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Luo H, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Shao J, Ren X, Zang W, Cao J, Xu B. Glucocorticoid Receptor Contributes to Electroacupuncture-Induced Analgesia by Inhibiting Nav1.7 Expression in Rats With Inflammatory Pain Induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Neuromodulation 2022; 25:1393-1402. [PMID: 34337820 DOI: 10.1111/ner.13499] [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] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While electroacupuncture (EA) has been used traditionally for the treatment of chronic pain, its analgesic mechanisms have not been fully clarified. We observed in an earlier study that EA could reverse inflammatory pain and suppress high Nav1.7 expression. However, the molecular mechanism underlying Nav1.7 expression regulation is unclear. In this study, we studied the relationship between the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and Nav1.7 and the role of these molecules in EA analgesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we established an inflammatory pain model by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in rats. EA stimulation was applied to the ipsilateral "Huantiao" (GB30) and "Zusanli" (ST36) acupoints in the rat model. Western blotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunostaining, intrathecal injection, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were performed to determine whether the sodium channel protein Nav1.7 plays a role in CFA-induced pain and whether GR regulates Nav1.7 expression during analgesia following EA stimulation. RESULTS EA application significantly decreased the paw withdrawal threshold thresholds and thermal paw withdrawal latency and suppressed GR and Nav1.7 expression in the dorsal root ganglion. Moreover, treatment with a GR sense oligonucleotide (OND) markedly reversed these alterations. In contrast, treatment with a GR antisense OND along with EA application exerted a better analgesic effect, which was accompanied by the suppression of Nav1.7 and GR protein expression. The ChIP assay showed that the binding activity of GR to the Nav1.7 promoter was enhanced in CFA injected rats and suppressed in EA-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated that EA exerted anti-hyperalgesic effects by inhibiting GR expression, which led to Nav1.7 expression modulation in the rat model of CFA-induced inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidan Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhengzhou University Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhengzhou University Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinping Shao
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiuhua Ren
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Weidong Zang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhengzhou University Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Bo Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, China.
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Duncan RS, Riordan SM, Hall CW, Payne AJ, Chapman KD, Koulen P. N-acylethanolamide metabolizing enzymes are upregulated in human neural progenitor-derived neurons exposed to sub-lethal oxidative stress. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:902278. [PMID: 36003139 PMCID: PMC9393304 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.902278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
N-acyl amides (NAAs) are a class of lipids that consist of an acyl group N-linked to an amino acid, neurotransmitter, taurine or ethanolamide group (N-acylethanolamines or NAEs) and include some endocannabinoids (eCB) such as anandamide. These lipids are synthesized in a wide variety of organisms and in multiple cell types, including neurons. NAEs are involved in numerous cellular and physiological processes and their concentrations are elevated in response to ischemia and physical trauma to play a role in neuroprotection. The neuroprotective properties of eCB NAEs make the protein targets of these compounds attractive targets for clinical intervention for a variety of conditions. The most promising of these targets include cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), N-acylethanolamine acid amidase (NAAA), and N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD). Further characterization of these targets in a more contemporary model system of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection will allow us to fully describe their role and mechanism of action in neuroprotection against oxidative stress leading to better utilization in the clinical setting. Human stem cell-derived or human neural progenitor cell-derived cells, such as ReN cells, have become more utilized for the study of human neuronal development and neurodegenerative diseases. ReN cells can be easily differentiated thereby circumventing the need for using transformed cell lines and primary neurons as cell model systems. In this study, we determined whether ReN cells, a superior cell model system for studying neurodevelopment, differentiation, and neuroprotection, express proteins involved in canonical eCB NAE signaling and whether oxidative stress can induce their expression. We determined that sublethal oxidative stress upregulates the expression of all eCB proteins tested. In addition, we determined that oxidative stress increases the nuclear localization of FAAH, and to a lesser extent, NAAA and NAPE-PLD. This study is a first step toward determining how oxidative stress affects CB1, CB2, FAAH, NAAA, and NAPE-PLD expression and their potential defense against oxidative stress. As such, our data is important for further determining the role of eCB metabolizing proteins and eCB receptors against oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Scott Duncan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vision Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Sean M. Riordan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vision Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Conner W. Hall
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vision Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Andrew J. Payne
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vision Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Kent D. Chapman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Plant Lipid Research, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Peter Koulen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vision Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Plant Lipid Research, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Peter Koulen,
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Omura CM, Lüdtke DD, Horewicz VV, Fernandes PF, Galassi TDO, Salgado ASI, Palandi J, Baldança HDS, Bittencourt EB, Mack JM, Seim LA, Martins DF, Bobinski F. Decrease of IL-1β and TNF in the Spinal Cord Mediates Analgesia Produced by Ankle Joint Mobilization in Complete Freund Adjuvant-Induced Inflammation Mice Model. Front Physiol 2022; 12:816624. [PMID: 35095573 PMCID: PMC8795789 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.816624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aims to investigate the effects of ankle joint mobilization (AJM) on mechanical hyperalgesia and peripheral and central inflammatory biomarkers after intraplantar (i.pl.) Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation. Methods Male Swiss mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups (n = 7): Saline/Sham, CFA/Sham, and CFA/AJM. Five AJM sessions were carried out at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after CFA injection. von Frey test was used to assess mechanical hyperalgesia. Tissues from paw skin, paw muscle and spinal cord were collected to measure pro-inflammatory (TNF, IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β1) by ELISA. The macrophage phenotype at the inflammation site was evaluated by Western blotting assay using the Nitric Oxide Synthase 2 (NOS 2) and Arginase-1 immunocontent to identify M1 and M2 macrophages, respectively. Results Our results confirm a consistent analgesic effect of AJM following the second treatment session. AJM did not change cytokines levels at the inflammatory site, although it promoted a reduction in M2 macrophages. Also, there was a reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF in the spinal cord. Conclusion Taken together, the results confirm the anti-hyperalgesic effect of AJM and suggest a central neuroimmunomodulatory effect in a model of persistent inflammation targeting the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Minoru Omura
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Daniela Dero Lüdtke
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
- Faculty of Physical Therapy, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Verônica Vargas Horewicz
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Paula Franson Fernandes
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Taynah de Oliveira Galassi
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | | | - Juliete Palandi
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
- Laboratory of Experimentation in Neuropathology (LEN), Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Heloiza dos Santos Baldança
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
- Faculty of Physical Therapy, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | | | - Josiel Mileno Mack
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Clinic, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Lynsey A. Seim
- Department of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Daniel Fernandes Martins
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
| | - Franciane Bobinski
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory (LaNEx), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Palhoça, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Franciane Bobinski,
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Britch SC, Craft RM. No antinociceptive synergy between morphine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in male and female rats with persistent inflammatory pain. Behav Pharmacol 2021; 32:630-639. [PMID: 34561365 PMCID: PMC8578411 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated antinociceptive synergy between morphine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in animals, but whether such synergy occurs against all types of pain and in humans is unclear. Because a majority of chronic pain patients are women, and sex differences in morphine and THC potencies have been observed in rodents, the present study examined sex-specific effects of morphine and THC given alone and in combination, in rats with persistent inflammatory pain. On day 1, baseline mechanical and thermal response thresholds, hindpaw weight-bearing, locomotor activity, and hindpaw thickness were determined. Inflammation was then induced via hindpaw injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Three days later, morphine (s.c.), THC (i.p) or a morphine-THC combination (1:1, 3:1 and 1:3 dose ratios) was administered, and behavioral testing was conducted at 30-240 min postinjection. Morphine alone was antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic, with no sex differences, but at some doses increased weight-bearing on the CFA-treated paw more in males than females. THC alone reduced mechanical allodynia with similar potency in both sexes, but reduced thermal hyperalgesia and locomotor activity with greater potency in females than males. All morphine-THC combinations reduced allodynia and hyperalgesia, but isobolographic analysis of mechanical allodynia data showed no significant morphine-THC synergy in either sex. Additionally, whereas morphine alone was antinociceptive at doses that did not suppress locomotion, morphine-THC combinations suppressed locomotion and did not increase weight-bearing on the inflamed paw. These results suggest that THC is unlikely to be a beneficial adjuvant when given in combination with morphine for reducing established inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stevie C Britch
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Rebecca M Craft
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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5
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Kong L, Xiao C, Lin H, Buyse J, Li X, Song Z. Effect of dexamethasone on gene expression of cannabinoid receptor type 1 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in the hypothalamus of broilers (Gallus domesticus). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 260:111018. [PMID: 34144188 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Hypothalamic neural circuits play a critical role in integrating peripheral signals and conveying information about energy and nutrient status. We detected cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) distribution in the hypothalamus, liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum among 7- and 35-day-old broilers. The effects of dexamethasone (DEX) on CB1 gene expression were evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the hypothalamus of broilers. In vitro, hypothalamic cells from 17-day-old broiler embryos were incubated with either 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide or DEX (100 nmol/mL) for 1 h. In the in vivo study, 28-day-old broilers were injected with DEX for 24 h or 72 h. Results showed that CB1 was mainly expressed in the hypothalamus, and 72 h DEX treatment increased the expression. One-day treatment of broilers with DEX did not change the hypothalamic CB1 gene expression. Moreover, DEX treatment for 24 h and 72 h increased the mRNA level of hypothalamic AMPKα2 and GR. However, no differences were observed on the gene expression of CB1, GR, and AMPKα2 in hypothalamic cells with DEX-treated for 1 h. In conclusion, CB1 is mainly expressed in the hypothalamus of broilers; 72-h DEX exposure can regulate the CB1 system and AMPK signaling pathway of the broiler hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linglian Kong
- Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Chuanpi Xiao
- Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China; Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-BioTech, University of Liège, Gembloux 5030, Belgium
| | - Hai Lin
- Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Johan Buyse
- Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Xianlei Li
- Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Zhigang Song
- Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
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6
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Wilkerson JL, Bilbrey JA, Felix JS, Makriyannis A, McMahon LR. Untapped endocannabinoid pharmacological targets: Pipe dream or pipeline? Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 206:173192. [PMID: 33932409 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173192] [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: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
It has been established that the endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system plays key modulatory roles in a wide variety of pathological conditions. The endocannabinoid system comprises both cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands including 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), N-arachidonylethanolamine (anandamide, AEA), and enzymes that regulate the synthesis and degradation of endogenous ligands which include diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DAGL-α), diacylglycerol lipase beta (DAGL-β), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), α/β hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6). As the endocannabinoid system exerts considerable involvement in the regulation of homeostasis and disease, much effort has been made towards understanding endocannabinoid-related mechanisms of action at cellular, physiological, and pathological levels as well as harnessing the various components of the endocannabinoid system to produce novel therapeutics. However, drug discovery efforts within the cannabinoid field have been slower than anticipated to reach satisfactory clinical endpoints and raises an important question into the validity of developing novel ligands that therapeutically target the endocannabinoid system. To answer this, we will first examine evidence that supports the existence of an endocannabinoid system role within inflammatory diseases, neurodegeneration, pain, substance use disorders, mood disorders, as well as metabolic diseases. Next, this review will discuss recent clinical studies, within the last 5 years, of cannabinoid compounds in context to these diseases. We will also address some of the challenges and considerations within the cannabinoid field that may be important in the advancement of therapeutics into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny L Wilkerson
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Joshua A Bilbrey
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jasmine S Felix
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lance R McMahon
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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Effects of inflammatory pain on CB1 receptor in the midbrain periaqueductal gray. Pain Rep 2021; 6:e897. [PMID: 33693301 PMCID: PMC7939232 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Western blot and GTPγS analyses reveal inflammatory pain–induced adaptations in the midbrain periaqueductal gray, which is critically involved in descending pain modulation. Pain upregulates the expression of the CB1 receptor and increases G-protein coupling in the periaqueductal gray. Introduction: The periaqueductal gray (PAG) mediates the antinociceptive properties of analgesics, including opioids and cannabinoids. Administration of either opioids or cannabinoids into the PAG induces antinociception. However, most studies characterizing the antinociceptive properties of cannabinoids in the PAG have been conducted in naive animals. Few studies have reported on the role of CB1 receptors in the PAG during conditions which would prompt the administration of analgesics, namely, during pain states. Objectives: To examine inflammatory pain-induced changes in CB1 receptor expression and function in the midbrain periaqueductal gray. Methods: In this study, we used the Complete Freund Adjuvant model to characterize CB1 receptor expression and G-protein coupling during persistent inflammatory pain. Results: Inflammatory pain induced an upregulation in the expression of synaptic CB1 receptors in the PAG. Despite this pain-induced change in CB1 expression, there was no corresponding upregulation of CB1 mRNA after the induction of inflammatory pain, suggesting a pain-induced recruitment of CB1 receptors to the synaptic sites within PAG neurons or increased coupling efficiency between the receptor and effector systems. Inflammatory pain also enhanced ventrolateral PAG CB1 receptor activity, as there was an increase in CP55,940-stimulated G-protein activation compared with pain-naïve control animals. Conclusion: These findings complement a growing body of evidence which demonstrate pain-induced changes in brain regions that are responsible for both the analgesic and rewarding properties of analgesic pharmacotherapies. Because much of our understanding of the pharmacology of cannabinoids is based on studies which use largely pain-naïve male animals, this work fills in important gaps in the knowledge base by incorporating pain-induced adaptations and cannabinoid pharmacology in females.
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Abstract
Dexamethasone is a synthetic steroid that has been used for many years in the clinical routine due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and immunosuppressive properties. Furthermore, dexamethasone has been used for a long time for prophylaxis and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In the meantime dexamethasone has been approved as standard for the prophylaxis and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). This review article outlines the indications and side effects of the perioperative administration of dexamethasone.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Sinner
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93953, Regensburg, Deutschland.
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9
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Bembrick AL, Boorman DC, Keay KA. Disability-specific genes GRIN1, GRIN2 and CNR1 show injury-dependent protein expression in the lumbar spinal cord of CCI rats. Neurosci Lett 2020; 728:134982. [PMID: 32320718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The sensory changes triggered by peripheral nerve injury result from functional changes in both neurons and glia in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Whether the disrupted affective-motivational states often comorbid with injury-evoked changes in sensation are driven directly by these functional changes is a question only recently investigated. Using a combination of GeneChip microarrays and RT-PCR techniques we identified differences in mRNA expression unique to rats with sustained changes to their social behaviour following sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI). Amongst these changes were the mRNAs encoding several of the NMDA subunits and the CB1 receptor. However, as protein translation is not a necessary consequence of the upregulation or downregulation of genes we decided to evaluate the functional significance of our initial observations using immunohistochemical detection of their translated protein products to determine their location and abundance in the lumbar spinal cord. Spinal cord tissue from rats with ('Affected'), and without ('Unaffected') changes in social behaviour after CCI was compared with tissue from uninjured controls. The expression of NMDA-1 (NR1) subunit, NMDA-2D subunit, Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1), Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) immunoreactivities was quantified for these rats and revealed that nerve injury increased the expression of NMDA-2D, CB1 and GFAP immunoreactivity compared to uninjured controls. However, these changes were not specific to rats whose social behaviours were 'Affected' or 'Unaffected' by the nerve injury. Our data thus suggest that the development and expression of changes in social behaviour seen in a proportion of rats following CCI are unlikely to be directly related to the spinal changes in NMDA-2D, CB1 and GFAP expression induced by the nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison L Bembrick
- School of Medical Sciences, Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Damien C Boorman
- School of Medical Sciences, Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Kevin A Keay
- School of Medical Sciences, Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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Guida F, Boccella S, Belardo C, Iannotta M, Piscitelli F, De Filippis F, Paino S, Ricciardi F, Siniscalco D, Marabese I, Luongo L, Ercolini D, Di Marzo V, Maione S. Altered gut microbiota and endocannabinoid system tone in vitamin D deficiency-mediated chronic pain. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 85:128-141. [PMID: 30953765 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence points to the gut microbiota as a regulator of brain and behavior, although it remains to be determined if gut bacteria play a role in chronic pain. The endocannabinoid system is implicated in inflammation and chronic pain processing at both the gut and central nervous system (CNS) levels. In the present study, we used low Vitamin D dietary intake in mice and evaluated possible changes in gut microbiota, pain processing and endocannabinoid system signaling. Vitamin D deficiency induced a lower microbial diversity characterized by an increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes. Concurrently, vitamin D deficient mice showed tactile allodynia associated with neuronal hyperexcitability and alterations of endocannabinoid system members (endogenous mediators and their receptors) at the spinal cord level. Changes in endocannabinoid (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol) levels were also observed in the duodenum and colon. Remarkably, the anti-inflammatory anandamide congener, palmitoylethanolamide, counteracted both the pain behaviour and spinal biochemical changes in vitamin D deficient mice, whilst increasing the levels of Akkermansia, Eubacterium and Enterobacteriaceae, as compared with vehicle-treated mice. Finally, induction of spared nerve injury in normal or vitamin D deficient mice was not accompanied by changes in gut microbiota composition. Our data suggest the existence of a link between Vitamin D deficiency - with related changes in gut bacterial composition - and altered nociception, possibly via molecular mechanisms involving the endocannabinoid and related mediator signaling systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Guida
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
| | - Serena Boccella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela Belardo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Iannotta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Francesca De Filippis
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy; Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Paino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Flavia Ricciardi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Dario Siniscalco
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Ida Marabese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Livio Luongo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Danilo Ercolini
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy; Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy; Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, Quèbec Heart and Lung Institute and Institute for Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, 2325 Rue de l'Université, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Sabatino Maione
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
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Guerrero-Alba R, Barragán-Iglesias P, González-Hernández A, Valdez-Moráles EE, Granados-Soto V, Condés-Lara M, Rodríguez MG, Marichal-Cancino BA. Some Prospective Alternatives for Treating Pain: The Endocannabinoid System and Its Putative Receptors GPR18 and GPR55. Front Pharmacol 2019; 9:1496. [PMID: 30670965 PMCID: PMC6331465 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Marijuana extracts (cannabinoids) have been used for several millennia for pain treatment. Regarding the site of action, cannabinoids are highly promiscuous molecules, but only two cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) have been deeply studied and classified. Thus, therapeutic actions, side effects and pharmacological targets for cannabinoids have been explained based on the pharmacology of cannabinoid CB1/CB2 receptors. However, the accumulation of confusing and sometimes contradictory results suggests the existence of other cannabinoid receptors. Different orphan proteins (e.g., GPR18, GPR55, GPR119, etc.) have been proposed as putative cannabinoid receptors. According to their expression, GPR18 and GPR55 could be involved in sensory transmission and pain integration. Methods: This article reviews select relevant information about the potential role of GPR18 and GPR55 in the pathophysiology of pain. Results: This work summarized novel data supporting that, besides cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, GPR18 and GPR55 may be useful for pain treatment. Conclusion: There is evidence to support an antinociceptive role for GPR18 and GPR55.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Guerrero-Alba
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Paulino Barragán-Iglesias
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Abimael González-Hernández
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Eduardo E Valdez-Moráles
- Cátedras CONACYT, Departamento de Cirugía, Centro de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Vinicio Granados-Soto
- Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miguel Condés-Lara
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Martín G Rodríguez
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Bruno A Marichal-Cancino
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
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12
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Balsevich G, Petrie GN, Hill MN. Endocannabinoids: Effectors of glucocorticoid signaling. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 47:86-108. [PMID: 28739508 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
For decades, there has been speculation regarding the interaction of cannabinoids with glucocorticoid systems. Given the functional redundancy between many of the physiological effects of glucocorticoids and cannabinoids, it was originally speculated that the biological mechanisms of cannabinoids were mediated by direct interactions with glucocorticoid systems. With the discovery of the endocannabinoid system, additional research demonstrated that it was actually the opposite; glucocorticoids recruit endocannabinoid signaling, and that the engagement of endocannabinoid signaling mediated many of the neurobiological and physiological effects of glucocorticoids. With the development of advances in pharmacology and genetics, significant advances in this area have been made, and it is now clear that functional interactions between these systems are critical for a wide array of physiological processes. The current review acts a comprehensive summary of the contemporary state of knowledge regarding the biological interactions between glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids, and their potential role in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Balsevich
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gavin N Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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13
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Remesic M, Hruby VJ, Porreca F, Lee YS. Recent Advances in the Realm of Allosteric Modulators for Opioid Receptors for Future Therapeutics. ACS Chem Neurosci 2017; 8:1147-1158. [PMID: 28368571 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids, and more specifically μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists such as morphine, have long been clinically used as therapeutics for severe pain states but often come with serious side effects such as addiction and tolerance. Many studies have focused on bringing about analgesia from the MOR with attenuated side effects, but its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Recently, focus has been geared toward the design and elucidation of the orthosteric site with ligands of various biological profiles and mixed subtype opioid activities and selectivities, but targeting the allosteric site is an area of increasing interest. It has been shown that allosteric modulators play key roles in influencing receptor function such as its tolerance to a ligand and affect downstream pathways. There has been a high variance of chemical structures that provide allosteric modulation at a given receptor, but recent studies and reviews tend to focus on the altered cellular mechanisms instead of providing a more rigorous description of the allosteric ligand's structure-function relationship. In this review, we aim to explore recent developments in the structural motifs that potentiate orthosteric binding and their influences on cellular pathways in an effort to present novel approaches to opioid therapeutic design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Remesic
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Victor J. Hruby
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - Yeon Sun Lee
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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14
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Hillard CJ, Beatka M, Sarvaideo J. Endocannabinoid Signaling and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. Compr Physiol 2016; 7:1-15. [PMID: 28134998 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c160005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The elucidation of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol as the active principal of Cannabis sativa in 1963 initiated a fruitful half-century of scientific discovery, culminating in the identification of the endocannabinoid signaling system, a previously unknown neuromodulatory system. A primary function of the endocannabinoid signaling system is to maintain or recover homeostasis following psychological and physiological threats. We provide a brief introduction to the endocannabinoid signaling system and its role in synaptic plasticity. The majority of the article is devoted to a summary of current knowledge regarding the role of endocannabinoid signaling as both a regulator of endocrine responses to stress and as an effector of glucocorticoid and corticotrophin-releasing hormone signaling in the brain. We summarize data demonstrating that cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) signaling can both inhibit and potentiate the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by stress. We present a hypothesis that the inhibitory arm has high endocannabinoid tone and also serves to enhance recovery to baseline following stress, while the potentiating arm is not tonically active but can be activated by exogenous agonists. We discuss recent findings that corticotropin-releasing hormone in the amygdala enables hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation via an increase in the catabolism of the endocannabinoid N-arachidonylethanolamine. We review data supporting the hypotheses that CB1R activation is required for many glucocorticoid effects, particularly feedback inhibition of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, and that glucocorticoids mobilize the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. These features of endocannabinoid signaling make it a tantalizing therapeutic target for treatment of stress-related disorders but to date, this promise is largely unrealized. © 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:1-15, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Margaret Beatka
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jenna Sarvaideo
- Department of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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15
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Nielsen RV, Fomsgaard J, Mathiesen O, Dahl JB. The effect of preoperative dexamethasone on pain 1 year after lumbar disc surgery: a follow-up study. BMC Anesthesiol 2016; 16:112. [PMID: 27852230 PMCID: PMC5112723 DOI: 10.1186/s12871-016-0277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been hypothesized that dexamethasone can inhibit persistent postoperative pain, but data on humans is lacking and results from animal studies are conflicting. We explored the effect of 16 mg dexamethasone IV administered preoperatively on persistent pain 1 year after lumbar discectomy. Methods This is a prospective 1-year follow-up on a single-centre, randomized, and blinded trial exploring the analgesic effect of 16 mg IV dexamethasone or placebo after lumbar discectomy. One year follow-up was a written questionnaire including back and leg pain (VAS 0–100 mm), Short Form 36 survey (SF-36), EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), OSWESTRY Low Back Pain Questionnaire, duration of sick leave, working capability, contentment with surgical result. Results Response rate was 71% (55 patients) in the dexamethasone group, 58% (44 patients) in the placebo group. Leg pain (VAS) was significantly lower in the placebo group compared to the dexamethasone group: 17 (95% CI 10–26) vs 26 (95% CI 19–33) mm, respectively (mean difference 9 mm (95% CI −1 to 0), (P = 0.03). No difference regarding back pain. The placebo group reported significantly more improvement of leg pain and were significantly more satisfied with the surgical result. Patients in the dexamethasone group reported significantly higher pain levels in EQ-5D- and Oswestry questionnaires. No difference in the SF-36 survey or daily analgesic consumption. Conclusions We found significantly higher pain levels in the dexamethasone group compared to placebo 1 year after lumbar disc surgery. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01953978). Registered 26 Sep 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikke Vibeke Nielsen
- Department of Neuroanaesthesiology, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup University Hospital, Nordre Ringvej 57, 2600, Glostrup, Denmark.
| | - Jonna Fomsgaard
- Department of Neuroanaesthesiology, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Ole Mathiesen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Zealand, Køge Hospital, Køge, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Berg Dahl
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, København, Denmark
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Martins DF, Siteneski A, Ludtke DD, Dal-Secco D, Santos ARS. High-Intensity Swimming Exercise Decreases Glutamate-Induced Nociception by Activation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Inhibiting Phosphorylated Protein Kinase A. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:5620-5631. [PMID: 27624384 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0095-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Several studies in humans have reported that improved pain control is associated with exercise in a variety of painful conditions, including osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain. Despite the growing amount of experimental data on physical exercise and nociception, the precise mechanisms through which high-intensity exercise reduces pain remain elusive. Since the glutamatergic system plays a major role in pain transmission, we firstly analyzed if physical exercise could be able to decrease glutamate-induced nociception through G-protein-coupled receptor (G-PCR) activation. The second purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercising upon phosphorylation of protein kinase A (PKA) isoforms induced by intraplantar (i.pl.) glutamate injection in mice. Our results demonstrate that high-intensity swimming exercise decreases nociception induced by glutamate and that i.pl. or intrathecal injections of cannabinoid, opioid, and adenosine receptor antagonists, AM281, naloxone, and 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX), respectively, prevent this effect. Furthermore, the peripheral A1 and opioid receptors, but not CB1, are also involved in exercise's effect. We also verified that glutamate injection increases levels of phosphorylated PKA (p-PKA). High-intensity swimming exercise significantly prevented p-PKA increase. The current data show the direct involvement of the glutamatergic system on the hyponociceptive effect of high-intensity swimming exercise as well as demonstrate that physical exercise can activate multiple intracellular pathways through G-PCR activation, which share the same endogenous mechanism, i.e., inhibition of p-PKA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Martins
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern of Santa Catarina, Campus Grande Florianópolis, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | - Aline Siteneski
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern of Santa Catarina, Campus Grande Florianópolis, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Daniela D Ludtke
- Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern of Santa Catarina, Campus Grande Florianópolis, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Daniela Dal-Secco
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Pain and Inflammation, Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Adair R S Santos
- Neurobiology Laboratory of Pain and Inflammation, Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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17
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Austin PJ, Bembrick AL, Denyer GS, Keay KA. Injury-Dependent and Disability-Specific Lumbar Spinal Gene Regulation following Sciatic Nerve Injury in the Rat. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124755. [PMID: 25905723 PMCID: PMC4408097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Allodynia, hyperalgesia and spontaneous pain are cardinal sensory signs of neuropathic pain. Clinically, many neuropathic pain patients experience affective-motivational state changes, including reduced familial and social interactions, decreased motivation, anhedonia and depression which are severely debilitating. In earlier studies we have shown that sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) disrupts social interactions, sleep-wake-cycle and endocrine function in one third of rats, a subgroup reliably identified six days after injury. CCI consistently produces allodynia and hyperalgesia, the intensity of which was unrelated either to the altered social interactions, sleep-wake-cycle or endocrine changes. This decoupling of the sensory consequences of nerve injury from the affective-motivational changes is reported in both animal experiments and human clinical data. The sensory changes triggered by CCI are mediated primarily by functional changes in the lumbar dorsal horn, however, whether lumbar spinal changes may drive different affective-motivational states has never been considered. In these studies, we used microarrays to identify the unique transcriptomes of rats with altered social behaviours following sciatic CCI to determine whether specific patterns of lumbar spinal adaptations characterised this subgroup. Rats underwent CCI and on the basis of reductions in dominance behaviour in resident-intruder social interactions were categorised as having Pain & Disability, Pain & Transient Disability or Pain alone. We examined the lumbar spinal transcriptomes two and six days after CCI. Fifty-four ‘disability-specific’ genes were identified. Sixty-five percent were unique to Pain & Disability rats, two-thirds of which were associated with neurotransmission, inflammation and/or cellular stress. In contrast, 40% of genes differentially regulated in rats without disabilities were involved with more general homeostatic processes (cellular structure, transcription or translation). We suggest that these patterns of gene expression lead to either the expression of disability, or to resilience and recovery, by modifying local spinal circuitry at the origin of ascending supraspinal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. Austin
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alison L. Bembrick
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gareth S. Denyer
- School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kevin A. Keay
- School of Medical Sciences (Anatomy & Histology), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
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18
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Zuo ZF, Liao YH, Ding T, Dong YL, Qu J, Wang J, Wei YY, Lu YC, Liu XZ, Li YQ. Astrocytic NDRG2 is involved in glucocorticoid-mediated diabetic mechanical allodynia. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2015; 108:128-36. [PMID: 25656762 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2015.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The present study aims to test whether astrocytes contribute to glucocorticoid-mediated diabetic mechanical allodynia. METHODS Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were used in our study. The intrathecal operation was performed 21 days after the onset of diabetes. Diabetic mechanical allodynia was present 28 d after the onset of diabetes, and the mechanical threshold was tested using von Frey filaments. Immunohistochemistry, including immunofluorescent histochemical staining, was performed to observe the morphology of the spinal dorsal horn (SDH). Western blot analysis was employed as a semi-quantitative assay of the expression levels of GFAP and NDRG2 associated with diabetic mechanical allodynia. RESULTS Diabetic rats displayed mechanical allodynia and activated astrocytes in the SDH 28 days after the onset of diabetes. This allodynia was attenuated by intrathecal administration of the astrocyte-specific inhibitor l-α-aminoadipate. In parallel, intrathecal injection of RU486, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, inhibited the activation of astrocytes in the SDH, alleviating the diabetes-induced mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, we found that dorsal horn astrocytes express abundant N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), which contributes to astrocyte reactivity. NDRG2 was over-expressed in activated astrocytes in diabetic rats with mechanical allodynia. Intrathecal injection of RU486 prevented the over-expression of NDRG2, which reversed the astrocyte reactivity and diabetic tactile allodynia. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that glucocorticoid-mediated over-expression of NDRG2 may contribute to the activation of dorsal horn astrocytes, which play a crucial role in diabetic mechanical allodynia. Thus, inhibiting glucocorticoid receptors and/or astrocyte reactivity in the SDH may be a therapeutic strategy for treating diabetic tactile allodynia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Fu Zuo
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Liaoning Medical University, No. 3-40 Songpo Road, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121000, PR China
| | - Yong-Hui Liao
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Tan Ding
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Juan Qu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Yan-Yan Wei
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Xue-Zheng Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Liaoning Medical University, No. 3-40 Songpo Road, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121000, PR China.
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Preclinical School of Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
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19
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Lerch JK, Puga DA, Bloom O, Popovich PG. Glucocorticoids and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) are neuroendocrine modulators of inflammation and neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury. Semin Immunol 2014; 26:409-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Rijsdijk M, van Wijck AJM, Kalkman CJ, Yaksh TL. The effects of glucocorticoids on neuropathic pain: a review with emphasis on intrathecal methylprednisolone acetate delivery. Anesth Analg 2014; 118:1097-112. [PMID: 24781577 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000000161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) has a long history of use in the treatment of sciatic pain and other neuropathic pain syndromes. In several of these syndromes, MPA is administered in the epidural space. On a limited basis, MPA has also been injected intrathecally in patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome. The reports on efficacy of intrathecal administration of MPA in neuropathic pain patients are contradictory, and safety is debated. In this review, we broadly consider mechanisms whereby glucocorticoids exert their action on spinal cascades relevant to the pain arising after nerve injury and inflammation. We then focus on the characteristics of the actions of MPA in pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety when administered in the intrathecal space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mienke Rijsdijk
- From the *Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Clinic, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and †Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
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McPartland JM, Guy GW, Di Marzo V. Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89566. [PMID: 24622769 PMCID: PMC3951193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The “classic” endocannabinoid (eCB) system includes the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the eCB ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and their metabolic enzymes. An emerging literature documents the “eCB deficiency syndrome” as an etiology in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, psychological disorders, and other conditions. We performed a systematic review of clinical interventions that enhance the eCB system—ways to upregulate cannabinoid receptors, increase ligand synthesis, or inhibit ligand degradation. Methodology/Principal Findings We searched PubMed for clinical trials, observational studies, and preclinical research. Data synthesis was qualitative. Exclusion criteria limited the results to 184 in vitro studies, 102 in vivo animal studies, and 36 human studies. Evidence indicates that several classes of pharmaceuticals upregulate the eCB system, including analgesics (acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, glucocorticoids), antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsants. Clinical interventions characterized as “complementary and alternative medicine” also upregulate the eCB system: massage and manipulation, acupuncture, dietary supplements, and herbal medicines. Lifestyle modification (diet, weight control, exercise, and the use of psychoactive substances—alcohol, tobacco, coffee, cannabis) also modulate the eCB system. Conclusions/Significance Few clinical trials have assessed interventions that upregulate the eCB system. Many preclinical studies point to other potential approaches; human trials are needed to explore these promising interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. McPartland
- GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Geoffrey W. Guy
- GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomoleculare, CNR, Via Campi Flegrei, Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
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Activation of GRs-Akt-nNOs-NR2B signaling pathway by second dose GR agonist contributes to exacerbated hyperalgesia in a rat model of radicular pain. Mol Biol Rep 2014; 41:4053-61. [PMID: 24562683 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-014-3274-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Central Akt, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B) play key roles in the development of neuropathic pain. Here we investigate the effects of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) on the expression and activation of spinal Akt, nNOS and NR2B after chronic compression of dorsal root ganglia (CCD). Thermal hyperalgesia test and mechanical allodynia test were used to measure rats after intrathecal injection of GR antagonist mifepristone or GR agonist dexamethasone for 21 days postoperatively. Expression of spinal Akt, nNOS, NR2B and their phosphorylation state after CCD was examined by western blot. The effects of intrathecal treatment with dexamethasone or mifepristone on nociceptive behaviors and the corresponding expression of Akt, nNOS and NR2B in spinal cord were also investigated. Intrathecal injection of mifepristone or dexamethasone inhibited PWMT and PWTL in CCD rats. However, hyperalgesia was induced by intrathecal injection of dexamethasone on days 12 to 14 after surgery. Treatment of dexamethasone increased the expression and phosphorylation levels of spinal Akt, nNOS, GR and NR2B time dependently, whereas administration of mifepristone downregulated the expression of these proteins significantly. GRs activated spinal Akt-nNOS/NR2B pathway play important roles in the development of neuropathic pain in a time-dependent manner.
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23
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Zheng Y, Wang XL, Mo FF, Li M. Dexamethasone alleviates motion sickness in rats in part by enhancing the endocannabinoid system. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 727:99-105. [PMID: 24508383 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Low-dose dexamethasone has been widely used for the prevention of nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy and surgical procedures and to treat motion sickness due to its minimal adverse effects, but the mechanisms underlying its anti-motion sickness effects are poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system is suppressed by motion sickness but stimulated by dexamethasone. The aim of the present study was to determine whether dexamethasone has an anti-motion sickness effect in rats and to elucidate the mechanism of this action. We used HPLC-MS/MS to measure the plasma concentrations of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol+1-arachidonoylglycerol, and we employed real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and/or Western blot analysis to assay the expression of N-acylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine hydrolyzing phospholipase D, sn-1-selective diacylglycerol lipase, fatty acid hydrolase, monoacylglycerol lipase and endocannabinoid CB1 receptor in the dorsal vagal complex and stomach of rats exposed to a motion sickness protocol. The results showed that dexamethasone lowered the motion sickness index and restored the levels of endogenous cannabinoids and the expression of the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor, which declined after the induction of motion sickness, in the dorsal vagal complex and stomach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zheng
- Department of Military Hygiene, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai, China; Department of Nutrition, Tong Ren Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 1111 Xian Xia Road, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiao-Li Wang
- Department of Military Hygiene, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai, China.
| | - Feng-Feng Mo
- Department of Military Hygiene, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai, China.
| | - Min Li
- Department of Military Hygiene, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai, China.
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Knaepen L, Pawluski JL, Patijn J, van Kleef M, Tibboel D, Joosten EA. Perinatal maternal stress and serotonin signaling: Effects on pain sensitivity in offspring. Dev Psychobiol 2013; 56:885-96. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Liesbeth Knaepen
- Department of Anesthesiology/Pain Management; University Pain Center Maastricht; Maastricht University Medical Center; Universiteitssingel 50 6229 ER Maastricht Maastricht The Netherlands
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience; Maastricht University; Maastricht The Netherlands
| | - Jodi L. Pawluski
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience; Maastricht University; Maastricht The Netherlands
- University of Liège; GIGA-Neurosciences; 1 Avenue de l'Hôpital (Bat. B36) B-4000 Liège Belgium
| | - Jacob Patijn
- Department of Anesthesiology/Pain Management; University Pain Center Maastricht; Maastricht University Medical Center; Universiteitssingel 50 6229 ER Maastricht Maastricht The Netherlands
| | - Maarten van Kleef
- Department of Anesthesiology/Pain Management; University Pain Center Maastricht; Maastricht University Medical Center; Universiteitssingel 50 6229 ER Maastricht Maastricht The Netherlands
| | - Dick Tibboel
- Intensive Care; Erasmus MC-Sophia; Rotterdam The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatric Surgery; Erasmus MC-Sophia; Rotterdam The Netherlands
| | - Elbert A. Joosten
- Department of Anesthesiology/Pain Management; University Pain Center Maastricht; Maastricht University Medical Center; Universiteitssingel 50 6229 ER Maastricht Maastricht The Netherlands
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience; Maastricht University; Maastricht The Netherlands
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25
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Bushlin I, Gupta A, Stockton SD, Miller LK, Devi LA. Dimerization with cannabinoid receptors allosterically modulates delta opioid receptor activity during neuropathic pain. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49789. [PMID: 23272051 PMCID: PMC3522681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of receptor signaling is increased by receptor heteromerization leading to dynamic regulation of receptor function. While a number of studies have demonstrated that family A G-protein-coupled receptors are capable of forming heteromers in vitro, the role of these heteromers in normal physiology and disease has been poorly explored. In this study, direct interactions between CB(1) cannabinoid and delta opioid receptors in the brain were examined. Additionally, regulation of heteromer levels and signaling in a rodent model of neuropathic pain was explored. First we examined changes in the expression, function and interaction of these receptors in the cerebral cortex of rats with a peripheral nerve lesion that resulted in neuropathic pain. We found that, following the peripheral nerve lesion, the expression of both cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB(1)R) and the delta opioid receptor (DOR) are increased in select brain regions. Concomitantly, an increase in CB(1)R activity and decrease in DOR activity was observed. We hypothesize that this decrease in DOR activity could be due to heteromeric interactions between these two receptors. Using a CB(1)R-DOR heteromer-specific antibody, we found increased levels of CB(1)R-DOR heteromer protein in the cortex of neuropathic animals. We subsequently examined the functionality of these heteromers by testing whether low, non-signaling doses of CB(1)R ligands influenced DOR signaling in the cortex. We found that, in cortical membranes from animals that experienced neuropathic pain, non-signaling doses of CB(1)R ligands significantly enhanced DOR activity. Moreover, this activity is selectively blocked by a heteromer-specific antibody. Together, these results demonstrate an important role for CB(1)R-DOR heteromers in altered cortical function of DOR during neuropathic pain. Moreover, they suggest the possibility that a novel heteromer-directed therapeutic strategy for enhancing DOR activity, could potentially be employed to reduce anxiety associated with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ittai Bushlin
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Achla Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Steven D. Stockton
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lydia K. Miller
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lakshmi A. Devi
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
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26
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Rapid Elevation of Calcium Concentration in Cultured Dorsal Spinal Cord Astrocytes by Corticosterone. Neurochem Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-012-0929-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Schicho R, Storr M. Targeting the endocannabinoid system for gastrointestinal diseases: future therapeutic strategies. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2012; 3:193-207. [PMID: 22111567 DOI: 10.1586/ecp.09.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids extracted from the marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa) and synthetic cannabinoids have numerous effects on gastrointestinal (GI) functions. Recent experimental data support an important role for cannabinoids in GI diseases. Genetic studies in humans have proven that defects in endocannabinoid metabolism underlie functional GI disorders. Mammalian cells have machinery, the so-called endocannabinoid system (ECS), to produce and metabolize their own cannabinoids in order to control homeostasis of the gut in a rapidly adapting manner. Pharmacological manipulation of the ECS by cannabinoids, or by drugs that raise the levels of endogenous cannabinoids, have shown beneficial effects on GI pathophysiology. This review gives an introduction into the functions of the ECS in the GI tract, highlights the role of the ECS in GI diseases and addresses its potential pharmacological exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Schicho
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, 6D25, TRW Building, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary T2N 4N1, AB, Canada.
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Miller LK, Devi LA. The highs and lows of cannabinoid receptor expression in disease: mechanisms and their therapeutic implications. Pharmacol Rev 2011; 63:461-70. [PMID: 21752875 DOI: 10.1124/pr.110.003491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the endogenous cannabinoid system have been described in almost every category of disease. These changes can alternatively be protective or maladaptive, such as producing antinociception in neuropathic pain or fibrogenesis in liver disease, making the system an attractive therapeutic target. However, the challenge remains to selectively target the site of disease while sparing other areas, particularly mood and cognitive centers of the brain. Identifying regional changes in cannabinoid receptor-1 and -2 (CB(1)R and CB(2)R) expression is particularly important when considering endocannabinoid system-based therapies, because regional increases in cannabinoid receptor expression have been shown to increase potency and efficacy of exogenous agonists at sites of disease. Although there have been extensive descriptive studies of cannabinoid receptor expression changes in disease, the underlying mechanisms are only just beginning to unfold. Understanding these mechanisms is important and potentially relevant to therapeutics. In diseases for which cannabinoid receptors are protective, knowledge of the mechanisms of receptor up-regulation could be used to design therapies to regionally increase receptor expression and thus increase efficacy of an agonist. Alternatively, inhibition of harmful cannabinoid up-regulation could be an attractive alternative to global antagonism of the system. Here we review current findings on the mechanisms of cannabinoid receptor regulation in disease and discuss their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia K Miller
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Box 1603, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
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29
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Gu X, Peng L, Yang D, Ma Q, Zheng Y, Liu C, Zhu B, Song L, Sun X, Ma Z. The respective and interaction effects of spinal GRs and MRs on radicular pain induced by chronic compression of the dorsal root ganglion in the rat. Brain Res 2011; 1396:88-95. [PMID: 21550593 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2010] [Revised: 04/05/2011] [Accepted: 04/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
High levels of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) are colocalized in the substantia gelatinosa. This indicates that the pain pathways appear to be under a strong regulation of these receptors. However, their respective effects on pain behaviors and their interaction remain unclear. Here we show that the nociceptive behaviors induced by chronic compression of the lumbar dorsal root ganglion (CCD) are attenuated by either GR agonist dexamethasone (4=2 μg>vehicle) or MR antagonist spironolactone (3 μg) administered intrathecally twice daily for postoperative days 2-4, whereas the GR antagonist mifepristone (2 μg) significantly exacerbated both mechanical hyperalgesia and thermal allodynia. Co-administration of spironolactone (3 μg) with dexamethasone (2 μg or 4 μg) twice daily on days 2-4 after CCD surgery produced positive synergistic effects. Moreover, different from intrathecally administered dexamethasone alone [no difference was found between two dose levels of dexamethasone (4 μg=2 μg)], dexamethasone suppresses mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in a dose-dependent manner (4 μg>2 μg>vehicle) when combined with spironolactone (3 μg). These findings indicate that both central GRs and MRs play an important role in the regulation of pain behaviors and they have a perplexing interaction with each other. Spironolactone can enhance the analgesic effects of dexamethasone via complex mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoPing Gu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Affiliated Drum-Tower Hospital of Medical College of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Province, China
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Abstract
The relationship between corticosteroids (endogenous and exogenous) and stress is well known, as is the use of steroids as concomitant treatment in pain management during acute inflammation. In the past, steroids have not been considered the first line of treatment in pain management. In this review, we examine new scientific and clinical evidence that demonstrates the direct role that steroids play in the generation and clinical management of chronic pain. We will discuss the new findings demonstrating the fact that steroids and related mediators produce paradoxical effects on pain such as analgesia, hyperalgesia, and even placebo analgesia. In addition, we will examine the physiologic effect of stress, high allostatic load, and idiopathic disease states such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and burnout. The recently observed positive relationship between glutaminergic activity in the insula and clinical pain will be examined in the context of understanding the central role of steroids in chronic pain. The complex role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in pain will be discussed as well as other heterogeneous forms of chronic pain that involve many components of the central nervous system. Components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis have paradoxical effects on certain types of pain that are dependent on dose and on site (whether peripheral or central) and mode of application. Recent studies on glia have shown that they prolong a state of neuronal hypersensitization in the dorsal root ganglia by releasing growth factors and other substances that act on the immune system. We will discuss the implication of these new findings directly linking pain to steroids, stress, and key higher brain regions in the context of future therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Hoot MR, Sim-Selley LJ, Poklis JL, Abdullah RA, Scoggins KL, Selley DE, Dewey WL. Chronic constriction injury reduces cannabinoid receptor 1 activity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex of mice. Brain Res 2010; 1339:18-25. [PMID: 20380816 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.03.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2010] [Revised: 03/26/2010] [Accepted: 03/30/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The present studies examined the effect of chronic neuropathic pain on cannabinoid receptor density and receptor-mediated G-protein activity within supraspinal brain areas involved in pain processing and modulation in mice. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) produced a significant decrease in WIN 55,212-2-stimulated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding in membranes prepared from the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) of CCI mice when compared to sham-operated controls. Saturation binding with [(3)H]SR 141716A in membranes of the rACC showed no significant differences in binding between CCI and sham mice. Analysis of levels of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) or 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the rACC following CCI showed no significant differences between CCI and sham mice. These data suggest that CCI produced desensitization of the cannabinoid 1 receptor in the rACC in the absence of an overall decrease in cannabinoid 1 receptor density or change in levels of AEA or 2-AG. These data are the first to show alterations in cannabinoid receptor function in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex in response to a model of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Hoot
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Richmond, VA, USA
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32
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Hanlon KE, Vanderah TW. Constitutive activity at the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor and behavioral responses. Methods Enzymol 2010; 484:3-30. [PMID: 21036224 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-381298-8.00001-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid receptor type 1, found mainly on cells of the central and peripheral nervous system, is a major component of the endogenous cannabinoid system. Constitutive and endogenous activity at cannabinoid receptor type 1 regulates a diverse subset of biological processes including appetite, mood, motor function, learning and memory, and pain. The complexity of cannabinoid receptor type 1 activity is not limited to the constitutive activity of the receptor: promiscuity of ligands associated with and the capability of this receptor to instigate G protein sequestration also complicates the activity of cannabinoid receptor type 1. The therapeutic use of cannabinoid receptor type 1 agonists is still a heavily debated topic, making research on the mechanisms underlying the potential benefits and risks of cannabinoid use more vital than ever. Elucidation of these mechanisms and the quest for agonists and antagonists with greater specificity will allow a greater control of the side effects and risks involved in utilizing cannabinoids as therapeutic agents. In this chapter, we review a small subset of techniques used in the pharmacological application of and the behavioral effects of molecules acting at the paradoxical cannabinoid receptor type 1.
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33
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Rahn EJ, Hohmann AG. Cannabinoids as pharmacotherapies for neuropathic pain: from the bench to the bedside. Neurotherapeutics 2009; 6:713-37. [PMID: 19789075 PMCID: PMC2755639 DOI: 10.1016/j.nurt.2009.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a debilitating form of chronic pain resulting from nerve injury, disease states, or toxic insults. Neuropathic pain is often refractory to conventional pharmacotherapies, necessitating validation of novel analgesics. Cannabinoids, drugs that share the same target as Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, have the potential to address this unmet need. Here, we review studies evaluating cannabinoids for neuropathic pain management in the clinical and preclinical literature. Neuropathic pain associated with nerve injury, diabetes, chemotherapeutic treatment, human immunodeficiency virus, multiple sclerosis, and herpes zoster infection is considered. In animals, cannabinoids attenuate neuropathic nociception produced by traumatic nerve injury, disease, and toxic insults. Effects of mixed cannabinoid CB(1)/CB(2) agonists, CB(2) selective agonists, and modulators of the endocannabinoid system (i.e., inhibitors of transport or degradation) are compared. Effects of genetic disruption of cannabinoid receptors or enzymes controlling endocannabinoid degradation on neuropathic nociception are described. Specific forms of allodynia and hyperalgesia modulated by cannabinoids are also considered. In humans, effects of smoked marijuana, synthetic Delta(9)-THC analogs (e.g., Marinol, Cesamet) and medicinal cannabis preparations containing both Delta(9)-THC and cannabidiol (e.g., Sativex, Cannador) in neuropathic pain states are reviewed. Clinical studies largely affirm that neuropathic pain patients derive benefits from cannabinoid treatment. Subjective (i.e., rating scales) and objective (i.e., stimulus-evoked) measures of pain and quality of life are considered. Finally, limitations of cannabinoid pharmacotherapies are discussed together with directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Rahn
- grid.213876.9000000041936738XNeuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 30602-3013 Athens, GA
| | - Andrea G. Hohmann
- grid.213876.9000000041936738XNeuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 30602-3013 Athens, GA
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34
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Neurol 2008; 21:615-24. [PMID: 18769258 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0b013e32830fb782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Hill MN, Carrier EJ, Ho WSV, Shi L, Patel S, Gorzalka BB, Hillard CJ. Prolonged glucocorticoid treatment decreases cannabinoid CB1 receptor density in the hippocampus. Hippocampus 2008; 18:221-6. [PMID: 18058925 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Experimental studies indicate a bidirectional, functional relationship between glucocorticoids and the endocannabinoid system; however, the effects of repeated glucocorticoid treatment on the endocannabinoid system have not been examined. In this study, we treated male rats with either a single dose or a 21-day course of treatment with corticosterone (20 mg/kg) and measured hippocampal cannabinoid CB(1) receptor expression and endocannabinoid content. The 21-day, but not the single, administration of corticosterone significantly reduced both the binding site density and amount of protein of the hippocampal cannabinoid CB(1) receptor without affecting affinity for the CB(1) receptor agonist, [(3)H]CP55940. With regard to hippocampal endocannabinoid content, acute corticosterone treatment resulted in a significant reduction in anandamide but did not affect 2-arachidonylglycerol, while repeated corticosterone treatment did not alter content of either anandamide or 2-arachidonylglycerol. These data support the hypothesis that the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor is under negative regulation by glucocorticoids in the hippocampus, and suggest that hippocampal cannabinoid CB(1) receptor signaling could be reduced under conditions associated with hypersecretion of glucocorticoids, such as chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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