1
|
Ramos-Medina L, Rosas-Vidal LE, Patel S. Pharmacological diacylglycerol lipase inhibition impairs contextual fear extinction in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:569-584. [PMID: 38182791 PMCID: PMC10884152 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06523-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Acquisition and extinction of associative fear memories are critical for guiding adaptive behavioral responses to environmental threats, and dysregulation of these processes is thought to represent important neurobehavioral substrates of trauma and stress-related disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) signaling has been heavily implicated in the extinction of aversive fear memories and we have recently shown that pharmacological inhibition of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) synthesis, a major eCB regulating synaptic suppression, impairs fear extinction in an auditory cue conditioning paradigm. Despite these data, the role of 2-AG signaling in contextual fear conditioning is not well understood. Here, we show that systemic pharmacological blockade of diacylglycerol lipase, the rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing in the synthesis of 2-AG, enhances contextual fear learning and impairs within-session extinction. In sham-conditioned mice, 2-AG synthesis inhibition causes a small increase in unconditioned freezing behavior. No effects of 2-AG synthesis inhibition were noted in the Elevated Plus Maze in mice tested after fear extinction. These data provide support for 2-AG signaling in the suppression of contextual fear learning and the expression of within-session extinction of contextual fear memories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis E Rosas-Vidal
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rosas-Vidal LE, Naskar S, Mayo LM, Perini I, Altemus M, Engelbrektsson H, Jagasia P, Heilig M, Patel S. PREFRONTAL CORRELATES OF FEAR GENERALIZATION DURING ENDOCANNABINOID DEPLETION. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.577847. [PMID: 38352388 PMCID: PMC10862899 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.577847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Maladaptive fear generalization is one of the hallmarks of trauma-related disorders. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is crucial for modulating anxiety, fear, and stress adaptation but its role in balancing fear discrimination versus generalization is not known. To address this, we used a combination of plasma endocannabinoid measurement and neuroimaging from a childhood maltreatment exposed and non-exposed mixed population combined with human and rodent fear conditioning models. Here we show that 2-AG levels are inversely associated with fear generalization at the behavioral level in both mice and humans. In mice, 2-AG depletion increases the proportion of neurons, and the similarity between neuronal representations, of threat-predictive and neutral stimuli within prelimbic prefrontal cortex ensembles. In humans, increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortical-amygdala resting state connectivity is inversely correlated with fear generalization. These data provide convergent cross-species evidence that 2-AG is a key regulator of fear generalization and suggest 2-AG deficiency could represent a trauma-related disorder susceptibility endophenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis E Rosas-Vidal
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Chicago, IL
| | - Saptarnab Naskar
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Chicago, IL
| | - Leah M Mayo
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Irene Perini
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Megan Altemus
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN
| | - Hilda Engelbrektsson
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Puja Jagasia
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN
| | - Markus Heilig
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Chicago, IL
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Comai S, Nunez N, Atkin T, Ghabrash MF, Zakarian R, Fielding A, Saint-Laurent M, Low N, Sauber G, Ragazzi E, Hillard CJ, Gobbi G. Dysfunction in endocannabinoids, palmitoylethanolamide, and degradation of tryptophan into kynurenine in individuals with depressive symptoms. BMC Med 2024; 22:33. [PMID: 38273283 PMCID: PMC10809514 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03248-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The endocannabinoid (eCB) system and the serotonin (5-HT) are both implicated in the severity of the depression. 5-HT is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan (Trp), which is also a precursor for kynurenine (Kyn) whose production is increased at the expense of 5-HT in depressed patients. No clinical studies have investigated the crosstalk between the eCB system and the Trp/5-HT/Kyn pathways. Here, we hypothesized that the eCB system is associated with an enhanced Kyn production in relation to the severity of depressive symptoms. METHODS Eighty-two subjects (51 patients with a diagnosis of depressive disorder (DSM-5) and 31 healthy volunteers), were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Beck Depression Scale, and Global Clinical Impression. Serum concentrations of eCBs (N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)); structurally related fatty acyl compounds 2-oleoylglycerol (2-OG), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA); Trp, Kyn, Kyn/Trp ratio (an index of Trp degradation into Kyn) and 5-HT were also determined. RESULTS Following a principal component analysis including the severity of depression, Kyn and the Kyn/Trp ratio appear to be directly associated with 2-AG, AEA, and PEA. Interestingly, these biomarkers also permitted to distinguish the population into two main clusters: one of individuals having mild/severe depressive symptoms and the other with an absence of depressive symptoms. Using parametric analysis, higher serum levels of 2-AG, Kyn, and the ratio Kyn/Trp and lower levels of Trp and 5-HT were found in individuals with mild/severe depressive symptoms than in those without depressive symptoms. While in asymptomatic people, PEA was directly associated to Trp, and OEA indirectly linked to 5-HT, in individuals with depressive symptoms, these correlations were lost, and instead, positive correlations between AEA and 2-AG, PEA and AEA, and PEA vs 2-AG and OEA concentrations were found. CONCLUSIONS Parametric and non-parametric analyses suggest a possible association between eCBs, tryptophan/kynurenine biomarkers, and severity of depression, confirming a likely interplay among inflammation, stress, and depression. The enhanced relationships among the biomarkers of the 2-AG and AEA pathways and related lipids seen in individuals with depressive symptoms, but not in asymptomatics, suggest an altered metabolism of the eCB system in depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Comai
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Nicolas Nunez
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tobias Atkin
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Rita Zakarian
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Allan Fielding
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Saint-Laurent
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nancy Low
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Garrett Sauber
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Eugenio Ragazzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Gabriella Gobbi
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jayan D, Timmer-Murillo S, Fitzgerald JM, Hillard CJ, de Roon-Cassini TA. Endocannabinoids, cortisol, and development of post-traumatic psychopathological trajectories. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2023; 85:199-206. [PMID: 37956620 PMCID: PMC10843734 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our prior published work using the 2-factor model of PTSD identified four subgroups of trauma survivors on average 6 months following trauma: Resilient, Dysphoria, High Comorbid, and Severe Comorbid. Some findings indicate that low and high cortisol responses may increase risk for the development of PTSD and depression respectively, yet ways in which cortisol interacts with other physiological systems to enhance risk is unclear. This study examined the role of circulating eCBs in the development of previously identified psychopathological trajectories that is differentiated by cortisol in traumatically injured adults (N = 169). METHODS Circulating concentrations of eCBs, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) were measured during post-injury hospitalization and on average 6 months following trauma. Differences in 2-AG and AEA among the subgroups were tested using multivariate ANCOVA. RESULTS Dysphoria (with highest cortisol levels) and High Comorbid subgroups exhibited higher post-injury AEA compared to the Resilient group. Dysphoria subgroup showed a significant decline in AEA by 6 months compared to Resilient and High Comorbid subgroups. CONCLUSION Change in AEA over time in individuals with high post-injury cortisol may serve as a buffer against risk for severe psychopathology. Assessing AEA and cortisol levels concurrently across time may serve as indicators of risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Devi Jayan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, United States of America
| | - Sydney Timmer-Murillo
- Departments of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
| | - Jacklynn M Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, 317 Cramer Hall, Milwaukee 53233, USA.
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
| | - Terri A de Roon-Cassini
- Departments of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Institute for Health & Equity, Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Walther A, Kirschbaum C, Wehrli S, Rothe N, Penz M, Wekenborg M, Gao W. Depressive symptoms are negatively associated with hair N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) levels: A cross-lagged panel analysis of four annual assessment waves examining hair endocannabinoids and cortisol. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 121:110658. [PMID: 36252885 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is increasingly being recognized as key regulatory system coupled with the glucocorticoid system implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, prior studies examining the ECS in MDD have been inconclusive, of small sample size or of cross-sectional nature limiting interpretation of causal inferences or time-dependent effects. METHODS In a prospective community-based cohort study including 128 individuals (women: 108), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) as well as hair cortisol and endocannabinoids were measured annually over four years (T1-T4). Cortisol, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), and 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol/1-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG/1-AG) were extracted from 3 cm hair segments reflecting cumulative concentrations of the last three months prior sampling. RESULTS Cross-sectional group comparisons at baseline revealed reduced AEA and cortisol levels in the group with a positive MDD screening compared to individuals with low depressive symptomatology (both p < .05). Cross-lagged panel models showed that AEA levels at T2 were negatively associated with depressive symptoms at T3 (p < .05). Also, depressive symptoms at T3 were negatively associated with AEA levels at T4 (p < .01). The direction of association was reversed for 2-AG/1-AG, as 2-AG/1-AG levels at T1 were positively associated with depressive symptoms at T2 (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS While cross-sectional analyses suggest higher depressive symptomatology to be associated with reduced AEA and cortisol release, longitudinal analyses reveal that primarily AEA levels are negatively associated with depressive symptoms. These longitudinal associations elucidate time-dependent relationships between depressive symptomatology and the ECS and further highlight AEA as potential treatment target in MDD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Walther
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Biopsychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Susanne Wehrli
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Biopsychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Child and Adolescent Health Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Marlene Penz
- Institute for Education and Psychology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | | | - Wei Gao
- Biopsychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tomas CW, Fitzgerald JM, Bergner C, Hillard CJ, Larson CL, deRoon-Cassini TA. Machine learning prediction of posttraumatic stress disorder trajectories following traumatic injury: Identification and validation in two independent samples. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:1656-1671. [PMID: 36006041 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Due to its heterogeneity, the prediction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development after traumtic injury is difficult. Recent machine learning approaches have yielded insight into predicting PTSD symptom trajectories. Using data collected within 1 month of traumatic injury, we applied eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) to classify admitted and discharged patients (hospitalized, n = 192; nonhospitalized, n = 214), recruited from a Level 1 trauma center, according to PTSD symptom trajectories. Trajectories were identified using latent class mixed models on PCL-5 scores collected at baseline, 1-3 months posttrauma, and 6 months posttrauma. In both samples, nonremitting, remitting, and resilient PTSD symptom trajectories were identified. In the admitted patient sample, a unique delayed trajectory emerged. Machine learning classifiers (i.e., XGB) were developed and tested on the admitted patient sample and externally validated on the discharged sample with biological and clinical self-report baseline variables as predictors. For external validation sets, prediction was fair for nonremitting versus other trajectories, areas under the curve (AUC = .70); good for nonremitting versus resilient trajectories, AUCs = .73-.76; and prediction failed for nonremitting versus remitting trajectories, AUCs = .46-.48. However, poor precision (< .57) across all models suggests limited generalizability of nonremitting symptom trajectory prediction from admitted to discharged patient samples. Consistency in symptom trajectory identification across samples supports prior studies on the stability of PTSD symptom trajectories following trauma exposure; however, continued work and replication with larger samples are warranted to understand overlapping and unique predictive features of PTSD in different traumatic injury populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carissa W Tomas
- Division of Epidemiology, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Carisa Bergner
- Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christine L Larson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Terri A deRoon-Cassini
- Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Weisser S, Mueller M, Rauh J, Esser R, Fuss J, Lutz B, Haaker J. Acquisition of threat responses are associated with elevated plasma concentration of endocannabinoids in male humans. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1931-1938. [PMID: 35562542 PMCID: PMC9485143 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01320-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are involved in buffering threat and stress responses. Elevation of circulating eCBs in humans was reported to strengthen inhibition (i.e., extinction) of threat responses and to reduce effects of stressors. However, it remains unclear whether the acquisition of threat responses involves a physiological change in circulating eCBs. Here, we demonstrate in male human volunteers that the plasma concentration of the eCB N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and its metabolite arachidonic acid (AA) are increased during acquisition of threat responses. Furthermore, elevated responses to a learned threat cue (e.g., rating of fear) were associated with individual increases in plasma concentration of the eCB 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). In complementing these observations, we found individual increases in AEA associated with elevated neural responses during threat learning in the amygdala. Our results thereby suggest that physiological increases in circulating eCB levels are part of a response mechanism to learned threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Smilla Weisser
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Madeleine Mueller
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Rauh
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany ,grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Germany), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Branch, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roland Esser
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Fuss
- grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany ,grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Human Behavior Laboratory, Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany ,grid.5718.b0000 0001 2187 5445Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, 45030 Essen, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- grid.410607.4Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany ,grid.509458.50000 0004 8087 0005Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Jan Haaker
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Serum Concentrations of the Endocannabinoid, 2-Arachidonoylglycerol, in the Peri-Trauma Period Are Positively Associated with Chronic Pain Months Later. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071599. [PMID: 35884902 PMCID: PMC9313032 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoid signaling and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are activated by trauma and both stress systems regulate the transition from acute to chronic pain. This study aimed to develop a model of relationships among circulating concentrations of cortisol and endocannabinoids (eCBs) immediately after traumatic injury and the presence of chronic pain months later. Pain scores and serum concentrations of eCBs and cortisol were measured during hospitalization and 5–10 months later in 147 traumatically injured individuals. Exploratory correlational analyses and path analysis were completed. The study sample was 50% Black and Latino and primarily male (69%); 34% percent endorsed a pain score of 4 or greater at follow-up and were considered to have chronic pain. Path analysis was used to model relationships among eCB, 2-arachidonolyglycerol (2-AG), cortisol, and pain, adjusting for sex and injury severity (ISS). Serum 2-AG concentrations at the time of injury were associated with chronic pain in 3 ways: a highly significant, independent positive predictor; a mediator of the effect of ISS, and through a positive relationship with cortisol concentrations. These data indicate that 2-AG concentrations at the time of an injury are positively associated with chronic pain and suggest excessive activation of endocannabinoid signaling contributes to risk for chronic pain.
Collapse
|
9
|
Molecular Alterations of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094764. [PMID: 35563156 PMCID: PMC9104141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits of the current medications for patients with psychiatric disorders contrast with a great variety of adverse effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) components have gained high interest as potential new targets for treating psychiatry diseases because of their neuromodulator role, which is essential to understanding the regulation of many brain functions. This article reviewed the molecular alterations in ECS occurring in different psychiatric conditions. The methods used to identify alterations in the ECS were also described. We used a translational approach. The animal models reproducing some behavioral and/or neurochemical aspects of psychiatric disorders and the molecular alterations in clinical studies in post-mortem brain tissue or peripheral tissues were analyzed. This article reviewed the most relevant ECS changes in prevalent psychiatric diseases such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism, attentional deficit, eating disorders (ED), and addiction. The review concludes that clinical research studies are urgently needed for two different purposes: (1) To identify alterations of the ECS components potentially useful as new biomarkers relating to a specific disease or condition, and (2) to design new therapeutic targets based on the specific alterations found to improve the pharmacological treatment in psychiatry.
Collapse
|
10
|
Fitzpatrick JM, Hackett B, Costelloe L, Hind W, Downer EJ. Botanically-Derived Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, and Their 1:1 Combination, Modulate Toll-like Receptor 3 and 4 Signalling in Immune Cells from People with Multiple Sclerosis. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061763. [PMID: 35335126 PMCID: PMC8951523 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The innate immune response to bacterial and viral molecules involves the coordinated production of cytokines, chemokines, and type I interferons (IFNs), which is orchestrated by toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs, and their intracellular signalling intermediates, are closely associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Recent data from our laboratory reported that the plant-derived cannabinoids, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), regulate viral and bacterial inflammatory signalling pathways controlled by TLR3 and TLR4 in macrophages. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of THC and CBD, when delivered in isolation and in combination (1:1), on TLR3- and TLR4-dependent signalling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from people with MS (pwMS; n = 21) and healthy controls (HCs; n = 26). We employed the use of poly(I:C) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce viral TLR3 and bacterial TLR4 signalling, and PBMCs were pre-exposed to plant-derived highly purified THC (10 μM), CBD (10 μM), or a combination of both phytocannabinoids (1:1 ratio, 10:10 μM), prior to LPS/poly(I:C) exposure. TLR3 stimulation promoted the protein expression of the chemokine CXCL10 and the type I IFN-β in PBMCs from both cohorts. THC and CBD (delivered in 1:1 combination at 10 μM) attenuated TLR3-induced CXCL10 and IFN-β protein expression in PBMCs from pwMS and HCs, and this effect was not seen consistently when THC and CBD were delivered alone. In terms of LPS, TLR4 activation promoted TNF-α expression in PBMCs from both cohorts, and, interestingly, CBD when delivered alone at 10 μM, and in combination with THC (in 1:1 combination at 10 μM), exacerbated TLR4-induced TNF-α protein expression in PBMCs from pwMS and HCs. THC and CBD displayed no evidence of toxicity in primary PBMCs. No significant alteration in the relative expression of TLR3 and TLR4 mRNA, or components of the endocannabinoid system, including the cannabinoid receptor CB1 (encoded by CNR1 gene) and CB2 (encoded by CNR2 gene), and endocannabinoid metabolising enzymes, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGLL), was determined in PBMCs from pwMS versus HCs. Given their role in inflammation, TLRs are clinical targets, and data herein identify CBD and THC as TLR3 and TLR4 modulating drugs in primary immune cells in vitro. This offers insight on the cellular target(s) of phytocannabinoids in targeting inflammation in the context of MS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John-Mark Fitzpatrick
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
| | - Becky Hackett
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
| | - Lisa Costelloe
- Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, D09 V2N0 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - William Hind
- GW Research Ltd., Sovereign House, Vision Park, Histon CB24 9BZ, UK;
| | - Eric J. Downer
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland; (J.-M.F.); (B.H.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhou L, Xiong JY, Chai YQ, Huang L, Tang ZY, Zhang XF, Liu B, Zhang JT. Possible antidepressant mechanisms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids acting on the central nervous system. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:933704. [PMID: 36117650 PMCID: PMC9473681 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.933704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can play important roles in maintaining mental health and resistance to stress, and omega-3 PUFAs supplementation can display beneficial effects on both the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear, accumulated evidence indicates that omega-3 PUFAs can exhibit pleiotropic effects on the neural structure and function. Thus, they play fundamental roles in brain activities involved in the mood regulation. Since depressive symptoms have been assumed to be of central origin, this review aims to summarize the recently published studies to identify the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying the anti-depressant effects of omega-3 PUFAs. These include that of (1) anti-neuroinflammatory; (2) hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; (3) anti-oxidative stress; (4) anti-neurodegeneration; (5) neuroplasticity and synaptic plasticity; and (6) modulation of neurotransmitter systems. Despite many lines of evidence have hinted that these mechanisms may co-exist and work in concert to produce anti-depressive effects, the potentially multiple sites of action of omega-3 PUFAs need to be fully established. We also discussed the limitations of current studies and suggest future directions for preclinical and translational research in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lie Zhou
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China.,Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Jia-Yao Xiong
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China
| | - Yu-Qian Chai
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China
| | - Lu Huang
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China.,Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Zi-Yang Tang
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China.,Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.,Jingzhou Mental Health Center, Jingzhou, China
| | - Xin-Feng Zhang
- Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.,Jingzhou Mental Health Center, Jingzhou, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.,Jingzhou Mental Health Center, Jingzhou, China
| | - Jun-Tao Zhang
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Jingzhou, China.,Mental Health Institute of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Luan D, You D, Wu Y, Wu F, Xu Z, Li L, Jiao J, Zhang A, Feng H, Kong Y, Zhao Y, Zhang Z. Effects of interaction between single nucleotide polymorphisms and psychosocial factors on the response to antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder. J Genet Genomics 2021; 49:587-589. [PMID: 34920096 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Di Luan
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dongfang You
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. C(1)han School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston 02115, USA
| | - Yaqian Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Fangfang Wu
- Department of Immunology and Medical Microbiology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Zhi Xu
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiao Jiao
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Aini Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haixia Feng
- Department of Nursing, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yan Kong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston 02115, USA; China International Cooperation Center for Environment and Human Health, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Center of Biomedical Big Data and the Laboratory of Biomedical Big Data, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mecca CM, Chao D, Yu G, Feng Y, Segel I, Zhang Z, Rodriguez-Garcia DM, Pawela CP, Hillard CJ, Hogan QH, Pan B. Dynamic Change of Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Controls the Development of Depression After Neuropathic Pain. J Neurosci 2021; 41:7492-7508. [PMID: 34244365 PMCID: PMC8412994 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3135-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many patients with chronic pain conditions suffer from depression. The mechanisms underlying pain-induced depression are still unclear. There are critical links of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) synaptic function to depression, with signaling through the endocannabinoid (eCB) system as an important contributor. We hypothesized that afferent noxious inputs after injury compromise activity-dependent eCB signaling in the mPFC, resulting in depression. Depression-like behaviors were tested in male and female rats with traumatic neuropathy [spared nerve injury (SNI)], and neuronal activity in the mPFC was monitored using the immediate early gene c-fos and in vivo electrophysiological recordings. mPFC eCB Concentrations were determined using mass spectrometry, and behavioral and electrophysiological experiments were used to evaluate the role of alterations in eCB signaling in depression after pain. SNI-induced pain induced the development of depression phenotypes in both male and female rats. Pyramidal neurons in mPFC showed increased excitability followed by reduced excitability in the onset and prolonged phases of pain, respectively. Concentrations of the eCBs, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the mPFC, were elevated initially after SNI, and our results indicate that this resulted in a loss of CB1R function on GABAergic interneurons in the mPFC. These data suggest that excessive release of 2-AG as a result of noxious stimuli triggers use-dependent loss of function of eCB signaling leading to excessive GABA release in the mPFC, with the final result being behavioral depression.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Pain has both somatosensory and affective components, so the complexity of mechanisms underlying chronic pain is best represented by a biopsychosocial model that includes widespread CNS dysfunction. Many patients with chronic pain conditions develop depression. The mechanism by which pain causes depression is unclear. Although manipulation of the eCB signaling system as an avenue for providing analgesia per se has not shown much promise in previous studies. An important limitation of past research has been inadequate consideration of the dynamic nature of the connection between pain and depression as they develop. Here, we show that activity-dependent synthesis of eCBs during the initial onset of persistent pain is the critical link leading to depression when pain is persistent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Mecca
- Departments of Anesthesiology
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher P Pawela
- Departments of Anesthesiology
- Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
| | - Quinn H Hogan
- Departments of Anesthesiology
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy
- Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
| | - Bin Pan
- Departments of Anesthesiology
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy
- Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
| |
Collapse
|