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Soldevila-Domenech N, Fagundo B, Cuenca-Royo A, Forcano L, Gomis-González M, Boronat A, Pastor A, Castañer O, Zomeño MD, Goday A, Dierssen M, Baghizadeh Hosseini K, Ros E, Corella D, Martínez-González MÁ, Salas-Salvadó J, Fernández-Aranda F, Fitó M, de la Torre R. Relationship between sex, APOE genotype, endocannabinoids and cognitive change in older adults with metabolic syndrome during a 3-year Mediterranean diet intervention. Nutr J 2024; 23:61. [PMID: 38862960 PMCID: PMC11167771 DOI: 10.1186/s12937-024-00966-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has demonstrated efficacy in preventing age-related cognitive decline and modulating plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids (eCBs) and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs, or eCB-like compounds), which are lipid mediators involved in multiple neurological disorders and metabolic processes. Hypothesizing that eCBs and NAEs will be biomarkers of a MedDiet intervention and will be related to the cognitive response, we investigated this relationship according to sex and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, which may affect eCBs and cognitive performance. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study of 102 participants (53.9% women, 18.8% APOE-ɛ4 carriers, aged 65.6 ± 4.5 years) from the PREDIMED-Plus-Cognition substudy, who were recruited at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (Barcelona). All of them presented metabolic syndrome plus overweight/obesity (inclusion criteria of the PREDIMED-Plus) and normal cognitive performance at baseline (inclusion criteria of this substudy). A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests was administered at baseline and after 1 and 3 years. Plasma concentrations of eCBs and NAEs, including 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), anandamide (AEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA), were also monitored. Baseline cognition, cognitive changes, and the association between eCBs/NAEs and cognition were evaluated according to gender (crude models), sex (adjusted models), and APOE genotype. RESULTS At baseline, men had better executive function and global cognition than women (the effect size of gender differences was - 0.49, p = 0.015; and - 0.42, p = 0.036); however, these differences became nonsignificant in models of sex differences. After 3 years of MedDiet intervention, participants exhibited modest improvements in memory and global cognition. However, greater memory changes were observed in men than in women (Cohen's d of 0.40 vs. 0.25; p = 0.017). In men and APOE-ε4 carriers, 2-AG concentrations were inversely associated with baseline cognition and cognitive changes, while in women, cognitive changes were positively linked to changes in DHEA and the DHEA/AEA ratio. In men, changes in the OEA/AEA and OEA/PEA ratios were positively associated with cognitive changes. CONCLUSIONS The MedDiet improved participants' cognitive performance but the effect size was small and negatively influenced by female sex. Changes in 2-AG, DHEA, the OEA/AEA, the OEA/PEA and the DHEA/AEA ratios were associated with cognitive changes in a sex- and APOE-dependent fashion. These results support the modulation of the endocannabinoid system as a potential therapeutic approach to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN89898870.
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Grants
- FI_B2021/00104 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
- PROMETEO/2017/017; Grant FEA/SEA 2017 for Primary Care Research Generalitat Valenciana
- PI13/00233, PI13/00728, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI16/00533, PI16/00366, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI17/01167, PI19/00017, PI19/00781, PI19/01032, PI19/00576 Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- PI13/00233, PI13/00728, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI16/00533, PI16/00366, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI17/01167, PI19/00017, PI19/00781, PI19/01032, PI19/00576 Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- PI13/00233, PI13/00728, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI16/00533, PI16/00366, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI17/01167, PI19/00017, PI19/00781, PI19/01032, PI19/00576 Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Advanced Research Grant 2014-2019; agreement #340918 HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council
- SLT006/17/00246, SLT002/16/00045 and SLT006/17/00077 Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya
- SLT006/17/00246, SLT002/16/00045 and SLT006/17/00077 Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya
- SLT006/17/00246, SLT002/16/00045 and SLT006/17/00077 Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya
- 2013ACUP00194 'la Caixa' Foundation
- Eat2beNICE/ H2020-SFS-2016-2; Ref 728018; and PRIME/ H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020; Ref: 847879 H2020 European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- Eat2beNICE/ H2020-SFS-2016-2; Ref 728018; and PRIME/ H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020; Ref: 847879 H2020 European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- Eat2beNICE/ H2020-SFS-2016-2; Ref 728018; and PRIME/ H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020; Ref: 847879 H2020 European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- Eat2beNICE/ H2020-SFS-2016-2; Ref 728018; and PRIME/ H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020; Ref: 847879 H2020 European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- 2017 SGR 138 Generalitat de Catalunya
- ‘la Caixa’ Foundation
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Soldevila-Domenech
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Beatriz Fagundo
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Department of Physiotherapy, Fundació Universitària del Bages (FUB), Manresa, 08042, Spain
| | - Aida Cuenca-Royo
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Laura Forcano
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Maria Gomis-González
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Anna Boronat
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Antoni Pastor
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Olga Castañer
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Endocrinology Service, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Zomeño
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- School of Health Sciences, Blanquerna-Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, 08022, Spain
| | - Albert Goday
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Endocrinology Service, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Khashayar Baghizadeh Hosseini
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- Cardiovascular risk, Nutrition and Aging, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, 08036, Spain
| | - Emilio Ros
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, 46010, Spain
| | - Dolores Corella
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Martínez-González
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Navarra's Health Research Institute (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Unitat de Nutrició Humana, Reus, Spain
| | - Jordi Salas-Salvadó
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Aranda
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Clinical Psychology Unit, University Hospital of Bellvitge-IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, 08908, Spain
- Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviors Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, 08908, Spain
| | - Montserrat Fitó
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain.
- Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.
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League AF, Yadav-Samudrala BJ, Kolagani R, Cline CA, Jacobs IR, Manke J, Niphakis MJ, Cravatt BF, Lichtman AH, Ignatowska-Jankowska BM, Fitting S. A helping HAND: therapeutic potential of MAGL inhibition against HIV-1-associated neuroinflammation. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1374301. [PMID: 38835765 PMCID: PMC11148243 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1374301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects nearly 40 million people globally, with roughly 80% of all people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy. Antiretroviral treatment suppresses viral load in peripheral tissues but does not effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Thus, viral reservoirs persist in the central nervous system and continue to produce low levels of inflammatory factors and early viral proteins, including the transactivator of transcription (Tat). HIV Tat is known to contribute to chronic neuroinflammation and synaptodendritic damage, which is associated with the development of cognitive, motor, and/or mood problems, collectively known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Cannabinoid anti-inflammatory effects are well documented, but therapeutic utility of cannabis remains limited due to its psychotropic effects, including alterations within brain regions encoding reward processing and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens. Alternatively, inhibiting monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) has demonstrated therapeutic potential through interactions with the endocannabinoid system. Methods The present study utilized a reward-related operant behavioral task to quantify motivated behavior in female Tat transgenic mice treated with vehicle or MAGL inhibitor MJN110 (1 mg/kg). Brain tissue was collected to assess dendritic injury and neuroinflammatory profiles, including dendritic microtubule-associated protein (MAP2ab) intensity, microglia density, microglia morphology, astrocyte density, astrocytic interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) colocalization, and various lipid mediators. Results No significant behavioral differences were observed; however, MJN110 protected against Tat-induced dendritic injury by significantly upregulating MAP2ab intensity in the nucleus accumbens and in the infralimbic cortex of Tat(+) mice. No or only minor effects were noted for Iba-1+ microglia density and/or microglia morphology. Further, Tat increased GFAP+ astrocyte density in the infralimbic cortex and GFAP+ astrocytic IL-1ß colocalization in the nucleus accumbens, with MJN110 significantly reducing these measures in Tat(+) subjects. Lastly, selected HETE-related inflammatory lipid mediators in the striatum were downregulated by chronic MJN110 treatment. Conclusions These findings demonstrate anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of MJN110 without cannabimimetic behavioral effects and suggest a promising alternative to cannabis for managing neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis F. League
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Barkha J. Yadav-Samudrala
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ramya Kolagani
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Calista A. Cline
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ian R. Jacobs
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jonathan Manke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Micah J. Niphakis
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Aron H. Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | | | - Sylvia Fitting
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Loan A, Syal C, Lui M, He L, Wang J. Promising use of metformin in treating neurological disorders: biomarker-guided therapies. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1045-1055. [PMID: 37862207 PMCID: PMC10749596 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385286] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders are a diverse group of conditions that affect the nervous system and include neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease), cerebrovascular conditions (stroke), and neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder). Although they affect millions of individuals around the world, only a limited number of effective treatment options are available today. Since most neurological disorders express mitochondria-related metabolic perturbations, metformin, a biguanide type II antidiabetic drug, has attracted a lot of attention to be repurposed to treat neurological disorders by correcting their perturbed energy metabolism. However, controversial research emerges regarding the beneficial/detrimental effects of metformin on these neurological disorders. Given that most neurological disorders have complex etiology in their pathophysiology and are influenced by various risk factors such as aging, lifestyle, genetics, and environment, it is important to identify perturbed molecular functions that can be targeted by metformin in these neurological disorders. These molecules can then be used as biomarkers to stratify subpopulations of patients who show distinct molecular/pathological properties and can respond to metformin treatment, ultimately developing targeted therapy. In this review, we will discuss mitochondria-related metabolic perturbations and impaired molecular pathways in these neurological disorders and how these can be used as biomarkers to guide metformin-responsive treatment for the targeted therapy to treat neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Loan
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Charvi Syal
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Margarita Lui
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ling He
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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4
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Mikkelsen JD, Aripaka SS, Egilmez CB, Pazarlar BA. Binding of the monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) radiotracer [ 3H]T-401 in the rat brain after status epilepticus. Neurochem Int 2024; 175:105717. [PMID: 38447759 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a cytosolic serine hydrolase considered a potential novel drug target for the treatment of CNS disorders including epilepsy. Here we examined MAGL levels in a rat model of epilepsy. METHODS Autoradiography has been used to validate the binding properties of the MAGL radiotracer, [3H]T-401, in the rat brain, and to explore spatial and temporal changes in binding levels in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy model using unilateral intra-hippocampal injections of kainic acid (KA) in rats. RESULTS Specific and saturable binding of [3H]T-401 was detected in both cortical grey and subcortical white matter. Saturation experiments revealed a KD in the range between 15 nM and 17 nM, and full saturation was achieved at concentrations around 30 nM. The binding could be completely blocked with the cold ligand (Ki 44.2 nM) and at higher affinity (Ki 1.27 nM) with another structurally different MAGL inhibitor, ABD 1970. Bilateral reduction in [3H]T-401 binding was observed in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus few days after status epilepticus that further declined to a level of around 30% compared to the control. No change in binding was observed in either the hypothalamus nor the white matter at any time point. Direct comparison to [3H]UCB-J binding to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A), another protein localized in the pre-synapse, revealed that while binding to MAGL remained low in the chronic phase, SV2A was increased significantly in some cortical areas. SIGNIFICANCE These data show that MAGL is reduced in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in a chronic epilepsy model and indicate that MAGL inhibitors may further reduce MAGL activity in the treatment resistant epilepsy patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens D Mikkelsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sanjay S Aripaka
- Neurobiology Research Unit, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cansu B Egilmez
- Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Burcu A Pazarlar
- Neurobiology Research Unit, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey
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5
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He Y, Delparente A, Jie CVML, Keller C, Humm R, Heer D, Collin L, Schibli R, Gobbi L, Grether U, Mu L. Preclinical Evaluation of the Reversible Monoacylglycerol Lipase PET Tracer (R)-[ 11C]YH132: Application in Drug Development and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300819. [PMID: 38441502 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) plays a crucial role in the degradation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), one of the major endocannabinoids in the brain. Inhibiting MAGL could lead to increased levels of 2-AG, which showed beneficial effects on pain management, anxiety, inflammation, and neuroprotection. In the current study, we report the characterization of an enantiomerically pure (R)-[11C]YH132 as a novel MAGL PET tracer. It demonstrates an improved pharmacokinetic profile compared to its racemate. High in vitro MAGL specificity of (R)-[11C]YH132 was confirmed by autoradiography studies using mouse and rat brain sections. In vivo, (R)-[11C]YH132 displayed a high brain penetration, and high specificity and selectivity toward MAGL by dynamic PET imaging using MAGL knockout and wild-type mice. Pretreatment with a MAGL drug candidate revealed a dose-dependent reduction of (R)-[11C]YH132 accumulation in WT mouse brains. This result validates its utility as a PET probe to assist drug development. Moreover, its potential application in neurodegenerative diseases was explored by in vitro autoradiography using brain sections from animal models of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfang He
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
- Present address: Institute of Radiation Medicine, Fudan University, Xietu Road 2094, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Aro Delparente
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Caitlin V M L Jie
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Keller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roland Humm
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Heer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludovic Collin
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roger Schibli
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Gobbi
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Grether
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Linjing Mu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
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He Y, Krämer SD, Grether U, Wittwer MB, Collin L, Kuhn B, Topp A, Heer D, O'Hara F, Honer M, Pavlovic A, Richter H, Ritter M, Rombach D, Keller C, Gobbi L, Mu L. Identification of ( R)-[ 18F]YH134 for Monoacylglycerol Lipase Neuroimaging and Exploration of Its Use for Central Nervous System and Peripheral Drug Development. J Nucl Med 2024; 65:300-305. [PMID: 38164615 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate (R)-[18F]YH134 as a novel PET tracer for imaging monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). Considering the ubiquitous expression of MAGL throughout the whole body, the impact of various MAGL inhibitors on (R)-[18F]YH134 brain uptake and its application in brain-periphery crosstalk were explored. Methods: MAGL knockout and wild-type mice were used to evaluate (R)-[18F]YH134 in in vitro autoradiography and PET experiments. To explore the impact of peripheral MAGL occupancy on (R)-[18F]YH134 brain uptake, PET kinetics with an arterial input function were studied in male Wistar rats under baseline and blocking conditions. Results: In in vitro autoradiography, (R)-[18F]YH134 revealed a heterogeneous distribution pattern with high binding to MAGL-rich brain regions in wild-type mouse brain slices, whereas the radioactive signal was negligible in MAGL knockout mouse brain slices. The in vivo brain PET images of (R)-[18F]YH134 in wild-type and MAGL knockout mice demonstrated its high specificity and selectivity in mouse brain. A Logan plot with plasma input function was applied to estimate the distribution volume (V T) of (R)-[18F]YH134. V T was significantly reduced by a brain-penetrant MAGL inhibitor but was unchanged by a peripherally restricted MAGL inhibitor. The MAGL target occupancy in the periphery was estimated using (R)-[18F]YH134 PET imaging data from the brain. Conclusion: (R)-[18F]YH134 is a highly specific and selective PET tracer with favorable kinetic properties for imaging MAGL in rodent brain. Our results showed that blocking of the peripheral target influences brain uptake but not the V T of (R)-[18F]YH134. (R)-[18F]YH134 can be used for estimating the dose of MAGL inhibitor at half-maximal peripheral target occupancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfang He
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; and
| | - Stefanie D Krämer
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; and
| | - Uwe Grether
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias B Wittwer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludovic Collin
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Kuhn
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Topp
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Heer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fionn O'Hara
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Honer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anto Pavlovic
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hans Richter
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Ritter
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Didier Rombach
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Keller
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; and
| | - Luca Gobbi
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Linjing Mu
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; and
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7
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Hosseininia M, Rostami F, Delphi L, Ghasemzadeh Z, Kouhkan F, Rezayof A. Memory impairment was ameliorated by corticolimbic microinjections of arachidonylcyclopropylamide (ACPA) and miRNA-regulated lentiviral particles in a streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's rat model. Exp Neurol 2023; 370:114560. [PMID: 37783412 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of corticolimbic cannabinoid CB1 receptors activity on memory impairment in the intracerebroventricular (ICV)-streptozotocin (STZ) animal model of Alzheimer's like-disease. This study also assessed whether the corticolimbic overexpression of miRNA-137 or -let-7a could increase the endocannabinoids by inhibiting the monoglyceride lipase (MAGL) to ameliorate STZ response. The results showed that ICV microinjection of STZ (3 mg/kg/10 μl) impaired passive avoidance memory retrieval. The chronic microinjection of arachidonylcyclopropylamide (ACPA; 10 ng/0.5 μl), a selective cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist, into the hippocampal CA1 region, the central amygdala (CeA) or the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) ameliorated the amnesic effect of ICV-STZ. Intra-CA1 or -CeA microinjection of ACPA alone did not affect memory retrieval, while its microinjection into the mPFC impaired memory formation. Based on bioinformatics analysis and verification of the MAGL gene, miRNA-137 and -let-7a were chosen to target the expression levels of MAGL in the corticolimbic regions. The chronic corticolimbic microinjection of lentiviral particles containing miRNA-137 or -let-7a ameliorated ICV-STZ-induced memory impairment. The high transfection efficiency was determined for each virus using comparing fluorescent and conventional vision. Corticolimbic overexpression of miRNA-137 or -let-7a decreased the MAGL gene expression that encodes the MAGL enzyme to increase the endocannabinoids. Thus, among the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is worth mentioning the role of endocannabinoids in the corticolimbic regions. CB1 receptor agonists, miRNA-137 or -let-7a, may be potential therapeutic targets against cognitive decline in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hosseininia
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rostami
- Stem Cell Technology Research Center, P.O. Box: 15856-36473, 15856-36473 Tehran, Iran
| | - Ladan Delphi
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Ghasemzadeh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Kouhkan
- Stem Cell Technology Research Center, P.O. Box: 15856-36473, 15856-36473 Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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8
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de la Monte SM, Tong M, Hapel AJ. Concordant and Discordant Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma Cytokine and Chemokine Responses in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2394. [PMID: 37760836 PMCID: PMC10525668 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092394] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation may be a pathogenic mediator and biomarker of neurodegeneration at the boundary between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whether neuroinflammatory processes are endogenous to the central nervous system (CNS) or originate from systemic (peripheral blood) sources could impact strategies for therapeutic intervention. To address this issue, we measured cytokine and chemokine immunoreactivities in simultaneously obtained lumbar puncture cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 39 patients including 18 with MCI or early AD and 21 normal controls using a 27-plex XMAP bead-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The MCI/AD combined group had significant (p < 0.05 or better) or statistically trend-wise (0.05 ≤ p ≤ 0.10) concordant increases in CSF and serum IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-13, and TNF-α and reductions in GM-CSF, b-FGF, IL-6, IP-10, and MCP-1; CSF-only increases in IFN-y and IL-7 and reductions in VEGF and IL-12p70; serum-only increases in IL-1β, MIP-1α, and eotaxin and reductions in G-CSF, IL-2, IL-8 and IL-15; and discordant CSF-serum responses with reduced CSF and increased serum PDGF-bb, IL-17a, and RANTES. The results demonstrate simultaneously parallel mixed but modestly greater pro-inflammatory compared to anti-inflammatory or neuroprotective responses in CSF and serum. In addition, the findings show evidence that several cytokines and chemokines are selectively altered in MCI/AD CSF, likely corresponding to distinct neuroinflammatory responses unrelated to systemic pathologies. The aggregate results suggest that early management of MCI/AD neuroinflammation should include both anti-inflammatory and pro-neuroprotective strategies to help prevent disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M. de la Monte
- Departments of Pathology (Neuropathology), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA;
| | - Ming Tong
- Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA;
| | - Andrew J. Hapel
- Department of Genome Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia;
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9
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Fernández-Moncada I, Eraso-Pichot A, Tor TD, Fortunato-Marsol B, Marsicano G. An enquiry to the role of CB1 receptors in neurodegeneration. Neurobiol Dis 2023:106235. [PMID: 37481040 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are debilitating conditions that impair patient quality of life and that represent heavy social-economic burdens to society. Whereas the root of some of these brain illnesses lies in autosomal inheritance, the origin of most of these neuropathologies is scantly understood. Similarly, the cellular and molecular substrates explaining the progressive loss of brain functions remains to be fully described too. Indeed, the study of brain neurodegeneration has resulted in a complex picture, composed of a myriad of altered processes that include broken brain bioenergetics, widespread neuroinflammation and aberrant activity of signaling pathways. In this context, several lines of research have shown that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its main signaling hub, the type-1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor are altered in diverse neurodegenerative disorders. However, some of these data are conflictive or poorly described. In this review, we summarize the findings about the alterations in ECS and CB1 receptors signaling in three representative brain illnesses, the Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, and we discuss the relevance of these studies in understanding neurodegeneration development and progression, with a special focus on astrocyte function. Noteworthy, the analysis of ECS defects in neurodegeneration warrant much more studies, as our conceptual understanding of ECS function has evolved quickly in the last years, which now include glia cells and the subcellular-specific CB1 receptors signaling as critical players of brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abel Eraso-Pichot
- Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Tommaso Dalla Tor
- Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania 95124, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Marsicano
- Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
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10
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Lee S, Jung GT, Cho M, Lee JW, Eghan K, Lee J, Yoon S, Kim KP, Kim WK. Plausibility of Daphnia magna as an alternative experimental model to evaluate effects on eicosanoid synthesis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 262:115119. [PMID: 37327520 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Eicosanoids play important roles in inflammation, allergy, fever, and immune responses. In the eicosanoid pathway, cyclooxygenase (COX) catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and is a crucial target of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Thus, toxicological studies on the eicosanoid pathway are important for drug discovery and the evaluation of adverse health outcomes due to environmental contaminants. However, experimental models are limited owing to concerns regarding ethical standards. Thus, new alternative models for evaluating toxic effects on the eicosanoid pathway must be developed. To this end, we adopted an invertebrate species, Daphnia magna, as an alternative model. D. magna was exposed to ibuprofen, a major NSAID, for 6 and 24 h. Transcription of eicosanoid-related genes (pla2, cox, pgd synthase, pgd2r2, ltb4dh, and lox) was analyzed by qPCR, eicosanoids (arachidonic acid, prostaglandin F2, dihydroxy prostaglandin F2, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoate) were quantified by multiple reaction monitoring, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine protein levels of arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). After 6 h of exposure, transcription of the pla2 and cox genes was downregulated. In addition, the whole-body level of arachidonic acid, an upstream of COX pathway, increased by over 1.5-fold. The levels of PGE2, a downstream of COX pathway, decreased after 24 h of exposure. According to our results, it is expected that the eicosanoid pathway might be conserved in D. magna, at least partially. This indicates the plausibility of D. magna as an alternative model for the screening of new drugs or chemical toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangwoo Lee
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea
| | - Gun Tae Jung
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kyung Hee Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, the Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Cho
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Won Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Natural Science, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, the Republic of Korea
| | - Kojo Eghan
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea; Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jieon Lee
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea
| | - Seokjoo Yoon
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea; Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, the Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pyo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kyung Hee Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, the Republic of Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Natural Science, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, the Republic of Korea.
| | - Woo-Keun Kim
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, the Republic of Korea; Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, the Republic of Korea.
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11
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Gräfe EL, Reid HMO, Shkolnikov I, Conway K, Kit A, Acosta C, Christie BR. Women are Taking the Hit: Examining the Unique Consequences of Cannabis Use Across the Female Lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 70:101076. [PMID: 37217080 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis use has risen dramatically in recent years due to global decriminalization and a resurgence in the interest of potential therapeutic benefits. While emerging research is shaping our understanding of the benefits and harms of cannabis, there remains a paucity of data specifically focused on how cannabis affects the female population. The female experience of cannabis use is unique, both in the societal context and because of the biological ramifications. This is increasingly important given the rise in cannabis potency, as well as the implications this has for the prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). Therefore, this scoping review aims to discuss the prevalence of cannabis use and CUD in women throughout their lifespan and provide a balanced prospective on the positive and negative consequences of cannabis use. In doing so, this review will highlight the necessity for continued research that goes beyond sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Gräfe
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - H M O Reid
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - I Shkolnikov
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - K Conway
- Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Kit
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C Acosta
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - B R Christie
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
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Scipioni L, Tortolani D, Ciaramellano F, Fanti F, Gazzi T, Sergi M, Nazaré M, Oddi S, Maccarrone M. Aβ Chronic Exposure Promotes an Activation State of Microglia through Endocannabinoid Signalling Imbalance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076684. [PMID: 37047663 PMCID: PMC10095368 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional phenotype of microglia, the primary brain immune cells, may aggravate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis by releasing proinflammatory factors, such as nitric oxide (NO). The endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are bioactive lipids increasingly recognised for their essential roles in regulating microglial activity both under normal and AD-driven pathological conditions. To investigate the possible impact of chronic exposure to β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) on the microglial endocannabinoid signalling, we characterised the functional expression of the endocannabinoid system on neonatal microglia isolated from wild-type and Tg2576 mice, an AD-like model, which overexpresses Aβ peptides in the developing brain. We found that Aβ-exposed microglia produced 2-fold more 2-AG than normal microglia. Accordingly, the expression levels of diacylglycerol lipase-α (DAGLα) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the main enzymes responsible for synthesising and hydrolysing 2-AG, respectively, were consistently modified in Tg2576 microglia. Furthermore, compared to wild-type cells, transgenic microglia basally showed increased expression of the cannabinoid 2 receptor, typically upregulated in an activated proinflammatory phenotype. Indeed, following inflammatory stimulus, Aβ-exposed microglia displayed an enhanced production of NO, which was abolished by pharmacological inhibition of DAGLα. These findings suggested that exposure to Aβ polarises microglial cells towards a pro-AD phenotype, possibly by enhancing 2-AG signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Scipioni
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
- European Center for Brain Research-IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel Tortolani
- European Center for Brain Research-IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciaramellano
- European Center for Brain Research-IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Federico Fanti
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Thais Gazzi
- Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Campus Berlin-Buch, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Manuel Sergi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marc Nazaré
- Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Campus Berlin-Buch, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sergio Oddi
- European Center for Brain Research-IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
- European Center for Brain Research-IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (FSL), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
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13
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Chen C. Inhibiting degradation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 244:108394. [PMID: 36966972 PMCID: PMC10123871 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are endogenous lipid signaling mediators that participate in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endocannabinoid and is a full agonist of G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors (CB1R and CB2R), which are targets of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. While 2-AG has been well recognized as a retrograde messenger modulating synaptic transmission and plasticity at both inhibitory GABAergic and excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the brain, growing evidence suggests that 2-AG also functions as an endogenous terminator of neuroinflammation in response to harmful insults, thus maintaining brain homeostasis. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is the key enzyme that degrades 2-AG in the brain. The immediate metabolite of 2-AG is arachidonic acid (AA), a precursor of prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes. Several lines of evidence indicate that pharmacological or genetic inactivation of MAGL, which boosts 2-AG levels and reduces its hydrolytic metabolites, resolves neuroinflammation, mitigates neuropathology, and improves synaptic and cognitive functions in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced neurodegenerative disease. Thus, it has been proposed that MAGL is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. As the main enzyme hydrolyzing 2-AG, several MAGL inhibitors have been identified and developed. However, our understanding of the mechanisms by which inactivation of MAGL produces neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases remains limited. A recent finding that inhibition of 2-AG metabolism in astrocytes, but not in neurons, protects the brain from TBI-induced neuropathology might shed some light on this unsolved issue. This review provides an overview of MAGL as a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases and discusses possible mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of restraining degradation of 2-AG in the brain.
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Zhu D, Zhang J, Gao F, Hu M, Hashem J, Chen C. Augmentation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol signaling in astrocytes maintains synaptic functionality by regulation of miRNA-30b. Exp Neurol 2023; 361:114292. [PMID: 36481187 PMCID: PMC9892245 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the most abundant endocannabinoid, displays anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Inhibition of 2-AG degradation by inactivation of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a key enzyme degrading 2-AG in the brain, alleviates neuropathology and improves synaptic and cognitive functions in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, global inactivation of MAGL by genetic deletion of mgll enhances hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which chronic inactivation of MAGL enhances synaptic activity is still limited. Here, we provide evidence that pharmacological inactivation of MAGL suppresses hippocampal expression of miR-30b, a small non-coding microRNA, and upregulates expression of its targets, including ephrin type-B receptor 2 (ephB2), sirtuin1 (sirt1), and glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 2 (GluA2). Importantly, suppression of miR-30b and increase of its targets by inactivation of MAGL result primarily from inhibition of 2-AG metabolism in astrocytes, rather than in neurons. Inactivation of MAGL in astrocytes prevents miR-30b overexpression-induced impairments in synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Suppression of miR-30b expression by inactivation of MAGL is apparently associated with augmentation of 2-AG signaling, as 2-AG induces a dose-dependent decrease in expression of miR-30b. 2-AG- or MAGL inactivation-suppressed expression of miR-30b is not mediated via CB1R, but by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). This is further supported by the results showing that MAGL inactivation-induced downregulation of miR-30b and upregulation of its targets are attenuated by antagonism of PPARγ, but mimicked by PPARγ agonists. In addition, we observed that 2-AG-induced reduction of miR-30b expression is mediated via NF-kB signaling. Our study provides evidence that 2-AG signaling in astrocytes plays an important role in maintaining the functional integrity of synapses in the hippocampus by regulation of miR-30b expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexiao Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Mei Hu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jack Hashem
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Chu Chen
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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15
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Zhu D, Zhang J, Hashem J, Gao F, Chen C. Inhibition of 2-arachidonoylglycerol degradation enhances glial immunity by single-cell transcriptomic analysis. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:17. [PMID: 36717883 PMCID: PMC9885699 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02701-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endogenous cannabinoid. Inhibition of 2-AG metabolism by inactivation of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the primary enzyme that degrades 2-AG in the brain, produces anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects are largely unclear. METHODS Hippocampal and cortical cells were isolated from cell type-specific MAGL knockout (KO) mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed by 10 × Genomics platform. Cell Ranger, Seurat (v3.2) and CellChat (1.1.3) packages were used to carry out data analysis. RESULTS Using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, we show here that cell type-specific MAGL KO mice display distinct gene expression profiles in the brain. Inactivation of MAGL results in robust changes in expression of immune- and inflammation-related genes in microglia and astrocytes. Remarkably, upregulated expression of chemokines in microglia is more pronounced in mice lacking MAGL in astrocytes. In addition, expression of genes that regulate other cellular functions and Wnt signaling in astrocytes is altered in MAGL KO mice. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide transcriptomic evidence that cell type-specific inactivation of MAGL induces differential expression of immune-related genes and other fundamental cellular pathways in microglia and astrocytes. Upregulation of the immune/inflammatory genes suggests that tonic levels of immune/inflammatory vigilance are enhanced in microglia and astrocytes, particularly in microglia, by inhibition of 2-AG metabolism, which likely contribute to anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects produced by inactivation of MAGL in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexiao Zhu
- grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Jian Zhang
- grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Jack Hashem
- grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Fei Gao
- grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Chu Chen
- grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA ,grid.267309.90000 0001 0629 5880Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
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16
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Abd-Nikfarjam B, Dolati-Somarin A, Baradaran Rahimi V, Askari VR. Cannabinoids in neuroinflammatory disorders: Focusing on multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons, and Alzheimers diseases. Biofactors 2023. [PMID: 36637897 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The medicinal properties of cannabis and cannabinoid-derivative are entirely investigated and known. In addition, the identification of psychotropic plant cannabinoids has led to more studies regarding the cannabinoid system and its therapeutic features in the treatment and management of clinical symptoms of neuroinflammatory disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinsons disease (PD), and Alzheimers disease (AD). In fact, cannabinoid agonists are able to control and regulate inflammatory responses. In contrast to the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and its unwanted adverse effects, the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) and its ligands hold promise for new and effective therapeutic approaches. So far, some successes have been achieved in this field. This review will discuss an outline of the endocannabinoid system's involvement in neuroinflammatory disorders. Moreover, the pharmacological efficacy of different natural and synthetic preparations of phytocannabinoids acting on cannabinoid receptors, particularly in MS, PD, and AD, will be updated. Also, the reasons for targeting CB2 for neurodegeneration will be explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Abd-Nikfarjam
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | | | - Vafa Baradaran Rahimi
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Vahid Reza Askari
- International UNESCO Center for Health-Related Basic Sciences and Human Nutrition, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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17
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Sharif N. Neuroaxonal and cellular damage/protection by prostanoid receptor ligands, fatty acid derivatives and associated enzyme inhibitors. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:5-17. [PMID: 35799502 PMCID: PMC9241399 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.343887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular and mitochondrial membrane phospholipids provide the substrate for synthesis and release of prostaglandins in response to certain chemical, mechanical, noxious and other stimuli. Prostaglandin D2, prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2α, prostaglandin I2 and thromboxane-A2 interact with five major receptors (and their sub-types) to elicit specific downstream cellular and tissue actions. In general, prostaglandins have been associated with pain, inflammation, and edema when they are present at high local concentrations and involved on a chronic basis. However, in acute settings, certain endogenous and exogenous prostaglandins have beneficial effects ranging from mediating muscle contraction/relaxation, providing cellular protection, regulating sleep, and enhancing blood flow, to lowering intraocular pressure to prevent the development of glaucoma, a blinding disease. Several classes of prostaglandins are implicated (or are considered beneficial) in certain central nervous system dysfunctions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis; stroke, traumatic brain injuries and pain) and in ocular disorders (e.g., ocular hypertension and glaucoma; allergy and inflammation; edematous retinal disorders). This review endeavors to address the physiological/pathological roles of prostaglandins in the central nervous system and ocular function in health and disease, and provides insights towards the therapeutic utility of some prostaglandin agonists and antagonists, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cyclooxygenase inhibitors.
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18
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Bernal‐Chico A, Tepavcevic V, Manterola A, Utrilla C, Matute C, Mato S. Endocannabinoid signaling in brain diseases: Emerging relevance of glial cells. Glia 2023; 71:103-126. [PMID: 35353392 PMCID: PMC9790551 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of cannabinoid receptors as the primary molecular targets of psychotropic cannabinoid Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC) in late 1980s paved the way for investigations on the effects of cannabis-based therapeutics in brain pathology. Ever since, a wealth of results obtained from studies on human tissue samples and animal models have highlighted a promising therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids in a variety of neurological disorders. However, clinical success has been limited and major questions concerning endocannabinoid signaling need to be satisfactorily addressed, particularly with regard to their role as modulators of glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, recent studies have brought into the limelight diverse, often unexpected functions of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia in brain injury and disease, thus providing scientific basis for targeting glial cells to treat brain disorders. This Review summarizes the current knowledge on the molecular and cellular hallmarks of endocannabinoid signaling in glial cells and its clinical relevance in neurodegenerative and chronic inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bernal‐Chico
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHULeioaSpain,Achucarro Basque Center for NeuroscienceLeioaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain,Neuroimmunology UnitBiocruces BizkaiaBarakaldoSpain
| | | | - Andrea Manterola
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHULeioaSpain,Achucarro Basque Center for NeuroscienceLeioaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain,Present address:
Parque Científico y Tecnológico de GuipuzkoaViralgenSan SebastianSpain
| | | | - Carlos Matute
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHULeioaSpain,Achucarro Basque Center for NeuroscienceLeioaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain
| | - Susana Mato
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHULeioaSpain,Achucarro Basque Center for NeuroscienceLeioaSpain,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)MadridSpain,Neuroimmunology UnitBiocruces BizkaiaBarakaldoSpain
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19
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Cammarota M, Ferlenghi F, Vacondio F, Vincenzi F, Varani K, Bedini A, Rivara S, Mor M, Boscia F. Combined targeting of fatty acid amide hydrolase and melatonin receptors promotes neuroprotection and stimulates inflammation resolution in rats. Br J Pharmacol 2022; 180:1316-1338. [PMID: 36526591 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Devising novel strategies to therapeutically favour inflammation resolution and provide neuroprotection is an unmet clinical need. Enhancing endocannabinoid tone by inhibiting the catabolic enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), or stimulating melatonin receptors has therapeutic potential to treat neuropathological states in which neuroinflammation plays a central role. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH A rodent hippocampal explant model of inflammatory injury was used to assess the effects of UCM1341, a dual-acting compound with FAAH inhibitory action and agonist activity at melatonin receptors, against neuroinflammatory damage. FAAH activity was measured by a radiometric assay, and N-acylethanolamine levels were assessed by HPLC-MS/MS methods. FAAH distribution, evolution of inflammation and the contribution of UCM1341 to the expression of proteins controlling macrophage behaviour were investigated by biochemical and confocal analyses. KEY RESULTS UCM1341 exhibited greater neuroprotection against neuroinflammatory degeneration, compared with the reference compounds URB597 (FAAH inhibitor) and melatonin. During neuroinflammation, UCM1341 augmented the levels of anandamide and N-oleoylethanolamine, but not N-palmitoylethanolamine, up-regulated PPAR-α levels, attenuated demyelination and prevented the release of TNF-α. UCM1341 modulated inflammatory responses by contributing to microglia/macrophage polarization, stimulating formation of lipid-laden macrophages and regulating expression of proteins controlling cholesterol metabolism and efflux. The neuroprotective effects of UCM1341 were prevented by PPARα, TRPV1 and melatonin receptor antagonists. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS UCM1341, by enhancing endocannabinoid and melatoninergic signalling, benefits neuroprotection and stimulates inflammation resolution pathways. Our findings provide an encouraging prospect of therapeutically targeting endocannabinoid and melatoninergic systems in inflammatory demyelinating states in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarosaria Cammarota
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Fabrizio Vincenzi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Annalida Bedini
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Urbino, Italy
| | - Silvia Rivara
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Mor
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Boscia
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
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20
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Cheng R, Fujinaga M, Yang J, Rong J, Haider A, Ogasawara D, Van RS, Shao T, Chen Z, Zhang X, Calderon Leon ER, Zhang Y, Mori W, Kumata K, Yamasaki T, Xie L, Sun S, Wang L, Ran C, Shao Y, Cravatt B, Josephson L, Zhang MR, Liang SH. A novel monoacylglycerol lipase-targeted 18F-labeled probe for positron emission tomography imaging of brown adipose tissue in the energy network. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:3002-3010. [PMID: 35513432 PMCID: PMC9622914 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00912-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) constitutes a serine hydrolase that orchestrates endocannabinoid homeostasis and exerts its function by catalyzing the degradation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) to arachidonic acid (AA). As such, selective inhibition of MAGL represents a potential therapeutic and diagnostic approach to various pathologies including neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic diseases and cancers. Based on a unique 4-piperidinyl azetidine diamide scaffold, we developed a reversible and peripheral-specific radiofluorinated MAGL PET ligand [18F]FEPAD. Pharmacokinetics and binding studies on [18F]FEPAD revealed its outstanding specificity and selectivity towards MAGL in brown adipose tissue (BAT) - a tissue that is known to be metabolically active. We employed [18F]FEPAD in PET studies to assess the abundancy of MAGL in BAT deposits of mice and found a remarkable degree of specific tracer binding in the BAT, which was confirmed by post-mortem tissue analysis. Given the negative regulation of endocannabinoids on the metabolic BAT activity, our study supports the concept that dysregulation of MAGL is likely linked to metabolic disorders. Further, we now provide a suitable imaging tool that allows non-invasive assessment of MAGL in BAT deposits, thereby paving the way for detailed mechanistic studies on the role of BAT in endocannabinoid system (ECS)-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Cheng
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- School of Medical Imaging, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300203, China
| | - Masayuki Fujinaga
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jing Yang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02125, USA
| | - Jian Rong
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Ahmed Haider
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Daisuke Ogasawara
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Richard S Van
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Tuo Shao
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Zhen Chen
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Xiaofei Zhang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Erick R Calderon Leon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Yiding Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Wakana Mori
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Katsushi Kumata
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Tomoteru Yamasaki
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Lin Xie
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shaofa Sun
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Non-power Nuclear Technology, College of Nuclear Technology & Chemistry and Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei Province, 437100, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Chongzhao Ran
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02125, USA
| | - Yihan Shao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Benjamin Cravatt
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Lee Josephson
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Steven H Liang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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21
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Chen C. Endocannabinoid control of neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury by monoacylglycerol lipase in astrocytes. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1023-1024. [PMID: 36254984 PMCID: PMC9827788 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chu Chen
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA,Correspondence to: Chu Chen, or .
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22
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He Y, Grether U, Taddio MF, Meier C, Keller C, Edelmann MR, Honer M, Huber S, Wittwer MB, Heer D, Richter H, Collin L, Hug MN, Hilbert M, Postmus AGJ, Stevens AF, van der Stelt M, Krämer SD, Schibli R, Mu L, Gobbi LC. Multi-parameter optimization: Development of a morpholin-3-one derivative with an improved kinetic profile for imaging monoacylglycerol lipase in the brain. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114750. [PMID: 36137365 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a gatekeeper in regulating endocannabinoid signaling and has gained substantial attention as a therapeutic target for neurological disorders. We recently discovered a morpholin-3-one derivative as a novel scaffold for imaging MAGL via positron emission tomography (PET). However, its slow kinetics in vivo hampered the application. In this study, structural optimization was conducted and eleven novel MAGL inhibitors were designed and synthesized. Based on the results from MAGL inhibitory potency, in vitro metabolic stability and surface plasmon resonance assays, we identified compound 7 as a potential MAGL PET tracer candidate. [11C]7 was synthesized via direct 11CO2 fixation method and successfully mapped MAGL distribution patterns on rodent brains in in vitro autoradiography. PET studies in mice using [11C]7 demonstrated its improved kinetic profile compared to the lead structure. Its high specificity in vivo was proved by using MAGL KO mice. Although further studies confirmed that [11C]7 is a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate in mice, its low P-gp efflux ratio on cells transfected with human protein suggests that it should not be an issue for the clinical translation of [11C]7 as a novel reversible MAGL PET tracer in human subjects. Overall, [11C]7 ([11C]RO7284390) showed promising results warranting further clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfang He
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Grether
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marco F Taddio
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carla Meier
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Keller
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin R Edelmann
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Honer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sylwia Huber
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias B Wittwer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Heer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hans Richter
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludovic Collin
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melanie N Hug
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Hilbert
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Annemarieke G J Postmus
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Anna Floor Stevens
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Stefanie D Krämer
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Schibli
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Linjing Mu
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Luca C Gobbi
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Kemble AM, Hornsperger B, Ruf I, Richter H, Benz J, Kuhn B, Heer D, Wittwer M, Engelhardt B, Grether U, Collin L. A potent and selective inhibitor for the modulation of MAGL activity in the neurovasculature. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268590. [PMID: 36084029 PMCID: PMC9462760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation and blood–brain barrier dysfunction are key pathological hallmarks of neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Major drivers of these pathologies include pro-inflammatory stimuli such as prostaglandins, which are produced in the central nervous system by the oxidation of arachidonic acid in a reaction catalyzed by the cyclooxygenases COX1 and COX2. Monoacylglycerol lipase hydrolyzes the endocannabinoid signaling lipid 2-arachidonyl glycerol, enhancing local pools of arachidonic acid in the brain and leading to cyclooxygenase-mediated prostaglandin production and neuroinflammation. Monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitors were recently shown to act as effective anti-inflammatory modulators, increasing 2-arachidonyl glycerol levels while reducing levels of arachidonic acid and prostaglandins, including PGE2 and PGD2. In this study, we characterized a novel, highly selective, potent and reversible monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor (MAGLi 432) in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide-induced blood–brain barrier permeability and in both human and mouse cells of the neurovascular unit: brain microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes and astrocytes. We confirmed the expression of monoacylglycerol lipase in specific neurovascular unit cells in vitro, with pericytes showing the highest expression level and activity. However, MAGLi 432 did not ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced blood–brain barrier permeability in vivo or reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain. Our data confirm monoacylglycerol lipase expression in mouse and human cells of the neurovascular unit and provide the basis for further cell-specific analysis of MAGLi 432 in the context of blood–brain barrier dysfunction caused by inflammatory insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M. Kemble
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Hornsperger
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Iris Ruf
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hans Richter
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Benz
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Kuhn
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Heer
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Wittwer
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Uwe Grether
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludovic Collin
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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24
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Lipidomics of Bioactive Lipids in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: Where Are We? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116235. [PMID: 35682914 PMCID: PMC9181703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipids are not only constituents of cellular membranes, but they are also key signaling mediators, thus acting as “bioactive lipids”. Among the prominent roles exerted by bioactive lipids are immune regulation, inflammation, and maintenance of homeostasis. Accumulated evidence indicates the existence of a bidirectional relationship between the immune and nervous systems, and lipids can interact particularly with the aggregation and propagation of many pathogenic proteins that are well-renowned hallmarks of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the presence and quantification of the main classes of endogenous bioactive lipids, namely glycerophospholipids/sphingolipids, classical eicosanoids, pro-resolving lipid mediators, and endocannabinoids, in AD and PD patients, as well as their most-used animal models, by means of lipidomic analyses, advocating for these lipid mediators as powerful biomarkers of pathology, diagnosis, and progression, as well as predictors of response or activity to different current therapies for these neurodegenerative diseases.
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25
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Scipioni L, Ciaramellano F, Carnicelli V, Leuti A, Lizzi AR, De Dominicis N, Oddi S, Maccarrone M. Microglial Endocannabinoid Signalling in AD. Cells 2022; 11:1237. [PMID: 35406803 PMCID: PMC8997504 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been recently identified as a major contributor to disease pathogenesis. Once activated, microglial cells, which are brain-resident immune cells, exert several key actions, including phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and the release of pro- or anti-inflammatory mediators, which could have opposite effects on brain homeostasis, depending on the stage of disease and the particular phenotype of microglial cells. The endocannabinoids (eCBs) are pleiotropic bioactive lipids increasingly recognized for their essential roles in regulating microglial activity both under normal and AD-driven pathological conditions. Here, we review the current literature regarding the involvement of this signalling system in modulating microglial phenotypes and activity in the context of homeostasis and AD-related neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Scipioni
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.S.); (V.C.); (A.R.L.); (N.D.D.)
- European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (A.L.)
| | - Francesca Ciaramellano
- European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (A.L.)
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Veronica Carnicelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.S.); (V.C.); (A.R.L.); (N.D.D.)
| | - Alessandro Leuti
- European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (A.L.)
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Lizzi
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.S.); (V.C.); (A.R.L.); (N.D.D.)
| | - Noemi De Dominicis
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.S.); (V.C.); (A.R.L.); (N.D.D.)
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Oddi
- European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (A.L.)
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio Snc, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (L.S.); (V.C.); (A.R.L.); (N.D.D.)
- European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (A.L.)
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Molecular Signatures of Mitochondrial Complexes Involved in Alzheimer’s Disease via Oxidative Phosphorylation and Retrograde Endocannabinoid Signaling Pathways. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:9565545. [PMID: 35432724 PMCID: PMC9006080 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9565545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective The inability to intervene in Alzheimer's disease (AD) forces the search for promising gene-targeted therapies. This study was aimed at exploring molecular signatures and mechanistic pathways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of AD. Methods Microarray datasets were collected to filter differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between AD and nondementia controls. Weight gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to analyze the correlation of coexpression modules with AD phenotype. A global regulatory network was established and then visualized using Cytoscape software to determine hub genes and their mechanistic pathways. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to estimate the diagnostic performance of hub genes in AD prediction. Results A total of 2,163 DEGs from 13,049 background genes were screened in AD relative to nondementia controls. Among the six coexpression modules constructed by WGCNA, DEGs of the key modules with the strongest correlation with AD were extracted to build a global regulatory network. According to the Maximal Clique Centrality (MCC) method, five hub genes associated with mitochondrial complexes were chosen. Further pathway enrichment analysis of hub genes, such as oxidative phosphorylation and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, was identified. According to the area under the curve (AUC) of about 70%, each hub gene exhibited a good diagnostic performance in predicting AD. Conclusions Our findings highlight the perturbation of mitochondrial complexes underlying AD onset, which is mediated by molecular signatures involved in oxidative phosphorylation (COX5A, NDUFAB1, SDHB, UQCRC2, and UQCRFS1) and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling (NDUFAB1) pathways.
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Hattori Y, Seki C, Maeda J, Nagai Y, Aoyama K, Zhang MR, Minamimoto T, Koike T, Higuchi M. Quantification of monoacylglycerol lipase and its occupancy by an exogenous ligand in rhesus monkey brains using [ 18F]T-401 and PET. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:656-666. [PMID: 34727758 PMCID: PMC8943622 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211058285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a cytosolic serine hydrolase that cleaves monoacylglycerols into fatty acids and is a potential target for the novel treatment of CNS disorders related to the endocannabinoid system and neuroinflammation. We have developed [18F]T-401 as a selective Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent for MAGL. In this study, we determined an analytical method to quantify MAGL availability and its occupancy by an exogenous inhibitor in rhesus monkey brains using [18F]T-401-PET. In rhesus monkeys, regional time-activity curves were described well when using an extended 2-tissue compartment model that accommodated the formation of a radiometabolite in the brain. This model yielded reliable estimates of the total distribution volume (VT), and the rank order of VT was consistent with known regional activity of MAGL enzyme in primates. The pretreatment of monkeys with JW642 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of [18F]T-401 retentions in the brain, and VT. Lassen's graphical analysis indicated a VND of 0.69 mL/cm3 and a plasma JW642 concentration of 126 ng/mL for inhibiting the specific binding by 50%. [18F]T-401 and the method established can be used for quantification of MAGL in healthy brain and in disease conditions, and is suitable for evaluations of target engagement at cerebral MAGL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chie Seki
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Jun Maeda
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuji Nagai
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Tatsuki Koike
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
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28
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Vidal-Palencia L, Ramon-Duaso C, González-Parra JA, Busquets-Garcia A. Gene Expression Analysis of the Endocannabinoid System in Presymptomatic APP/PS1 Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:864591. [PMID: 35370697 PMCID: PMC8971609 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.864591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and neurodegeneration. The actual cause of AD progression is still unknown and no curative treatment is available. Recently, findings in human samples and animal models pointed to the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a promising therapeutic approach against AD. However, the specific mechanisms by which cannabinoid drugs induce potential beneficial effects are still undefined. For this reason, it is required a full characterization of the ECS at different time points of AD progression considering important factors such as sex or the analysis of different brain regions to improve future cannabinoid-dependent therapies in AD. Thus, the main aim of the present study is to expand our knowledge of the status of the ECS in a presymptomatic period (3 months of age) using the AD mouse model APP/PS1 mice. First, we evaluated different behavioral domains including anxiety, cognitive functions, and social interactions in male and female APP/PS1 mice at 4 months of age. Although a mild working memory impairment was observed in male APP/PS1 mice, in most of the behaviors assessed we found no differences between genotypes. At 3 months of age, we performed a characterization of the ECS in different brain regions of the APP/PS1 mice considering the sex variable. We assessed the expression of the ECS components by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum. Interestingly, gene expression levels of the type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors and the anabolic and catabolic enzymes, differed depending on the brain region and the sex analyzed. For example, CB1R expression levels decreased in both hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of male APP/PS1 mice but increased in female mice. In contrast, CB2R expression was decreased in females, whereas males tended to have higher levels. Overall, our data indicated that the ECS is already altered in APP/PS1 mice at the presymptomatic stage, suggesting that it could be an early event contributing to the pathophysiology of AD or being a potential predictive biomarker.
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29
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Arakawa R, Takano A, Nag S, Jia Z, Amini N, Maresca KP, Zhang L, Keliher EJ, Butler CR, Piro JR, Samad TA, Smith D, Nason D, O'Neil S, Trapa P, Fonseca KR, Litchfield J, McCarthy T, Carson RE, Halldin C. Target occupancy study and whole-body dosimetry with a MAGL PET ligand [ 11C]PF-06809247 in non-human primates. EJNMMI Res 2022; 12:13. [PMID: 35244788 PMCID: PMC8897535 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-022-00882-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a key serine hydrolase which terminates endocannabinoid signaling and regulates arachidonic acid driven inflammatory responses within the central nervous system. To develop [11C]PF-06809247 into a clinically usable MAGL positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand, we assessed the occupancy of MAGL by an inhibitor in the non-human primate (NHP) brain. Additionally, we measured the whole-body distribution of [11C]PF-06809247 in NHP and estimated human effective radiation doses.
Methods Seven cynomolgus monkeys were enrolled for brain PET measurements. Two PET measurements along with arterial blood sampling were performed in each NHP: one baseline and one pretreatment condition with intravenous administration of PF-06818883, a pro-drug of a selective MAGL inhibitor (total of seven doses between 0.01 and 1.27 mg/kg). Kinetic parameters K1, k2 and k3 were estimated by a two tissue compartment (2TC) model using metabolite corrected plasma radioactivity as the input function. k4 was set as 0 according to the irreversible binding of [11C]PF-06809247. Ki by 2TC and Patlak analysis were calculated as the influx constant. The target occupancy was calculated using Ki at baseline and pretreatment conditions. Two cynomolgus monkeys were enrolled for whole-body PET measurements. Estimates of the absorbed radiation dose in humans were calculated with OLINDA/EXM 1.1 using the adult male reference model. Results Radioactivity retention was decreased in all brain regions following pretreatment with PF-06818883. Occupancy was measured as 25.4–100.5% in a dose dependent manner. Whole-body PET showed high radioactivity uptake values in the liver, small intestine, kidney, and brain. The effective dose of [11C]PF-06809247 was calculated as 4.3 μSv/MBq. Conclusions [11C]PF-06809247 is a promising PET ligand for further studies of MAGL in the human brain. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13550-022-00882-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Arakawa
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Akihiro Takano
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sangram Nag
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zhisheng Jia
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nahid Amini
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kevin P Maresca
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Edmund J Keliher
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Justin R Piro
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tarek A Samad
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Deborah Smith
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Deane Nason
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steve O'Neil
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Patrick Trapa
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kari R Fonseca
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John Litchfield
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Timothy McCarthy
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christer Halldin
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, R5:02, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
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30
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Chen C. Endocannabinoid metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1987-1988. [PMID: 35142686 PMCID: PMC8848605 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.335153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chu Chen
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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31
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Hu M, Zhu D, Zhang J, Gao F, Hashem J, Kingsley P, Marnett LJ, Mackie K, Chen C. Enhancing endocannabinoid signalling in astrocytes promotes recovery from traumatic brain injury. Brain 2022; 145:179-193. [PMID: 35136958 PMCID: PMC8967103 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is an important risk factor for development of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Unfortunately, no effective therapies are currently available for prevention and treatment of the traumatic brain injury-induced Alzheimer's disease-like neurodegenerative disease. This is largely due to our limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying traumatic brain injury-induced neuropathology. Previous studies showed that pharmacological inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase, a key enzyme degrading the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol, attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced neuropathology. However, the mechanism responsible for the neuroprotective effects produced by inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase in traumatic brain injury remains unclear. Here we first show that genetic deletion of monoacylglycerol lipase reduces neuropathology and averts synaptic and cognitive declines in mice exposed to repeated mild closed head injury. Surprisingly, these neuroprotective effects result primarily from inhibition of 2-arachidonoylglycerol metabolism in astrocytes, rather than in neurons. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data reveal that astrocytic monoacylglycerol lipase knockout mice display greater resilience to traumatic brain injury-induced changes in expression of genes associated with inflammation or maintenance of brain homeostasis in astrocytes and microglia. The monoacylglycerol lipase inactivation-produced neuroprotection is abrogated by deletion of the cannabinoid receptor-1 or by adeno-associated virus vector-mediated silencing of astrocytic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. This is further supported by the fact that overexpression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ in astrocytes prevents traumatic brain injury-induced neuropathology and impairments in spatial learning and memory. Our results reveal a previously undefined cell type-specific role of 2-arachidonoylglycerol metabolism and signalling pathways in traumatic brain injury-induced neuropathology, suggesting that enhanced 2-arachidonoylglycerol signalling in astrocytes is responsible for the monoacylglycerol lipase inactivation-produced alleviation of neuropathology and deficits in synaptic and cognitive functions in traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Hu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Dexiao Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jack Hashem
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Philip Kingsley
- Departments of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Lawrence J Marnett
- Departments of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Chu Chen
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA,Correspondence to: Chu Chen, PhD Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA E-mail: or
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32
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Papa A, Pasquini S, Contri C, Gemma S, Campiani G, Butini S, Varani K, Vincenzi F. Polypharmacological Approaches for CNS Diseases: Focus on Endocannabinoid Degradation Inhibition. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030471. [PMID: 35159280 PMCID: PMC8834510 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Polypharmacology breaks up the classical paradigm of “one-drug, one target, one disease” electing multitarget compounds as potential therapeutic tools suitable for the treatment of complex diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, psychiatric or degenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and cancer. These diseases often require a combination therapy which may result in positive but also negative synergistic effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is emerging as a particularly attractive therapeutic target in CNS disorders and neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), pain, and epilepsy. ECS is an organized neuromodulatory network, composed by endogenous cannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors type 1 and type 2 (CB1 and CB2), and the main catabolic enzymes involved in the endocannabinoid inactivation such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). The multiple connections of the ECS with other signaling pathways in the CNS allows the consideration of the ECS as an optimal source of inspiration in the development of innovative polypharmacological compounds. In this review, we focused our attention on the reported polypharmacological examples in which FAAH and MAGL inhibitors are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Papa
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, DoE Department of Excellence 2018-2022, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (A.P.); (S.G.); (G.C.)
| | - Silvia Pasquini
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.); (F.V.)
| | - Chiara Contri
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.); (F.V.)
| | - Sandra Gemma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, DoE Department of Excellence 2018-2022, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (A.P.); (S.G.); (G.C.)
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, DoE Department of Excellence 2018-2022, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (A.P.); (S.G.); (G.C.)
| | - Stefania Butini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, DoE Department of Excellence 2018-2022, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (A.P.); (S.G.); (G.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0577-234161
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.); (F.V.)
| | - Fabrizio Vincenzi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.); (F.V.)
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Zhu D, Gao F, Chen C. Endocannabinoid Metabolism and Traumatic Brain Injury. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112979. [PMID: 34831202 PMCID: PMC8616221 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major cause of morbidity and disability and is a risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, no effective therapies are currently available for TBI-induced AD-like disease. Endocannabinoids are endogenous lipid mediators involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The compound 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endocannabinoid with profound anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This molecule is predominantly metabolized by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a key enzyme degrading about 85% of 2-AG in the brain. Studies using animal models of inflammation, AD, and TBI provide evidence that inactivation of MAGL, which augments 2-AG signaling and reduces its metabolites, exerts neuroprotective effects, suggesting that MAGL is a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. In this short review, we provide an overview of the inhibition of 2-AG metabolism for the alleviation of neuropathology and the improvement of synaptic and cognitive functions after TBI.
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Zanfirescu A, Ungurianu A, Mihai DP, Radulescu D, Nitulescu GM. Targeting Monoacylglycerol Lipase in Pursuit of Therapies for Neurological and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Molecules 2021; 26:5668. [PMID: 34577139 PMCID: PMC8468992 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26185668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological and neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating conditions, and frequently lack an effective treatment. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a key enzyme involved in the metabolism of 2-AG (2-arachidonoylglycerol), a neuroprotective endocannabinoid intimately linked to the generation of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules. Consequently, synthesizing selective MAGL inhibitors has become a focus point in drug design and development. The purpose of this review was to summarize the diverse synthetic scaffolds of MAGL inhibitors concerning their potency, mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic applications, focusing on the results of studies published in the past five years. The main irreversible inhibitors identified were derivatives of hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol carbamates, glycol carbamates, azetidone triazole ureas and benzisothiazolinone, whereas the most promising reversible inhibitors were derivatives of salicylketoxime, piperidine, pyrrolidone and azetidinyl amides. We reviewed the results of in-depth chemical, mechanistic and computational studies on MAGL inhibitors, in addition to the results of in vitro findings concerning selectivity and potency of inhibitors, using the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) as an indicator of their effect on MAGL. Further, for highlighting the potential usefulness of highly selective and effective inhibitors, we examined the preclinical in vivo reports regarding the promising therapeutic applications of MAGL pharmacological inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anca Ungurianu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Traian Vuia 6, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Z.); (D.P.M.); (D.R.); (G.M.N.)
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35
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Tung MC, Fung KM, Hsu HM, Tseng TS. Discovery of 8-prenylnaringenin from hop ( Humulus lupulus L.) as a potent monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor for treatments of neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease. RSC Adv 2021; 11:31062-31072. [PMID: 35498911 PMCID: PMC9041313 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra05311f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a serine hydrolase, converts endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) to arachidonic acid (AA) and glycerol in the brain and plays a bidirectional role in controlling nueroinflammation. MAGL, involved in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, is a promising target for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the irreversible inhibitors of MAGL lead to the desensitization of CB1 receptors further impairing the benefits associated with the indirect CB1 stimulation. Therefore, development of potent reversible inhibitors from natural products (NPs) and traditional chinese medicines (TCMs) are safer and free from adverse side effects and feasible to avoid drawbacks which irreversible inhibitors cause. Here, we employed pharmacophore-based screening of drug candidates coupled with molecular docking, biochemical assay and Ligplot analyses to identify and characterize inhibitors targeting human MAGL (hMAGL). The built pharmacophore model, Phar-MAGL successfully identified inhibitors NP-2 (IC50 = 9.5 ± 1.2 μM), NP-5 (IC50 = 14.5 ± 1.3 μM), and NP-3 (IC50 = 15.2 ± 1.4 μM), which apparently attenuated the activities of hMAGL in vitro. The evident activities of the identified inhibitors against hMAGL showed that the pharmacophore model, Phar-MAGL is reliable and efficient in screening inhibitors against hMAGL. Our study successfully identified a natrual product inhibitor, NP-2 (8-PN), from the plant Humulus lupulus L. (hops) and its positive effects in neurogenesis and neurodifferentiation along with the evident inhibitory potency against hMAGL revealed the potential for further optimizing and developing into drugs to treat neuroinflammation, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Discovery of natural product inhibitors against human monoacylglycerol lipase by pharmacophore-based drug screening, LibDock molecular docking and in vitro biochemical examinations.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Che Tung
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tungs' Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital Taichung 435 Taiwan
| | - Kit-Man Fung
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica Taipei 115 Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Mie Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Hsing University Taichung Taiwan
| | - Tien-Sheng Tseng
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Hsing University Taichung Taiwan
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Abstract
The endocannabinoids are lipid-derived messengers that play a diversity of regulatory roles in mammalian physiology. Dysfunctions in their activity have been implicated in various disease conditions, attracting attention to the endocannabinoid system as a possible source of therapeutic drugs. This signaling complex has three components: the endogenous ligands, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG); a set of enzymes and transporters that generate, eliminate, or modify such ligands; and selective cell surface receptors that mediate their biological actions. We provide an overview of endocannabinoid formation, deactivation, and biotransformation and outline the properties and therapeutic potential of pharmacological agents that interfere with those processes. We describe small-molecule inhibitors that target endocannabinoid-producing enzymes, carrier proteins that transport the endocannabinoids into cells, and intracellular endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes. We briefly discuss selected agents that simultaneously interfere with components of the endocannabinoid system and with other functionally related signaling pathways. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Volume 62 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA; .,Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Alex Mabou Tagne
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA;
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Bisogno T, Lauritano A, Piscitelli F. The Endocannabinoid System: A Bridge between Alzheimer's Disease and Gut Microbiota. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:934. [PMID: 34575083 PMCID: PMC8470731 DOI: 10.3390/life11090934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia over time. The main clinical hallmarks of the disease (e.g., beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) begin during preclinical AD when cognitive deficits are not yet apparent. Hence, a more profound understanding of AD pathogenesis is needed to develop new therapeutic strategies. In this context, the endocannabinoid (eCB) system and the gut microbiome are increasingly emerging as important players in maintaining the general homeostasis and the health status of the host. However, their interaction has come to light just recently with gut microbiota regulating the eCB tone at both receptor and enzyme levels in intestinal and adipose tissues. Importantly, eCB system and gut microbiome, have been suggested to play a role in AD in both animal and human studies. Therefore, the microbiome gut-brain axis and the eCB system are potential common denominators in the AD physiopathology. Hence, the aim of this review is to provide a general overview on the role of both the eCB system and the microbiome gut-brain axis in AD and to suggest possible mechanisms that underlie the potential interplay of these two systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Bisogno
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Farmacologia Traslazionale, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Area Della Ricerca di Roma 2 Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Anna Lauritano
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy;
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy;
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Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) Inhibition Modulates Amyloid-Beta-Induced Microglia Polarization. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147711. [PMID: 34299330 PMCID: PMC8306898 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of endocannabinoid (eCB) to change functional microglial phenotype can be explored as a possible target for therapeutic intervention. Since the inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the main catabolic enzyme of anandamide (AEA), may provide beneficial effects in mice model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like pathology, we aimed at determining whether the FAAH inhibitor URB597 might target microglia polarization and alter the cytoskeleton reorganization induced by the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). The morphological evaluation showed that Aβ treatment increased the surface area of BV-2 cells, which acquired a flat and polygonal morphology. URB597 treatment partially rescued the control phenotype of BV-2 cells when co-incubated with Aβ. Moreover, URB597 reduced both the increase of Rho protein activation in Aβ-treated BV-2 cells and the Aβ-induced migration of BV-2 cells, while an increase of Cdc42 protein activation was observed in all samples. URB597 also increased the number of BV-2 cells involved in phagocytosis. URB597 treatment induced the polarization of microglial cells towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype, as demonstrated by the decreased expression of iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines along with the parallel increase of Arg-1 and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Taken together, these data suggest that FAAH inhibition promotes cytoskeleton reorganization, regulates phagocytosis and cell migration processes, thus driving microglial polarization towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype.
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Bajaj S, Jain S, Vyas P, Bawa S, Vohora D. The role of endocannabinoid pathway in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease: Can the inhibitors of MAGL and FAAH prove to be potential therapeutic targets against the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease? Brain Res Bull 2021; 174:305-322. [PMID: 34217798 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive decline of cognitive function in combination with neuronal death. Current approved treatment target single dysregulated pathway instead of multiple mechanism, resulting in lack of efficacy in slowing down disease progression. The proclivity of endocannabinoid system to exert neuroprotective action and mitigate symptoms of neurodegeneration condition has received substantial interest. Growing evidence suggest the endocannabinoids (eCB) system, viz. anadamide (AEA) and arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), as potential therapeutic targets with the ability to modify Alzheimer's pathology by targeting the inflammatory, neurodegenerative and cognitive aspects of the disease. In order to modulate endocannabinoid system, number of agents have been reported amongst which are inhibitors of the monoacylglycerol (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzymes that hydrolyses 2-AG and AEA respectively. However, little is known regarding the exact mechanistic signalling and their effects on pathophysiology and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. Both MAGL and FAAH inhibitors possess fascinating properties that may offer a multi-faceted approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease such as potential to protect neurons from deleterious effect of amyloid-β, reducing phosphorylation of tau, reducing amyloid-β induced oxidative stress, stimulating neurotrophin to support brain intrinsic repair mechanism etc. Based on empirical evidence, MAGL and FAAH inhibitors might have potential for therapeutic efficacy against cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the experimental studies demonstrating the polyvalent properties of MAGL or FAAH inhibitor compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and also effect of these on learning and types of memories, which together encourage to study these compounds over other therapeutics targets. Further research in this direction would enhance the molecular mechanisms and development of applicable interventions for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which nevertheless stay as the primary unmet need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivanshu Bajaj
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Shreshta Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Preeti Vyas
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Sandhya Bawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Vohora
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
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Potential and Limits of Cannabinoids in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10060542. [PMID: 34204237 PMCID: PMC8234911 DOI: 10.3390/biology10060542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary This review was aimed at exploring the potentiality of drugging the endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent discoveries have demonstrated how the modulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and receptor 2 (CB2) can exert neuroprotective effects without the recreational and pharmacological properties of Cannabis sativa. Thus, this review explores the potential of cannabinoids in AD, also highlighting their limitations in perspective to point out the need for further research on cannabinoids in AD therapy. Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a detrimental brain disorder characterized by a gradual cognitive decline and neuronal deterioration. To date, the treatments available are effective only in the early stage of the disease. The AD etiology has not been completely revealed, and investigating new pathological mechanisms is essential for developing effective and safe drugs. The recreational and pharmacological properties of marijuana are known for centuries, but only recently the scientific community started to investigate the potential use of cannabinoids in AD therapy—sometimes with contradictory outcomes. Since the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and cortex, cannabis use/abuse has often been associated with memory and learning dysfunction in vulnerable individuals. However, the latest findings in AD rodent models have shown promising effects of cannabinoids in reducing amyloid plaque deposition and stimulating hippocampal neurogenesis. Beneficial effects on several dementia-related symptoms have also been reported in clinical trials after cannabinoid treatments. Accordingly, future studies should address identifying the correct therapeutic dosage and timing of treatment from the perspective of using cannabinoids in AD therapy. The present paper aims to summarize the potential and limitations of cannabinoids as therapeutics for AD, focusing on recent pre-clinical and clinical evidence.
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Mehrabian Z, Guo Y, Miller NR, Henderson AD, Roth S, Bernstein SL. Approaches to Potentiated Neuroprotective Treatment in the Rodent Model of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061440. [PMID: 34207618 PMCID: PMC8228425 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) commonly causes sudden optic nerve (ON)-related vision loss. The rodent NAION model (rAION) closely resembles NAION in presentation and physiological responses. We identified early rAION-associated optic nerve head (ONH) inflammatory gene expression responses and the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin PGJ2’s effects on those responses. We hypothesized that blocking pro-inflammatory prostaglandin (PGE2) production by inhibiting monoacylglycerol lipase or cyclooxygenase activity and co-administering PGJ2 would potentiate RGC survival following ischemic neuropathy. Deep sequencing was performed on vehicle- and PGJ2-treated ONHs 3d post-rAION induction. Results were compared against responses from a retinal ischemia model. Animals were treated with PGJ2 and MAGL inhibitor KML29, or PGJ2 + COX inhibitor meloxicam. RGC survival was quantified by stereology. Tissue PG levels were quantified by ELISA. Gene expression was confirmed by qPCR. PGJ2 treatment nonselectively reduced inflammatory gene expression post-rAION. KML29 did not reduce PGE2 1d post-induction and KML29 alone increased RGC loss after rAION. Combined treatments did not improve ONH edema and RGC survival better than reported with PGJ2 alone. KML29′s failure to suppress PGE2 ocular synthesis, despite its purported effects in other CNS tissues may result from alternative PG synthesis pathways. Neither KML29 nor meloxicam treatment significantly improved RGC survival compared with vehicle. While exogenous PGJ2 has been shown to be neuroprotective, treatments combining PGJ2 with these PG synthesis inhibitors do not enhance PGJ2’s neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zara Mehrabian
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB), 10 S. Pine St., MSTF Room 5-77B, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (Z.M.); (Y.G.)
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB), 10 S. Pine St., MSTF Room 5-77B, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (Z.M.); (Y.G.)
| | - Neil R. Miller
- Division of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N. Wolfe St., Wilmer 233, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (N.R.M.); (A.D.H.)
| | - Amanda D. Henderson
- Division of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N. Wolfe St., Wilmer 233, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (N.R.M.); (A.D.H.)
| | - Steven Roth
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 20212, USA;
| | - Steven L. Bernstein
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB), 10 S. Pine St., MSTF Room 5-77B, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (Z.M.); (Y.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +410-706-3712
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Inhibition of 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Metabolism Alleviates Neuropathology and Improves Cognitive Function in a Tau Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:4122-4133. [PMID: 33939165 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02400-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, which affects more than 5 million individuals in the USA. Unfortunately, no effective therapies are currently available to prevent development of AD or to halt progression of the disease. It has been proposed that monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the key enzyme degrading the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the brain, is a therapeutic target for AD based on the studies using the APP transgenic models of AD. While inhibition of 2-AG metabolism mitigates β-amyloid (Aβ) neuropathology, it is still not clear whether inactivation of MAGL alleviates tauopathies as accumulation and deposition of intracellular hyperphosphorylated tau protein are the neuropathological hallmark of AD. Here we show that JZL184, a potent MAGL inhibitor, significantly reduced proinflammatory cytokines, astrogliosis, phosphorylated GSK3β and tau, cleaved caspase-3, and phosphorylated NF-kB while it elevated PPARγ in P301S/PS19 mice, a tau mouse model of AD. Importantly, tau transgenic mice treated with JZL184 displayed improvements in spatial learning and memory retention. In addition, inactivation of MAGL ameliorates deteriorations in expression of synaptic proteins in P301S/PS19 mice. Our results provide further evidence that MAGL is a promising therapeutic target for AD.
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Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibition in Monocytes/Macrophages from Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11040502. [PMID: 33810505 PMCID: PMC8066292 DOI: 10.3390/biom11040502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence shows that the immune system is critically involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis and progression. The modulation and targeting of peripheral immune mechanisms are thus promising therapeutic or preventive strategies for AD. Given the critical involvement of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in modulating immune functions, we investigated the potential role of the main elements of such a system, namely type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), in distinct immune cell populations of the peripheral blood of AD patients. We found that, compared to healthy controls, CB1 and CB2 expression was significantly lower in the B-lymphocytes of AD patients. Moreover, we found that CB2 was significantly lower and FAAH was significantly higher in monocytes of the same subjects. In contrast, T-lymphocytes and NK cells did not show any variation in any of these proteins. Of note, monocytic CB2 and FAAH levels significantly correlated with clinical scores. Furthermore, the pharmacological inactivation of FAAH in monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages obtained from AD patients was able to modulate their immune responses, by reducing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12, and enhancing that of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, FAAH blockade skewed AD monocyte-derived macrophages towards a more anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving phenotype. Collectively, our findings highlight a central role of FAAH in regulating AD monocytes/macrophages that could be of value in developing novel monocyte-centered therapeutic approaches aimed at promoting a neuroprotective environment.
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Ledesma JC, Rodríguez‐Arias M, Gavito AL, Sánchez‐Pérez AM, Viña J, Medina Vera D, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Miñarro J. Adolescent binge-ethanol accelerates cognitive impairment and β-amyloid production and dysregulates endocannabinoid signaling in the hippocampus of APP/PSE mice. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12883. [PMID: 32043730 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous research in rodents suggests that the long-term neurobehavioral disturbances induced by chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure could be due to endocannabinoid system (ECS) alterations. Moreover, ECS failure has been proposed to mediate the cognitive impairment and β-amyloid production in Alzheimer disease (AD). Thus, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of adolescent EtOH binge drinking on the cognitive disturbances, hippocampal β-amyloid levels, and in the ECS expression on a transgenic mouse model (APP/PSEN, AZ) of AD. We exposed AZ and wild-type mice to a binge-drinking treatment during adolescence. At 6 and 12 months of age, we evaluated hippocampal-dependent learning and memory: β-amyloid concentrations and RNA and protein levels of cannabinoid type-2 receptors (CB2), diacylglycerol lipase-α (DAGLα), and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) in the hippocampus. The results showed that binge-EtOH treatment worsens cognitive function and increases β-amyloid levels in AZ. At 6 months, EtOH heightens CB2 (RNA and protein) and DAGLα (RNA) expression in wild type but not in AZ. On the contrary, EtOH enhances MAGL RNA expression only in AZ. At 12 months, AZ displays increased levels of CB2 (RNA and protein) and DAGLα (protein) compared with control. Similar to what happens at 6 months, EtOH induces an increase in CB2 gene expression in wild type but not in AZ; however, it augments CB2 and DAGLα protein levels in both genotypes. Therefore, we propose that adolescent binge drinking accelerates cognitive deficits associated with aging and AD. It also accelerates hippocampal β-amyloid accumulation in AZ and affects differently the ECS response in wild type and AZ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Rodríguez‐Arias
- Departament de Psicobiologia Universitat de València Valencia Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS‐Trastornos Adictivos), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER Madrid Spain
| | - Ana L. Gavito
- Instituto IBIMA, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga Unidad de Gestión de Salud Mental Málaga Spain
| | | | - José Viña
- Freshage Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine University of Valencia, CIBERFES Valencia Spain
| | - Dina Medina Vera
- Instituto IBIMA, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga Unidad de Gestión de Salud Mental Málaga Spain
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS‐Trastornos Adictivos), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER Madrid Spain
- Instituto IBIMA, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga Unidad de Gestión de Salud Mental Málaga Spain
| | - José Miñarro
- Departament de Psicobiologia Universitat de València Valencia Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS‐Trastornos Adictivos), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER Madrid Spain
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Hou L, Rong J, Haider A, Ogasawara D, Varlow C, Schafroth MA, Mu L, Gan J, Xu H, Fowler CJ, Zhang MR, Vasdev N, Ametamey S, Cravatt BF, Wang L, Liang SH. Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of the Endocannabinoid System: Opportunities and Challenges in Radiotracer Development. J Med Chem 2020; 64:123-149. [PMID: 33379862 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in a wide range of biological functions and comprises cannabinoid receptors and enzymes responsible for endocannabinoid synthesis and degradation. Over the past 2 decades, significant advances toward developing drugs and positron emission tomography (PET) tracers targeting different components of the ECS have been made. Herein, we summarized the recent development of PET tracers for imaging cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1R) and 2 (CB2R) as well as the key enzymes monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), particularly focusing on PET neuroimaging applications. State-of-the-art PET tracers for the ECS will be reviewed including their chemical design, pharmacological properties, radiolabeling, as well as preclinical and human PET imaging. In addition, this review addresses the current challenges for ECS PET biomarker development and highlights the important role of PET ligands to study disease pathophysiology as well as to facilitate drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Hou
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jian Rong
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Ahmed Haider
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Daisuke Ogasawara
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Cassis Varlow
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8 ON, Canada
| | - Michael A Schafroth
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Linjing Mu
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences of ETH, PSI, and USZ, and Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jiefeng Gan
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Christopher J Fowler
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals Development, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States.,Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8 ON, Canada
| | - Simon Ametamey
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences of ETH, PSI, and USZ, and Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, SR107, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lu Wang
- Center of Cyclotron and PET Radiopharmaceuticals, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 West Huangpu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510630, China.,Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Steven H Liang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
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Medina-Vera D, Rosell-Valle C, López-Gambero AJ, Navarro JA, Zambrana-Infantes EN, Rivera P, Santín LJ, Suarez J, Rodríguez de Fonseca F. Imbalance of Endocannabinoid/Lysophosphatidylinositol Receptors Marks the Severity of Alzheimer's Disease in a Preclinical Model: A Therapeutic Opportunity. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:E377. [PMID: 33167441 PMCID: PMC7694492 DOI: 10.3390/biology9110377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegeneration and dementia. The endocannabinoid (ECB) system has been proposed as a novel therapeutic target to treat AD. The present study explores the expression of the ECB system, the ECB-related receptor GPR55, and cognitive functions (novel object recognition; NOR) in the 5xFAD (FAD: family Alzheimer's disease) transgenic mouse model of AD. Experiments were performed on heterozygous (HTZ) and homozygous (HZ) 11 month old mice. Protein expression of ECB system components, neuroinflammation markers, and β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques were analyzed in the hippocampus. According to the NOR test, anxiety-like behavior and memory were altered in both HTZ and HZ 5xFAD mice. Furthermore, both animal groups displayed a reduction of cannabinoid (CB1) receptor expression in the hippocampus, which is related to memory dysfunction. This finding was associated with indirect markers of enhanced ECB production, resulting from the combination of impaired monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) degradation and increased diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) levels, an effect observed in the HZ group. Regarding neuroinflammation, we observed increased levels of CB2 receptors in the HZ group that positively correlate with Aβ's accumulation. Moreover, HZ 5xFAD mice also exhibited increased expression of the GPR55 receptor. These results highlight the importance of the ECB signaling for the AD pathogenesis development beyond Aβ deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Medina-Vera
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Cristina Rosell-Valle
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
| | - Antonio J. López-Gambero
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Juan A. Navarro
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Emma N. Zambrana-Infantes
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (E.N.Z.-I.); (L.J.S.)
| | - Patricia Rivera
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
| | - Luis J. Santín
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (E.N.Z.-I.); (L.J.S.)
| | - Juan Suarez
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (C.R.-V.); (A.J.L.-G.); (J.A.N.); (P.R.); (J.S.)
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Tyukhtenko S, Ma X, Rajarshi G, Karageorgos I, Anderson KW, Hudgens JW, Guo JJ, Nasr ML, Zvonok N, Vemuri K, Wagner G, Makriyannis A. Conformational gating, dynamics and allostery in human monoacylglycerol lipase. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18531. [PMID: 33116203 PMCID: PMC7595040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75497-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of human Monoacylglycerol Lipase (hMGL) offers a novel approach for treating neurological diseases. The design of inhibitors, targeting active-inactive conformational transitions of the enzyme, can be aided by understanding the interplay between structure and dynamics. Here, we report the effects of mutations within the catalytic triad on structure, conformational gating and dynamics of hMGL by combining kinetics, NMR, and HDX-MS data with metadynamics simulations. We found that point mutations alter delicate conformational equilibria between active and inactive states. HDX-MS reveals regions of the hMGL that become substantially more dynamic upon substitution of catalytic acid Asp-239 by alanine. These regions, located far from the catalytic triad, include not only loops but also rigid α-helixes and β-strands, suggesting their involvement in allosteric regulation as channels for long-range signal transmission. The results identify the existence of a preorganized global communication network comprising of tertiary (residue-residue contacts) and quaternary (rigid-body contacts) networks that mediate robust, rapid intraprotein signal transmission. Catalytic Asp-239 controls hMGL allosteric communications and may be considered as an essential residue for the integration and transmission of information to enzymes' remote regions, in addition to its well-known role to facilitate Ser-122 activation. Our findings may assist in the identification of new druggable sites in hMGL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergiy Tyukhtenko
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA.
| | - Xiaoyu Ma
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA
| | - Girija Rajarshi
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA
| | - Ioannis Karageorgos
- BioProcess Measurements Group, Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards & Technology, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Kyle W Anderson
- BioProcess Measurements Group, Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards & Technology, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Hudgens
- BioProcess Measurements Group, Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards & Technology, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Jason J Guo
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA.,Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA
| | - Mahmoud L Nasr
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Renal Division and Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nikolai Zvonok
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA
| | - Kiran Vemuri
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA
| | - Gerhard Wagner
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Center for Drug Discovery and Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA.
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48
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Druggable Targets in Endocannabinoid Signaling. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1274:177-201. [PMID: 32894511 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-50621-6_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis and cannabinoid-based extracts have long been utilized for their perceived therapeutic value, and support for the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes continues to increase worldwide. Since the discovery of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the primary psychoactive component of cannabis over 50 years ago, substantial effort has been directed toward detection of endogenous mediators of cannabinoid activity. The discovery of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol as two endogenous lipid mediators of cannabinoid-like effects (endocannabinoids) has inspired exponential growth in our understanding of this essential pathway, as well as the pathological conditions that result from dysregulated endocannabinoid signaling. This review examines current knowledge of the endocannabinoid system including metabolic enzymes involved in biosynthesis and degradation and their receptors, and evaluates potential druggable targets for therapeutic intervention.
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49
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Hoxha M, Spahiu E, Prendi E, Zappacosta B. A Systematic Review on the Role of Arachidonic Acid Pathway in Multiple Sclerosis. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2020; 21:160-187. [PMID: 32842948 DOI: 10.2174/1871527319666200825164123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease characterized by destruction of oligodendrocytes, immune cell infiltration and demyelination. Inflammation plays a significant role in MS, and the inflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids, leukotrienes, superoxide radicals are involved in pro-inflammatory responses in MS. In this systematic review we tried to define and discuss all the findings of in vivo animal studies and human clinical trials on the potential association between arachidonic acid (AA) pathway and multiple sclerosis. METHODS A systematic literature search across Pubmed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane database was conducted. This systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS A total of 146 studies were included, of which 34 were conducted in animals, 58 in humans, and 60 studies reported the role of different compounds that target AA mediators or their corresponding enzymes/ receptors, and can have a therapeutic effect in MS. These results suggest that eicosanoids have significant roles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and MS. The data from animal and human studies elucidated that PGI2, PGF2α, PGD2, isoprostanes, PGE2, PLA2, LTs are increased in MS. PLA2 inhibition modulates the progression of the disease. PGE1 analogues can be a useful option in the treatment of MS. CONCLUSIONS All studies reported the beneficial effects of COX and LOX inhibitors in MS. The hybrid compounds, such as COX-2 inhibitors/TP antagonists and 5-LOX inhibitors can be an innovative approach for multiple sclerosis treatment. Future work in MS should shed light in synthesizing new compounds targeting arachidonic acid pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malvina Hoxha
- Department of Chemical-Toxicological and Pharmacological Evaluations of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Rruga Dritan Hoxha, Tirana. Albania
| | | | - Emanuela Prendi
- Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Rruga Dritan Hoxha, Tirana. Albania
| | - Bruno Zappacosta
- Department of Chemical-Toxicological and Pharmacological Evaluations of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Rruga Dritan Hoxha, Tirana. Albania
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50
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Uddin MS, Mamun AA, Sumsuzzman DM, Ashraf GM, Perveen A, Bungau SG, Mousa SA, El-Seedi HR, Bin-Jumah MN, Abdel-Daim MM. Emerging Promise of Cannabinoids for the Management of Pain and Associated Neuropathological Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:1097. [PMID: 32792944 PMCID: PMC7387504 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible chronic neurodegenerative disorder that occurs when neurons in the brain degenerate and die. Pain frequently arises in older patients with neurodegenerative diseases including AD. However, the presence of pain in older people is usually overlooked with cognitive dysfunctions. Most of the times dementia patients experience moderate to severe pain but the development of severe cognitive dysfunctions tremendously affects their capability to express the presence of pain. Currently, there are no effective treatments against AD that emphasize the necessity for increasing research to develop novel drugs for treating or preventing the disease process. Furthermore, the prospective therapeutic use of cannabinoids in AD has been studied for the past few years. In this regard, targeting the endocannabinoid system has considered as a probable therapeutic strategy to control several associated pathological pathways, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation for the management of AD. In this review, we focus on recent studies about the role of cannabinoids for the treatment of pain and related neuropathological changes in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah Al Mamun
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asma Perveen
- Glocal School of Life Sciences, Glocal University, Saharanpur, India
| | - Simona G. Bungau
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
| | - Shaker A. Mousa
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Egypt
| | - May N. Bin-Jumah
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed M. Abdel-Daim
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
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