice given JZL184 and Mgll(-/-) mice were protected from hepatic I/R injury by a mechanism that involved increased endocannabinoid signaling via CB2 and reduced production of eicosanoids in the liver. JZL184 suppressed the inflammation and oxidative stress that mediate hepatic I/R injury. Hepatocytes were the major source of hepatic MAGL activity and endocannabinoid and eicosanoid production. JZL184 also protected from induction of liver injury by D-(+)-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharides or CCl4. CONCLUSIONS MAGL modulates hepatic injury via endocannabinoid and eicosanoid signaling; blockade of this pathway protects mice from liver injury. MAGL inhibitors might be developed to treat conditions that expose the liver to oxidative stress and inflammatory damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongxian Cao
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Melinda M. Mulvihill
- Program in Metabolic Biology, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Partha Mukhopadhyay
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Huan Xu
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katalin Erdélyi
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Enkui Hao
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Cardiology, Jinan Central Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Eileen Holovac
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - György Haskó
- Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin F. Cravatt
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel K. Nomura
- Program in Metabolic Biology, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Pál Pacher
- Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, Laboratory of Physiological Studies, National Institutes of Health/NIAAA, Bethesda, MD, USA
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124
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Byun JS, Suh YG, Yi HS, Lee YS, Jeong WI. Activation of toll-like receptor 3 attenuates alcoholic liver injury by stimulating Kupffer cells and stellate cells to produce interleukin-10 in mice. J Hepatol 2013; 58:342-9. [PMID: 23023014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The important function of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in Kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) has been well documented in alcoholic liver injury. However, little is known about the role of TLR3. Thus, we tested whether TLR3 activation in HSCs and Kupffer cells could attenuate alcoholic liver injury in vivo, and investigated its possible mechanism in vitro. METHODS Alcoholic liver injury was achieved by feeding wild type (WT), TLR3 knockout (TLR3(-/-)) and interleukin (IL)-10(-/-) mice with high-fat diet plus binge ethanol drinking for 2 weeks. To activate TLR3, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) was injected into mice. For in vitro studies, HSCs and Kupffer cells were isolated and treated with poly I:C. RESULTS In WT mice, poly I:C treatment reduced alcoholic liver injury and fat accumulation by suppressing nuclear factor-κB activation and sterol response element-binding protein 1c expression in the liver. In addition, freshly isolated HSCs and Kupffer cells from poly I:C-treated mice showed enhanced expression of IL-10 compared to controls. Infiltrated macrophage numbers and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and IL-6 on these cells were decreased after poly I:C treatment. In vitro, poly I:C treatment enhanced the expression of IL-10 via a TLR3-dependent mechanism in HSCs and Kupffer cells. Finally, the protective effects of poly I:C on alcoholic liver injury were diminished in TLR3(-/-) and IL-10(-/-) mice. CONCLUSIONS TLR3 activation ameliorates alcoholic liver injury via the stimulation of IL-10 production in HSCs and Kupffer cells. TLR3 could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of alcoholic liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Seok Byun
- Laboratory of Liver Research, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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125
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Shmarakov IO, Jiang H, Yang KJZ, Goldberg IJ, Blaner WS. Hepatic retinoid stores are required for normal liver regeneration. J Lipid Res 2013; 54:893-908. [PMID: 23349206 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m029801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Preliminary studies of liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy (PHE) identified a substantial depletion of hepatic retinoid stores, by greater than 70%, in regenerating livers of wild-type C57Bl/6J mice. To understand this, we compared responses of wild-type and lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (Lrat)-deficient mice, which totally lack hepatic retinoid stores, to PHE. The Lrat-deficient livers showed delayed regeneration in the first 24 h after PHE. At 12 h after PHE, we observed significantly less mRNA expression for growth factors and cytokines implicated in regulating the priming phase of liver regeneration, specifically for Hgf and Tgfα, but not Tgfβ. Compared with wild-type mice, the changes in mRNA levels for p21 and cyclins E1, B1, and A2 mRNAs and for hepatocellular BrdU incorporation and mitoses were delayed (i.e., shifted to later times) in regenerating Lrat(-/-) livers. Concentrations of all-trans-retinoic acid were significantly lower in the livers of Lrat(-/-) mice following PHE, and this was accompanied by diminished expression of known retinoid-responsive genes. At later times after PHE, the rate of liver weight restoration for Lrat(-/-) mice was parallel to that of wild-type mice, although additional biochemical differences were observed. Thus, hepatic retinoid stores are required for maintaining expression of signaling molecules that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation immediately after hepatic injury, accounting for the delayed restoration of liver mass in Lrat(-/-) mice.
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126
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Zogopoulos P, Vasileiou I, Patsouris E, Theocharis S. The neuroprotective role of endocannabinoids against chemical-induced injury and other adverse effects. J Appl Toxicol 2013; 33:246-64. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Zogopoulos
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Ioanna Vasileiou
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Efstratios Patsouris
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
| | - Stamatios Theocharis
- 1st Department of Pathology, Medical School; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Athens; Greece
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127
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Suppression of CB1 cannabinoid receptor by lentivirus mediated small interfering RNA ameliorates hepatic fibrosis in rats. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50850. [PMID: 23251393 PMCID: PMC3520929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Accepted: 10/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
It is recognized that endogenous cannabinoids, which signal through CB1 receptors in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), exert a profibrotic effect on chronic liver diseases. In this study, we suppressed CB1 expression by lentivirus mediated small interfering RNA (CB1-RNAi-LV) and investigated its effect on hepatic fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated that CB1-RNAi-LV significantly inhibited CB1 expression, and suppressed proliferation and extracellular matrix production in HSCs. Furthermore, CB1-RNAi-LV ameliorated dimethylnitrosamine induced hepatic fibrosis markedly, which was associated with the decreased expression of mesenchymal cell markers smooth muscle α-actin, vimentin and snail, and the increased expression of epithelial cell marker E-cadherin. The mechanism lies on the blockage of Smad signaling transduction induced by transforming growth factor β1 and its receptor TGF-β RII. Our study firstly provides the evidence that CB1-RNAi-LV might ameliorate hepatic fibrosis through the reversal of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), while the CB1 antagonists AM251 had no effect on epithelial-mesenchymal transitions of HSCs. This suggests that CB1 is implicated in hepatic fibrosis and selective suppression of CB1 by small interfering RNA may present a powerful tool for hepatic fibrosis treatment.
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128
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Cannabinoid receptor type 2 functional variant influences liver damage in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42259. [PMID: 22927922 PMCID: PMC3426511 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises a spectrum of disease ranging from simple steatosis to inflammatory steatohepatitis (NASH) with different degrees of fibrosis that can ultimately progress to cirrhosis. Accumulating evidence suggests the involvement of the endocannabinoid-system in liver disease and related complications. In particular, hepatoprotective properties for Cannabinoid Receptor type 2 (CB2) have been shown both through experimental murine models of liver injury and association study between a CB2 functional variant, Q63R, and liver enzymes in Italian obese children with steatosis. Here, in order to clarify the role of CB2 in severity of childhood NAFLD, we have investigated the association of the CB2 Q63R variant, with histological parameters of liver disease severity in 118 Italian children with histologically-proven NAFLD. CB2 Q63R genotype was assigned performing a TaqMan assay and a general linear model analysis was used to evaluate the association between the polymorphism and the histological parameters of liver damage. We have found that whereas CB2 Q63R variant is not associated with steatosis or fibrosis, it is associated with the severity of the inflammation (p = 0.002) and the presence of NASH (p = 0.02). Our findings suggest a critical role for CB2 Q63R variant in modulating hepatic inflammation state in obese children and in the consequent increased predisposition of these patients to liver damage.
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129
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Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming an epidemic. Fat is typically stored in adipose tissue in the form of triglycerides (TGs). The deposition of TGs in the liver is the result of an imbalance between the amount of energy taken in and the amount used. This balance is maintained by a complex interplay between the dietary intake of nutrients, the hormonal response to the nutrients, and their effect on both the liver and adipose tissue. Disruption of this system is what leads to the development of steatosis and is the focus of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Matherly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, 23298, USA
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130
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Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is defined histopathologically by the presence of macrovesicular steatosis, cellular ballooning, and inflammation. NASH represents a complex multifactorial disease that typically occurs within the context of the metabolic syndrome. NASH lacks homogeneity, and other forms of NASH can present atypically. Less than 50% of patients with NASH respond to pharmacologic treatment, which speaks to this heterogeneity. The authors discuss drugs, disease entities, and nutritional states that can cause or exacerbate underlying NASH indirectly through worsening insulin resistance or directly by interfering with lipid metabolism, promoting oxidative injury, or activating inflammatory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Larrain
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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131
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Xie H, Sun X, Piao Y, Jegga AG, Handwerger S, Ko MSH, Dey SK. Silencing or amplification of endocannabinoid signaling in blastocysts via CB1 compromises trophoblast cell migration. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:32288-97. [PMID: 22833670 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.381145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoid signaling plays key roles in multiple female reproductive events. Previous studies have shown an interesting phenomenon, that mice with either silenced or elevated endocannabinoid signaling via Cnr1 encoding CB(1) show similar defects in several pregnancy events, including preimplantation embryo development. To unravel the downstream signaling of this phenomenon, microarray studies were performed using RNAs collected from WT, Cnr1(-/-), and Faah(-/-) mouse blastocysts on day 4 of pregnancy. The results indicate that about 100 genes show unidirectional changes under either silenced or elevated anandamide signaling via CB(1). Functional enrichment analysis of the microarray data predicted that multiple biological functions and pathways are affected under aberrant endocannabinoid signaling. Among them, genes enriched in cell migration are suppressed in Cnr1(-/-) or Faah(-/-) blastocysts. Cell migration assays validated the prediction of functional enrichment analysis that cell mobility and spreading of either Cnr1(-/-) or Faah(-/-) trophoblast stem cells are compromised. Either silenced or elevated endocannabinoid signaling via CB(1) causes similar changes in downstream targets in preimplantation embryos and trophoblast stem cells. This study provides evidence that a tightly regulated endocannabinoid signaling is critical to normal preimplantation embryo development and migration of trophoblast stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Xie
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
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Piscitelli F, Ligresti A, La Regina G, Coluccia A, Morera L, Allarà M, Novellino E, Di Marzo V, Silvestri R. Indole-2-carboxamides as allosteric modulators of the cannabinoid CB₁ receptor. J Med Chem 2012; 55:5627-31. [PMID: 22571451 DOI: 10.1021/jm201485c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We synthesized new N-phenylethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamides as the first SAR study of allosteric modulators of the CB(1) receptor. The presence of the carboxamide functionality was required in order to obtain a stimulatory effect. The maximum stimulatory activity on CB(1) was exerted by carboxamides 13 (EC(50) = 50 nM) and 21 (EC(50) = 90 nM) bearing a dimethylamino or piperidinyl group, respectively, at position 4 of the phenethyl moiety and a chlorine atom at position 5 of the indole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Piscitelli
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
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133
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Hu CM, Cao Q, Lv XW, Cheng WM, Li R, Li J. Protective Effects of Total Flavonoids from Litsea coreana on Alcoholic Fatty Liver in Rats Associated with Down-Regulation Adipose Differentiation-Related Protein Expression. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2012; 40:599-610. [DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x12500450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) is a reversible condition, but it can potentiate the development of alcoholic hepatitis and even cirrhosis by increasing oxidant generation, which is one of the key pathogenic factors and could result in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Total flavonoids from Litsea coreana (TFLC), an active component extracted from Litsea coreana leve, have been shown to have therapeutic effects on hyperlipidemia. The present study was to evaluate the protective effects of TFLC on alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) in rats, and investigate the potential mechanism. An AFL model in rats was established by intaking different doses of alcohol (concentration from 5% to 40%) over 12 weeks. Serum levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TNF-α, insulin, and glucose were measured, histopathologic changes were determined, and expression of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) in the liver were evaluated by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The results showed that treatment with TFLC resulted in decreased serum levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, TNF-α, glucose and insulin, as well as improved liver index. Morphological evaluation revealed rats in model group developed a severe steatosis, but the severities of liver steatosis were effectively ameliorated in TFLC (200 and 400 mg/kg) treated groups. Expression of hepatic ADRP were increased in model group, and suppressed in TFLC treated groups. These results suggest that TFLC had a protective effect on AFL rats; the mechanism may be involved in regulation serum lipid profiles via down-regulation of hepatic expression of ADRP in AFL rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Mu Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Qi Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Xiong-Wen Lv
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Wen-Ming Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Rong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory for Bioactivity of Natural Medicine of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
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134
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Cyclic-AMP-responsive-element-binding protein H (CREB-H) is a transcription factor that is highly and selectively expressed in liver and small intestine. Here I summarize recent findings on the role of CREB-H in lipid metabolism. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies have demonstrated that hepatic CREB-H is transcriptionally activated by fasting, and induces lipid metabolism genes, such as Apoa4, Apoa5, and Apoc2 apolipoproteins which exhibit stimulatory effects on lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Consistent with the essential role of LPL in triglyceride clearance, CREB-H-deficient mice showed hypertriglyceridemia, associated with defective production of these apolipoproteins and decreased LPL activity. DNA sequencing of the CREB3L3 gene (encoding CREB-H) identified multiple nonsynonymous mutations in CREB3L3 in individuals with extreme hypertriglyceridemia. SUMMARY Recent studies uncover a novel function of CREB-H in the regulation of triglyceride metabolism in rodents and humans. In liver and small intestine, CREB-H induces LPL coactivators, Apoa4, Apoa5, and Apoc2 that facilitate triglyceride clearance from plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Hwee Lee
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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135
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Reversal of liver fibrosis by the antagonism of endocannabinoid CB1 receptor in a rat model of CCl(4)-induced advanced cirrhosis. J Transl Med 2012; 92:384-95. [PMID: 22184091 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2011.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is involved in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Although many substances have been proved to reduce fibrosis in experimental models of chronic liver injury, most of them appear to be effective only if given as a prophylactic or early treatment. This study aimed to explore the effect of pharmacological antagonism of the endocannabinoid cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor started after the stage of full-blown cirrhosis had been reached. Wistar-Han rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced cirrhosis were randomized to receive the CB1 receptor antagonist Rimonabant (10 mg/kg/day) or the vehicle for 2 weeks. Age-matched healthy rats served as controls. Liver fibrosis was assessed using Sirius red staining, hydroxyproline concentration and α-smooth muscle actin expression. Hepatic gene expression of mediators of fibrogenesis and inflammation were evaluated by real-time PCR. We also assessed the hepatic expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors and that of the enzymes implicated in the endocannabinoid metabolism. Fibrosis was significantly reduced in rats treated with Rimonabant compared with rats receiving the vehicle. CB1 receptor antagonism limited the gene upregulation of fibrogenic and inflammatory mediators occurring in untreated cirrhotic rats. CB1 and CB2 receptor expression was increased in cirrhotic animals. Interestingly, pharmacological CB1 receptor antagonism was associated with a further induction of the CB2 receptor expression. Regression of fibrosis can be achieved by pharmacological blockade of the CB1 receptor even when started in an advanced stage of the disease. This effect is associated with the suppression of pro-fibrogenic and inflammatory mediators and may have been indirectly favoured by the induction of CB2 receptor expression.
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136
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Reichenbach V, Ros J, Fernández-Varo G, Casals G, Melgar-Lesmes P, Campos T, Makriyannis A, Morales-Ruiz M, Jiménez W. Prevention of fibrosis progression in CCl4-treated rats: role of the hepatic endocannabinoid and apelin systems. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2012; 340:629-37. [PMID: 22160265 PMCID: PMC11047215 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.111.188078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids behave as antifibrogenic agents by interacting with cannabinoid CB2 receptors, whereas the apelin (AP) system acts as a proangiogenic and profibrogenic mediator in the liver. This study assessed the effect of long-term stimulation of CB2 receptors or AP receptor (APJ) blockade on fibrosis progression in rats under a non-discontinued fibrosis induction program. The study was performed in control and CCl(4)-treated rats for 13 weeks. Fibrosis-induced rats received a CB2 receptor agonist (R,S)-3-(2-iodo-5-nitrobenzoyl)-1-(1-methyl-2-piperidinylmethyl)-1H-indole (AM1241) (1 mg/kg b.wt.), an APJ antagonist [Ala(13)]-apelin-13 sequence: Gln-Arg-Pro-Arg-Leu-Ser-His-Lys-Gly-Pro-Met-Pro-Ala (F13A) (75 μg/kg b.wt.), or vehicle daily during the last 5 weeks of the CCl(4) inhalation program. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), portal pressure (PP), hepatic collagen content, angiogenesis, cell infiltrate, and mRNA expression of a panel of fibrosis-related genes were measured in all animals. Fibrosis-induced rats showed increased hepatic collagen content, reduced MAP, portal hypertension, and increased expression of the assessed messengers in comparison with control rats. However, fibrotic rats treated with either AM1241 or F13A had reduced hepatic collagen content, improved MAP and PP, ameliorated cell viability, and reduced angiogenesis and cell infiltrate compared with untreated fibrotic rats. These results were associated with attenuated induction of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, α-smooth muscle actin, matrix metalloproteinases, and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase. CB2 receptor stimulation or APJ blockade prevents fibrosis progression in CCl(4)-treated rats. The mechanisms underlying these phenomena are coincident despite the marked dissimilarities between the CB2 and APJ signaling pathways, thus opening new avenues for preventing fibrosis progression in liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedrana Reichenbach
- Service of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
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137
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and especially its inflammatory variant nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have become a major challenge to healthcare systems worldwide because of the increasing prevalence of its major risk factors obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are closely linked to overeating, physical inactivity, and the metabolic syndrome. RECENT FINDINGS Between 10 and 20% of patients with NAFL develop NASH, which can progress to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The overall mortality in these patients is significantly increased because of both cardiovascular and liver-related complications. Sustained weight loss by diet and exercise, which is the most effective therapeutic measure, is only achieved by a minority of patients, having led to a great yet unmet need for medical therapies of NASH. SUMMARY Pharmacological therapies should target the underlying pathophysiology that involves insulin resistance, enhanced peripheral lipolysis and release of free fatty acids, oxidative stress, accumulation of toxic lipids, adipose tissue inflammation, sensitization of hepatocytes toward apoptotic cell death, and fibrogenesis. However, pharmacological therapy that is well tolerated, cost-effective, and poses an acceptable risk-to-benefit ratio has still to be identified. This review summarizes the current and promising treatment options and their implications for future research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörn M Schattenberg
- Department of Medicine I bCenter for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz, Germany
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138
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Hillard CJ, Weinlander KM, Stuhr KL. Contributions of endocannabinoid signaling to psychiatric disorders in humans: genetic and biochemical evidence. Neuroscience 2011; 204:207-29. [PMID: 22123166 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2011] [Revised: 11/05/2011] [Accepted: 11/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid signaling system is a widespread, neuromodulatory system in brain and is also widely utilized in the periphery to modulate metabolic functions and the immune system. Preclinical data demonstrate that endocannabinoid signaling is an important stress buffer and modulates emotional and cognitive functions. These data suggest the hypothesis that endocannabinoid signaling could be dysfunctional in a number of mental disorders. Genetic polymorphisms in the human genes for two important proteins of the endocannabinoid signaling system, the CB1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), have been explored in the context of normal and pathological conditions. In the case of the gene for FAAH, the mechanistic relationships among the common genetic polymorphism, the expression of the FAAH protein, and its likely impact on endocannabinoid signaling are understood. However, multiple polymorphisms in the gene for the CB1R occur and are associated with human phenotypic differences without an understanding of the functional relationships among the gene, mRNA, protein, and protein function. The endocannabinoid ligands are found in the circulation, and several studies have identified changes in their concentrations under various conditions. These data are reviewed for the purpose of generating hypotheses and to encourage further studies in this very interesting and important area.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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139
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GAO BIN, BATALLER RAMON. Alcoholic liver disease: pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets. Gastroenterology 2011; 141:1572-85. [PMID: 21920463 PMCID: PMC3214974 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2011.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1380] [Impact Index Per Article: 106.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Revised: 09/08/2011] [Accepted: 09/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and can lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis. The latest surveillance report published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism showed that liver cirrhosis was the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, with a total of 29,925 deaths in 2007, 48% of which were alcohol related. The spectrum of ALD includes simple steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and superimposed hepatocellular carcinoma. Early work on the pathogenesis of the disease focused on ethanol metabolism-associated oxidative stress and glutathione depletion, abnormal methionine metabolism, malnutrition, and production of endotoxins that activate Kupffer cells. We review findings from recent studies that have characterized specific intracellular signaling pathways, transcriptional factors, aspects of innate immunity, chemokines, epigenetic features, microRNAs, and stem cells that are associated with ALD, improving our understanding of its pathogenesis. Despite this progress, no targeted therapies are available. The cornerstone of treatment for alcoholic hepatitis remains as it was 40 years ago: abstinence, nutritional support, and corticosteroids. There is an urgent need to develop new pathophysiology-oriented therapies. Recent translational studies of human samples and animal models have identified promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- BIN GAO
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - RAMON BATALLER
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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140
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2011; 23:620-5. [PMID: 21960037 DOI: 10.1097/bor.0b013e32834ccef6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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141
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142
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Clugston RD, Jiang H, Lee MX, Piantedosi R, Yuen JJ, Ramakrishnan R, Lewis MJ, Gottesman ME, Huang LS, Goldberg IJ, Berk PD, Blaner WS. Altered hepatic lipid metabolism in C57BL/6 mice fed alcohol: a targeted lipidomic and gene expression study. J Lipid Res 2011; 52:2021-31. [PMID: 21856784 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m017368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with fatty liver disease in mammals. The object of this study was to gain an understanding of dysregulated lipid metabolism in alcohol-fed C57BL/6 mice using a targeted lipidomic approach. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze several lipid classes, including free fatty acids, fatty acyl-CoAs, fatty acid ethyl esters, sphingolipids, ceramides, and endocannabinoids, in plasma and liver samples from control and alcohol-fed mice. The interpretation of lipidomic data was augmented by gene expression analyses for important metabolic enzymes in the lipid pathways studied. Alcohol feeding was associated with i) increased hepatic free fatty acid levels and decreased fatty acyl-CoA levels associated with decreased mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and decreased fatty acyl-CoA synthesis, respectively; ii) increased hepatic ceramide levels associated with higher levels of the precursor molecules sphingosine and sphinganine; and iii) increased hepatic levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide associated with decreased expression of its catabolic enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase. The unique combination of lipidomic and gene expression analyses allows for a better mechanistic understanding of dysregulated lipid metabolism in the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin D Clugston
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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143
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The Endocannabinoid System as Pharmacological Target Derived from Its CNS Role in Energy Homeostasis and Reward. Applications in Eating Disorders and Addiction. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2011; 4:1101-1136. [PMID: 32143540 PMCID: PMC4058662 DOI: 10.3390/ph4081101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2011] [Revised: 07/18/2011] [Accepted: 07/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been implicated in many physiological functions, including the regulation of appetite, food intake and energy balance, a crucial involvement in brain reward systems and a role in psychophysiological homeostasis (anxiety and stress responses). We first introduce this important regulatory system and chronicle what is known concerning the signal transduction pathways activated upon the binding of endogenous cannabinoid ligands to the Gi/0-coupled CB1 cannabinoid receptor, as well as its interactions with other hormones and neuromodulators which can modify endocannabinoid signaling in the brain. Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are severe and disabling psychiatric disorders, characterized by profound eating and weight alterations and body image disturbances. Since endocannabinoids modulate eating behavior, it is plausible that endocannabinoid genes may contribute to the biological vulnerability to these diseases. We present and discuss data suggesting an impaired endocannabinoid signaling in these eating disorders, including association of endocannabinoid components gene polymorphisms and altered CB1-receptor expression in AN and BN. Then we discuss recent findings that may provide new avenues for the identification of therapeutic strategies based on the endocannabinod system. In relation with its implications as a reward-related system, the endocannabinoid system is not only a target for cannabis but it also shows interactions with other drugs of abuse. On the other hand, there may be also a possibility to point to the ECS as a potential target for treatment of drug-abuse and addiction. Within this framework we will focus on enzymatic machinery involved in endocannabinoid inactivation (notably fatty acid amide hydrolase or FAAH) as a particularly interesting potential target. Since a deregulated endocannabinoid system may be also related to depression, anxiety and pain symptomatology accompanying drug-withdrawal states, this is an area of relevance to also explore adjuvant treatments for improving these adverse emotional reactions.
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144
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Lim MP, Devi LA, Rozenfeld R. Cannabidiol causes activated hepatic stellate cell death through a mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. Cell Death Dis 2011; 2:e170. [PMID: 21654828 PMCID: PMC3168994 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2011.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The major cellular event in the development and progression of liver fibrosis is the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Activated HSCs proliferate and produce excess collagen, leading to accumulation of scar matrix and fibrotic liver. As such, the induction of activated HSC death has been proposed as a means to achieve resolution of liver fibrosis. Here we demonstrate that cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-psychoactive component of the plant Cannabis sativa, induces apoptosis in activated HSCs through a cannabinoid receptor-independent mechanism. CBD elicits an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, characterized by changes in ER morphology and the initiation of RNA-dependent protein kinase-like ER kinase-, activating transcription factor-6-, and inositol-requiring ER-to-nucleus signal kinase-1 (IRE1)-mediated signaling cascades. Furthermore, CBD induces downstream activation of the pro-apoptotic IRE1/ASK1/c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway, leading to HSC death. Importantly, we show that this mechanism of CBD-induced ER stress-mediated apoptosis is specific to activated HSCs, as it occurs in activated human and rat HSC lines, and in primary in vivo-activated mouse HSCs, but not in quiescent HSCs or primary hepatocytes from rat. Finally, we provide evidence that the elevated basal level of ER stress in activated HSCs has a role in their susceptibility to the pro-apoptotic effect of CBD. We propose that CBD, by selectively inducing death of activated HSCs, represents a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Lim
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
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Unique pathway for anandamide synthesis and liver regeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:6339-40. [PMID: 21490298 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1103566108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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146
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Is lipid signaling through cannabinoid 2 receptors part of a protective system? Prog Lipid Res 2011; 50:193-211. [PMID: 21295074 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2011.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 311] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2010] [Revised: 01/26/2011] [Accepted: 01/26/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian body has a highly developed immune system which guards against continuous invading protein attacks and aims at preventing, attenuating or repairing the inflicted damage. It is conceivable that through evolution analogous biological protective systems have been evolved against non-protein attacks. There is emerging evidence that lipid endocannabinoid signaling through cannabinoid 2 (CB₂) receptors may represent an example/part of such a protective system/armamentarium. Inflammation/tissue injury triggers rapid elevations in local endocannabinoid levels, which in turn regulate signaling responses in immune and other cells modulating their critical functions. Changes in endocannabinoid levels and/or CB₂ receptor expressions have been reported in almost all diseases affecting humans, ranging from cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, neurodegenerative, psychiatric, bone, skin, autoimmune, lung disorders to pain and cancer, and modulating CB₂ receptor activity holds tremendous therapeutic potential in these pathologies. While CB₂ receptor activation in general mediates immunosuppressive effects, which limit inflammation and associated tissue injury in large number of pathological conditions, in some disease states activation of the CB₂ receptor may enhance or even trigger tissue damage, which will also be discussed alongside the protective actions of the CB₂ receptor stimulation with endocannabinoids or synthetic agonists, and the possible biological mechanisms involved in these effects.
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