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Simon IA, Bjørn-Yoshimoto WE, Harpsøe K, Iliadis S, Svensson B, Jensen AA, Gloriam DE. Ligand selectivity hotspots in serotonin GPCRs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:978-990. [PMID: 37914598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter regulating numerous physiological processes also modulated by drugs, for example, schizophrenia, depression, migraine, and obesity. However, these drugs typically have adverse effects caused by promiscuous binding across 12 serotonin and more than 20 homologous receptors. Recently, structures of the entire serotonin receptor family uncovered molecular ligand recognition. Here, we present a map of 19 'selectivity hotspots', that is, nonconserved binding site residues governing selectivity via favorable target interactions or repulsive 'off-target' contacts. Furthermore, we review functional rationale from observed ligand-binding affinities and mutagenesis effects. Unifying knowledge underlying specific probes and drugs is critical toward the functional characterization of different receptors and alleviation of adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Icaro A Simon
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Walden E Bjørn-Yoshimoto
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Harpsøe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stylianos Iliadis
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Bo Svensson
- SARomics Biostructures AB, Scheelevägen 2, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A Jensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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2
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Papke RL, Quadri M, Gulsevin A. Silent agonists for α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Pharmacol Res 2023; 190:106736. [PMID: 36940890 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
We discuss models for the activation and desensitization of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and the effects of efficacious type II positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) that destabilize α7 desensitized states. Type II PAMs such as PNU-120596 can be used to distinguish inactive compounds from silent agonists, compounds that produce little or no channel activation but stabilize the non-conducting conformations associated with desensitization. We discuss the effects of α7 nAChRs in cells of the immune system and their roles in modulating inflammation and pain through what has come to be known as the cholinergic anti-inflammatory system (CAS). Cells controlling CAS do not generate ion channel currents but rather respond to α7 drugs by modulating intracellular signaling pathways analogous to the effects of metabotropic receptors. Metabotropic signaling by α7 receptors appears to be mediated by receptors in nonconducting conformations and can be accomplished by silent agonists. We discuss electrophysiological structure-activity relationships for α7 silent agonists and their use in cell-based and in vivo assays for CAS regulation. We discuss the strongly desensitizing partial agonist GTS-21 and its effectiveness in modulation of CAS. We also review the properties of the silent agonist NS6740, which is remarkably effective at maintaining α7 receptors in PAM-sensitive desensitized states. Most silent agonists bind to sites overlapping those for orthosteric agonists, but some appear to bind to allosteric sites. Finally, we discuss α9⁎ nAChRs and their potential role in CAS, and ligands that will be useful in defining and distinguishing the specific roles of α7 and α9 in CAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger L Papke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267 Gainesville, FL 32610 USA (RLP); Olon S.p.A., Strada Rivoltana, Km 6/7 - 20053 Rodano (MI) - ITALY (MQ); Department of Chemistry, Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 37212 (AG).
| | - Marta Quadri
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267 Gainesville, FL 32610 USA (RLP); Olon S.p.A., Strada Rivoltana, Km 6/7 - 20053 Rodano (MI) - ITALY (MQ); Department of Chemistry, Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 37212 (AG)
| | - Alican Gulsevin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267 Gainesville, FL 32610 USA (RLP); Olon S.p.A., Strada Rivoltana, Km 6/7 - 20053 Rodano (MI) - ITALY (MQ); Department of Chemistry, Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 37212 (AG)
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3
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Khan SS, Khatik GL, Datusalia AK. Strategies for Treatment of Disease-Associated Dementia Beyond Alzheimer's Disease: An Update. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:309-339. [PMID: 35410602 PMCID: PMC10190146 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220411083922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory, cognition, dementia, and neurodegeneration are complexly interlinked processes with various mechanistic pathways, leading to a range of clinical outcomes. They are strongly associated with pathological conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and stroke and are a growing concern for their timely diagnosis and management. Several cognitionenhancing interventions for management include non-pharmacological interventions like diet, exercise, and physical activity, while pharmacological interventions include medicinal agents, herbal agents, and nutritional supplements. This review critically analyzed and discussed the currently available agents under different drug development phases designed to target the molecular targets, including cholinergic receptor, glutamatergic system, GABAergic targets, glycine site, serotonergic targets, histamine receptors, etc. Understanding memory formation and pathways involved therein aids in opening the new gateways to treating cognitive disorders. However, clinical studies suggest that there is still a dearth of knowledge about the pathological mechanism involved in neurological conditions, making the dropouts of agents from the initial phases of the clinical trial. Hence, a better understanding of the disease biology, mode of drug action, and interlinked mechanistic pathways at a molecular level is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabiya Samim Khan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Raebareli, Lucknow (UP) India
| | - Gopal L. Khatik
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Raebareli, Lucknow (UP) India
| | - Ashok K. Datusalia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Raebareli, Lucknow (UP) India
- Department of Regulatory Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Raebareli, Lucknow (UP) India
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4
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Shenkarev ZO, Chesnokov YM, Zaigraev MM, Chugunov AO, Kulbatskii DS, Kocharovskaya MV, Paramonov AS, Bychkov ML, Shulepko MA, Nolde DE, Kamyshinsky RA, Yablokov EO, Ivanov AS, Kirpichnikov MP, Lyukmanova EN. Membrane-mediated interaction of non-conventional snake three-finger toxins with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1344. [PMID: 36477694 PMCID: PMC9729238 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04308-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of α7 type (α7-nAChR) presented in the nervous and immune systems and epithelium is a promising therapeutic target for cognitive disfunctions and cancer treatment. Weak toxin from Naja kaouthia venom (WTX) is a non-conventional three-finger neurotoxin, targeting α7-nAChR with weak affinity. There are no data on interaction mode of non-conventional neurotoxins with nAChRs. Using α-bungarotoxin (classical three-finger neurotoxin with high affinity to α7-nAChR), we showed applicability of cryo-EM to study complexes of α7-nAChR extracellular ligand-binding domain (α7-ECD) with toxins. Using cryo-EM structure of the α7-ECD/WTX complex, together with NMR data on membrane active site in the WTX molecule and mutagenesis data, we reconstruct the structure of α7-nAChR/WTX complex in the membrane environment. WTX interacts at the entrance to the orthosteric site located at the receptor intersubunit interface and simultaneously forms the contacts with the membrane surface. WTX interaction mode with α7-nAChR significantly differs from α-bungarotoxin's one, which does not contact the membrane. Our study reveals the important role of the membrane for interaction of non-conventional neurotoxins with the nicotinic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakhar O. Shenkarev
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.18763.3b0000000092721542Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141701 Russia
| | - Yuri M. Chesnokov
- grid.18919.380000000406204151National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Academic Kurchatov Sq. 1, Moscow, 123182 Russia ,grid.435159.f0000 0001 1941 7461Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of Federal Scientific Research Centre “Crystallography and Photonics” of Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 59, Moscow, 119333 Russia
| | - Maxim M. Zaigraev
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.18763.3b0000000092721542Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141701 Russia
| | - Anton O. Chugunov
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.18763.3b0000000092721542Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141701 Russia ,grid.410682.90000 0004 0578 2005National Research University Higher School of Economics, Myasnitskaya Str. 20, Moscow, 101000 Russia
| | - Dmitrii S. Kulbatskii
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - Milita V. Kocharovskaya
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.18763.3b0000000092721542Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141701 Russia
| | - Alexander S. Paramonov
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - Maxim L. Bychkov
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - Mikhail A. Shulepko
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - Dmitry E. Nolde
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.410682.90000 0004 0578 2005National Research University Higher School of Economics, Myasnitskaya Str. 20, Moscow, 101000 Russia
| | - Roman A. Kamyshinsky
- grid.18919.380000000406204151National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Academic Kurchatov Sq. 1, Moscow, 123182 Russia ,grid.435159.f0000 0001 1941 7461Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of Federal Scientific Research Centre “Crystallography and Photonics” of Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 59, Moscow, 119333 Russia
| | - Evgeniy O. Yablokov
- grid.418846.70000 0000 8607 342XInstitute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya 10k8, Moscow, 119121 Russia
| | - Alexey S. Ivanov
- grid.418846.70000 0000 8607 342XInstitute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya 10k8, Moscow, 119121 Russia
| | - Mikhail P. Kirpichnikov
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Moscow University “Molecular Technologies of the Living Systems and Synthetic Biology”, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119234 Russia
| | - Ekaterina N. Lyukmanova
- grid.418853.30000 0004 0440 1573Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow, 117997 Russia ,grid.18763.3b0000000092721542Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141701 Russia ,grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Moscow University “Molecular Technologies of the Living Systems and Synthetic Biology”, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119234 Russia
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5
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Kopsick JD, Hartzell K, Lazaro H, Nambiar P, Hasselmo ME, Dannenberg H. Temporal dynamics of cholinergic activity in the septo-hippocampal system. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:957441. [PMID: 36092276 PMCID: PMC9452968 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.957441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic projection neurons in the medial septum and diagonal band of Broca are the major source of cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuit functions that support neural coding of location and running speed. Changes in cholinergic modulation are known to correlate with changes in brain states, cognitive functions, and behavior. However, whether cholinergic modulation can change fast enough to serve as a potential speed signal in hippocampal and parahippocampal cortices and whether the temporal dynamics in such a signal depend on the presence of visual cues remain unknown. In this study, we use a fiber-photometric approach to quantify the temporal dynamics of cholinergic activity in freely moving mice as a function of the animal's movement speed and visual cues. We show that the population activity of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum and diagonal band of Broca changes fast enough to be aligned well with changes in the animal's running speed and is strongly and linearly correlated to the logarithm of the animal's running speed. Intriguingly, the cholinergic modulation remains strongly and linearly correlated to the speed of the animal's neck movements during periods of stationary activity. Furthermore, we show that cholinergic modulation is unaltered during darkness. Lastly, we identify rearing, a stereotypic behavior where the mouse stands on its hindlimbs to scan the environment from an elevated perspective, is associated with higher cholinergic activity than expected from neck movements on the horizontal plane alone. Taken together, these data show that temporal dynamics in the cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuits are fast enough to provide a potential running speed signal in real-time. Moreover, the data show that cholinergic modulation is primarily a function of the logarithm of the animal's movement speed, both during locomotion and during stationary activity, with no significant interaction with visual inputs. These data advance our understanding of temporal dynamics in cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuits and their functions in the context of neural coding of location and running speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D. Kopsick
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Kyle Hartzell
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Hallie Lazaro
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pranav Nambiar
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michael E. Hasselmo
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Holger Dannenberg
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,*Correspondence: Holger Dannenberg,
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6
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Midzyanovskaya IS, Birioukova LM, Storvik M, Luijtelaar GV, Tuomisto LM. The prefrontal cortex shows widespread decrease in H3 histamine receptor binding densities in rats with genetic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsy Res 2022; 182:106921. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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7
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Gulsevin A, Papke RL, Stokes C, Tran HNT, Jin AH, Vetter I, Meiler J. The Allosteric Activation of α7 nAChR by α-Conotoxin MrIC Is Modified by Mutations at the Vestibular Site. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13080555. [PMID: 34437426 PMCID: PMC8402416 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
α-conotoxins are 13–19 amino acid toxin peptides that bind various nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. α-conotoxin Mr1.7c (MrIC) is a 17 amino acid peptide that targets α7 nAChR. Although MrIC has no activating effect on α7 nAChR when applied by itself, it evokes a large response when co-applied with the type II positive allosteric modulator PNU-120596, which potentiates the α7 nAChR response by recovering it from a desensitized state. A lack of standalone activity, despite activation upon co-application with a positive allosteric modulator, was previously observed for molecules that bind to an extracellular domain allosteric activation (AA) site at the vestibule of the receptor. We hypothesized that MrIC may activate α7 nAChR allosterically through this site. We ran voltage-clamp electrophysiology experiments and in silico peptide docking calculations in order to gather evidence in support of α7 nAChR activation by MrIC through the AA site. The experiments with the wild-type α7 nAChR supported an allosteric mode of action, which was confirmed by the significantly increased MrIC + PNU-120596 responses of three α7 nAChR AA site mutants that were designed in silico to improve MrIC binding. Overall, our results shed light on the allosteric activation of α7 nAChR by MrIC and suggest the involvement of the AA site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alican Gulsevin
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Roger L. Papke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (R.L.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Clare Stokes
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (R.L.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Hue N. T. Tran
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (H.N.T.T.); (A.H.J.); (I.V.)
| | - Aihua H. Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (H.N.T.T.); (A.H.J.); (I.V.)
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (H.N.T.T.); (A.H.J.); (I.V.)
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jens Meiler
- Center for Structural Biology, Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA;
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical School, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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8
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Pismataro MC, Horenstein NA, Stokes C, Dallanoce C, Thakur GA, Papke RL. Stable desensitization of α 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by NS6740 requires interaction with S36 in the orthosteric agonist binding site. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 905:174179. [PMID: 34004208 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
NS6740 is an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-selective partial agonist with low efficacy for channel activation, capable of promoting the stable conversion of the receptors to nonconducting (desensitized) states that can be reactivated with the application of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). In spite of its low efficacy for channel activation, NS6740 is an effective activator of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. We observed that the concentration-response relationships for channel activation, both when applied alone and when co-applied with the PAM PNU-120596 are inverted-U shaped with inhibitory/desensitizing activities dominant at high concentrations. We evaluated the potential importance of recently identified binding sites for allosteric activators and tested the hypotheses that the stable desensitization produced by NS6740 may be due to binding to these sites. Our experiments were guided by molecular modeling of NS6740 binding to both the allosteric and orthosteric activation sites on the receptor. Our results indicate that with α7C190A mutants, which have compromised orthosteric activation sites, NS6740 may work at the allosteric activation sites to promote transient PAM-dependent currents but not the stable desensitization seen with wild-type α7 receptors. Modeling NS6740 in the orthosteric binding sites identified S36 as an important residue for NS6740 binding and predicted that an S36V mutation would limit NS6740 activity. The efficacy of NS6740 for α7S36V receptors was reduced to zero, and applications of the compound to α7S36V receptors failed to induce the desensitization observed with wild-type receptors. The results indicate that the unique properties of NS6740 are due primarily to binding at the sites for orthosteric agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pismataro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section "Pietro Pratesi", University of Milan, Via L. Mangiagalli 25, 20133, Milan, Italy; Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7200, USA
| | - Nicole A Horenstein
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7200, USA
| | - Clare Stokes
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100267, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0267, USA
| | - Clelia Dallanoce
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section "Pietro Pratesi", University of Milan, Via L. Mangiagalli 25, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Ganesh A Thakur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Roger L Papke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100267, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0267, USA
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9
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Disrupted metabolic connectivity in dopaminergic and cholinergic networks at different stages of dementia from 18F-FDG PET brain persistent homology network. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5396. [PMID: 33686089 PMCID: PMC7940645 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84722-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia is related to the cellular accumulation of β-amyloid plaques, tau aggregates, or α-synuclein aggregates, or to neurotransmitter deficiencies in the dopaminergic and cholinergic pathways. Cellular and neurochemical changes are both involved in dementia pathology. However, the role of dopaminergic and cholinergic networks in metabolic connectivity at different stages of dementia remains unclear. The altered network organisation of the human brain characteristic of many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders can be detected using persistent homology network (PHN) analysis and algebraic topology. We used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging data to construct dopaminergic and cholinergic metabolism networks, and used PHN analysis to track the evolution of these networks in patients with different stages of dementia. The sums of the network distances revealed significant differences between the network connectivity evident in the Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment cohorts. A larger distance between brain regions can indicate poorer efficiency in the integration of information. PHN analysis revealed the structural properties of and changes in the dopaminergic and cholinergic metabolism networks in patients with different stages of dementia at a range of thresholds. This method was thus able to identify dysregulation of dopaminergic and cholinergic networks in the pathology of dementia.
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10
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Mistarz N, Andersen K, Nielsen AS, Goudriaan AE, Michel TM, Skøt L, Nielsen DG, Mellentin AI. Pharmacological enhancing agents targeting cognition in patients with alcohol-induced neurocognitive disorders: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:608-626. [PMID: 33667552 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Debilitating neurocognitive deficits are seen in alcohol use disorders (AUD) and Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome (WKS). These shared characteristics suggest a spectrum of alcohol-induced neurocognitive disorders (AIND). Cognitive pharmacological enhancing agents (CPEA) have been examined in the treatment of other psychiatric disorders, but little is known about the effects of these agents on AINDs. Our aim was to synthesize the evidence for the effectiveness of CPEAs on AINDs. Databases were searched for controlled trials examining CPEAs on AUD, WKS, and alcohol-related dementia (ARD). Eligible studies were included in a qualitative synthesis and a quality assessment was conducted. The search identified 23 studies (4 ≤ ns ≤ 98). Evidence suggests that modafinil may improve executive functions in AUD and ARD, but this effect may only be present in patients with severe deficits. The studies were rated as having a moderate risk of bias. Despite the promising effects of modafinil, small samples and inconsistent evidence deem the results preliminary. More research is warranted examining the effects of transdiagnostic CPEAs on deficits across AINDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaj Mistarz
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark.
| | - Kjeld Andersen
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Anette Søgaard Nielsen
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Anneke E Goudriaan
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Department of Research, Arkin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tanja Maria Michel
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Lotte Skøt
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Dorthe Grüner Nielsen
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - Angelina Isabella Mellentin
- Unit for Psychiatric Research, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark; Brain Research-Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence (BRIDGE), Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
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11
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An experimental medicine study of the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, roflumilast, on working memory-related brain activity and episodic memory in schizophrenia patients. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:1279-1289. [PMID: 30536081 PMCID: PMC8062361 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5134-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Schizophrenia is associated with impairments in cognitive functioning yet there are no approved drugs to treat these deficits. OBJECTIVES Based on animal models, we investigated the potential for roflumilast, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4), to improve cognition, which may act by increasing intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate in brain regions underlying cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. METHODS This study consisted of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design involving 15 schizophrenia patients. In 3 treatment periods, patients were given 8 days of placebo or one of the two doses of roflumilast (100 and 250 μg daily) with 14 days of washout between treatments. The primary endpoints were dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation during a visuospatial working memory task measured with fMRI on dosing day 8 and verbal memory and working memory performance change from baseline to day 8. Least square mean change scores were calculated for behavioural outcomes; fMRI data were analysed in SPM12 with bilateral DLPFC as regions of interest. RESULTS Verbal memory was significantly improved under 250 μg roflumilast (effect size (ES) = 0.77) compared to placebo. fMRI analyses revealed that increasing dose of roflumilast was associated with reduction of bilateral DLPFC activation during working memory compared to placebo, although this was not statistically significant (ES = 0.31 for the higher dose). Working memory was not improved (ES = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Results support the mechanistic validation of potential novel strategies for improving cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and suggest that PDE4 inhibition may be beneficial for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02079844 .
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Begemann MJ, Brand BA, Ćurčić-Blake B, Aleman A, Sommer IE. Efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation on cognitive functioning in brain disorders: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med 2020; 50:2465-2486. [PMID: 33070785 PMCID: PMC7737055 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720003670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognition is commonly affected in brain disorders. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may have procognitive effects, with high tolerability. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in improving cognition, in schizophrenia, depression, dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis. METHODS A PRISMA systematic search was conducted for randomized controlled trials. Hedges' g was used to quantify effect sizes (ES) for changes in cognition after TMS/tDCS v. sham. As different cognitive functions may have unequal susceptibility to TMS/tDCS, we separately evaluated the effects on: attention/vigilance, working memory, executive functioning, processing speed, verbal fluency, verbal learning, and social cognition. RESULTS We included 82 studies (n = 2784). For working memory, both TMS (ES = 0.17, p = 0.015) and tDCS (ES = 0.17, p = 0.021) showed small but significant effects. Age positively moderated the effect of TMS. TDCS was superior to sham for attention/vigilance (ES = 0.20, p = 0.020). These significant effects did not differ across the type of brain disorder. Results were not significant for the other five cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed that both TMS and tDCS elicit a small trans-diagnostic effect on working memory, tDCS also improved attention/vigilance across diagnoses. Effects on the other domains were not significant. Observed ES were small, yet even slight cognitive improvements may facilitate daily functioning. While NIBS can be a well-tolerated treatment, its effects appear domain specific and should be applied only for realistic indications (i.e. to induce a small improvement in working memory or attention).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke J. Begemann
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neurosciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bodyl A. Brand
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neurosciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Branislava Ćurčić-Blake
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neurosciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - André Aleman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neurosciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Iris E. Sommer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neurosciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Gulsevin A, Meiler J, Horenstein NA. A Computational Analysis of the Factors Governing the Dynamics of α7 nAChR and Its Homologs. Biophys J 2020; 119:1656-1669. [PMID: 33010233 PMCID: PMC7642335 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a homopentameric ion channel from the Cys-loop receptor superfamily targeted for psychiatric indications and inflammatory pain. Molecular dynamics studies of the receptor have focused on residue mobility and global conformational changes to address receptor function. However, a comparative analysis of α7 with its homologs that cannot trigger channel opening has not been made so far. To identify the residues involved in α7 activation, we ran triplicate 500-ns molecular dynamics simulations with an α7 extracellular domain homology model and two acetylcholine-binding protein homologs. We tested the effect of ligand binding and amino acid sequence on the structure and dynamics of the three proteins. We found that mobile regions identified based on root mean-square deviation and root mean-square fluctuation values are not always consistent among the individual α7 extracellular domain simulations. Comparison of the replica-average properties of the three proteins based on dynamic cross-correlation maps showed that ligand binding affects the coupling between the C-loop and the Cys-loop, vestibular loop, and β1-β2 loops. In addition, the main-immunogenic-region-like domain of α7 went through correlated motions with multiple domains of the receptor. These correlated motions were absent or diminished in α7 homologs, suggesting a unique role in α7 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alican Gulsevin
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry Division, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Jens Meiler
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Leipzig University Medical School, Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole A Horenstein
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry Division, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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Evidence for positive allosteric modulation of cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine by low-dose galantamine in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 199:173043. [PMID: 33022302 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists may be of therapeutic potential in disease states characterized by nAChR hypofunction; however, effects tend to be of small magnitude and unlikely clinical significance. The co-administration of a nAChR positive allosteric modulator (PAM) may enable larger effects by potentiating nAChR responses to an agonist. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor galantamine is a nAChR PAM at a low dose range. A recent clinical study testing effects of a single small dose of galantamine found evidence for synergistic effects with nicotine on one of several cognitive measures. In that study, residual AChE inhibition may have obscured interactions on other measures. The present study aimed at examining small galantamine doses devoid of AChE inhibitory activity in a rodent model of attention. The effects of galantamine (0.03-0.25 mg/kg s.c.) were tested in the presence and absence of nicotine (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) in rats performing the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task, employing a within-subject factorial design. There were no effects on response accuracy of either nicotine or galantamine alone. However, the combination of nicotine and 0.06 mg/kg of galantamine significantly enhanced accuracy. AChE activity assays confirmed that, at this dose, galantamine was devoid of AChE inhibitory activity in the brain. The results suggest that cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine may be potentiated or uncovered by an extremely small dose of galantamine, well below its typical therapeutic range in humans. Furthermore, these findings provide a general proof-of-principle for a nAChR agonist and PAM combination strategy for cognitive enhancement.
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15
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Miller DR, Khoshbouei H, Garai S, Cantwell LN, Stokes C, Thakur G, Papke RL. Allosterically Potentiated α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Reduced Calcium Permeability and Current-Independent Control of Intracellular Calcium. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:695-709. [PMID: 33020143 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.120.000012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The currents of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors activated by acetylcholine (ACh) are brief. The channel has high permeability to calcium relative to monovalent cations and shows inward rectification. It has been previously noted that in the presence of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs), currents through the channels of α7 receptors differ from normal α7 currents both in sensitivity to specific channel blockers and their current-voltage (I-V) relationships, no longer showing inward rectification. Linear I-V functions are often associated with channels lacking calcium permeability, so we measured the I-V functions of α7 receptors activated by ACh when PAMs were bound to the allosteric binding site in the transmembrane domain. Currents were recorded in chloride-free Ringer's solution with low or high concentrations of extracellular calcium to determine the magnitude of the reversal potential shift in the two conditions as well as the I-V relationships. ACh-evoked currents potentiated by the allosteric agonist-PAMs (ago-PAMs) (3aR,4S,9bS)-4-(4-bromophenyl)-3a,4,5,9b-tetrahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinoline-8-sulfonamide (GAT107) and 3-(3,4-difluorophenyl)-N-(1-(6-(4-(pyridin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl)pyrazin-2-yl)ethyl)propenamide (B-973B) showed reduced inward rectification and calcium-dependent reversal potential shifts decreased by 80%, and 50%, respectively, compared with currents activated by ACh alone, indicative of reduced calcium permeability. Currents potentiated by 3a,4,5,9b-tetrahydro-4-(1-naphthalenyl)-3H-cyclopentan[c]quinoline-8-sulfonamide were also linear and showed no calcium-dependent reversal potential shifts. The ago-PAMs GAT-107 and B-973B stimulated increases in intracellular calcium in stably transfected HEK293 cells. However, these calcium signals were delayed relative to channel activation produced by these agents and were insensitive to the channel blocker mecamylamine. Our results indicate that, although allosterically activated α7 nicotinic ACh receptor may affect intracellular calcium levels, such effects are not likely due to large channel-dependent calcium influx. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor can increase channel activation by two or more orders of magnitude, raising the concern that, due to the relatively high calcium permeability of α7 receptors activated by acetylcholine alone, such efficacious PAMs may have cytotoxic side effects. We show that PAMs alter the ion conduction pathway and, in general, reduce the calcium permeability of the channels. This supports the hypothesis that α7 effects on intracellular calcium may be independent of channel-mediated calcium influx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas R Miller
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Habibeh Khoshbouei
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Sumanta Garai
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Lucas N Cantwell
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Clare Stokes
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Ganesh Thakur
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
| | - Roger L Papke
- Departments of Neuroscience (D.R.M., H.K.) and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (C.S., R.L.P.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (S.G., L.N.C., G.T.)
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Gulsevin A. Nicotinic receptor pharmacology in silico: Insights and challenges. Neuropharmacology 2020; 177:108257. [PMID: 32738311 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are homo- or hetero-pentameric ligand-gated ion channels of the Cys-loop superfamily and play important roles in the nervous system and muscles. Studies on nAChR benefit from in silico modeling due to the lack of high-resolution structures for most receptor subtypes and challenges in experiments addressing the complex mechanism of activation involving allosteric sites. Although there is myriad of computational modeling studies on nAChR, the multitude of the methods and parameters used in these studies makes modeling nAChR a daunting task, particularly for the non-experts in the field. To address this problem, the modeling literature on Torpedo nAChR and α7 nAChR were focused on as examples of heteromeric and homomeric nAChR, and the key in silico modeling studies between the years 1995-2019 were concisely reviewed. This was followed by a critical analysis of these studies by comparing the findings with each other and with the emerging experimental and computational data on nAChR. Based on these critical analyses, suggestions were made to guide the future researchers in the field of in silico modeling of nAChR. This article is part of the special issue on 'Contemporary Advances in Nicotine Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alican Gulsevin
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA, 37221.
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17
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Azimi M, Oemisch M, Womelsdorf T. Dissociation of nicotinic α7 and α4/β2 sub-receptor agonists for enhancing learning and attentional filtering in nonhuman primates. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:997-1010. [PMID: 31865424 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05430-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate attention, memory, and higher executive functioning, but it is unclear how nACh sub-receptors mediate different mechanisms supporting these functions. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether selective agonists for the alpha-7 nAChR versus the alpha-4/beta-2 nAChR have unique functional contributions for value learning and attentional filtering of distractors in the nonhuman primate. METHODS Two adult rhesus macaque monkeys performed reversal learning following systemic administration of either the alpha-7 nAChR agonist PHA-543613 or the alpha-4/beta-2 nAChR agonist ABT-089 or a vehicle control. Behavioral analysis quantified performance accuracy, speed of processing, reversal learning speed, the control of distractor interference, perseveration tendencies, and motivation. RESULTS We found that the alpha-7 nAChR agonist PHA-543613 enhanced the learning speed of feature values but did not modulate how salient distracting information was filtered from ongoing choice processes. In contrast, the selective alpha-4/beta-2 nAChR agonist ABT-089 did not affect learning speed but reduced distractibility. This dissociation was dose-dependent and evident in the absence of systematic changes in overall performance, reward intake, motivation to perform the task, perseveration tendencies, or reaction times. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest nicotinic sub-receptor specific mechanisms consistent with (1) alpha-4/beta-2 nAChR specific amplification of cholinergic transients in prefrontal cortex linked to enhanced cue detection in light of interferences, and (2) alpha-7 nAChR specific activation prolonging cholinergic transients, which could facilitate subjects to follow-through with newly established attentional strategies when outcome contingencies change. These insights will be critical for developing function-specific drugs alleviating attention and learning deficits in neuro-psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzyeh Azimi
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1P3, Canada
| | - Mariann Oemisch
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1P3, Canada.,The Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Thilo Womelsdorf
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1P3, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, PMB 407817, 2301, Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN, 37240-7817, USA.
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18
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Evidence for positive allosteric modulation of cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:219-230. [PMID: 31686175 PMCID: PMC6952331 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05363-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cognitive benefits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists are well established but have generally been of small magnitude and uncertain clinical significance. A way of raising the effect size may be to facilitate agonist-induced responses by co-administering a nAChR positive allosteric modulator (PAM). OBJECTIVE The aim was to test whether galantamine, a PAM at several nAChR subtypes, can potentiate the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine. METHODS Twenty-six adult never-smokers were treated, in a double-blind counterbalanced sequence, with nicotine (7 mg/24 h, transdermally) and galantamine (4 mg, p.o.) combined, nicotine alone, galantamine alone, and double placebo. A low dose of galantamine was chosen to minimize acetylcholinesterase inhibition, which was verified in blood assays. In each condition, participants were tested with three cognitive tasks. RESULTS Nicotine significantly improved reaction time (RT) and signal detection in a visuospatial attention task and the Rapid Visual Information Processing Task. Galantamine did not modulate these effects. A trend toward RT reduction by galantamine correlated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition. In a change detection task, there were no effects of nicotine or galantamine alone on accuracy or RT. However, both drugs combined acted synergistically to reduce RT. This effect was not associated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS A pattern consistent with allosteric potentiation of nicotine effects by galantamine was observed on one of six performance measures. This may reflect specific nAChR subtype involvement, or additional pharmacological actions of galantamine may have overshadowed similar interactions on other measures. The finding suggests that allosteric potentiation of nAChR agonist-induced cognitive benefits is possible in principle.
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Bali ZK, Nagy LV, Budai D, Hernádi I. Facilitation and inhibition of firing activity and N-methyl-D-aspartate-evoked responses of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells by alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor selective compounds in vivo. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9324. [PMID: 31249369 PMCID: PMC6597544 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45796-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are promising novel targets for the treatment of neurocognitive disorders. Although the cognitive enhancer potential of alpha7 nAChR agonists and positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) has been confirmed in several preclinical animal models, there are only sparse in vivo electrophysiological data on their effects on the firing activity and excitability of neurons. The present study investigated and compared local effects of alpha7 nAChR agonist PHA-543613 and PAMs PNU-120596 and NS-1738 on the spontaneous and N-methyl-D-aspartate-evoked (NMDA-evoked) firing rate of rat CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells, in vivo. Furthermore, effects of alpha7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA) and GABA were also tested. Results showed substantially different effects of the alpha7 nAChR agonist and PAMs. While PNU-120596 and NS-1738 predominantly and significantly increased both spontaneous and NMDA-evoked firing rate of the neurons, application of PHA-543613 resulted in almost equal distribution of facilitatory and inhibitory effects. The increase of the NMDA-evoked firing rate exerted by NS-1738 was superadditive over the sum of the single effects of NMDA and NS-1738. The simultaneous application of alpha7 nAChR agonist PHA-543613 and PAM NS-1738 resulted in additive increase of both spontaneous and NMDA-evoked firing rate. However, NS-1738 counteracted inhibitory effects of PHA-543613 in 5 out of 6 neurons, resulting in a synergistic potentiation of their firing responses to NMDA. Our results suggest that alpha7 nAChR PAMs increase neuronal excitability more potently than agonists, while the remarkable occurrence of inhibitory effects of PHA-543613 (possibly originating from receptor desensitization) implies that agonists may exert neuroprotective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Kristóf Bali
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,János Szentágothai Research Center, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Grastyán Endre Translational Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Lili Veronika Nagy
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,János Szentágothai Research Center, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Dénes Budai
- Kation Scientific LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - István Hernádi
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. .,János Szentágothai Research Center, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. .,Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. .,Grastyán Endre Translational Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
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The glycine site of NMDA receptors: A target for cognitive enhancement in psychiatric disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 92:387-404. [PMID: 30738126 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a principal determinant of functional impairment in major depressive disorder (MDD) and often persists during periods of euthymia. Abnormalities in the glutamate system, particularly in N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) activity, have been shown to contribute to both mood and cognitive symptoms in MDD. The current narrative review aims to evaluate the potential pro-cognitive effects of targeting the glycine site of NMDARs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, with a special focus on how these results may apply to MDD. Literature databases were searched from inception to May 2018 for relevant pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects of NMDAR glycine site modulators in both MDD and non-MDD samples. Six glycine site modulators with pro-cognitive and antidepressant properties were identified: d-serine (co-agonist), d-cycloserine (partial agonist), d-alanine (co-agonist), glycine (agonist), sarcosine (co-agonist) and rapastinel (partial agonist). Preclinical animal studies demonstrated improved neuroplasticity and pro-cognitive effects with these agents. Numerous proof-of-concept clinical trials demonstrated pro-cognitive and antidepressant effects trans-diagnostically (e.g., in healthy participants, MDD, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, major neurocognitive disorders). The generalizability of these clinical studies was limited by the small sample sizes and the paucity of studies directly evaluating cognitive effects in MDD samples, as most clinical trials were in non-MDD samples. Taken together, preliminary results suggest that the glycine site of NMDARs is a promising target to ameliorate symptoms of depression and cognitive dysfunction. Additional rigorously designed clinical studies are required to determine the cognitive effects of these agents in MDD.
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Mahoney JJ. Cognitive dysfunction in individuals with cocaine use disorder: Potential moderating factors and pharmacological treatments. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2019; 27:203-214. [PMID: 30556731 PMCID: PMC6538444 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
It is well-documented in the literature that individuals repeatedly exposed to cocaine exhibit cognitive impairment and that cognitive dysfunction is a risk factor for poor treatment outcomes in those with cocaine use disorder (CUD). Specific deficits related to attention, episodic memory, working memory, and executive functioning are the most common deficits noted in this population. Given that cognitive impairment is a risk factor for poor treatment outcomes in those with CUD, identifying possible moderating factors contributing to and/or exacerbating cocaine-related cognitive deficits is of great importance. Some of these factors may include premorbid intellectual functioning, cocaine use patterns, polysubstance use, comorbid emotional symptoms, and sleep dysfunction. It is plausible that by identifying moderating factors impacting cognition, behavioral interventions can then be modified accordingly and/or treatment regimens can be augmented with pharmacological interventions (e.g., cognitive enhancing agents), leading to a reduction in treatment attrition and improved treatment outcomes. The currently available treatments for CUD are mainly behavioral with variable efficacy, and even though there have been great preclinical and clinical research efforts focused on medication development for CUD, there are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for CUD. A description of some of the several potential moderating factors, along with some pharmacological treatments which have been shown to ameliorate, at least to some extent, cognitive dysfunction in those with CUD are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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New procognitive enhancers acting at the histamine H3 and AMPA receptors reverse natural forgetting in mice: comparisons with donepezil and memantine in the object recognition task. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 30:351-357. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kulbatskii DS, Bychkov ML, Lyukmanova EN. Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Part I—Structure, Function, and Role in Neuromuscular Transmission and CNS Functioning. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162018060043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Lipina TV, Beregovoy NA, Tkachenko AA, Petrova ES, Starostina MV, Zhou Q, Li S. Uncoupling DISC1 × D2R Protein-Protein Interactions Facilitates Latent Inhibition in Disc1-L100P Animal Model of Schizophrenia and Enhances Synaptic Plasticity via D2 Receptors. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2018; 10:31. [PMID: 30245624 PMCID: PMC6137395 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) and dopamine receptors D2R have significant contributions to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Our previous study demonstrated that DISC1 binds to D2R and such protein-protein interaction is enhanced in patients with schizophrenia and Disc1-L100P mouse model of schizophrenia (Su et al., 2014). By uncoupling DISC1 × D2R interaction (trans-activator of transcription (TAT)-D2pep), the synthesized TAT-peptide elicited antipsychotic-like effects in pharmacological and genetic animal models, without motor side effects as tardive dyskinesia commonly seen with typical antipsychotic drugs (APDs), indicating that the potential of TAT-D2pep of becoming a new APD. Therefore, in the current study, we further explored the APD-associated capacities of TAT-D2pep. We found that TAT-D2pep corrected the disrupted latent inhibition (LI), as a hallmark of schizophrenia associated endophenotype, in Disc1-L100P mutant mice—a genetic model of schizophrenia, supporting further APD’ capacity of TAT-D2pep. Moreover, we found that TAT-D2pep elicited nootropic effects in C57BL/6NCrl inbred mice, suggesting that TAT-D2pep acts as a cognitive enhancer, a desirable feature of APDs of the new generation. Namely, TAT-D2pep improved working memory in T-maze, and cognitive flexibility assessed by the LI paradigm, in C57BL/6N mice. Next, we assessed the impact of TAT-D2pep on hippocampal long-term plasticity (LTP) under basal conditions and upon stimulation of D2 receptors using quinpirole. We found comparable effects of TAT-D2pep and its control TAT-D2pep-scrambled peptide (TAT-D2pep-sc) under basal conditions. However, under stimulation of D2R by quinpirole, LTP was enhanced in hippocampal slices incubated with TAT-D2pep, supporting the notion that TAT-D2pep acts in a dopamine-dependent manner and acts as synaptic enhancer. Overall, our experiments demonstrated implication of DISC1 × D2R protein-protein interactions into mechanisms of cognitive and synaptic plasticity, which help to further understand molecular-cellular mechanisms of APD of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana V Lipina
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Institute for the Medicine and Psychology of Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | - Alina A Tkachenko
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Institute for the Medicine and Psychology of Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina S Petrova
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Institute for the Medicine and Psychology of Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | - Qiang Zhou
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shupeng Li
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
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Tian Y, Yang L, Xu W, Zhang H, Wang Z, Zhang H, Zheng S, Shi Y, Xu P. Predictors for drug effects with brain disease: Shed new light from EEG parameters to brain connectomics. Eur J Pharm Sci 2017; 110:26-36. [PMID: 28456573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2017.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Though researchers spent a lot of effort to develop treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders, the poor translation of drug efficacy data from animals to human hampered the success of these therapeutic approaches in human. Pharmaceutical industry is challenged by low clinical success rates for new drug registration. To maximize the success in drug development, biomarkers are required to act as surrogate end points and predictors of drug effects. The pathology of brain disease could be in part due to synaptic dysfunction. Electroencephalogram (EEG), generating from the result of the postsynaptic potential discharge between cells, could be a potential measure to bridge the gaps between animal and human data. Here we discuss recent progress on using relevant EEG characteristics and brain connectomics as biomarkers to monitor drug effects and measure cognitive changes on animal models and human in real-time. It is expected that the novel approach, i.e. EEG connectomics, will offer a deeper understanding on the drug efficacy at a microcirculatory level, which will be useful to support the development of new treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Tian
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China.
| | - Li Yang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Huiling Zhang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Zhongyan Wang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Haiyong Zhang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Shuxing Zheng
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Yupan Shi
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Information Sensing and Transmitting Technology, High School Innovation Team of Architecture and Core Technologies of Smart Medical System, ChongQing University of Posts and Telecommunications, ChongQing 400065, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
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Ballinger EC, Ananth M, Talmage DA, Role LW. Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Circuits and Signaling in Cognition and Cognitive Decline. Neuron 2017; 91:1199-1218. [PMID: 27657448 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 438] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent work continues to place cholinergic circuits at center stage for normal executive and mnemonic functioning and provides compelling evidence that the loss of cholinergic signaling and cognitive decline are inextricably linked. This Review focuses on the last few years of studies on the mechanisms by which cholinergic signaling contributes to circuit activity related to cognition. We attempt to identify areas of controversy, as well as consensus, on what is and is not yet known about how cholinergic signaling in the CNS contributes to normal cognitive processes. In addition, we delineate the findings from recent work on the extent to which dysfunction of cholinergic circuits contributes to cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Ballinger
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Program in Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Mala Ananth
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - David A Talmage
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, CNS Disorders Center, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Lorna W Role
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Neurosciences Institute, CNS Disorders Center, Center for Molecular Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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Pizzo AB, Beleboni RO, Gomes Carolino RO, de Oliveira L, Miranda A, Coutinho-Netto J, Fontana ACK, Dos Santos WF. Isolation and chemical characterization of agelaiatoxin8 (AvTx8) from Agelaia vicina wasp venom and its biological effects on GABA neurotransmission. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2017. [PMID: 28621878 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.21941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Arthropod venoms are sources of molecules that may be useful tools to investigate molecular mechanisms of putative new medicines and laboratory drugs. Here we show the effects of the compound agelaiatoxin-8 (AVTx8), isolated from Agelaia vicina venom, on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in rat brain synaptosomes. Analysis reveals that AvTx8 is composed by 14 amino acid residues with a molecular weight (MW) of 1567 Da. AvTx8 increased GABA release and inhibited GABA uptake in synaptosomes from rat cerebral cortex. AvTx8 inhibited GABA uptake and increased GABA release in the presence of Ca+ , Na+ , and K+ channel blockers, suggesting that it acts directly on GABA transporters. In addition, AvTx8 significantly decreases GABA binding in synaptic membranes from rat brain cortex, suggesting that it also modulates the activity of GABA receptors. Moreover, AvTx8 decreased GAT-1- and GAT-3-mediated GABA uptake in transfected COS-7 cells. Accordingly, we suggest that AvTx8 modulates GABA neurotransmission and might provide a novel entry point for identifying a new class of GABA-modulating neuroprotective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea B Pizzo
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Venoms, College of Philosophy, Sciences and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Renê O Beleboni
- Biotecnology Department, Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ruither O Gomes Carolino
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Luciana de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Venoms, College of Philosophy, Sciences and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonio Miranda
- Department of Biophysics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joaquim Coutinho-Netto
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Andréia C K Fontana
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wagner Ferreira Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Venoms, College of Philosophy, Sciences and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Piplani P, Sharma M, Mehta P, Malik R. N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzamide derivatives as potential memory enhancers: synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular simulation studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2017; 36:1867-1877. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2017.1336943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Piplani
- University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University , Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Manish Sharma
- School of Pharmacy, Maharishi Markandeshwar University , Sadopur, Ambala, Haryana, 134007, India
| | - Pakhuri Mehta
- Central University of Rajasthan , NH-8, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Ruchi Malik
- Central University of Rajasthan , NH-8, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
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Yuille MB, Olmstead CK, Wells AK, Hahn B. A test of the cognitive-enhancing potential of low-dose mecamylamine in healthy non-smokers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:109-116. [PMID: 27678550 PMCID: PMC5209795 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4443-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The beneficial effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists on cognitive performance have been widely shown. Paradoxically, recent preclinical studies employing extremely low doses of nAChR antagonists have also found cognitive enhancement, perhaps pointing to a novel treatment mechanism for cognitive deficits. OBJECTIVES The aim was to test whether low doses of the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine would benefit performance in human volunteers. METHODS The study employed a double-blind within-subject design. Over four separate days, healthy adult non-smokers (n = 23) were tested with placebo and three trace doses of mecamylamine (0.25-1 mg, p.o.), adjusted for body weight. Participants performed three computerized tasks: a task of spatial selective attention and stimulus detection, the rapid visual information processing task (RVIPT) taxing sustained attention and working memory, and a change detection short-term memory task. Subjective state and vital signs were assessed repeatedly. RESULTS Mecamylamine did not improve performance in any of the tasks. Any trends that were observed instead pointed toward performance impairment. Mecamylamine also had no effects on subjective state or vital signs. CONCLUSIONS The present results do not support the hypothesized cognitive-enhancing potential of low doses of mecamylamine. Contrary to preclinical reports, these findings speak against low-dose nAChR antagonism as a novel avenue for treating cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Britta Hahn
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA.
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Tzang RF, Chang YC, Tsai GE, Lane HY. Sarcosine treatment for oppositional defiant disorder symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:976-82. [PMID: 27443598 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116658986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Methylphenidate, a stimulant that activates dopaminergic and noradrenergic function, is an important agent in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sarcosine, a glycine transporter-1 inhibitor, may also play a role in treating ADHD by modulating the glutamatergic neurotransmission system through activating N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptors. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of sarcosine in treating children with ADHD. We conducted a six-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The primary outcome measures were those on the Inattention, Hyperactivity/impulsivity, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) subscales of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, version IV scale. Efficacy and safety were measured bi-weekly. A total of 116 children with ADHD were enrolled. Among them, 48 (83%) of the 58 sarcosine recipients and 44 (76%) of the 58 placebo recipients returned for the first post-treatment visit. The missing data values were imputed by the last observation carry forward method. From a multiple linear regression analysis, using the generalized estimating equation approach, and an intention to treat analysis, the efficacy of sarcosine marginally surpassed that of placebo at weeks 2, 4, and 6, with p-values=0.01, 0.026, and 0.012, respectively, although only for ODD symptoms. Treatment of ADHD by sarcosine (0.03 g/kg/day) was well tolerated. Sarcosine could possibly be a novel agent for managing ODD symptoms in the context of ADHD. However, future larger-scale studies are warranted to optimize its dosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruu-Fen Tzang
- Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yue-Cune Chang
- Department of Mathematics, Tamkang University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Guochuan E Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan
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31
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Circadian dynamics in measures of cortical excitation and inhibition balance. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33661. [PMID: 27651114 PMCID: PMC5030482 DOI: 10.1038/srep33661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders have recently been characterized as dysfunctions arising from a ‘final common pathway’ of imbalanced excitation to inhibition within cortical networks. How the regulation of a cortical E/I ratio is affected by sleep and the circadian rhythm however, remains to be established. Here we addressed this issue through the analyses of TMS-evoked responses recorded over a 29 h sleep deprivation protocol conducted in young and healthy volunteers. Spectral analyses of TMS-evoked responses in frontal cortex revealed non-linear changes in gamma band evoked oscillations, compatible with an influence of circadian timing on inhibitory interneuron activity. In silico inferences of cell-to-cell excitatory and inhibitory connectivity and GABA/Glutamate receptor time constant based on neural mass modeling within the Dynamic causal modeling framework, further suggested excitation/inhibition balance was under a strong circadian influence. These results indicate that circadian changes in EEG spectral properties, in measure of excitatory/inhibitory connectivity and in GABA/glutamate receptor function could support the maintenance of cognitive performance during a normal waking day, but also during overnight wakefulness. More generally, these findings demonstrate a slow daily regulation of cortical excitation/inhibition balance, which depends on circadian-timing and prior sleep-wake history.
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Sheng C, Peng W, Chen Z, Cao Y, Gong W, Xia ZA, Wang Y, Su N, Wang Z. Impact of 2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside on cognitive deficits in animal models of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review. BMC COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2016; 16:320. [PMID: 27565551 PMCID: PMC5002158 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1313-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy of 2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (TSG) treatment on cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) has not been investigated. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the effect of TSG on cognitive deficits in a rodent model of AD. METHODS We identified eligible studies published from January 1980 to April 2015 by searching seven electronic databases. We assessed the study quality, evaluated the efficacy of TSG treatment, and performed a stratified meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis to assess the influence of study design on TSG efficacy. RESULTS Among a total of 381 publications, 18 fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The overall methodological quality of these studies was poor. The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant benefit of TSG on acquisition memory (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -1.46 (95 % CI: -1.81 to -1.10, P < 0.0001) and retention memory (SMD =1.93 (95 % CI: 1.40 to 2.46, P < 0.0001) in experimental models of AD. The stratified analysis revealed a significantly higher effect size for both acquisition and retention memory in studies that used mixed sex models and a significantly higher effect size for acquisition memory in studies that used transgenic models. CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis highlights a significantly better treatment effect in rodent AD models that received TSG that in those that did not. These findings indicate a potential therapeutic role of TSG in AD therapy. However, additional well-designed and detailed experimental studies are needed to evaluate the safety of TSG.
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Malik R, Gupta R, Srivastava S, Choudhary BS, Sharma M. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of selected 3-[3-(amino) propoxy] benzenamines as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2016; 35:2382-2394. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2016.1220330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Malik
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, India
| | - Richa Gupta
- Department of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, B.R. Nahata College of Pharmacy, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh 458001, India
| | - Shubham Srivastava
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, India
| | - Bhanwar Singh Choudhary
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, India
| | - Manish Sharma
- School of Pharmacy, MM University, Sadopur, Ambala, Haryana 134007, India
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Kandola A, Hendrikse J, Lucassen PJ, Yücel M. Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:373. [PMID: 27524962 PMCID: PMC4965462 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerobic exercise (AE) has been widely praised for its potential benefits to cognition and overall brain and mental health. In particular, AE has a potent impact on promoting the function of the hippocampus and stimulating neuroplasticity. As the evidence-base rapidly builds, and given most of the supporting work can be readily translated from animal models to humans, the potential for AE to be applied as a therapeutic or adjunctive intervention for a range of human conditions appears ever more promising. Notably, many psychiatric and neurological disorders have been associated with hippocampal dysfunction, which may underlie the expression of certain symptoms common to these disorders, including (aspects of) cognitive dysfunction. Augmenting existing treatment approaches using AE based interventions may promote hippocampal function and alleviate cognitive deficits in various psychiatric disorders that currently remain untreated. Incorporating non-pharmacological interventions into clinical treatment may also have a number of other benefits to patient well being, such as limiting the risk of adverse side effects. This review incorporates both animal and human literature to comprehensively detail how AE is associated with cognitive enhancements and stimulates a cascade of neuroplastic mechanisms that support improvements in hippocampal functioning. Using the examples of schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, the utility and implementation of an AE intervention to the clinical domain will be proposed, aimed to reduce cognitive deficits in these, and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Kandola
- Brain and Mental Health Lab, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, MelbourneVIC, Australia; Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joshua Hendrikse
- Brain and Mental Health Lab, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- Centre for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Murat Yücel
- Brain and Mental Health Lab, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
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Reddy S, Fayyad R, Edgar CJ, Guico-Pabia CJ, Wesnes K. The effect of desvenlafaxine on cognitive functioning in employed outpatients with major depressive disorder: a substudy of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:559-67. [PMID: 27009044 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116631649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this substudy was to examine the effect of desvenlafaxine 50 mg/day compared with placebo on cognitive function in employed outpatients with major depressive disorder. A total of 11/55 (20%) study sites in a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial administered cognitive assessments in memory, attention, and executive functioning domains using the cognitive drug research system. Changes from baseline were subjected to analysis of covariance with baseline levels as covariates, using last observation carried forward data. A significant improvement with desvenlafaxine 50 mg/day (n=52) compared with placebo (n=29) was observed on the quality of working memory composite measure (0.081 units (0.005, 0.156); P=0.0365) at last observation carried forward. Improvement from baseline on the speed of working memory composite was significant for desvenlafaxine (-226.6 msec (-316.7, -136.4); P<0.0001) and for placebo (-133.3 msec (-257.2, -9.4); P=0.0354); however, the treatment effect was not significant. No significant differences between groups were observed on composite measures for attention. Treatment of depression with desvenlafaxine 50 mg/day may improve aspects of cognitive functioning, including working memory.Clinical Trial Registry No.: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00824291.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujana Reddy
- Formerly of Pfizer Inc., formerly Wyeth Research, Collegeville, PA, USA Pottstown Memorial Hospital, Pottstown, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Christine J Guico-Pabia
- Formerly of Pfizer Inc., formerly Wyeth Research, Collegeville, PA, USA CGP Strategic Solutions LLC, Landsdale, PA, USA
| | - Keith Wesnes
- Formerly of Bracket Global, Goring-on-Thames, UK Swinburne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
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Molina-Carballo A, Checa-Ros A, Muñoz-Hoyos A. Treatments and compositions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a patent review. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2016; 26:799-814. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2016.1182989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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37
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Enginar N, Yamantürk-Çelik P, Nurten A, Güney DB. Learning and memory in the forced swimming test: effects of antidepressants having varying degrees of anticholinergic activity. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2016; 389:739-45. [DOI: 10.1007/s00210-016-1236-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Sofuoglu M, DeVito EE, Waters AJ, Carroll KM. Cognitive Function as a Transdiagnostic Treatment Target in Stimulant Use Disorders. J Dual Diagn 2016; 12:90-106. [PMID: 26828702 PMCID: PMC4837011 DOI: 10.1080/15504263.2016.1146383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Stimulant use disorder is an important public health problem, with an estimated 2.1 million current users in the United States alone. No pharmacological treatments are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for stimulant use disorder and behavioral treatments have variable efficacy and limited availability. Most individuals with stimulant use disorder have other comorbidities, most with overlapping symptoms and cognitive impairments. The goal of this article is to present a rationale for cognition as a treatment target in stimulant use disorder and to outline potential treatment approaches. Rates of lifetime comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with stimulant use disorders are estimated at 65% to 73%, with the most common being mood disorders (13% to 64%) and anxiety disorders (21% to 50%), as well as non-substance-induced psychotic disorders (<10%). There are several models of addictive behavior, but the dual process model particularly highlights the relevance of cognitive impairments and biases to the development and maintenance of addiction. This model explains addictive behavior as a balance between automatic processes and executive control, which in turn are related to individual (genetics, comorbid disorders, psychosocial factors) and other (craving, triggers, drug use) factors. Certain cognitive impairments, such as attentional bias and approach bias, are most relevant to automatic processes, while sustained attention, response inhibition, and working memory are primarily related to executive control. These cognitive impairments and biases are also common in disorders frequently comorbid with stimulant use disorder and predict poor treatment retention and clinical outcomes. As such, they may serve as feasible transdiagnostic treatment targets. There are promising pharmacological, cognitive, and behavioral approaches that aim to enhance cognitive function. Pharmacotherapies target cognitive impairments associated with executive control and include cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., galantamine, rivastigmine) and monoamine transporter inhibitors (e.g., modafinil, methylphenidate). Cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive rehabilitation also enhance executive control, while cognitive bias modification targets impairments associated with automatic processes. Cognitive enhancement to improve treatment outcomes is a novel and promising strategy, but its clinical value for the treatment of stimulant use disorder, with or without other psychiatric comorbidities, remains to be determined in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Sofuoglu
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , West Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Elise E DeVito
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , West Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Andrew J Waters
- c Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Uniformed Services University of the Health Science , Bethesda , Maryland , USA
| | - Kathleen M Carroll
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , West Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , Connecticut , USA
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Pairing Cholinergic Enhancement with Perceptual Training Promotes Recovery of Age-Related Changes in Rat Primary Auditory Cortex. Neural Plast 2015; 2016:1801979. [PMID: 27057359 PMCID: PMC4709731 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1801979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We used the rat primary auditory cortex (A1) as a model to probe the effects of cholinergic enhancement on perceptual learning and auditory processing mechanisms in both young and old animals. Rats learned to perform a two-tone frequency discrimination task over the course of two weeks, combined with either the administration of a cholinesterase inhibitor or saline. We found that while both age groups learned the task more quickly through cholinergic enhancement, the young did so by improving target detection, whereas the old did so by inhibiting erroneous responses to nontarget stimuli. We also found that cholinergic enhancement led to marked functional and structural changes within A1 in both young and old rats. Importantly, we found that several functional changes observed in the old rats, particularly those relating to the processing and inhibition of nontargets, produced cortical processing features that resembled those of young untrained rats more so than those of older adult rats. Overall, these findings demonstrate that combining auditory training with neuromodulation of the cholinergic system can restore many of the auditory cortical functional deficits observed as a result of normal aging and add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that many age-related perceptual and neuroplastic changes are reversible.
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Oh K, Hwang T, Cha K, Yi GS. Disease association and inter-connectivity analysis of human brain specific co-expressed functional modules. Biol Res 2015; 48:67. [PMID: 26671687 PMCID: PMC4681143 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-015-0061-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the recent studies, it is suggested that the analysis of transcriptomic change of functional modules instead of individual genes would be more effective for system-wide identification of cellular functions. This could also provide a new possibility for the better understanding of difference between human and chimpanzee. Results In this study, we analyzed to find molecular characteristics of human brain functions from the difference of transcriptome between human and chimpanzee’s brain using the functional module-centric co-expression analysis. We performed analysis of brain disease association and systems-level connectivity of species-specific co-expressed functional modules. Conclusions Throughout the analyses, we found human-specific functional modules and significant overlap between their genes in known brain disease genes, suggesting that human brain disorder could be mediated by the perturbation of modular activities emerged in human brain specialization. In addition, the human-specific modules having neurobiological functions exhibited higher networking than other functional modules. This finding suggests that the expression of neural functions are more connected than other functions, and the resulting high-order brain functions could be identified as a result of consolidated inter-modular gene activities. Our result also showed that the functional module based transcriptome analysis has a potential to expand molecular understanding of high-order complex functions like cognitive abilities and brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimin Oh
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
| | - Taeho Hwang
- Department of Information and Communications Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
| | - Kihoon Cha
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
| | - Gwan-Su Yi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
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Papke RL, Horenstein NA, Stokes C. Nicotinic Activity of Arecoline, the Psychoactive Element of "Betel Nuts", Suggests a Basis for Habitual Use and Anti-Inflammatory Activity. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140907. [PMID: 26488401 PMCID: PMC4619380 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitual chewing of "betel nut" preparations constitutes the fourth most common human self-administration of a psychoactive substance after alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. The primary active ingredient in these preparations is arecoline, which comes from the areca nut, the key component of all such preparations. Arecoline is known to be a relatively non-selective muscarinic partial agonist, accounting for many of the overt peripheral and central nervous system effects, but not likely to account for the addictive properties of the drug. We report that arecoline has activity on select nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes, including the two classes of nAChR most related to the addictive properties of nicotine: receptors containing α4 and β2 subunits and those which also contain α6 and β3 subunits. Arecoline is a partial agonist with about 6-10% efficacy for the α4* and α6* receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Additionally, arecoline is a silent agonist of α7 nAChR; while it does not activate α7 receptors when applied alone, it produces substantial activation when co-applied with the positive allosteric modulator PNU-120696. Some α7 silent agonists are effective inhibitors of inflammation, which might account for anti-inflammatory effects of arecoline. Arecoline's activity on nAChR associated with addiction may account for the habitual use of areca nut preparations in spite of the well-documented risk to personal health associated with oral diseases and cancer. The common link between betel and tobacco suggests that partial agonist therapies with cytisine or the related compound varenicline may also be used to aid betel cessation attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger L. Papke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267 Gainesville, Florida, 32610–0267, United States of America
| | - Nicole A. Horenstein
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, PO Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida, 32611–7200, United States of America
| | - Clare Stokes
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267 Gainesville, Florida, 32610–0267, United States of America
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Yanev PG, Dimitrova DS, Getova-Spassova DP. Effects of rivastigmine and memantine alone and in combination on learning and memory in rats with scopolamine-induced amnesia. Open Med (Wars) 2015; 10:338-345. [PMID: 28352716 PMCID: PMC5152995 DOI: 10.1515/med-2015-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cholinesterase inhibitors and glutamate blockers are commonly used for the treatment of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. The aim was to evaluate the effects of rivastigmine and memantine alone or in combination in rats with scopolamine-impaired memory. Method 5 groups of rats were used: control, scopolamine (model), model with rivastigmine, model with memantine, and model with both drugs. Active avoidance test was performed and the number of conditioned responses, unconditioned responses and intertrial crossing were recorded. Passive avoidance tests step-through with criteria latency of reaction 180 s in the light chamber and step-down with criteria latency of reaction 60 s on the platform were done. Results Control rats learned the task and kept it on memory tests. Scopolamine treated rats failed to perform it. The rivastigmine, memantine and its combination groups showed increased CRs during learning and memory retention tests. In both passive avoidance tests an increased latency of reaction was observed in the drug treated groups. Conclusion The combination of both drugs rivastigmine and memantine is more effective than the use of the single drug in cognitive impaired rats. Cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA blockers may be combined in the treatment of different kind of dementias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darinka Slavcheva Dimitrova
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University, Plovdiv 4002, Bulgaria
| | - Damianka Peteva Getova-Spassova
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Medical University, 15A V. Aprilov str, Plovdiv 4002, Bulgaria, Tel: +359 32 602417; +359 882512960
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Park SJ, Ahn YJ, Lee HE, Hong E, Ryu JH. Standardized Prunella vulgaris
var. lilacina
Extract Enhances Cognitive Performance in Normal Naive Mice. Phytother Res 2015; 29:1814-21. [DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Revised: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Se Jin Park
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science; Kyung Hee University; Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea
| | - Young Je Ahn
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science; Kyung Hee University; Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Eun Lee
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science; Kyung Hee University; Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea
| | - Eunyoung Hong
- Natraceutical & Functional Foods Center; CJ Foods R&D; Seoul 152-051 Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hoon Ryu
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science; Kyung Hee University; Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea
- Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee East-west Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy; Kyung Hee University; Seoul 130-701 Republic of Korea
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McLean SL, Grayson B, Marsh S, Zarroug SHO, Harte MK, Neill JC. Nicotinic α7 and α4β2 agonists enhance the formation and retrieval of recognition memory: Potential mechanisms for cognitive performance enhancement in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Behav Brain Res 2015; 302:73-80. [PMID: 26327238 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic dysfunction has been shown to be central to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and has also been postulated to contribute to cognitive dysfunction observed in various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Deficits are found across a number of cognitive domains and in spite of several attempts to develop new therapies, these remain an unmet clinical need. In the current study we investigated the efficacy of donepezil, risperidone and selective nicotinic α7 and α4β2 receptor agonists to reverse a delay-induced deficit in recognition memory. Adult female Hooded Lister rats received drug treatments and were tested in the novel object recognition (NOR) task following a 6h inter-trial interval (ITI). In all treatment groups, there was no preference for the left or right identical objects in the acquisition trial. Risperidone failed to enhance recognition memory in this paradigm whereas donepezil was effective such that rats discriminated between the novel and familiar object in the retention trial following a 6h ITI. Although a narrow dose range of PNU-282987 and RJR-2403 was tested, only one dose of each increased recognition memory, the highest dose of PNU-282987 (10mg/kg) and the lowest dose of RJR-2403 (0.1mg/kg), indicative of enhanced cognitive performance. Interestingly, these compounds were also efficacious when administered either before the acquisition or the retention trial of the task, suggesting an important role for nicotinic receptor subtypes in the formation and retrieval of recognition memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L McLean
- Bradford School of Pharmacy, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Ben Grayson
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Samuel Marsh
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Samah H O Zarroug
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Michael K Harte
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jo C Neill
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, M13 9PT, UK
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45
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Falsafi SK, Dierssen M, Ghafari M, Pollak A, Lubec G. Reduced cortical neurotransmitter receptor complex levels in fetal Down syndrome brain. Amino Acids 2015; 48:103-16. [PMID: 26269195 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-015-2062-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, cortical receptor complex levels were determined in fetal Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) brain. Frontal cortices were obtained from individuals with DS (19th-22nd week of gestation) and controls. Membrane proteins were extracted, assayed on blue native gels and immunoblotted with brain receptor antibodies. Levels of a D1R-containing complex were markedly decreased in male and female cortices of DS individuals. Females with DS had significant reductions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors α4 and α7, NMDA receptor GluN1 and AMPA receptor GluA1- and GluA3-containing receptor complexes. Levels of other brain receptor complexes (5-hydroxytryptamine 1A, GluA2 and GluR4 receptor-containing complexes) were comparable between the groups of females. Levels of GluA2- and GluA3-containing complexes were significantly increased in males. Decreased levels of D1R complexes in both sexes, along with the significant reduction of α4, α7-containing receptor complexes observed in females, may explain the brain deficits and impaired cognition observed in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheil Keihan Falsafi
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Genes and Disease Program, Center for Genomic Regulation and CIBERER, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maryam Ghafari
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arnold Pollak
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gert Lubec
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Arunrungvichian K, Boonyarat C, Fokin VV, Taylor P, Vajragupta O. Cognitive Improvements in a Mouse Model with Substituted 1,2,3-Triazole Agonists for Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1331-40. [DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kuntarat Arunrungvichian
- Center
of Excellence for Innovation in Drug Design and Discovery, Faculty
of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri-Ayudhya Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Chantana Boonyarat
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, KhonKaen University, 123 Muang, KhonKaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Valery V. Fokin
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Palmer Taylor
- Department
of Pharmacology, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0650, United States
| | - Opa Vajragupta
- Center
of Excellence for Innovation in Drug Design and Discovery, Faculty
of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri-Ayudhya Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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Strach B, Wyska E, Pociecha K, Krupa A, Jachowicz R. Sensitive and precise HPLC method with back-extraction clean-up step for the determination of sildenafil in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study. Biomed Chromatogr 2015; 29:1559-66. [PMID: 25864807 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.3459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A sensitive HPLC method was developed and validated for the determination of sildenafil concentrations in rat plasma (200 μL) using a liquid-liquid extraction procedure and paroxetine as an internal standard. In order to eliminate interferences and improve the peak shape, a back-extraction into an acidic solution was utilized. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a cyanopropyl bonded-phase column with a mobile phase composed of 50 m m potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v), pumped at the flow rate of 1 mL/min. A UV detector was set at 230 nm. A calibration curve was constructed within a concentration range from 10 to 1500 ng/mL. The limit of detection was 5 ng/mL. The inter- and intra-day precisions of the assay were in the ranges 2.91-7.33 and 2.61-6.18%, respectively, and the accuracies for inter- and intra-day runs were within 0.14-3.92 and 0.44-2.96%, respectively. The recovery of sildenafil was 85.22 ± 4.54%. Tests confirmed the stability of sildenafil in plasma during three freeze-thaw cycles and during long-term storage at -20 and -80°C for up to 2 months. The proposed method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Strach
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Wyska
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Pociecha
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Anna Krupa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Renata Jachowicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Cracow, Poland
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Jellen LC, Aliper A, Buzdin A, Zhavoronkov A. Screening and personalizing nootropic drugs and cognitive modulator regimens in silico. Front Syst Neurosci 2015; 9:4. [PMID: 25705179 PMCID: PMC4319391 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The go-to cognitive enhancers of today are those that are widely available rather than optimal for the user, including drugs typically prescribed for treatment of ADHD (e.g., methylphenidate) and sleep disturbances such as narcolepsy (modafinil). While highly effective in their intended therapeutic role, performance gains in healthy populations are modest at best and profoundly inconsistent across subgroups and individuals. We propose a method for in silico screening of possible novel cognitive enhancers followed by high-throughput in vivo and in vitro validation. The proposed method uses gene expression data to evaluate the the collection of activated or suppressed signaling pathways in tissues or neurons of the cognitively enhanced brain. An algorithm maps expression data onto signaling pathways and quantifies their individual activation strength. The collective pathways and their activation form what we term the signaling pathway cloud, a biological fingerprint of cognitive enhancement (or any other condition of interest). Drugs can then be screened and ranked based on their ability to minimize, mimic, or exaggerate pathway activation or suppression within that cloud. Using this approach, one may predict the efficacy of many drugs that may enhance various aspects of cognition before costly preclinical studies and clinical trials are undertaken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie C Jellen
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Alexander Aliper
- Aging Research, Insilico Medicine, Emerging Technology Center, Johns Hopkins University Eastern Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anton Buzdin
- Personalized Medicine, Pathway Pharmaceuticals Ltd Wan Chai, Hong Kong
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Aging Research, Insilico Medicine, Emerging Technology Center, Johns Hopkins University Eastern Baltimore, MD, USA ; Research, Biogerontology Research Foundation Truro, UK
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Abstract
Facilitation of different attentional functions by nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists may be of therapeutic potential in disease conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia. For this reason, the neuronal mechanisms underlying these effects have been the focus of research in humans and in preclinical models. Attention-enhancing effects of the nonselective nAChR agonist nicotine can be observed in human nonsmokers and in laboratory animals, suggesting that benefits go beyond a reversal of withdrawal deficits in smokers. The ultimate aim is to develop compounds acting with greater selectivity than nicotine at a subset of nAChRs, with an effects profile narrowly matching the targeted cognitive deficits and minimizing unwanted effects. To date, compounds tested clinically target the nAChR subtypes most abundant in the brain. To help pinpoint more selectively expressed subtypes critical for attention, studies have aimed at identifying the secondary neurotransmitter systems whose stimulation mediates the attention-enhancing properties of nicotine. Evidence indicates that noradrenaline and glutamate, but not dopamine release, are critical mediators. Thus, attention-enhancing nAChR agents could spare the system central to nicotine dependence. Neuroimaging studies suggest that nAChR agonists act on a variety of brain systems by enhancing activation, reducing activation, and enhancing deactivation by attention tasks. This supports the notion that effects on different attentional functions may be mediated by distinct central mechanisms, consistent with the fact that nAChRs interact with a multitude of brain sites and neurotransmitter systems. The challenge will be to achieve the optimal tone at the right subset of nAChR subtypes to modulate specific attentional functions, employing not just direct agonist properties, but also positive allosteric modulation and low-dose antagonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Hahn
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,
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50
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Nikolic K, Mavridis L, Bautista-Aguilera OM, Marco-Contelles J, Stark H, do Carmo Carreiras M, Rossi I, Massarelli P, Agbaba D, Ramsay RR, Mitchell JBO. Predicting targets of compounds against neurological diseases using cheminformatic methodology. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2014; 29:183-98. [PMID: 25425329 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-014-9816-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recently developed multi-targeted ligands are novel drug candidates able to interact with monoamine oxidase A and B; acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase; or with histamine N-methyltransferase and histamine H3-receptor (H3R). These proteins are drug targets in the treatment of depression, Alzheimer's disease, obsessive disorders, and Parkinson's disease. A probabilistic method, the Parzen-Rosenblatt window approach, was used to build a "predictor" model using data collected from the ChEMBL database. The model can be used to predict both the primary pharmaceutical target and off-targets of a compound based on its structure. Molecular structures were represented based on the circular fingerprint methodology. The same approach was used to build a "predictor" model from the DrugBank dataset to determine the main pharmacological groups of the compound. The study of off-target interactions is now recognised as crucial to the understanding of both drug action and toxicology. Primary pharmaceutical targets and off-targets for the novel multi-target ligands were examined by use of the developed cheminformatic method. Several multi-target ligands were selected for further study, as compounds with possible additional beneficial pharmacological activities. The cheminformatic targets identifications were in agreement with four 3D-QSAR (H3R/D1R/D2R/5-HT2aR) models and by in vitro assays for serotonin 5-HT1a and 5-HT2a receptor binding of the most promising ligand (71/MBA-VEG8).
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Nikolic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia,
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