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Pedrón VT, Canero EM, Varani AP, Aon AJ, Maldonado R, Balerio GN. BACLOFEN PREVENTS MORPHINE REWARDING EFFECTS AND ASSOCIATED BIOCHEMICAL ALTERATIONS IN MALE AND FEMALE MICE. Eur J Pharmacol 2024:176768. [PMID: 39002637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176768] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies from our laboratory have shown sex differences in the behavioral, molecular, and neurochemical manifestations of morphine withdrawal and they were related to an increased sensitivity to morphine effects in males. In addition, we observed an interaction between the GABAergic and opioid systems that could also be sex-dependent. Baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, prevented the somatic expression and the molecular and neurochemical changes induced by morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice. On the contrary, little is known about baclofen effects in the rewarding properties of morphine in male and female mice. The present study aimed to explore the effect of baclofen (1, 2 and 3 mg/kg, i.p.) pretreatment in the rewarding effects induced by morphine (7 mg/kg, s.c.) and its effect on c-Fos and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression induced by the rewarding properties of morphine in prepubertal male and female mice. Baclofen (2 mg/kg) pretreatment prevented the rewarding effects of morphine only in male mice, while baclofen (3 mg/kg) reduced these effects in both sexes. Moreover, the rewarding effects of morphine were associated with a decrease of BDNF and c-Fos expression cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens shell, cornu ammonis 1 (CA1), and cornu ammonis 3 (CA3) areas of the hippocampus only in male mice. In addition, baclofen pretreatment prevented these changes in BDNF, but not in c-Fos expression. In conclusion, our results show that GABAB receptors have a regulatory role in the rewarding effects of morphine that could be of interest for a potential future therapeutic application in opioid use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria T Pedrón
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eliana M Canero
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés P Varani
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Amira J Aon
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratori de Neurofarmacologia, Facultat de Ciències de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Graciela N Balerio
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Huang SJ, Zuo MT, Qi XJ, Huang CY, Liu ZY. Phosphoproteomics reveals NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity as a key signaling pathway in the toxicity of gelsenicine. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 156:112507. [PMID: 34389372 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Gelsenicine is one of the most toxic compounds in the genus Gelsemium, but the mechanism of toxicity is not clear. In this paper, tandem mass tag quantitative phosphoproteomics was used to study the changes in protein phosphorylation in different brain regions at different time points after gelsenicine poisoning in mice. The correlation between neurotransmitter receptors and the toxicity of gelsenicine was analyzed by molecular docking and rescue experiments. Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) was used to verify the related proteins. A total of 17877 unique phosphosites were quantified and mapped to 4170 brain proteins to understand the signaling pathways. Phosphoproteomics revealed gelsenicine poisoning mainly affected protein phosphorylation levels in the hippocampus, and through bioinformatics analysis, it was found gelsenicine poisoning significantly affected neurotransmitter synaptic pathway. The molecular docking results showed that gelsenicine could bind to the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR). In addition, we found that NMDA was effective in improving the survival rate of the animals tested, and this effect was associated with reduced protein phosphorylation by PRM validation. The results revealed that gelsenicine affects neurotransmitter release and receptor function. This is the first demonstration that NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity is a key signaling pathway in the toxicity of gelsenicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Juan Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China
| | - Meng-Ting Zuo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China
| | - Xue-Jia Qi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China
| | - Chong-Yin Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China
| | - Zhao-Ying Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China.
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Varani AP, Pedrón VT, Aon AJ, Canero EM, Balerio GN. GABA B receptors blockage modulates somatic and aversive manifestations induced by nicotine withdrawal. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 140:111786. [PMID: 34144406 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111786] [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: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is substantial evidence that GABAB agonist, baclofen, prevents somatic and motivational responses induced by nicotine withdrawal and may target drug cue vulnerabilities in humans. In this context, we explored different aspects associated with the possible mechanisms whereby the GABAB receptors might influence nicotine withdrawal. Male mice received nicotine (2.5 mg/kg, s.c.) 4 times daily, for 7 consecutive days. Nicotine-treated mice received the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, mecamylamine (MEC, 2 or 3.5 mg/kg, s.c.), to precipitate the withdrawal state. A second group of dependent mice received 2-hydroxysaclofen (GABAB receptor antagonist, 1 mg/kg, s.c.) before MEC-precipitated abstinence. Somatic signs of nicotine withdrawal were measured for 30 min. Anxiogenic-like response associated to nicotine withdrawal was assessed by the elevated plus maze test. The dysphoric/aversive effect induced by nicotine withdrawal was evaluated using conditioned place aversion paradigm. Dopamine, serotonin and its metabolites concentrations were determined by HPLC in the striatum, cortex and hippocampus. Finally, α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density was determined in several brain regions using autoradiography assays. The results showed that MEC-precipitated nicotine withdrawal induced somatic manifestations, anxiogenic-like response and dysphoric/aversive effect, and 2-hydroxysaclofen potentiated these behavioral responses. Additionally, 2-hydroxysaclofen was able to change striatal dopamine levels and α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density, both altered by MEC-precipitated nicotine withdrawal. These findings provide important contributions to elucidate neurobiological mechanisms implicated in nicotine withdrawal. We suggest that GABAB receptor activity is necessary to control alterations induced by nicotine withdrawal, which supports the idea of targeting GABAB receptors to treat tobacco addiction in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Varani
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA-UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - V T Pedrón
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA-UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - A J Aon
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA-UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - E M Canero
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica (FFYB), Cátedra de Farmacología, Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina; CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA-UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - G N Balerio
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica (FFYB), Cátedra de Farmacología, Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina; CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA-UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
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Varani AP, Pedrón VT, Aon AJ, Höcht C, Acosta GB, Bettler B, Balerio GN. Nicotine-induced molecular alterations are modulated by GABA B receptor activity. Addict Biol 2018; 23:230-246. [PMID: 28419642 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that GABAB receptors modulate nicotine (NIC) reward effect; nevertheless, the mechanism implicated is not well known. In this regard, we evaluated the involvement of GABAB receptors on the behavioral, neurochemical, biochemical and molecular alterations associated with the rewarding effects induced by NIC in mice, from a pharmacological and genetic approach. NIC-induced rewarding properties (0.5 mg/kg, subcutaneously, sc) were evaluated by conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. CPP has three phases: preconditioning, conditioning and postconditioning. GABAB receptor antagonist 2-hydroxysaclofen (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg; intraperitoneally, ip) or the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen (3 mg/kg; ip) was injected before NIC during the conditioning phase. GABAB1 knockout (GABAB1 KO) mice received NIC during the conditioning phase. Vehicle and wild-type controls were employed. Neurochemical (dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites), biochemical (nicotinic receptor α4β2, α4β2nAChRs) and molecular (c-Fos) alterations induced by NIC were analyzed after the postconditioning phase by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), receptor-ligand binding assays and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in nucleus accumbens (Acb), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). NIC induced rewarding effects in the CPP paradigm and increased dopamine levels in Acb and PFC, α4β2nAChRs density in VTA and c-Fos expression in Acb shell (AcbSh), VTA and PFC. We showed that behavioral, neurochemical, biochemical and molecular alterations induced by NIC were prevented by baclofen. However, in 2-hydroxysaclofen pretreated and GABAB1 KO mice, these alterations were potentiated, suggesting that GABAB receptor activity is necessary to control alterations induced by NIC-induced rewarding effects. Therefore, the present findings provided important contributions to the mechanisms implicated in NIC-induced rewarding effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres P Varani
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria T Pedrón
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Amira J Aon
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Christian Höcht
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela B Acosta
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bernhard Bettler
- Department of Biomedicine, Institute of Physiology, Pharmazentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Graciela N Balerio
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Behavioral effects and neuroanatomical targets of acute atrazine exposure in the male Sprague-Dawley rat. Neurotoxicology 2017; 58:161-170. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Role of GABA(B) receptors in learning and memory and neurological disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 63:1-28. [PMID: 26814961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although it is evident from the literature that altered GABAB receptor function does affect behavior, these results often do not correspond well. These differences could be due to the task protocol, animal strain, ligand concentration, or timing of administration utilized. Because several clinical populations exhibit learning and memory deficits in addition to altered markers of GABA and the GABAB receptor, it is important to determine whether altered GABAB receptor function is capable of contributing to the deficits. The aim of this review is to examine the effect of altered GABAB receptor function on synaptic plasticity as demonstrated by in vitro data, as well as the effects on performance in learning and memory tasks. Finally, data regarding altered GABA and GABAB receptor markers within clinical populations will be reviewed. Together, the data agree that proper functioning of GABAB receptors is crucial for numerous learning and memory tasks and that targeting this system via pharmaceuticals may benefit several clinical populations.
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Varani AP, Pedrón VT, Machado LM, Antonelli MC, Bettler B, Balerio GN. Lack of GABAB receptors modifies behavioural and biochemical alterations induced by precipitated nicotine withdrawal. Neuropharmacology 2014; 90:90-101. [PMID: 25479464 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The nicotine (NIC) withdrawal syndrome is considered to be a major cause of the high relapse rate among individuals undergoing smoking cessation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible role of GABAB receptors in NIC withdrawal, by comparing GABAB1 knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. We analysed the time course of the global withdrawal score, the anxiety-like effects, monoamine concentrations, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, the corticosterone plasmatic levels and [(3)H]epibatidine binding sites during NIC withdrawal precipitated by mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist (MEC). In NIC withdrawn wild-type mice, we observed a global withdrawal score, an anxiety-like effect in the elevated plus maze, a decrease of the striatal dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid concentrations, an increase of corticosterone plasma levels, a reduction of BDNF expression in several brain areas and an increase of [(3)H]epibatidine binding sites in specific brain regions. Interestingly, the effects found in NIC withdrawn wild-type mice were absent in GABAB1 knockout mice, suggesting that GABAB1 subunit of the GABAB receptor is involved in the regulation of the behavioural and biochemical alterations induced by NIC withdrawal in mice. These results reveal an interaction between the GABAB receptors and the neurochemical systems through which NIC exerts its long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés P Varani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Valeria T Pedrón
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Lirane Moutinho Machado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Marta C Antonelli
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bernhard Bettler
- Department of Biomedicine, Institute of Physiology, Pharmazentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Graciela N Balerio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina; Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
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