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Nipper MA, Helms ML, Finn DA, Ryabinin AE. Stress-enhanced ethanol drinking does not increase sensitivity to the effects of a CRF-R1 antagonist on ethanol intake in male and female mice. Alcohol 2024; 120:73-83. [PMID: 38185336 PMCID: PMC11326135 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.01.001] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Research confirms that stress is associated with alcohol drinking and relapse in males and females and that there are sex differences in the alcohol-related adaptations of stress pathways. The predator stress (PS) model of traumatic stress produces an increase in alcohol drinking or self-administration in a subpopulation of rodents, so it is utilized as an animal model of comorbid alcohol use disorder (AUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous work determined that sensitivity to PS-enhanced drinking produced sex differences in proteins related to stress-regulating systems in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The present studies examined whether male and female C57BL/6J mice differ in sensitivity to the ability of the corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1 antagonist CP-376395 to decrease PS-enhanced drinking. In control studies, CP-376395 doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg dose-dependently decreased 4-h ethanol drinking. Next, CP-376395 doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg were tested for effects on ethanol drinking in mice with differential sensitivity to PS-enhanced drinking. Subgroups of "Sensitive" and "Resilient" male and female mice were identified based on changes in ethanol intake in an unrestricted-access ethanol-drinking procedure following four exposures to PS (dirty rat bedding). During the first 2 h post-injection of CP-376395, both doses significantly decreased ethanol licks versus vehicle in the females, with no significant interaction between subgroups, whereas the 10 mg/kg dose significantly decreased ethanol licks versus vehicle in the "Resilient" males. Thus, sensitivity to the suppressive effect of CP-376395 on stress-induced ethanol intake was greater in females versus males, whereas sensitivity and resilience to PS-enhanced drinking produced differential sensitivity to the ability of CP-376395 to decrease ethanol drinking only in male mice. Our results argue against greater efficacy of CRF-R1's ability to decrease ethanol intake in subjects with traumatic stress-enhanced ethanol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Nipper
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Melinda L Helms
- Department of Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Deborah A Finn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States; Department of Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States.
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2
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Wang XX, Ji X, Lin J, Wong IN, Lo HH, Wang J, Qu L, Wong VKW, Chung SK, Law BYK. GPCR-mediated natural products and compounds: Potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of neurological diseases. Pharmacol Res 2024; 208:107395. [PMID: 39241934 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 09/01/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), widely expressed in the human central nervous system (CNS), perform numerous physiological functions and play a significant role in the pathogenesis of diseases. Consequently, identifying key therapeutic GPCRs targets for CNS-related diseases is garnering immense interest in research labs and pharmaceutical companies. However, using GPCRs drugs for treating neurodegenerative diseases has limitations, including side effects and uncertain effective time frame. Recognizing the rich history of herbal treatments for neurological disorders like stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), modern pharmacological research is now focusing on the understanding of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and compounds in modulating GPCRs and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions. This paper will offer a comprehensive, critical review of how certain natural products and compounds target GPCRs to treat neurological diseases. Conducting an in-depth study of herbal remedies and their efficacies against CNS-related disorders through GPCRs targeting will augment our strategies for treating neurological disorders. This will not only broaden our understanding of effective therapeutic methodologies but also identify the root causes of altered GPCRs signaling in the context of pathophysiological mechanisms in neurological diseases. Moreover, it would be informative for the creation of safer and more effective GPCR-mediated drugs, thereby establishing a foundation for future treatment of various neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Xia Wang
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China; Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiang Ji
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China
| | - Jing Lin
- Department of Endocrinology, Luzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Io Nam Wong
- Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR China
| | - Hang Hong Lo
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Liqun Qu
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China
| | - Vincent Kam Wai Wong
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China
| | - Sookja Kim Chung
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China; Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR China.
| | - Betty Yuen Kwan Law
- Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR China.
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3
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Anversa RG, Barron ML, Walker LC, Lawrence AJ. Emerging GPCR targets for AUD: Insights from preclinical studies. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102896. [PMID: 38971113 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102896] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest group of membrane receptors in the central nervous system and one of the key proteins for signal transduction between cells. Currently, many drugs available on the market act via GPCRs and these receptors remain attractive targets for the treatment of brain disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Here, we describe the most recent literature, with a primary focus on the past 5 years, on GPCR targets with the potential for reducing behaviours associated with excessive alcohol intake. Specifically, we focus on preclinical evidence of compounds with attractive pharmacological profiles and potential for future clinical investigation for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Goncalves Anversa
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
| | - Maiya L Barron
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
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4
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Yang X, Geng F. Corticotropin-releasing factor signaling and its potential role in the prefrontal cortex-dependent regulation of anxiety. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:1781-1794. [PMID: 37592912 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
A large body of literature has highlighted the significance of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in the regulation of neuropsychiatric diseases. Anxiety disorders are among the most common neuropsychiatric disorders. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the CRF family mediates and regulates the development and maintenance of anxiety. Thus, the CRF family is considered to be a potential target for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a role in the occurrence and development of anxiety, and both CRF and CRF-R1 are widely expressed in the PFC. This paper begins by reviewing CRF-related signaling pathways and their different roles in anxiety and related processes. Then, the role of the CRF system in other neuropsychiatric diseases is reviewed and the potential role of PFC CRF signaling in the regulation of anxiety disorders is discussed. Although other signaling pathways are potentially involved in the process of anxiety, CRF in the PFC primarily modulates anxiety disorders through the activation of corticotropin-releasing factor type1 receptors (CRF-R1) and the excitation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Moreover, the main signaling pathways of CRF involved in sex differentiation in the PFC appear to be different. In summary, this review suggests that the CRF system in the PFC plays a critical role in the occurrence of anxiety. Thus, CRF signaling is of great significance as a potential target for the treatment of stress-related disorders in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- Department of Physiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fei Geng
- Department of Physiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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5
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Heilig M. Stress-related neuropeptide systems as targets for treatment of alcohol addiction: A clinical perspective. J Intern Med 2023; 293:559-573. [PMID: 37052145 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use is a major cause of disability and death globally. These negative consequences disproportionately affect people who develop alcohol addiction, a chronic relapsing condition characterized by increased motivation to use alcohol, choice of alcohol over healthy, natural rewards, and continued use despite negative consequences. Available pharmacotherapies for alcohol addiction are few, have effect sizes in need of improvement, and remain infrequently prescribed. Research aimed at developing novel therapeutics has in large part focused on attenuating pleasurable or "rewarding" properties of alcohol, but this targets processes that primarily play a role as initiation factors. As clinical alcohol addiction develops, long-term changes in brain function result in a shift of affective homeostasis, and rewarding alcohol effects become progressively reduced. Instead, increased stress sensitivity and negative affective states emerge in the absence of alcohol and create powerful incentives for relapse and continued use through negative reinforcement, or "relief." Based on research in animal models, several neuropeptide systems have been proposed to play an important role in this shift, suggesting that these systems could be targeted by novel medications. Two mechanisms in this category, antagonism at corticotropin-releasing factor type 1, and neurokinin 1/substance P receptors, have been subject to initial evaluation in humans. A third, kappa-opioid receptor antagonism, has been evaluated in nicotine addiction and could soon be tested for alcohol. This paper discusses findings with these mechanisms to date, and their prospects as future targets for novel medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, BKV, Linköping University and Department of Psychiatry, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
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6
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Lee MR, Rio D, Kwako L, George DT, Heilig M, Momenan R. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor receptor 1 (CRF1) antagonism in patients with alcohol use disorder and high anxiety levels: effect on neural response during Trier Social Stress Test video feedback. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:816-820. [PMID: 36564531 PMCID: PMC10066297 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01521-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In preclinical models of alcohol use disorder, the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor is upregulated, particularly in the extended amygdala. This upregulation is thought to play a role in stress-induced relapse to drinking by a mechanism that is independent of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. As part of a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study with pexacerfont, a selective, orally available, and brain-penetrant CRF1 receptor antagonist which has anti-anxiety effects in preclinical studies, we examined the effect of pexacerfont on the neural response to a social stress task adapted to fMRI. Subjects were 39 individuals (4 women) with high trait anxiety and moderate to severe alcohol use disorder randomized to receive pexacerfont or placebo. The task involved feedback of videoclips of an individual performing the Trier Social Stress Test. Pexacerfont had no effect on the neural response to self-observation under stress. The neural response to viewing oneself under stress vs an unknown other under stress activated prefrontal brain regions including insula, inferior frontal gyrus as well as medial, superior frontal gyri. These regions of activation overlap with those found in studies using similar paradigms. Potential applications of this task to probe neurocircuitry that is disrupted in addiction is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary R Lee
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Daniel Rio
- Clinical Neuroimaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laura Kwako
- Division of Treatment and Recovery, Health Services, and Recovery Branch (THSRB), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David T George
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical Neuroimaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Fischler PV, Soyka M, Seifritz E, Mutschler J. Off-label and investigational drugs in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A critical review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:927703. [PMID: 36263121 PMCID: PMC9574013 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.927703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Compounds known to be successful in the treatment of alcohol use disorder include the aversive agent, Disulfiram, the glutamatergic NMDA receptor antagonist, Acamprosate, and the opioid receptor antagonists, Naltrexone and Nalmefene. Although all four are effective in maintaining abstinence or reduction of alcohol consumption, only a small percentage of patients receive pharmacological treatment. In addition, many other medications have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. In this review we summarize and compare Baclofen, Gabapentin, Topiramate, Ondansetron, Varenicline, Aripiprazole, Quetiapine, Clozapine, Antidepressants, Lithium, Neuropeptide Y, Neuropeptide S, Corticotropin-releasing factor antagonists, Oxytocin, PF-05190457, Memantine, Ifenprodil, Samidorphan, Ondelopran, ABT-436, SSR149415, Mifepristone, Ibudilast, Citicoline, Rimonabant, Surinabant, AM4113 and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate While some have shown promising results in the treatment of alcohol use disorder, others have disappointed and should be excluded from further investigation. Here we discuss the most promising results and highlight medications that deserve further preclinical or clinical study. Effective, patient-tailored treatment will require greater understanding provided by many more preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Valentin Fischler
- Department for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Women’s Clinic Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Pascal Valentin Fischler,
| | - Michael Soyka
- Psychiatric Hospital University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Clinic Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Lichlyter DA, Krumm ZA, Golde TA, Doré S. Role of CRF and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in stroke: revisiting temporal considerations and targeting a new generation of therapeutics. FEBS J 2022; 290:1986-2010. [PMID: 35108458 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ischaemic neurovascular stroke represents a leading cause of death in the developed world. Preclinical and human epidemiological evidence implicates the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of neuropeptides as mediators of acute neurovascular injury pathology. Preclinical investigations of the role of CRF, CRF receptors and CRF-dependent activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have pointed toward a tissue-specific and temporal relationship between activation of these pathways and physiological outcomes. Based on the literature, the major phases of ischaemic stroke aetiology may be separated into an acute phase in which CRF and anti-inflammatory stress signalling are beneficial and a chronic phase in which these contribute to neural degeneration, toxicity and apoptotic signalling. Significant gaps in knowledge remain regarding the pathway, temporality and systemic impact of CRF signalling and stress biology in neurovascular injury progression. Heterogeneity among experimental designs poses a challenge to defining the apparent reciprocal relationship between neurological injury and stress metabolism. Despite these challenges, it is our opinion that the elucidated temporality may be best matched with an antibody against CRF with a half-life of days to weeks as opposed to minutes to hours as with small-molecule CRF receptor antagonists. This state-of-the-art review will take a multipronged approach to explore the expected potential benefit of a CRF antibody by modulating CRF and corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 signalling, glucocorticoids and autonomic nervous system activity. Additionally, this review compares the modulation of CRF and HPA axis activity in neuropsychiatric diseases and their counterpart outcomes post-stroke and assess lessons learned from antibody therapies in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Lichlyter
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zachary A Krumm
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Todd A Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sylvain Doré
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Miczek KA, DiLeo A, Newman EL, Akdilek N, Covington HE. Neurobiological Bases of Alcohol Consumption After Social Stress. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 54:245-281. [PMID: 34964935 PMCID: PMC9698769 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The urge to seek and consume excessive alcohol is intensified by prior experiences with social stress, and this cascade can be modeled under systematically controlled laboratory conditions in rodents and non-human primates. Adaptive coping with intermittent episodes of social defeat stress often transitions to maladaptive responses to traumatic continuous stress, and alcohol consumption may become part of coping responses. At the circuit level, the neural pathways subserving stress coping intersect with those for alcohol consumption. Increasingly discrete regions and connections within the prefrontal cortex, the ventral and dorsal striatum, thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, tegmental areas as well as brain stem structures begin to be identified as critical for reacting to and coping with social stress while seeking and consuming alcohol. Several candidate molecules that modulate signals within these neural connections have been targeted in order to reduce excessive drinking and relapse. In spite of some early clinical failures, neuropeptides such as CRF, opioids, or oxytocin continue to be examined for their role in attenuating stress-escalated drinking. Recent work has focused on neural sites of action for peptides and steroids, most likely in neuroinflammatory processes as a result of interactive effects of episodic social stress and excessive alcohol seeking and drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus A. Miczek
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alyssa DiLeo
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily L. Newman
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Naz Akdilek
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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10
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Anderson EM, Lopez MF, Kastner A, Mulholland PJ, Becker HC, Cowan CW. The histone methyltransferase G9a mediates stress-regulated alcohol drinking. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13060. [PMID: 34013595 PMCID: PMC8602448 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The epigenetic enzyme G9a is a histone methyltransferase that dimethylates lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9me2), and in the adult nucleus accumbens (NAc), G9a regulates multiple behaviors associated with substance use disorder. We show here that chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure in male mice reduced both G9a and H3K9me2 levels in the adult NAc, but not dorsal striatum. Viral-mediated reduction of G9a in the NAc had no effects on baseline volitional ethanol drinking or escalated alcohol drinking produced by CIE exposure; however, NAc G9a was required for stress-regulated changes in ethanol drinking, including potentiated alcohol drinking produced by activation of the kappa-opioid receptor. In addition, we observed that chronic systemic administration of a G9a inhibitor, UNC0642, also blocked stress-potentiated alcohol drinking. Together, our findings suggest that chronic alcohol use, similar to other abused substances, produces a NAc-selective reduction in G9a levels that serves to limit stress-regulated alcohol drinking. Moreover, our findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of G9a might provide a novel therapeutic approach to treat stress-induced alcohol drinking, which is a major trigger of relapse in individuals suffering from AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M. Anderson
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Marcelo F. Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Abigail Kastner
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Patrick J. Mulholland
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Howard C. Becker
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Christopher W. Cowan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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11
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Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 in the central amygdala prevents cocaine-seeking behaviour induced by orexin-A administered to the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus in male rats. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E459-E471. [PMID: 34318655 PMCID: PMC8519495 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.200213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Orexin-A (OrxA) administration in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (pPVT) reinstates extinguished cocaine-seeking behaviour following extended access to the drug (a model of dependence). The pPVT receives and integrates information associated with emotionally salient events and sends excitatory inputs to brain regions involved in the expression of emotional states, such as those driving cocaine-seeking behaviour (i.e., the nucleus accumbens, the central nucleus of the amygdala [CeA], the basolateral amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis [BNST] and the prefrontal cortex). METHODS We monitored the activation pattern of these regions (measured by Fos) during cocaine-seeking induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT. The BNST and CeA emerged as being selectively activated. To test whether the functionality of these regions was pivotal during OrxA-induced cocaine-seeking behaviour, we transiently inactivated these regions concomitantly with OrxA administration to the pPVT. We then tested the participation of corticotropin-releasing factor receptors (CRF1) in the CeA during OrxA-induced cocaine-seeking using the CRF1 antagonist CP154526. RESULTS We observed selective activation of the CeA and BNST during cocaine-seeking induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT, but only transient inactivation of the CeA prevented cocaine-seeking behaviour. Administration of CP154526 to the CeA prevented OrxAinduced cocaine-seeking behaviour. LIMITATIONS The use of only male rats could have been a limitation. Other limitations could have been the use of an indirect approach to test the hypothesis that administration of OrxA to the pPVT drives cocaine-seeking via CRF1 signalling in the CeA, and a lack of analysis of the participation of CeA subregions. CONCLUSION Cocaine-seeking behaviour induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT is driven by activation of the CeA via CRF1 signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- From The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA (Matzeu, Martin-Fardon)
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- From The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA (Matzeu, Martin-Fardon)
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12
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Lohoff FW, Roy A, Jung J, Longley M, Rosoff DB, Luo A, O'Connell E, Sorcher JL, Sun H, Schwandt M, Hodgkinson CA, Goldman D, Momenan R, McIntosh AM, Adams MJ, Walker RM, Evans KL, Porteous D, Smith AK, Lee J, Muench C, Charlet K, Clarke TK, Kaminsky ZA. Epigenome-wide association study and multi-tissue replication of individuals with alcohol use disorder: evidence for abnormal glucocorticoid signaling pathway gene regulation. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2224-2237. [PMID: 32398718 PMCID: PMC7658001 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0734-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic debilitating disorder with limited treatment options and poorly defined pathophysiology. There are substantial genetic and epigenetic components; however, the underlying mechanisms contributing to AUD remain largely unknown. We conducted the largest DNA methylation epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) analyses currently available for AUD (total N = 625) and employed a top hit replication (N = 4798) using a cross-tissue/cross-phenotypic approach with the goal of identifying novel epigenetic targets relevant to AUD. Results show that a network of differentially methylated regions in glucocorticoid signaling and inflammation-related genes were associated with alcohol use behaviors. A top probe consistently associated across all cohorts was located in the long non-coding RNA growth arrest specific five gene (GAS5) (p < 10-24). GAS5 has been implicated in regulating transcriptional activity of the glucocorticoid receptor and has multiple functions related to apoptosis, immune function and various cancers. Endophenotypic analyses using peripheral cortisol levels and neuroimaging paradigms showed that methylomic variation in GAS5 network-related probes were associated with stress phenotypes. Postmortem brain analyses documented increased GAS5 expression in the amygdala of individuals with AUD. Our data suggest that alcohol use is associated with differential methylation in the glucocorticoid system that might influence stress and inflammatory reactivity and subsequently risk for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk W Lohoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Arunima Roy
- Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jeesun Jung
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Martha Longley
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel B Rosoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Audrey Luo
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emma O'Connell
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jill L Sorcher
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hui Sun
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Melanie Schwandt
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Colin A Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical Neuroimaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark J Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rosie M Walker
- Medical Genetic Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Medical Research Council Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kathryn L Evans
- Medical Genetic Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Medical Research Council Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David Porteous
- Medical Genetic Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Medical Research Council Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jisoo Lee
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christine Muench
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katrin Charlet
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Toni-Kim Clarke
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zachary A Kaminsky
- Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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13
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Natividad LA, Steinman MQ, McGinn MA, Sureshchandra S, Kerr TM, Ciccocioppo R, Messaoudi I, Edwards S, Roberto M. Impaired hypothalamic feedback dysregulates brain glucocorticoid signaling in genetically-selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12978. [PMID: 33142367 PMCID: PMC8052265 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetically-selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats display comorbid symptoms of increased alcohol preference and elevated anxiety-like behavior. Heightened stress sensitivity in msPs is influenced by genetic polymorphisms of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), as well as reduced influence of anti-stress mechanisms that normally constrain the stress response. Given this propensity for stress dysregulation, in this study, we expand on the possibility that msPs may display differences in neuroendocrine processes that normally terminate the stress response. We utilized behavioral, biochemical, and molecular assays to compare basal and restraint stress-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of male and female msPs relative to their nonselected Wistar counterparts. The results showed that msPs display deficits in marble-burying behavior influenced by environmental factors and procedures that modulate arousal states in a sex-dependent manner. Whereas male msPs display evidence of dysregulated neuroendocrine function (higher adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and subthreshold reductions in corticosterone), females display restraint-induced elevations in corticosterone levels that were persistently higher in msPs. A dexamethasone challenge reduced the circulation of these stress hormones, although the reduction in corticosterone was generally attenuated in msP versus Wistar rats. Finally, we found evidence of diminished stress-induced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of msPs, as well as innate increases in phosphorylated GR levels in the CeA of male msPs. Collectively, these findings suggest that negative feedback processes regulating HPA responsiveness are diminished in msP rats, possibly underlying differences in the expression of anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Natividad
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
| | - Michael Q. Steinman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
| | - M. Adrienne McGinn
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA
| | - Suhas Sureshchandra
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, 92697, USA
| | - Tony M. Kerr
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, 92697, USA
| | - Scott Edwards
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
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14
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Domi E, Domi A, Adermark L, Heilig M, Augier E. Neurobiology of alcohol seeking behavior. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1585-1614. [PMID: 33704789 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse consequences. A main challenge of addiction treatment is to prevent relapse, which occurs in more than >50% of newly abstinent patients with alcohol disorder within 3 months. In people suffering from alcohol addiction, stressful events, drug-associated cues and contexts, or re-exposure to a small amount of alcohol trigger a chain of behaviors that frequently culminates in relapse. In this review, we first present the preclinical models that were developed for the study of alcohol seeking behavior, namely the reinstatement model of alcohol relapse and compulsive alcohol seeking under a chained schedule of reinforcement. We then provide an overview of the neurobiological findings obtained using these animal models, focusing on the role of opioids systems, corticotropin-release hormone and neurokinins, followed by dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurotransmissions in alcohol seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esi Domi
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, BKV, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ana Domi
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louise Adermark
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, BKV, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Eric Augier
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, BKV, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Abstract
Alcohol dependence is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking, loss of control in limiting intake, and the emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. Accumulating evidence suggests an important role for synaptic transmission in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in mediating alcohol-related behaviors and neuroadaptive mechanisms associated with alcohol dependence. Acute alcohol facilitates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic transmission in the CeA via both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms, and chronic alcohol increases baseline GABAergic transmission. Acute alcohol inhibits glutamatergic transmission via effects at N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the CeA, whereas chronic alcohol up-regulates NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated transmission. Pro- (e.g., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) and antistress (e.g., nociceptin/orphanin FQ, oxytocin) neuropeptides affect alcohol- and anxiety-related behaviors, and also alter the alcohol-induced effects on CeA neurotransmission. Alcohol dependence produces plasticity in these neuropeptide systems, reflecting a recruitment of those systems during the transition to alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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16
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Borruto AM, Stopponi S, Li H, Weiss F, Roberto M, Ciccocioppo R. Genetically selected alcohol-preferring msP rats to study alcohol use disorder: Anything lost in translation? Neuropharmacology 2021; 186:108446. [PMID: 33476639 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
For several decades, genetically selected alcohol-preferring rats have been successfully used to mimic and study alcohol use disorders (AUD). These rat lines have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the neurobiology of alcoholism and enabling pharmacological studies to evaluate drug efficacy on alcohol drinking and relapse. Moreover, the results of these studies have identified genetic variables that are linked to AUD vulnerability. This is an up-to-date review that focuses on genetically selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats. To support the translational relevance of the findings that are obtained from msP rats and highlight important similarities to AUD patients, we also discuss the results of recent brain imaging studies. Finally, to demonstrate the importance of studying sex differences in animal models of AUD, we present original data that highlight behavioral differences in the response to alcohol in male and female rats. Female msP rats exhibited higher alcohol consumption compared with males. Furthermore, msP rats of both sexes exhibit higher anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze and forced swim test, respectively, compared with unselected Wistar controls. Notably, voluntary alcohol drinking decreases foot-shock stress and depressive-like behavior in both sexes, whereas anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze is attenuated only in males. These findings suggest that male and female msP rats both drink high amounts of alcohol to self-medicate negative affective symptoms. For females, this behavior may be driven by an attempt to treat stress and depressive-like conditions. For males, generalized anxiety appears to be an important additional factor in the motivation to drink alcohol. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Borruto
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Serena Stopponi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Hongwu Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Friedbert Weiss
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
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17
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Augustine-Rauch K, Liaw JJ, Graziano M. T4-mediated rescue of aortic malformations in hypothyroid rats indicates maternal thyroid status can affect great vessel development. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 411:115367. [PMID: 33340518 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115367] [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: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pexacerfont is a corticotrophin-releasing factor subtype 1 receptor (CRF-1) antagonist developed for potential treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders. In male rats, pexacerfont caused hepatic enzyme induction leading to increased thyroxine (T4) clearance. When administered to pregnant rats on gestation day 6 to 15, pexacerfont at 300 mg/kg/day (30× mean AUC in humans at 100 mg/day) produced similar effects on thyroid homeostasis with serum T4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels that were 0.3-0.5× and 3.3-3.7× of controls, respectively. At this dose, fetuses of pexacerfont-treated dams presented findings associated with maternal hypothyroidism including growth retardation and increased skeletal alterations. Additionally, there were unexpected great vessel malformations that were mostly derived from the 4th pharyngeal arch artery in 5 (4.3%) fetuses from 3 (15.8%) litters. The etiology was unclear whether the vascular malformations were related to insufficient thyroid hormones or another mechanism. To better understand this relationship, pregnant rats were implanted with a subcutaneous L-thyroxine pellet designed to provide a sustained release of T4 throughout organogenesis in rat embryos (GD 6 to 15; the dosing period of pexacerfont). T4 supplementation produced a near euthyroid state in pexacerfont-treated dams and completely prevented the fetal vascular malformations. These results suggest maternal T4 levels during organogenesis may have a role in great vessel morphogenesis associated with patterning and/or regression of pharyngeal arch arteries. Although previous clinical reports have speculated a potential relationship between thyroid hormone homeostasis and early cardiovascular development, this is the first report to experimentally demonstrate this relationship in great vessel morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiin-Jia Liaw
- Non Clinical Safety, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Graziano
- Non Clinical Safety, Bristol Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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18
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Zuniga A, Ryabinin AE, Cunningham CL. Effects of pharmacological inhibition of the centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference and body temperature. Alcohol 2020; 87:121-131. [PMID: 31926294 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a chronic disease characterized in part by repeated relapsing events. Exposure to environmental stimuli or cues that have previously been associated with the effects of alcohol can promote relapse through the triggering of craving for alcohol. Therefore, identifying and characterizing neuronal populations that may regulate these associations is of the upmost importance. Previous studies have implicated the centrally-projecting Edinger Westphal nucleus (EWcp) in this process, as the EWcp is both sensitive to, and can regulate alcohol intake. To date however, it is unclear if the EWcp is involved in the formation or expression of these alcohol-cue associations. As such, the present studies examined the involvement of the EWcp in male DBA/2J mice in the acquisition and expression of place preference for an alcohol-paired cue using the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. Pharmacological inhibition of the EWcp via the GABAA and GABAB receptor agonists muscimol and baclofen did not affect either the acquisition or the expression of CPP. Follow up studies did find however, that pharmacological inhibition of the EWcp increased body temperature and prevented alcohol-induced increases in c-Fos expression in the EWcp. When considered in light of previous studies, the present results indicate that the EWcp may be involved in the regulation of alcohol self-administration, and not conditioned alcohol-seeking. Additionally, the present studies provide further evidence for the involvement of the EWcp in thermoregulation and help elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which alcohol increases c-Fos in the EWcp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Zuniga
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA.
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA
| | - Christopher L Cunningham
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA; Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA
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19
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Simpson S, Shankar K, Kimbrough A, George O. Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in alcohol and nicotine addiction. Brain Res 2020; 1740:146850. [PMID: 32330519 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The two most prevalent substance use disorders involve alcohol and nicotine, which are often co-abused. Robust preclinical and translational evidence indicates that individuals initiate drug use for the acute rewarding effects of the substance. The development of negative emotional states is key for the transition from recreational use to substance use disorders as subjects seek the substance to obtain relief from the negative emotional states of acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the brain stress system and key in the development of negative affective states. The present review examines the role of CRF in preclinical models of alcohol and nicotine abuse and explores links between CRF and anxiety-like, dysphoria-like, and other negative affective states. Finally, the present review discusses preclinical models of nicotine and alcohol use with regard to the CRF system, advances in molecular and genetic manipulations of CRF, and the importance of examining both males and females in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Kokila Shankar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
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20
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Neasta J, Darcq E, Jeanblanc J, Carnicella S, Ben Hamida S. GPCR and Alcohol-Related Behaviors in Genetically Modified Mice. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:17-42. [PMID: 31919661 PMCID: PMC7007453 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00828-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of cell surface signaling receptors and regulate major neurobiological processes. Accordingly, GPCRs represent primary targets for the treatment of brain disorders. Several human genetic polymorphisms affecting GPCRs have been associated to different components of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Moreover, GPCRs have been reported to contribute to several features of alcohol-related behaviors in animal models. Besides traditional pharmacological tools, genetic-based approaches mostly aimed at deleting GPCR genes provided substantial information on how key GPCRs drive alcohol-related behaviors. In this review, we summarize the alcohol phenotypes that ensue from genetic manipulation, in particular gene deletion, of key GPCRs in rodents. We focused on GPCRs that belong to fundamental neuronal systems that have been shown as potential targets for the development of AUD treatment. Data are reviewed with particular emphasis on alcohol reward, seeking, and consumption which are behaviors that capture essential aspects of AUD. Literature survey indicates that in most cases, there is still a gap in defining the intracellular transducers and the functional crosstalk of GPCRs as well as the neuronal populations in which their signaling regulates alcohol actions. Further, the implication of only a few orphan GPCRs has been so far investigated in animal models. Combining advanced pharmacological technologies with more specific genetically modified animals and behavioral preclinical models is likely necessary to deepen our understanding in how GPCR signaling contributes to AUD and for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Neasta
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, 34093, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Darcq
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Jérôme Jeanblanc
- Research Group on Alcohol and Pharmacodependences-INSERM U1247, University of Picardie Jules Verne, 80025, Amiens, France
| | - Sebastien Carnicella
- INSERM U1216, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences (GIN), University of Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sami Ben Hamida
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada.
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21
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Pucci M, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Wille-Bille A, Fernández MS, Maccarrone M, Pautassi RM, Cifani C, D’Addario C. Environmental stressors and alcoholism development: Focus on molecular targets and their epigenetic regulation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 106:165-181. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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22
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Schanzer B, Rivas-Grajales AM, Khan A, Mathew SJ. Novel investigational therapeutics for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2019; 28:1003-1012. [DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2019.1680638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bella Schanzer
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ana Maria Rivas-Grajales
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Aamir Khan
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanjay J Mathew
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
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23
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Vandael D, Gounko NV. Corticotropin releasing factor-binding protein (CRF-BP) as a potential new therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease and stress disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:272. [PMID: 31641098 PMCID: PMC6805916 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and one of the most complex human neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous studies have demonstrated a critical role of the environment in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease, where daily life stress plays an important role. A lot of epigenetic studies have led to the conclusion that chronic stress and stress-related disorders play an important part in the onset of neurodegenerative disorders, and an enormous amount of research yielded valuable discoveries but has so far not led to the development of effective treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is one of the major hormones and at the same time a neuropeptide acting in stress response. Deregulation of protein levels of CRF is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, but little is known about the precise roles of CRF and its binding protein, CRF-BP, in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize the key evidence for and against the involvement of stress-associated modulation of the CRF system in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and discuss how recent findings could lead to new potential treatment possibilities in Alzheimer's disease by using CRF-BP as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorien Vandael
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Electron Microscopy Platform, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium ,VIB Bioimaging Core Facility, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium ,KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natalia V. Gounko
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Electron Microscopy Platform, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium ,VIB Bioimaging Core Facility, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium ,KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Zorrilla EP, Koob GF. Impulsivity Derived From the Dark Side: Neurocircuits That Contribute to Negative Urgency. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:136. [PMID: 31293401 PMCID: PMC6603097 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative urgency is a unique dimension of impulsivity that involves acting rashly when in extreme distress and impairments in inhibitory control. It has been hypothesized to derive from stress that is related to negative emotional states that are experienced during the withdrawal/negative affect stage of the addiction cycle. Classically, a transition to compulsive drug use prevents or relieves negative emotional states that result from abstinence or stressful environmental circumstances. Recent work suggests that this shift to the "dark side" is also implicated in impulsive use that derives from negative urgency. Stress and anxious, depressed, and irritable mood have high comorbidity with addiction. They may trigger bouts of drug seeking in humans via both negative reinforcement and negative urgency. The neurocircuitry that has been identified in the "dark side" of addiction involves key neuropeptides in the central extended amygdala, including corticotropin-releasing factor. The present review article summarizes empirical and conceptual advances in the field to understand the role of the "dark side" in driving the risky and detrimental substance use that is associated with negative urgency in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P. Zorrilla
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - George F. Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, United States
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White MR, Graziano MJ, Sanderson TP. Toxicity of Pexacerfont, a Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Type 1 Receptor Antagonist, in Rats and Dogs. Int J Toxicol 2019; 38:110-120. [DOI: 10.1177/1091581819827501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Pexacerfont is a corticotropin-releasing factor subtype 1 receptor antagonist that was developed for the treatment of anxiety- and stress-related disorders. This report describes the results of repeat-dose oral toxicity studies in rats (3 and 6 months) and dogs (3 months and 1 year). Pexacerfont was well tolerated in all of these studies at exposures equal to or greater than areas under the curve in humans (clinical dose of 100 mg). Microscopic changes in the liver (hepatocellular hypertrophy), thyroid glands (hypertrophy/hyperplasia and adenomas of follicular cells), and pituitary (hypertrophy/hyperplasia and vacuolation of thyrotrophs) were only observed in rats and were considered adaptive changes in response to hepatic enzyme induction and subsequent alterations in serum thyroid hormone levels. Evidence for hepatic enzyme induction in dogs was limited to increased liver weights and reduced thyroxine (T4) levels. Mammary gland hyperplasia and altered female estrous cycling were only observed in rats, whereas adverse testicular effects (consistent with minimal to moderate degeneration of the germinal epithelium) were only noted following chronic dosing in dogs. The testicular effects were reversible changes with exposure margins of 8× at the no observed adverse effect level. It is not clear whether the changes in mammary gland, estrous cycling, and testes represent secondary hormonal changes due to perturbation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis or are off-target effects. In conclusion, the results of chronic toxicity studies in rats and dogs show that pexacerfont has an acceptable safety profile to support further clinical testing.
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Peltier MR, Verplaetse TL, Mineur YS, Petrakis IL, Cosgrove KP, Picciotto MR, McKee SA. Sex differences in stress-related alcohol use. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100149. [PMID: 30949562 PMCID: PMC6430711 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) have increased in women by 84% over the past ten years relative to a 35% increase in men. This substantive increase in female drinking is alarming given that women experience greater alcohol-related health consequences compared to men. Stress is strongly associated with all phases of alcohol addiction, including drinking initiation, maintenance, and relapse for both women and men, but plays an especially critical role for women. The purpose of the present narrative review is to highlight what is known about sex differences in the relationship between stress and drinking. The critical role stress reactivity and negative affect play in initiating and maintaining alcohol use in women is addressed, and the available evidence for sex differences in drinking for negative reinforcement as it relates to brain stress systems is presented. This review discusses the critical structures and neurotransmitters that may underlie sex differences in stress-related alcohol use (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala, norepinephrine, corticotropin releasing factor, and dynorphin), the involvement of sex and stress in alcohol-induced neurodegeneration, and the role of ovarian hormones in stress-related drinking. Finally, the potential avenues for the development of sex-appropriate pharmacological and behavioral treatments for AUD are identified. Overall, women are generally more likely to drink to regulate negative affect and stress reactivity. Sex differences in the onset and maintenance of alcohol use begin to develop during adolescence, coinciding with exposure to early life stress. These factors continue to affect alcohol use into adulthood, when reduced responsivity to stress, increased affect-related psychiatric comorbidities and alcohol-induced neurodegeneration contribute to chronic and problematic alcohol use, particularly for women. However, current research is limited regarding the examination of sex in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol use. Probing brain stress systems and associated brain regions is an important future direction for developing sex-appropriate treatments to address the role of stress in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yann S. Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Ismene L. Petrakis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Kelly P. Cosgrove
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Marina R. Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Sherry A. McKee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
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Fleming W, Jones Q, Chandra U, Saini A, Walker D, Francis R, Ocampo G, Kuhn C. Withdrawal from Brief Repeated Alcohol Treatment in Adolescent and Adult Male and Female Rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 43:204-211. [PMID: 30566247 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early initiation of alcohol drinking has been associated with increased risk of alcohol dependence in adulthood. Although negative affect mediated in part by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a strong motivator for alcohol consumption in adults, comparisons of alcohol withdrawal in adolescents and adults generally have not included CRF-related measures such as anxiety. The purpose of the present study was to compare withdrawal signs including anxiety-like behavior after a brief multiday alcohol treatment in adolescent and adult male and female rats. METHODS Animals were treated with a 5-day regimen of alcohol injections (3 daily intraperitoneal injections of 1.5 g/kg at 3-hour intervals, total of 15) starting on postnatal day (PN) 28 or PN 70. Spontaneous withdrawal signs and anxiety-like behavior (light/dark box) were assessed 18 hours after the last injection as described. One cohort of rats was treated with alcohol, killed 18 hours after the last injection, and blood was collected to assess corticosterone. Another cohort of rats was treated with alcohol or vehicle, given 1, 2, or 3 alcohol injections (1.5 g/kg), and killed 1 hour after final injection to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Finally, adult and adolescent males and females received 5 days of alcohol or vehicle treatment followed by a final challenge with alcohol (3 g/kg), and blood was collected for corticosterone. RESULTS BAC was comparable in adolescents and adults. Spontaneous withdrawal signs were comparable in adolescents and adults, and no sex differences were observed. Anxiety-like behaviors (time and distance in light, latency to emerge, and light entries) differed in alcohol- and vehicle-treated adults but not adolescents. Corticosterone was not elevated at withdrawal. Alcohol increased corticosterone significantly in vehicle-treated animals, but both adolescents and adults were tolerant to alcohol-induced elevation of corticosterone after 5 days of alcohol treatment. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that adolescents experience milder negative affect during withdrawal from brief alcohol exposures relative to adults but comparable suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weston Fleming
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Quincy Jones
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Upasana Chandra
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Aashna Saini
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - David Walker
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Reynold Francis
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Gabriela Ocampo
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Cynthia Kuhn
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
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28
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Deussing JM, Chen A. The Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Family: Physiology of the Stress Response. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:2225-2286. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00042.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological stress response is responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived challenges. In this function, the brain activates adaptive responses that involve numerous neural circuits and effector molecules to adapt to the current and future demands. A maladaptive stress response has been linked to the etiology of a variety of disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, and the metabolic syndrome. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its relatives, the urocortins 1–3, in concert with their receptors (CRFR1, CRFR2), have emerged as central components of the physiological stress response. This central peptidergic system impinges on a broad spectrum of physiological processes that are the basis for successful adaptation and concomitantly integrate autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral stress responses. This review focuses on the physiology of CRF-related peptides and their cognate receptors with the aim of providing a comprehensive up-to-date overview of the field. We describe the major molecular features covering aspects of gene expression and regulation, structural properties, and molecular interactions, as well as mechanisms of signal transduction and their surveillance. In addition, we discuss the large body of published experimental studies focusing on state-of-the-art genetic approaches with high temporal and spatial precision, which collectively aimed to dissect the contribution of CRF-related ligands and receptors to different levels of the stress response. We discuss the controversies in the field and unravel knowledge gaps that might pave the way for future research directions and open up novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan M. Deussing
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; and Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; and Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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29
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Jacobskind JS, Rosinger ZJ, Gonzalez T, Zuloaga KL, Zuloaga DG. Chronic Methamphetamine Exposure Attenuates Neural Activation in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis-Associated Brain Regions in a Sex-specific Manner. Neuroscience 2018; 380:132-145. [PMID: 29679646 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in methamphetamine (MA) abuse and consequences of MA have been reported with females showing an increased addiction phenotype and withdrawal symptoms. One mechanism through which these effects might occur is via sex-specific alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its associated brain regions. In this study, mice were administered MA (5 mg/kg) or saline for 10 consecutive days. During early withdrawal, anxiety-like behaviors were assessed in the open field, light/dark box, and elevated plus maze. At ten days of withdrawal, mice were injected with a final dose of MA (5 mg/kg) or saline. Chronic MA did not alter anxiety-like behaviors or corticosterone responses to a final dose of MA, although females showed elevated corticosterone responses compared to males. Chronic MA attenuated final MA-induced c-Fos in both sexes in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), cingulate cortex, central and basolateral amygdala. In CA1 and CA3 hippocampal areas, c-Fos attenuation by chronic MA occurred only in females. Within the PVH, final MA injection increased c-Fos to a greater extent in females compared to males regardless of prior MA exposure. Dual-labeling of c-Fos with glucocorticoid receptor revealed a specific attenuation of neural activation within this cell type in the PVH, central and basolateral amygdala, and BNST. Together these findings demonstrate that chronic MA can suppress subsequent activation of HPA axis-associated brain regions and cell phenotypes. Further, in select regions this reduction is sex-specific. These changes may contribute to reported sex differences in MA abuse patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Jacobskind
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Zachary J Rosinger
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Tiffany Gonzalez
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Albany Medical College, Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany, NY 12208, United States
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States.
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30
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Pexacerfont as a CRF1 antagonist for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms in men with heroin/methamphetamine dependence: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2018; 33:111-119. [PMID: 29064909 DOI: 10.1097/yic.0000000000000200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We assessed the efficacy of pexacerfont, a CRF1 antagonist, for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, male patients with amphetamine or opioid dependence, on the basis of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), in the age range 18-55 years, received either pexacerfont or placebo (300, 200, and 100 mg/day in the first, second, and third week, respectively). No antidepressants, behavioral interventions, or substitution therapy were administered. Candidates were excluded if they had DSM-IV-TR axis I or II disorders (other than depressive/anxiety disorders). The primary outcomes were difference in the distribution of positive urine test results for heroin and methamphetamine at the end of the trial, and the mean difference in the change in the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score for craving from the baseline to the endpoint between the two groups. No significant difference was detected for urine test results, but a significant difference was observed for craving scores. Also, significant time×treatment interactions were found for all the scales including VAS craving, VAS temptation severity, frequency of temptation, Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale, Amphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory II. Our findings favor pexacerfont as a potential treatment for withdrawal from drug dependence; however, further comprehensive studies are warranted.
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31
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Karageorgos V, Venihaki M, Sakellaris S, Pardalos M, Kontakis G, Matsoukas MT, Gravanis A, Margioris A, Liapakis G. Current understanding of the structure and function of family B GPCRs to design novel drugs. Hormones (Athens) 2018; 17:45-59. [PMID: 29858864 DOI: 10.1007/s42000-018-0009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Family B of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their ligands play a central role in a number of homeostatic mechanisms in the endocrine, gastrointestinal, skeletal, immune, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Alterations in family B GPCR-regulated homeostatic mechanisms may cause a variety of potentially life-threatening conditions, signifying the necessity to develop novel ligands targeting these receptors. Obtaining structural and functional information on family B GPCRs will accelerate the development of novel drugs to target these receptors. Family B GPCRs are proteins that span the plasma membrane seven times, thus forming seven transmembrane domains (TM1-TM7) which are connected to each other by three extracellular (EL) and three intracellular (IL) loops. In addition, these receptors have a long extracellular N-domain and an intracellular C-tail. The upper parts of the TMs and ELs form the J-domain of receptors. The C-terminal region of peptides first binds to the N-domain of receptors. This 'first-step' interaction orients the N-terminal region of peptides towards the J-domain of receptors, thus resulting in a 'second-step' of ligand-receptor interaction that activates the receptor. Activation-associated structural changes of receptors are transmitted through TMs to their intracellular regions and are responsible for their interaction with the G proteins and activation of the latter, thus resulting in a biological effect. This review summarizes the current information regarding the structure and function of family B GPCRs and their physiological and pathophysiological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vlasios Karageorgos
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Maria Venihaki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Stelios Sakellaris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Michail Pardalos
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - George Kontakis
- Department of Orthopedics, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Achille Gravanis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Andreas Margioris
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - George Liapakis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
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32
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Busch Y, Menke A. Blood-based biomarkers predicting response to antidepressants. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 126:47-63. [PMID: 29374800 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1844-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a common, serious and in some cases, life-threatening condition and affects approximately 350 million people globally. Although there is effective treatment available for it, more than 50% of the patients fail to respond to the first antidepressant they receive. The selection of a distinct treatment is still exclusively based on clinical judgment without incorporating lab-derived objective measures. However, there is growing evidence of biomarkers that it helps to improve diagnostic processes and treatment algorithms. Here genetic markers and blood-based biomarkers of the monoamine pathways, inflammatory pathways and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are reviewed. Promising findings arise from studies investigating inflammatory pathways and immune markers that may identify patients suitable for anti-inflammatory based treatment regimes. Next, an early normalization of a disturbed HPA axis or depleted neurotrophic factors may predict stable treatment response. Genetic markers within the serotonergic system may identify patients who are vulnerable because of stressful life events, but evidence for guiding treatment regimes still is inconsistent. Therefore, there is still a great need for studies investigating and validating biomarkers for the prediction of treatment response to facilitate the treatment selection and shorten the time to remission and thus provide personalized medicine in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Busch
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Menke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. .,Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Am Schwarzenberg 15, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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33
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Logrip ML, Walker JR, Ayanwuyi LO, Sabino V, Ciccocioppo R, Koob GF, Zorrilla EP. Evaluation of Alcohol Preference and Drinking in msP Rats Bearing a Crhr1 Promoter Polymorphism. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:28. [PMID: 29497387 PMCID: PMC5818434 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism is a pervasive societal problem, yet available pharmacotherapies fail to treat most sufferers. The type 1 corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF1) receptor has received much attention for its putative role in the progression to alcohol dependence, although at present its success in clinical trials has been limited. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the rat Crhr1 promoter have been identified in the Marchigian substrain of Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats. Unlike other Wistar-derived alcohol-preferring lines, nondependent msP rats reduce their alcohol self-administration in response to CRF1 antagonists and show increased brain CRF1 expression. The current study tested the hypotheses that the A alleles in the Crhr1 promoter polymorphisms are: (1) unique to msP (vs. CRF1 antagonist-insensitive) alcohol-preferring lines and (2) associate with greater alcohol preference or intake. Two related polymorphisms were observed in which both loci on a given chromosome were either mutant variant (A) or wild-type (G) alleles within the distal Crhr1 promoter of 17/25 msP rats (68%), as compared to 0/23 Indiana P rats, 0/20 Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats bred at Scripps (Scr:sP) and 0/21 outbred Wistar rats. Alcohol consumption in msP rats did not differ according to the presence of Crhr1 A alleles, but greater alcohol preference (98%) was observed in A allele homozygous msP rats (AA) compared to msP rats with wild-type (GG, 91%) or heterozygous (GA, 91%) genotypes. The greater alcohol preference reflected decreased water intake, accompanied by reduced total calories consumed by AA rats. The data show that msP rats differentially possess mutant A variant alleles in the polymorphic promoter region of the Crhr1 gene that may differentially regulate consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian L Logrip
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - John R Walker
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lydia O Ayanwuyi
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Valentina Sabino
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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34
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Pomrenze MB, Fetterly TL, Winder DG, Messing RO. The Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in Alcohol Use Disorder: Still a Valid Drug Target? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1986-1999. [PMID: 28940382 PMCID: PMC5711524 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in behavioral and physiological responses to stress. A large body of animal literature implicates CRF acting at type 1 CRF receptors (CRFR1) in consumption by alcohol-dependent subjects, stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and possibly binge alcohol consumption. These studies have encouraged recent pilot studies of CRFR1 antagonists in humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). It was a great disappointment to many in the field that these studies failed to show an effect of these compounds on stress-induced alcohol craving. Here, we examine these studies to explore potential limitations and discuss preclinical and human literature to ask whether CRFR1 is still a valid drug target to pursue for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tracy L. Fetterly
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
| | - Robert O. Messing
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin,
TX
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Texas at
Austin, Austin, TX
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of
Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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35
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Bernardi RE, Broccoli L, Hirth N, Justice NJ, Deussing JM, Hansson AC, Spanagel R. Dissociable Role of Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor Subtype 1 on Dopaminergic and D1 Dopaminoceptive Neurons in Cocaine Seeking Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:221. [PMID: 29180955 PMCID: PMC5693884 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of many drugs of abuse, including cocaine, to mediate reinforcement and drug-seeking behaviors is in part mediated by the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system, in which CRH exerts its effects partly via the CRH receptor subtype 1 (CRHR1) in extra-hypothalamic areas. In fact, CRHR1 expressed in regions of the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system have been demonstrated to modify cocaine-induced DA release and alter cocaine-mediated behaviors. Here we examined the role of neuronal selectivity of CRHR1 within the mesolimbic system on cocaine-induced behaviors. First we used a transgenic mouse line expressing GFP under the control of the Crhr1 promoter for double fluorescence immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the cellular location of CRHR1 in both dopaminergic and D1 dopaminoceptive neurons. We then studied cocaine sensitization, self-administration, and reinstatement in inducible CRHR1 knockouts using the CreERT2/loxP in either dopamine transporter (DAT)-containing neurons (DAT-Crhr1) or dopamine receptor 1 (D1)-containing neurons (D1-Crhr1). For sensitization testing, mice received five daily injections of cocaine (15 mg/kg IP). For self-administration, mice received eight daily 2 h cocaine (0.5 mg/kg per infusion) self-administration sessions followed by extinction and reinstatement testing. There were no differences in the acute or sensitized locomotor response to cocaine in DAT-Crhr1 or D1-Crhr1 mice and their respective controls. Furthermore, both DAT-Crhr1 and D1-Crhr1 mice reliably self-administered cocaine at the level of controls. However, DAT-Crhr1 mice demonstrated a significant increase in cue-induced reinstatement relative to controls, whereas D1-Crhr1 mice demonstrated a significant decrease in cue-induced reinstatement relative to controls. These data demonstrate the involvement of CRHR1 in cue-induced reinstatement following cocaine self-administration, and implicate a bi-directional role of CRHR1 for cocaine craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rick E Bernardi
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Broccoli
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Natalie Hirth
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nicholas J Justice
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Anita C Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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Kimbrough A, de Guglielmo G, Kononoff J, Kallupi M, Zorrilla EP, George O. CRF 1 Receptor-Dependent Increases in Irritability-Like Behavior During Abstinence from Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1886-1895. [PMID: 28833238 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In humans, emotional and physical signs of withdrawal from ethanol are commonly seen. Many of these symptoms, including anxiety-like and depression-like behavior, have been characterized in animal models of ethanol dependence. One issue with several current behavioral tests that measure withdrawal in animal models is that they are often not repeatable within subjects over time. Additionally, irritability, one of the most common symptoms of ethanol withdrawal in humans, has not been well characterized in animal models. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-CRF1 receptor system has been suggested to be critical for the emergence of anxiety-like behavior in ethanol dependence, but the role of this system in irritability-like behavior has not been characterized. METHODS The present study compared the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure-induced ethanol dependence on irritability-like behavior in rats using the bottle-brush test during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. Rats were trained to self-administer ethanol in operant chambers and then either left in a nondependent state or made dependent via CIE. Naïve, nondependent, and dependent rats were tested for irritability-like behavior in the bottle-brush test 8 hours and 2 weeks into abstinence from ethanol. Separate cohorts of dependent and nondependent rats were used to examine the effect of the specific CRF1 receptor antagonist R121919 on irritability-like behavior. RESULTS Dependent rats exhibited escalated ethanol intake compared with their own pre-CIE baseline and nondependent rats. At both time points of abstinence, ethanol-dependent rats exhibited increased aggressive-like responses compared with naïve and nondependent rats. R121919 reduced irritability-like behavior in both dependent and nondependent rats, but dependent rats were more sensitive to R121919. CONCLUSIONS Irritability-like behavior is a clinically relevant and reliable measure of negative emotional states that is partially mediated by activation of the CRF-CRF1 system and remains elevated during protracted abstinence in ethanol-dependent rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Jenni Kononoff
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience (AK, GdG, JK, MK, EPZ, OG), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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Han X, DeBold JF, Miczek KA. Prevention and reversal of social stress-escalated cocaine self-administration in mice by intra-VTA CRFR1 antagonism. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2813-2821. [PMID: 28698920 PMCID: PMC5709170 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4676-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A history of brief intermittent social defeat stress can escalate cocaine self-administration and induce long-term adaptations in the mesolimbic dopamine system. Extra-hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) has been shown to be closely associated with stress-induced escalation of drug use. How repeated stress modulates CRF release in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the roles of CRF receptors during different phases of stress-induced cocaine self-administration remain to be defined. OBJECTIVE The current study examines the roles of CRF and CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) in escalated intravenous cocaine self-administration after exposure to social defeat stress in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS First, CRFR1 antagonist (CP 376,395, 15 mg/kg, i.p.) given 30 min prior to each social defeat episode prevented later escalated cocaine self-administration. When CP 376,395 (5 and 15 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 10 days after the last episode of social stress, the escalation of cocaine intake was dose-dependently reversed. Moreover, socially defeated mice showed increased CRF release in the VTA compared to controls. To further explore the role of CRFR1, CP 376,395 (0.5 and 1 μg/0.2 μl) was infused directly into the VTA before the cocaine self-administration session. Intra-VTA antagonism of CRFR1 was sufficient to reverse social defeat stress-escalated cocaine self-administration. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that CRF and CRFR1 exert multiple roles in the response to social stress that are relevant to escalated cocaine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Han
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Joseph F. DeBold
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Klaus A. Miczek
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA,Departments of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
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Teleb M, Kuppast B, Spyridaki K, Liapakis G, Fahmy H. Synthesis of 2-imino and 2-hydrazono thiazolo[4,5- d ]pyrimidines as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) antagonists. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 138:900-908. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Roberto M, Spierling SR, Kirson D, Zorrilla EP. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) and Addictive Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:5-51. [PMID: 29056155 PMCID: PMC6155477 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a complex disorder that is characterized by compulsivity to seek and take the drug, loss of control in limiting intake of the drug, and emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. The transition from casual drug use to dependence is mediated by changes in reward and brain stress functions and has been linked to a shift from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement. The recruitment of brain stress systems mediates the negative emotional state produced by dependence that drives drug seeking through negative reinforcement mechanisms, defined as the "dark side" of addiction. In this chapter we focus on behavioral and cellular neuropharmacological studies that have implicated brain stress systems (i.e., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) in the transition to addiction and the predominant brain regions involved. We also discuss the implication of CRF recruitment in compulsive eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | | | - Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Sotiriou I, Chalkiadaki K, Nikolaidis C, Sidiropoulou K, Chatzaki E. Pharmacotherapy in smoking cessation: Corticotropin Releasing Factor receptors as emerging intervention targets. Neuropeptides 2017; 63:49-57. [PMID: 28222901 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.02.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Smoking represents perhaps the single most important health risk factor and a global contributor to mortality that can unquestionably be prevented. Smoking is responsible for many diseases, including various types of cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and peptic ulcer, while it adversely affects fetal formation and development. Since smoking habit duration is a critical factor for mortality, the goal of treatment should be its timely cessation and relapse prevention. Drug intervention therapy is an important ally in smoking cessation. Significant positive steps have been achieved in the last few years in the development of supportive compounds. In the present review, we analyze reports studying the role of Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF), the principle neuroendocrine mediator of the stress response and its two receptors (CRF1 and CRF2) in the withdrawal phase as well as in the abstinence from nicotine use. Although still in pre-clinical evaluation, therapeutic implications of these data were investigated in order to highlight potential pharmaceutical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Sotiriou
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | | | - Christos Nikolaidis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | | | - Ekaterini Chatzaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece.
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41
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Spierling SR, Zorrilla EP. Don't stress about CRF: assessing the translational failures of CRF 1antagonists. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1467-1481. [PMID: 28265716 PMCID: PMC5420464 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4556-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dr. Athina Markou sought treatments for a common neural substrate shared by depression and drug dependence. Antagonists of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors, a target of interest to her, have not reached the clinic despite strong preclinical rationale and sustained translational efforts. METHODS We explore potential causes for the failure of CRF1 antagonists and review recent findings concerning CRF-CRF1 systems in psychopathology. RESULTS Potential causes for negative outcomes include (1) poor safety and efficacy of initial drug candidates due to bad pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties, (2) specificity problems with preclinical screens, (3) the acute nature of screens vs. late-presenting patients, (4) positive preclinical results limited to certain models and conditions with dynamic CRF-CRF1 activation not homologous to tested patients, (5) repeated CRF1 activation-induced plasticity that reduces the importance of ongoing CRF1 agonist stimulation, and (6) therapeutic silencing which may need to address CRF2 receptor or CRF-binding protein molecules, constitutive CRF1 activity, or molecules that influence agonist-independent activity or to target structural regions other than the allosteric site bound by all drug candidates. We describe potential markers of activation towards individualized treatment, human genetic, and functional data that still implicate CRF1 systems in emotional disturbance, sex differences, and suggestive clinical findings for CRF1 antagonists in food craving and CRF-driven HPA-axis overactivation. CONCLUSION The therapeutic scope of selective CRF1 antagonists now appears narrower than had been hoped. Yet, much remains to be learned about CRF's role in the neurobiology of dysphoria and addiction and the potential for novel anti-CRF therapies therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha R Spierling
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, SP30-2400, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, SP30-2400, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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Lindell SG, Schwandt ML, Suomi SJ, Rice KC, Heilig M, Barr CS. Intermittent Access to Ethanol Induces Escalated Alcohol Consumption in Primates. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 6. [PMID: 29082267 DOI: 10.4172/2324-9005.1000163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Escalation of voluntary alcohol drinking is characteristic of alcohol addiction and can be induced in rodents using intermittent access to alcohol. This model has been used to evaluate candidate therapeutics, but key systems involved in the transition into alcohol addiction, such as CRF, differ in their organization between rodents and primates. We examined the ability of an intermittent access schedule to induce escalation of voluntary alcohol drinking in non-human primates and used this model to assess the role of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRF) signaling in this process. METHODS Four young adult male rhesus macaques were given access to an 8.4% alcohol solution every other weekday (EOD; M, W, F), while four other young adult males were given the same solution every weekday (ED; M-F). Subjects were then administered a CRF1 antagonist, antalarmin. RESULTS EOD increased alcohol intake by up to 50% over baseline, with a more pronounced increase immediately following reintroduction of alcohol. For the morning/daytime sessions, EOD subjects increased their consumption by 83% over baseline. Differences between ED and EOD schedules emerged quickly, and EOD-induced escalation resulted in pharmacologically active BAC's. EOD-induced alcohol consumption was insensitive to CRFR1 blockade by antalarmin, but subjects with high CSF levels of CRF were more responsive. CONCLUSIONS Similar to what has been observed in rodents, intermittent access results in an escalation of voluntary alcohol drinking in non-human primates. In contrast to findings in rats, recruitment of the CRF system does not seem to be involved in the escalated alcohol drinking observed under these conditions, though individual differences in CRF system activity may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- S G Lindell
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, USA.,Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Animal Center, USA
| | - M L Schwandt
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Animal Center, USA
| | - S J Suomi
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH Animal Center, USA
| | - K C Rice
- Chemical Biology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, USA
| | - M Heilig
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Animal Center, USA.,Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, IKE, Linkoping Univ, Sweden
| | - C S Barr
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, USA.,Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Animal Center, USA
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Payer D, Williams B, Mansouri E, Stevanovski S, Nakajima S, Le Foll B, Kish S, Houle S, Mizrahi R, George SR, George TP, Boileau I. Corticotropin-releasing hormone and dopamine release in healthy individuals. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 76:192-196. [PMID: 27951520 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a key component of the neuroendocrine response to stress. In animal models, CRH has been shown to modulate dopamine release, and this interaction is believed to contribute to stress-induced relapse in neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we investigated whether CRH administration induces dopamine release in humans, using positron emission tomography (PET). Eight healthy volunteers (5 female, 22-48 years old) completed two PET scans with the dopamine D2/3 receptor radioligand [11C]-(+)-PHNO: once after saline injection, and once after injection of corticorelin (synthetic human CRH). We also assessed subjective reports and measured plasma levels of endocrine hormones (adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol). Relative to saline, corticorelin administration decreased binding of the D2/3 PET probe [11C]-(+)-PHNO, suggesting dopamine release. Endocrine stress markers were also elevated, in line with activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, but we detected no changes in subjective ratings. Preliminary results from this proof-of-concept study suggests that CRH challenge in combination with [11C]-(+)-PHNO PET may serve as an assay of dopamine release, presenting a potential platform for evaluating CRH/dopamine interactions in neuropsychiatric disorders and CRH antagonists as potential treatment avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Payer
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 100 Stokes St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Belinda Williams
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Esmaeil Mansouri
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Suzanna Stevanovski
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shinichiro Nakajima
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen Kish
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sylvain Houle
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Romina Mizrahi
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Susan R George
- Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tony P George
- Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Schwandt ML, Cortes CR, Kwako LE, George DT, Momenan R, Sinha R, Grigoriadis DE, Pich EM, Leggio L, Heilig M. The CRF1 Antagonist Verucerfont in Anxious Alcohol-Dependent Women: Translation of Neuroendocrine, But not of Anti-Craving Effects. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2818-2829. [PMID: 27109623 PMCID: PMC5061889 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Blockade of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) suppresses stress-induced alcohol seeking in rodents, but clinical translation remains. Here, we first showed that the CRF1 antagonist verucerfont potently blocks hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activation in adrenalectomized rats. We then evaluated verucerfont for its ability to block HPA axis activation and reduce stress-induced alcohol craving in alcohol-dependent patients. Anxious, alcohol-dependent women (age 21-65 years, n=39) were admitted to the NIH Clinical Center and completed withdrawal treatment before enrollment if needed. One-week single-blind placebo was followed by randomized double-blind verucerfont (350 mg per day) or placebo for 3 weeks. Verucerfont effects on the HPA axis were evaluated using the dexamethasone-CRF test. Craving was evaluated using two established protocols, one that combines a social stressor with physical alcohol cue exposure, and one that uses guided imagery to present personalized stress, alcohol, or neutral stimuli. An fMRI session examined brain responses to negative affective stimuli and alcohol cues. In contrast to our recent observations with another CRF1 antagonist, pexacerfont, verucerfont potently blocked the HPA axis response to the dexamethasone-CRF test, but left alcohol craving unaffected. Right amygdala responses to negative affective stimuli were significantly attenuated by verucerfont, but responses to alcohol-associated stimuli were increased in some brain regions, including left insula. Discontinuation rates were significantly higher in the verucerfont group. Our findings provide the first translational evidence that CRF1 antagonists with slow receptor dissociation kinetics may have increased efficacy to dampen HPA axis responses. The findings do not support a clinical efficacy of CRF1 blockade in stress-induced alcohol craving and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie L Schwandt
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carlos R Cortes
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA,Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Laura E Kwako
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David T George
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rajita Sinha
- The Yale Stress Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Emilio Merlo Pich
- Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Markus Heilig
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA,Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden,Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, IKE Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden, Tel: +46 13 28 66 26, Fax: +46 (10) 103 3393, E-mail:
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Shaham Y, de Wit H. Lost in Translation: CRF1 Receptor Antagonists and Addiction Treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2795-2797. [PMID: 27312404 PMCID: PMC5061894 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.94] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, IRP-NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, IL, USA
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The CRF System as a Therapeutic Target for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2016; 37:1045-1054. [PMID: 27717506 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The major neuropsychiatric disorders are devastating illnesses that are only modestly responsive to treatment. Improving the treatment of these conditions will require innovative new strategies that depart from previously focused-on pharmacological mechanisms. Considerable preclinical and clinical data indicate corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling as a target for new psychotropic drug development. Here we review alterations in the CRF system reported in several psychiatric conditions. We also examine the preclinical work that has dissected the distinctive roles of CRF receptors in specific circuits relevant to these disorders. We further describe the clinical trials of CRF1 receptor antagonists that have been conducted. Although these clinical trials have thus far met with limited therapeutic success, the unfolding complexity of the CRF system promises many future directions for studying its role in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Soyka M, Mutschler J. Treatment-refractory substance use disorder: Focus on alcohol, opioids, and cocaine. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 70:148-61. [PMID: 26577297 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorders are common, but only a small minority of patients receive adequate treatment. Although psychosocial therapies are effective, relapse is common. This review focusses on novel pharmacological and other treatments for patients with alcohol, opioid, or cocaine use disorders who do not respond to conventional treatments. Disulfiram, acamprosate, and the opioid antagonist naltrexone have been approved for the treatment of alcoholism. A novel, "as needed" approach is the use of the mu-opioid antagonist and partial kappa agonist nalmefene to reduce alcohol consumption. Other novel pharmacological approaches include the GABA-B receptor agonist baclofen, anticonvulsants such as topiramate and gabapentin, the partial nicotine receptor agonist varenicline, and other drugs. For opioid dependence, opioid agonist therapy with methadone or buprenorphine is the first-line treatment option. Other options include oral or depot naltrexone, morphine sulfate, depot or implant formulations, and heroin (diacetylmorphine) in treatment-refractory patients. To date, no pharmacological treatment has been approved for cocaine addiction; however, 3 potential pharmacological treatments are being studied, disulfiram, methylphenidate, and modafinil. Pharmacogenetic approaches may help to optimize treatment response in otherwise treatment-refractory patients and to identify which patients are more likely to respond to treatment, and neuromodulation techniques such as repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation also may play a role in the treatment of substance use disorders. Although no magic bullet is in sight for treatment-refractory patients, some novel medications and brain stimulation techniques have the potential to enrich treatment options at least for some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Soyka
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilian University, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Germany; Privatklinik Meiringen, Postfach 612, CH-3860 Meiringen, Switzerland.
| | - Jochen Mutschler
- Center for Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Selnaustrasse 9, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
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Fattore L, Diana M. Drug addiction: An affective-cognitive disorder in need of a cure. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 65:341-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Zuloaga DG, Johnson LA, Weber S, Raber J. Immediate and lasting effects of chronic daily methamphetamine exposure on activation of cells in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis-associated brain regions. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:381-92. [PMID: 26525566 PMCID: PMC4815259 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4114-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic methamphetamine (MA) abuse leads to dependence and symptoms of withdrawal after use has ceased. Negative mood states associated with withdrawal, as well as drug reinstatement, have been linked to drug-induced disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, effects of chronic MA exposure or acute MA exposure following withdrawal on neural activation patterns within brain regions that regulate the HPA axis are unknown. OBJECTIVES In this study, neural activation patterns were assessed by quantification of c-Fos protein in mice exposed to different regimens of MA administration. METHODS (Experiment 1) Adult male mice were treated with MA (5 mg/kg) or saline once or once daily for 10 days. (Experiment 2) Mice were treated with MA or saline once daily for 10 days and following a 10-day withdrawal period were re-administered a final dose of MA or saline. c-Fos was quantified in brains after the final injection. RESULTS (Experiment 1) Compared to exposure to a single dose of MA (5 mg/kg), chronic MA exposure decreased the number of c-Fos expressing cells in the paraventricular hypothalamus, dorsomedial hypothalamus, central amygdala, basolateral amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and CA3 hippocampal region. (Experiment 2) Compared to mice receiving their first dose of MA, mice chronically treated with MA, withdrawn, and re-administered MA, showed decreased c-Fos expressing cells within the central and basolateral amygdala, BNST, and CA3. CONCLUSIONS HPA axis-associated amygdala, extended amygdala, and hippocampal regions endure lasting effects following chronic MA exposure and therefore may be linked to stress-related withdrawal symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian G. Zuloaga
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA,Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Lance A. Johnson
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Sydney Weber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA,Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA,Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA,Division of Neuroscience, ONPRC, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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Heilig M, Sommer WH, Spanagel R. The Need for Treatment Responsive Translational Biomarkers in Alcoholism Research. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2016; 28:151-171. [PMID: 27240677 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2015_5006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, major advances have been made in the basic neuroscience of alcohol addiction. However, few of these have been translated into clinically useful treatments, which remain limited. In the past decade, psychiatric drug development in general has been stalled, with many preclinically validated mechanisms failing in clinical development. Despite the existence of appealing preclinical models in the area of addictive disorders, drug development for these conditions has been impacted by the exodus of major pharma from psychiatric neuroscience. Here, we discuss translational biomarker strategies that may help turn this tide. Following an approach patterned on an endophenotype approach to complex behavioral traits, we hypothesize that relatively simple biological measures should be sought that can be obtained both in experimental animals and in humans, and that may be responsive to alcoholism medications. These biomarkers have to be tailored to the specific mechanism targeted by candidate medications and may in fact also help identify biologically more homogeneous subpopulations of patients. We introduce as examples alcohol-induced dopamine (DA) release, measures of central glutamate levels, and network connectivity, and discuss our experience to date with these biomarker strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58183, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Wolfgang H Sommer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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