Cyclosporine attenuates the adenylyl cyclase superactivation induced by chronic cannabinoid treatment

Cyclosporin A attenuating morphine tolerance through inhibiting NO/ERK signaling pathway in human glioblastoma cell line: the involvement of calcineurin

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is known to have an immunosuppressive action. However, it is also attracting attention due to its effects on the nervous system, such as inhibiting the development and expression of morphine-induced tolerance and dependence through unknown mechanisms. It has been shown that CsA modulates the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) activation, which are potentially involved in signaling pathways in morphine-induced tolerance in cellular models. Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate the modulatory role of CsA on the MOR tolerance, by targeting the downstream signaling pathway of NO and ERK using an in vitro model. For this purpose, T98G cells were pretreated with CsA, calcineurin autoinhibitory peptide (CAIP), and N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 30 min before 18 h exposure to MOR. Then, we analyzed the intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and also the expression of phosphorylated ERK and nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) proteins. Our results showed that CsA (1 nM, 10 nM, and 100 nM) and CAIP (50 µM) have significantly reduced cAMP and nitrite levels as compared to MOR-treated (2.5 µM) T98G cells. This clearly revealed the attenuation of MOR tolerance by CsA. The expression of nNOS and p-ERK proteins were down-regulated when the T98G cells were pretreated with CsA (1 nM, 10 nM, and 100 nM), CAIP (50 µM), and L-NAME (0.1 mM) as compared to MOR. In conclusion, the CsA pretreatment had a modulatory role in MOR-induced tolerance, which was possibly mediated through NO/ERK signaling pathway.

Effects Following Intracerebroventricular Injection of Immunosuppressant Cyclosporine A On Inhibitory Avoidance Learning and Memory in Mice

Background:

Protein phosphatase-2B or calcineurin (CN) is the main phosphatase and a critical regulator of cellular pathways for learning, memory, and plasticity. Cyclosporine A(CyA), a phosphatase and peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase inhibitor, is a common immune suppressant extensively used in tissue transplantation. To further clarify the role of CN in different stages of learning and memory, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of CyA in an inhibitory avoidance (IA) model in mice.

Materials and Methods:

Using intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of different doses of CyA (0.5, 5, and 50 nM) at different periods (pre-/post-training and pre-test), the effect of the drug was evaluated in a step-down IA paradigm. The latency of step-down (sec) was considered a criterion for memory performance.

Results:

The pre-training injections of CyA (0.5, 5 nM), however not of 50 nM, impaired IA learning acquisition. The post-training injection of high-dose CyA (50 nM) impaired memory consolidation. The pre-test ICV CyA injection did not impair memory retrieval; the ICV injection of CyA caused no change in locomotion.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that CyA selectively interferes with acquisition, retention, but not retrieval, of information processing in mice. Given the crucial role of CN in common signaling pathway of memory performance and cognition, it could be a probable therapeutic target in the treatment of a wide variety of neurological conditions involving memory.

Cyclosporin A induces hyperpermeability of the blood-brain barrier by inhibiting autocrine adrenomedullin-mediated up-regulation of endothelial barrier function

Cyclosporin A, a potent immunosuppressant, can often produce neurotoxicity in patients, although its penetration into the brain is restricted by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Brain pericytes and astrocytes, which are periendothelial accessory structures of the BBB, can be involved in cyclosporin A-induced BBB disruption. However, the mechanism by which cyclosporin A causes BBB dysfunction remains unknown. Here, we show that in rodent brain endothelial cells, cyclosporin A decreased transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) by inhibiting intracellular signal transduction downstream of adrenomedullin, an autocrine regulator of BBB function. Cyclosporin A stimulated adrenomedullin release from brain endothelial cells, but did not affect binding of adrenomedullin to its receptors. This cyclosporin A-induced decrease in TEER was attenuated by exogenous addition of adrenomedullin. Cyclosporin A dose-dependently decreased the total cAMP concentration in brain endothelial cells. A combination of cyclosporin A (1microM) with an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purin-6-amine (SQ22536; 10microM), or a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide dihydrochloride (H89; 1microM), markedly increased sodium fluorescein permeability in brain endothelial cells, whereas each drug alone had no effect. Thus, these data suggest that cyclosporin A inhibits the adenylyl cyclase/cyclic AMP/PKA signaling pathway activated by adrenomedullin, leading to impairment of brain endothelial barrier function.