1
|
Neugebauer V, Presto P, Yakhnitsa V, Antenucci N, Mendoza B, Ji G. Pain-related cortico-limbic plasticity and opioid signaling. Neuropharmacology 2023; 231:109510. [PMID: 36944393 PMCID: PMC10585936 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity in cortico-limbic circuits has been implicated in pain persistence and pain modulation in clinical and preclinical studies. The amygdala has emerged as a key player in the emotional-affective dimension of pain and pain modulation. Reciprocal interactions with medial prefrontal cortical regions undergo changes in pain conditions. Other limbic and paralimbic regions have been implicated in pain modulation as well. The cortico-limbic system is rich in opioids and opioid receptors. Preclinical evidence for their pain modulatory effects in different regions of this highly interactive system, potentially opposing functions of different opioid receptors, and knowledge gaps will be described here. There is little information about cell type- and circuit-specific functions of opioid receptor subtypes related to pain processing and pain-related plasticity in the cortico-limbic system. The important role of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala in MOR-dependent analgesia is most well-established, and MOR actions in the mesolimbic system appear to be similar but remain to be determined in mPFC regions other than ACC. Evidence also suggests that KOR signaling generally serves opposing functions whereas DOR signaling in the ACC has similar, if not synergistic effects, to MOR. A unifying picture of pain-related neuronal mechanisms of opioid signaling in different elements of the cortico-limbic circuitry has yet to emerge. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Opioid-induced changes in addiction and pain circuits".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Garrison Institute on Aging, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
| | - Peyton Presto
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Vadim Yakhnitsa
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Nico Antenucci
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Brianna Mendoza
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Guangchen Ji
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Karasawa Y, Miyano K, Yamaguchi M, Nonaka M, Yamaguchi K, Iseki M, Kawagoe I, Uezono Y. Therapeutic Potential of Orally Administered Rubiscolin-6. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9959. [PMID: 37373107 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Rubiscolins are naturally occurring opioid peptides derived from the enzymatic digestion of the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase protein in spinach leaves. They are classified into two subtypes based on amino acid sequence, namely rubiscolin-5 and rubiscolin-6. In vitro studies have determined rubiscolins as G protein-biased delta-opioid receptor agonists, and in vivo studies have demonstrated that they exert several beneficial effects via the central nervous system. The most unique and attractive advantage of rubiscolin-6 over other oligopeptides is its oral availability. Therefore, it can be considered a promising candidate for the development of a novel and safe drug. In this review, we show the therapeutic potential of rubiscolin-6, mainly focusing on its effects when orally administered based on available evidence. Additionally, we present a hypothesis for the pharmacokinetics of rubiscolin-6, focusing on its absorption in the intestinal tract and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Karasawa
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Pain Control Research, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Medical Affairs, Viatris Pharmaceuticals Japan Inc., Tokyo 105-0001, Japan
| | - Kanako Miyano
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Pain Control Research, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Pain Control Research, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Medical Affairs, Pfizer Japan Inc., Tokyo 151-8589, Japan
| | - Miki Nonaka
- Department of Pain Control Research, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Keisuke Yamaguchi
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Masako Iseki
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Izumi Kawagoe
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Uezono
- Department of Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Pain Control Research, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Supportive and Palliative Care Research Support Office, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba 277-8577, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schwerdtfeger J, Krause A, Kalbe C, Mazzuoli-Weber G, Eggert A, Puppe B, Kuhla B, Röttgen V. Endocannabinoid administration affects taste preference and the expression of cannabinoid and opioid receptors in the amygdala of early lactating cows. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4967. [PMID: 36973308 PMCID: PMC10042870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31724-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of intraperitoneal N-arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA) on taste preference for feed and water, tongue taste receptor signalling (TAS1R2, GNAT3), and endocannabinoid (CNR1, CNR2, GPR55) and opioid (OPRD1, OPRK1, OPRM1, OPRL1) receptors in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens in periparturient cows. We conducted taste preference tests using unaltered, umami-tasting, and sweet-tasting water and feed, before and after calving. After calving, eight cows received AEA injections (3 µg/(kg bodyweight × day), 25 days), whereas eight control (CON) cows received saline injections. Tissue was sampled 30 days after calving. Before calving, both cow groups preferred sweet-tasting feed and umami-tasting water. After calving, only the AEA-treated group preferred sweet-tasting feed, whereas the CON group showed no clear taste preference. In the amygdala, the mRNA expression of CNR1, OPRD1 (left hemisphere) and OPRK1 (right hemisphere) was lower in AEA animals than in CON animals, whereas no differences were found in the nucleus accumbens and tongue taste receptor expression. In conclusion, AEA administration enhanced existing taste preferences and reduced the expression of specific endocannabinoid and opioid receptors in the amygdala. The results support endocannabinoid-opioid interactions in the control of taste-dependent feed preference in early lactating cows.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Schwerdtfeger
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Annika Krause
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Claudia Kalbe
- Institute of Muscle Biology and Growth, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Gemma Mazzuoli-Weber
- Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 30173, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anja Eggert
- Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Birger Puppe
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Justus-Von-Liebig-Weg 6B, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Björn Kuhla
- Institute of Nutritional Physiology 'Oskar Kellner', Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Volker Röttgen
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Barbee BR, Gourley SL. Brain systems in cocaine abstinence-induced anxiety-like behavior in rodents: A review. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 2:100012. [PMID: 37485439 PMCID: PMC10361393 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a significant public health issue that generates substantial personal, familial, and economic burdens. Still, there are no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies for CUD. Cocaine-dependent individuals report anxiety during withdrawal, and alleviation of anxiety and other negative affective states may be critical for maintaining drug abstinence. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying abstinence-related anxiety in humans or anxiety-like behavior in rodents are not fully understood. This review summarizes investigations regarding anxiety-like behavior in mice and rats undergoing cocaine abstinence, as assessed using four of the most common anxiety-related assays: the elevated plus (or its derivative, the elevated zero) maze, open field test, light-dark transition test, and defensive burying task. We first summarize available evidence that cocaine abstinence generates anxiety-like behavior that persists throughout protracted abstinence. Then, we examine investigations concerning neuropeptide, neurotransmitter, and neuromodulator systems in cocaine abstinence-induced anxiety-like behavior. Throughout, we discuss how differences in sex, rodent strain, cocaine dose and dosing strategy and abstinence duration interact to generate anxiety-like behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britton R. Barbee
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology,
Emory University
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of
Medicine; Yerkes National Primate Research Center
| | - Shannon L. Gourley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology,
Emory University
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of
Medicine; Yerkes National Primate Research Center
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Levis SC, Baram TZ, Mahler SV. Neurodevelopmental origins of substance use disorders: Evidence from animal models of early-life adversity and addiction. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:2170-2195. [PMID: 33825217 PMCID: PMC8494863 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder with devastating personal, societal, and economic consequences. In humans, early-life adversity (ELA) such as trauma, neglect, and resource scarcity are linked with increased risk of later-life addiction, but the brain mechanisms underlying this link are still poorly understood. Here, we focus on data from rodent models of ELA and addiction, in which causal effects of ELA on later-life responses to drugs and the neurodevelopmental mechanisms by which ELA increases vulnerability to addiction can be determined. We first summarize evidence for a link between ELA and addiction in humans, then describe how ELA is commonly modeled in rodents. Since addiction is a heterogeneous disease with many individually varying behavioral aspects that may be impacted by ELA, we next discuss common rodent assays of addiction-like behaviors. We then summarize the specific addiction-relevant behavioral phenotypes caused by ELA in male and female rodents and discuss some of the underlying changes in brain reward and stress circuits that are likely responsible. By better understanding the behavioral and neural mechanisms by which ELA promotes addiction vulnerability, we hope to facilitate development of new approaches for preventing or treating addiction in those with a history of ELA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C Levis
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Stephen V Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ma Y, Qin GH, Guo X, Hao N, Shi Y, Li HF, Zhao X, Li JG, Zhang C, Zhang Y. Activation of δ-opioid receptors in anterior cingulate cortex alleviates affective pain in rats. Neuroscience 2022; 494:152-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
|
7
|
Developmental variation in testosterone:cortisol ratio alters cortical- and amygdala-based cognitive processes. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 13:310-321. [PMID: 34321135 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174421000362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) are the end products of neuroendocrine axes that interact with the process of shaping brain structure and function. Relative levels of T:C (TC ratio) may alter prefrontal-amygdala functional connectivity in adulthood. What remains unclear is whether TC-related effects are rooted to childhood and adolescence. We used a healthy cohort of 4-22-year-olds to test for associations between TC ratios, brain structure (amygdala volume, cortical thickness (CTh), and their coordinated growth), as well as cognitive and behavioral development. We found greater TC ratios to be associated with the growth of specific brain structures: 1) parietal CTh; 2) covariance of the amygdala with CTh in visual and somatosensory areas. These brain parameters were in turn associated with lower verbal/executive function and higher spatial working memory. In sum, individual TC profiles may confer a particular brain phenotype and set of cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities, prior to adulthood.
Collapse
|
8
|
Neugebauer V, Mazzitelli M, Cragg B, Ji G, Navratilova E, Porreca F. Amygdala, neuropeptides, and chronic pain-related affective behaviors. Neuropharmacology 2020; 170:108052. [PMID: 32188569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptides play important modulatory roles throughout the nervous system, functioning as direct effectors or as interacting partners with other neuropeptide and neurotransmitter systems. Limbic brain areas involved in learning, memory and emotions are particularly rich in neuropeptides. This review will focus on the amygdala, a limbic region that plays a key role in emotional-affective behaviors and pain modulation. The amygdala is comprised of different nuclei; the basolateral (BLA) and central (CeA) nuclei and in between, the intercalated cells (ITC), have been linked to pain-related functions. A wide range of neuropeptides are found in the amygdala, particularly in the CeA, but this review will discuss those neuropeptides that have been explored for their role in pain modulation. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key peptide in the afferent nociceptive pathway from the parabrachial area and mediates excitatory drive of CeA neurons. CeA neurons containing corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and/or somatostatin (SOM) are a source of long-range projections and serve major output functions, but CRF also acts locally to excite neurons in the CeA and BLA. Neuropeptide S (NPS) is associated with inhibitory ITC neurons that gate amygdala output. Oxytocin and vasopressin exert opposite (inhibitory and excitatory, respectively) effects on amygdala output. The opioid system of mu, delta and kappa receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR) and their peptide ligands (β-endorphin, enkephalin, dynorphin) have complex and partially opposing effects on amygdala function. Neuropeptides therefore serve as valuable targets to regulate amygdala function in pain conditions. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Garrison Institute on Aging, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
| | - Mariacristina Mazzitelli
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Bryce Cragg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Guangchen Ji
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA; Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Edita Navratilova
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
This paper is the fortieth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2017 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY, 11367, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Affiliation(s)
- Marlene A Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
- Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Alexander J McDonald
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Connelly KL, Unterwald EM. Regulation of CRF mRNA in the Rat Extended Amygdala Following Chronic Cocaine: Sex Differences and Effect of Delta Opioid Receptor Agonism. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 23:117-124. [PMID: 31867624 PMCID: PMC7093999 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cocaine withdrawal activates stress systems. Females are more vulnerable to relapse to cocaine use and more sensitive to withdrawal-induced negative affect. Delta opioid receptors modulate anxiety-like behavior during cocaine withdrawal in rats. This study measured the time course of gene regulation of one of the main stress peptides, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), and its type 1 receptor in male and female rats as well as the ability of the delta opioid receptor agonist SNC80 to normalize cocaine withdrawal-induced changes in CRF mRNA. METHODS Rats were injected with cocaine or saline 3 times daily for 14 days. Brains were collected 30 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, and 14 days following the last injection. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, central amygdala, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis were processed for quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR measurement of CRF and CRFR1 mRNA. Additional rats received SNC80 during early cocaine withdrawal, and CRF mRNA was measured in the central amygdala. RESULTS CRF mRNA was elevated in the central amygdala at 24 hours and the paraventricular nucleus at 48 hours of cocaine withdrawal in males and females. Significant sex differences in cocaine-induced CRF upregulation were found in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis at 30 minutes and 24 hours. SNC80 administration attenuated the increase in CRF mRNA in the central amygdala of female rats only. CONCLUSIONS CRF mRNA regulation during cocaine withdrawal is sex, time, and brain region dependent. Administration of a delta opioid receptor agonist during early withdrawal may ameliorate stress-related negative affect in females by abrogating the induction of CRF mRNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krista L Connelly
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Correspondence: Krista Connelly, PhD, 3500 N Broad St. MERB 883A, Philadelphia, PA ()
| | - Ellen M Unterwald
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Department of Pharmacology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Browne CA, Lucki I. Targeting opioid dysregulation in depression for the development of novel therapeutics. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 201:51-76. [PMID: 31051197 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Since the serendipitous discovery of the first class of modern antidepressants in the 1950's, all pharmacotherapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration for major depressive disorder (MDD) have shared a common mechanism of action, increased monoaminergic neurotransmission. Despite the widespread availability of antidepressants, as many as 50% of depressed patients are resistant to these conventional therapies. The significant length of time required to produce meaningful symptom relief with these medications, 4-6 weeks, indicates that other mechanisms are likely involved in the pathophysiology of depression which may yield more viable targets for drug development. For decades, no viable candidate target with a different mechanism of action to that of conventional therapies proved successful in clinical studies. Now several exciting avenues for drug development are under intense investigation. One of these emerging targets is modulation of endogenous opioid tone. This review will evaluate preclinical and clinical evidence pertaining to opioid dysregulation in depression, focusing on the role of the endogenous ligands endorphin, enkephalin, dynorphin, and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and their respective receptors, mu (MOR), delta (DOR), kappa (KOR), and the N/OFQ receptor (NOP) in mediating behaviors relevant to depression and anxiety. Finally, putative opioid based antidepressants that are under investigation in clinical trials, ALKS5461, JNJ-67953964 (formerly LY2456302 and CERC-501) and BTRX-246040 (formerly LY-2940094) will be discussed. This review will illustrate the potential therapeutic value of targeting opioid dysregulation in developing novel therapies for MDD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ugur M, Kaya E, Gozen O, Koylu EO, Kanit L, Keser A, Balkan B. Chronic nicotine-induced changes in gene expression of delta and kappa-opioid receptors and their endogenous ligands in the mesocorticolimbic system of the rat. Synapse 2017; 71. [PMID: 28509375 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Delta and kappa opioid receptors (DOR and KOR, respectively) and their endogenous ligands, proenkephalin (PENK) and prodynorphin (PDYN)-derived opioid peptides are proposed as important mediators of nicotine reward. This study investigated the regulatory effect of chronic nicotine treatment on the gene expression of DOR, KOR, PENK and PDYN in the mesocorticolimbic system. Three groups of rats were injected subcutaneously with nicotine at doses of 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 mg/kg/day for 6 days. Rats were decapitated 1 hr after the last dose on day six, as this timing coincides with increased dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic system. mRNA levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), amygdala (AMG), dorsal striatum (DST), nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that nicotine upregulated DOR mRNA in the VTA at all of the doses employed, in the AMG at the 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg doses, and in the DST at the 0.4 mg/kg dose. Conversely, PDYN mRNA was reduced in the LHA with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine and in the AMG with 0.4 mg/kg nicotine. KOR mRNA was also decreased in the DST with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine. Nicotine did not regulate PENK mRNA in any brain region studied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muzeyyen Ugur
- Department of Physiology, Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Egemen Kaya
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Oguz Gozen
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ersin O Koylu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Lutfiye Kanit
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aysegul Keser
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Burcu Balkan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Center for Brain Research, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|