101
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Kwan AC, Olson DE, Preller KH, Roth BL. The neural basis of psychedelic action. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1407-1419. [PMID: 36280799 PMCID: PMC9641582 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01177-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics are serotonin 2A receptor agonists that can lead to profound changes in perception, cognition and mood. In this review, we focus on the basic neurobiology underlying the action of psychedelic drugs. We first discuss chemistry, highlighting the diversity of psychoactive molecules and the principles that govern their potency and pharmacokinetics. We describe the roles of serotonin receptors and their downstream molecular signaling pathways, emphasizing key elements for drug discovery. We consider the impact of psychedelics on neuronal spiking dynamics in several cortical and subcortical regions, along with transcriptional changes and sustained effects on structural plasticity. Finally, we summarize neuroimaging results that pinpoint effects on association cortices and thalamocortical functional connectivity, which inform current theories of psychedelic action. By synthesizing knowledge across the chemical, molecular, neuronal, and network levels, we hope to provide an integrative perspective on the neural mechanisms responsible for the acute and enduring effects of psychedelics on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex C. Kwan
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Correspondence: ; ; ;
| | - David E. Olson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA,Correspondence: ; ; ;
| | - Katrin H. Preller
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Correspondence: ; ; ;
| | - Bryan L. Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, National Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Correspondence: ; ; ;
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102
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Kaplan AL, Confair DN, Kim K, Barros-Álvarez X, Rodriguiz RM, Yang Y, Kweon OS, Che T, McCorvy JD, Kamber DN, Phelan JP, Martins LC, Pogorelov VM, DiBerto JF, Slocum ST, Huang XP, Kumar JM, Robertson MJ, Panova O, Seven AB, Wetsel AQ, Wetsel WC, Irwin JJ, Skiniotis G, Shoichet BK, Roth BL, Ellman JA. Bespoke library docking for 5-HT 2A receptor agonists with antidepressant activity. Nature 2022; 610:582-591. [PMID: 36171289 PMCID: PMC9996387 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05258-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in screening ultralarge chemical libraries for ligand discovery, both empirically and computationally1-4. Efforts have focused on readily synthesizable molecules, inevitably leaving many chemotypes unexplored. Here we investigate structure-based docking of a bespoke virtual library of tetrahydropyridines-a scaffold that is poorly sampled by a general billion-molecule virtual library but is well suited to many aminergic G-protein-coupled receptors. Using three inputs, each with diverse available derivatives, a one pot C-H alkenylation, electrocyclization and reduction provides the tetrahydropyridine core with up to six sites of derivatization5-7. Docking a virtual library of 75 million tetrahydropyridines against a model of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) led to the synthesis and testing of 17 initial molecules. Four of these molecules had low-micromolar activities against either the 5-HT2A or the 5-HT2B receptors. Structure-based optimization led to the 5-HT2AR agonists (R)-69 and (R)-70, with half-maximal effective concentration values of 41 nM and 110 nM, respectively, and unusual signalling kinetics that differ from psychedelic 5-HT2AR agonists. Cryo-electron microscopy structural analysis confirmed the predicted binding mode to 5-HT2AR. The favourable physical properties of these new agonists conferred high brain permeability, enabling mouse behavioural assays. Notably, neither had psychedelic activity, in contrast to classic 5-HT2AR agonists, whereas both had potent antidepressant activity in mouse models and had the same efficacy as antidepressants such as fluoxetine at as low as 1/40th of the dose. Prospects for using bespoke virtual libraries to sample pharmacologically relevant chemical space will be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Levit Kaplan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ximena Barros-Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ramona M Rodriguiz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Oh Sang Kweon
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tao Che
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - David N Kamber
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James P Phelan
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Luan Carvalho Martins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biochemistry Department, Institute for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vladimir M Pogorelov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Samuel T Slocum
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jain Manish Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael J Robertson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ouliana Panova
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alpay B Seven
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Autumn Q Wetsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - William C Wetsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - John J Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Brian K Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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103
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Odland AU, Kristensen JL, Andreasen JT. Animal Behavior in Psychedelic Research. Pharmacol Rev 2022; 74:1176-1205. [PMID: 36180111 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy holds great promise in the treatment of mental health disorders. Research into 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonist psychedelic compounds has increased dramatically over the past two decades. In humans, these compounds produce drastic effects on consciousness, and their therapeutic potential relates to changes in the processing of emotional, social, and self-referential information. The use of animal behavior to study psychedelics is under debate, and this review provides a critical perspective on the translational value of animal behavior studies in psychedelic research. Acute activation of 5-HT2ARs produces head twitches and unique discriminative cues, disrupts sensorimotor gating, and stimulates motor activity while inhibiting exploration in rodents. The acute treatment with psychedelics shows discrepant results in conventional rodent tests of depression-like behaviors but generally induces anxiolytic-like effects and inhibits repetitive behavior in rodents. Psychedelics impair waiting impulsivity but show discrepant effects in other tests of cognitive function. Tests of social interaction also show conflicting results. Effects on measures of time perception depend on the experimental schedule. Lasting or delayed effects of psychedelics in rodent tests related to different behavioral domains appear to be rather sensitive to changes in experimental protocols. Studying the effects of psychedelics on animal behaviors of relevance to effects on psychiatric symptoms in humans, assessing lasting effects, publishing negative findings, and relating behaviors in rodents and humans to other more translatable readouts, such as neuroplastic changes, will improve the translational value of animal behavioral studies in psychedelic research. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin have received immense interest as potential new treatments of psychiatric disorders. Psychedelics change high-order consciousness in humans, and there is debate about the use of animal behavior studies to investigate these compounds. This review provides an overview of the behavioral effects of 5-HT2AR agonist psychedelics in laboratory animals and discusses the translatability of the effects in animals to effects in humans. Possible ways to improve the utility of animal behavior in psychedelic research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna U Odland
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Jesper L Kristensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Jesper T Andreasen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
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104
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Jaster AM, Younkin J, Cuddy T, de la Fuente Revenga M, Poklis JL, Dozmorov MG, González-Maeso J. Differences across sexes on head-twitch behavior and 5-HT 2A receptor signaling in C57BL/6J mice. Neurosci Lett 2022; 788:136836. [PMID: 35963476 PMCID: PMC10114867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics, also known as classical hallucinogens, affect processes related to perception, cognition and sensory processing mostly via the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR). This class of psychoactive substances, which includes lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline and the substituted amphetamine 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI), is receiving renewed attention for their potential therapeutic properties as it relates to psychiatric conditions such as depression and substance use disorders. Current studies focused on the potentially clinical effects of psychedelics on human subjects tend to exclude sex as a biological variable. Much of the understanding of psychedelic pharmacology is derived from rodent models, but most of this preclinical research has only focused on male mice. Here we tested the effects of DOI on head-twitch behavior (HTR) - a mouse behavioral proxy of human psychedelic potential - in male and female mice. DOI elicited more HTR in female as compared to male C57BL/6J mice, a sex-specific exacerbated behavior that was not observed in 129S6/SvEv animals. Volinanserin (or M100907) - a 5-HT2AR antagonist - fully prevented DOI-induced HTR in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Accumulation of inositol monophosphate (IP1) in the frontal cortex upon DOI administration showed no sex-related effect in C57BL/6J mice. However, the pharmacokinetic properties of DOI differed among sexes - brain and plasma concentrations of DOI were lower 30 and 60 min after drug administration in female as compared to male C57BL/6J mice. Together, these results suggest strain-dependent and sex-related differences in the behavioral and pharmacokinetic profiles of the 5-HT2AR agonist DOI in C57BL/6J mice, and support the importance of studying sex as a biological variable in preclinical psychedelic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Jason Younkin
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Travis Cuddy
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Justin L Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Mikhail G Dozmorov
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States.
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105
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Poulie CBM, Pottie E, Simon IA, Harpsøe K, D'Andrea L, Komarov IV, Gloriam DE, Jensen AA, Stove CP, Kristensen JL. Discovery of β-Arrestin-Biased 25CN-NBOH-Derived 5-HT 2A Receptor Agonists. J Med Chem 2022; 65:12031-12043. [PMID: 36099411 PMCID: PMC9511481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) is the mediator of the psychedelic effects of serotonergic psychedelics, which have shown promising results in clinical studies for several neuropsychiatric indications. The 5-HT2AR is able to signal through the Gαq and β-arrestin effector proteins, but it is currently not known how the different signaling pathways contribute to the therapeutic effects mediated by serotonergic psychedelics. In the present work, we have evaluated the subtype-selective 5-HT2AR agonist 25CN-NBOH and a series of close analogues for biased signaling at this receptor. These ligands were designed to evaluate the role of interactions with Ser1593×36. The lack of interaction between this hydroxyl moiety and Ser1593×36 resulted in detrimental effects on potency and efficacy in both βarr2 and miniGαq recruitment assays. Remarkably, Gαq-mediated signaling was considerably more affected. This led to the development of the first efficacious βarr2-biased 5-HT2AR agonists 4a-b and 6e-f, βarr2 preferring, relative to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian B M Poulie
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eline Pottie
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Campus Heymans, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Icaro A Simon
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Harpsøe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura D'Andrea
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders A Jensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christophe P Stove
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Campus Heymans, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jesper L Kristensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK─2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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106
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Dolgin E. Taking the tripping out of psychedelic medicine. Nature 2022; 609:S80-S82. [PMID: 36171372 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-02869-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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107
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Tasker NR, Wipf P. A Short Synthesis of Ergot Alkaloids and Evaluation of the 5-HT 1/2 Receptor Selectivity of Lysergols and Isolysergols. Org Lett 2022; 24:7255-7259. [PMID: 35993579 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.2c02569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Key transformations in a four-step synthesis of the ergot alkaloid scaffold include a novel cesium carbonate-mediated hydrogen autotransfer alkylation to generate the C(3)-C(4) bond and an intramolecular Heck reaction that directly establishes the C(9)-C(10) alkene of methyl lysergate. An ester reduction and a streamlined experimental procedure establish a readily scalable, expedient total synthesis of all four stereoisomers of lysergol and isolysergol, including the previously unknown (-)-lysergol, for pharmacological evaluation at 5-HT1A and 5HT2A,B,C receptors. A bicyclic scaffold is also characterized for the first time in the intramolecular Heck coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil R Tasker
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Peter Wipf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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108
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de la Fuente Revenga M, Jaster AM, McGinn J, Silva G, Saha S, González-Maeso J. Tolerance and Cross-Tolerance among Psychedelic and Nonpsychedelic 5-HT 2A Receptor Agonists in Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2436-2448. [PMID: 35900876 PMCID: PMC10411500 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical psychedelics represent a subgroup of serotonergic psychoactive substances characterized by their distinct subjective effects on the human psyche. Another unique attribute of this drug class is that such effects become less apparent after repeated exposure within a short time span. The classification of psychedelics as a subgroup within the serotonergic drug family and the tolerance to their effects are replicated by the murine head twitch response (HTR) behavioral paradigm. Here, we aimed to assess tolerance and cross-tolerance to HTR elicited by psychedelic and nonpsychedelic serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists in mice. We show that repeated (4 days) administration of the psychedelic 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) induced a progressive decrease in HTR behavior. Tolerance to DOI-induced HTR was also observed 24 h after a single administration of this psychedelic. Pretreatment with the 5-HT2AR antagonist M100907 reduced not only the acute manifestation of DOI-induced HTR, but also the development of tolerance to HTR. Additionally, cross-tolerance became apparent between the psychedelics DOI and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), whereas repeated administration of the nonpsychedelic 5-HT2AR agonist lisuride did not affect the ability of these two psychedelics to induce HTR. At the molecular level, DOI administration led to down-regulation of 5-HT2AR density in mouse frontal cortex membrane preparations. However, development of tolerance to the effect of DOI on HTR remained unchanged in β-arrestin-2 knockout mice. Together, these data suggest that tolerance to HTR induced by psychedelics involves activation of the 5-HT2AR, is not observable upon repeated administration of nonpsychedelic 5-HT2AR agonists, and occurs via a signaling mechanism independent of β-arrestin-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - John McGinn
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Gabriella Silva
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Somdatta Saha
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
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109
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Effect of Psilocybin and Ketamine on Brain Neurotransmitters, Glutamate Receptors, DNA and Rat Behavior. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126713. [PMID: 35743159 PMCID: PMC9224489 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies provide evidence that ketamine and psilocybin could be used as fast-acting antidepressants, though their mechanisms and toxicity are still not fully understood. To address this issue, we have examined the effect of a single administration of ketamine and psilocybin on the extracellular levels of neurotransmitters in the rat frontal cortex and reticular nucleus of the thalamus using microdialysis. The genotoxic effect and density of glutamate receptor proteins was measured with comet assay and Western blot, respectively. An open field test, light–dark box test and forced swim test were conducted to examine rat behavior 24 h after drug administration. Ketamine (10 mg/kg) and psilocybin (2 and 10 mg/kg) increased dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and GABA extracellular levels in the frontal cortex, while psilocybin also increased GABA in the reticular nucleus of the thalamus. Oxidative DNA damage due to psilocybin was observed in the frontal cortex and from both drugs in the hippocampus. NR2A subunit levels were increased after psilocybin (10 mg/kg). Behavioral tests showed no antidepressant or anxiolytic effects, and only ketamine suppressed rat locomotor activity. The observed changes in neurotransmission might lead to genotoxicity and increased NR2A levels, while not markedly affecting animal behavior.
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110
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Glatfelter GC, Chojnacki MR, McGriff SA, Wang T, Baumann MH. Automated Computer Software Assessment of 5-Hydroxytryptamine 2A Receptor-Mediated Head Twitch Responses from Video Recordings of Mice. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:321-330. [PMID: 35592434 PMCID: PMC9112414 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics are a class of drugs that produce unique subjective effects via agonist actions at the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2A). The 5-HT2A-mediated head twitch response (HTR) in rodents is used as a reliable proxy for psychedelic drug activity in humans, but existing methods for measuring HTRs require surgery or time-consuming visual scoring. In the present work, we validated a simple noninvasive method for quantitating HTRs using computer-based analysis of experimental video recordings. Male C57BL/6J mice received injections of the 5-HT2 receptor agonist (±)2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI; 0.03-3 mg/kg, s.c.) and were placed into cylindrical arenas. High frame rate videos were recorded via cameras mounted above the arenas. Antagonist experiments, which entailed pretreatment with the 5-HT2A antagonist M100907 (0.01 or 0.1 mg/kg s.c.) prior to DOI (1 mg/kg s.c.), were also recorded. The experimental videos were analyzed for HTRs using a newly developed feature of a commercial software package and compared to visual scoring carried out by trained observers. As expected, DOI produced dose-related increases in HTRs, which were blocked by M100907. Computer scoring was positively correlated with visual scoring, and no statistical difference between the two methods was found. The software captured nearly all visually observed HTRs, false positives induced by other behaviors (e.g., grooming) were rare and easily identified, and results were improved by optimizing lighting conditions. Our findings demonstrate the utility of combining high frame rate video recordings with commercial software analyses to measure HTRs, validating an additional reliable method to study psychedelic-like drug activity in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant C. Glatfelter
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Michael R. Chojnacki
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Shelby A. McGriff
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Tianpeng Wang
- Clever
Sys Inc., Reston, Virginia 20190, United
States
| | - Michael H. Baumann
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
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111
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Casey AB, Cui M, Booth RG, Canal CE. "Selective" serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor antagonists. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 200:115028. [PMID: 35381208 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Blockade of the serotonin 5-HT2A G protein-coupled receptor (5-HT2AR) is a fundamental pharmacological characteristic of numerous antipsychotic medications, which are FDA-approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as adjunctive therapies in major depressive disorder. Meanwhile, activation of the 5-HT2AR by serotonergic psychedelics may be useful in treating neuropsychiatric indications, including major depressive and substance use disorders. Serotonergic psychedelics and other 5-HT2AR agonists, however, often bind other receptors, and standard 5-HT2AR antagonists lack sufficient selectivity to make well-founded mechanistic conclusions about the 5-HT2AR-dependent effects of these compounds and the general neurobiological function of 5-HT2ARs. This review discusses the limitations and strengths of currently available "selective" 5-HT2AR antagonists, the molecular determinants of antagonist selectivity at 5-HT2ARs, and the utility of molecular pharmacological and computational methods in guiding the discovery of novel unambiguously selective 5-HT2AR antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austen B Casey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Meng Cui
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Raymond G Booth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Clinton E Canal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University Health Sciences Center, Mercer University, 3001 Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
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Ballet S. Call for Papers for a Virtual Special Issue on GPCR Signaling. ACS PHARMACOLOGY & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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The promise of psychedelic research. FUTURE DRUG DISCOVERY 2022. [DOI: 10.4155/fdd-2021-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of psychedelics as medicines and for overall better brain health is potentially one of the most transformative developments given their immediate and long-lasting therapeutic effects across a plethora of neuropsychiatric disorders and, more recently, some neurodegenerative diseases. The US psychedelic drugs market is forecasted to grow by 16.3% by 2027 due to the increasing prevalence of treatment-resistant depression and mental health disorders. Decades-long restrictions, which date back to when psychedelics were declared controlled substances in 1970, have been lifted to allow researchers to publish on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. This review will feature the incredible depth of research underway revealing how psychedelics impact brain structure and function to treat mental health and other neurological disorders.
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Designing nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogues. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2022; 21:180. [PMID: 35140357 DOI: 10.1038/d41573-022-00027-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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