1
|
Serodolin, a β-arrestin-biased ligand of 5-HT 7 receptor, attenuates pain-related behaviors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2118847119. [PMID: 35594393 PMCID: PMC9173812 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118847119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmembrane signaling through G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), originally described as requiring coupling to intracellular G proteins, also uses G protein–independent pathways through β-arrestin recruitment. Biased ligands, by favoring one of the multiple bioactive conformations of GPCRs, allow selective signaling through either of these pathways. Here, we identified Serodolin as the first β-arrestin–biased agonist of the serotonin 5-HT7 receptor. This new ligand, while acting as an inverse agonist on Gs signaling, selectively induces ERK activation in a β-arrestin–dependent way. Importantly, we report that Serodolin decreases pain intensity caused by thermal, mechanical, or inflammatory stimuli. Our findings suggest that targeting the 5-HT7R with β-arrestin–biased ligand could be a valid alternative strategy to the use of opioids for the relief of pain. G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in regulation of manifold physiological processes through coupling to heterotrimeric G proteins upon ligand stimulation. Classical therapeutically active drugs simultaneously initiate several downstream signaling pathways, whereas biased ligands, which stabilize subsets of receptor conformations, elicit more selective signaling. This concept of functional selectivity of a ligand has emerged as an interesting property for the development of new therapeutic molecules. Biased ligands are expected to have superior efficacy and/or reduced side effects by regulating biological functions of GPCRs in a more precise way. In the last decade, 5-HT7 receptor (5-HT7R) has become a promising target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, sleep and circadian rhythm disorders, and pathological pain. In this study, we showed that Serodolin is unique among a number of agonists and antagonists tested: it behaves as an antagonist/inverse agonist on Gs signaling while inducing ERK activation through a β-arrestin–dependent signaling mechanism that requires c-SRC activation. Moreover, we showed that Serodolin clearly decreases hyperalgesia and pain sensation in response to inflammatory, thermal, and mechanical stimulation. This antinociceptive effect could not be observed in 5-HT7R knockout (KO) mice and was fully blocked by administration of SB269-970, a specific 5-HT7R antagonist, demonstrating the specificity of action of Serodolin. Physiological effects of 5-HT7R stimulation have been classically shown to result from Gs-dependent adenylyl cyclase activation. In this study, using a β-arrestin–biased agonist, we provided insight into the molecular mechanism triggered by 5-HT7R and revealed its therapeutic potential in the modulation of pain response.
Collapse
|
2
|
Huang H, Li X, Xie P, Li X, Xu X, Qian Y, Yuan C, Meng X, Chai J, Chen J, Liu J, Wang W, Li W, Wang Y, Fu W, Liu J. Discovery, Structure-Activity Relationship, and Mechanistic Studies of 1-((3 R,4 S)-3-((Dimethylamino)methyl)-4-hydroxy-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperidin-1-yl)-2-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)ethan-1-one as a Novel Potent Analgesic. J Med Chem 2021; 64:9458-9483. [PMID: 34152138 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Management of moderate to severe pain relies heavily on opioid analgesics such as morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl in clinics. However, their prolonged use was associated with undesirable side effects. Many new strategies to reduce side effects have been proposed, but not without disadvantages. Using a hot plate model as a phenotypic screening method, our studies identified (3R,4S)-9d with a new scaffold as a potent analgesic with ED50 values of 0.54 mg/kg and 0.021 mg/kg in hot plate and antiwrithing models, respectively. Mechanistic studies showed that it elicited its analgesic effect via the active metabolite (3R,4S)-10a. The mechanism of (3R,4S)-10a-induced activation of the μ opioid receptor (MOR) was proposed by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huoming Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xueping Li
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Xie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - XueJun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qian
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Congmin Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiangguo Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai 201318, China
| | - JingRui Chai
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenli Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - YuJun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jinggen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kudla L, Przewlocki R. Influence of G protein-biased agonists of μ-opioid receptor on addiction-related behaviors. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:1033-1051. [PMID: 33835467 PMCID: PMC8413226 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00251-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Opioid analgesics remain a gold standard for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. However, their clinical utility is seriously limited by a range of adverse effects. Among them, their high-addictive potential appears as very important, especially in the context of the opioid epidemic. Therefore, the development of safer opioid analgesics with low abuse potential appears as a challenging problem for opioid research. Among the last few decades, different approaches to the discovery of novel opioid drugs have been assessed. One of the most promising is the development of G protein-biased opioid agonists, which can activate only selected intracellular signaling pathways. To date, discoveries of several biased agonists acting via μ-opioid receptor were reported. According to the experimental data, such ligands may be devoid of at least some of the opioid side effects, such as respiratory depression or constipation. Nevertheless, most data regarding the addictive properties of biased μ-opioid receptor agonists are inconsistent. A global problem connected with opioid abuse also requires the search for effective pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction, which is another potential application of biased compounds. This review discusses the state-of-the-art on addictive properties of G protein-biased μ-opioid receptor agonists as well as we analyze whether these compounds can diminish any symptoms of opioid addiction. Finally, we provide a critical view on recent data connected with biased signaling and its implications to in vivo manifestations of addiction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucja Kudla
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Smetna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ryszard Przewlocki
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Smetna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kudla L, Bugno R, Skupio U, Wiktorowska L, Solecki W, Wojtas A, Golembiowska K, Zádor F, Benyhe S, Buda S, Makuch W, Przewlocka B, Bojarski AJ, Przewlocki R. Functional characterization of a novel opioid, PZM21, and its effects on the behavioural responses to morphine. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:4434-4445. [PMID: 31347704 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The concept of opioid ligands biased towards the G protein pathway with minimal recruitment of β-arrestin-2 is a promising approach for the development of novel, efficient, and potentially nonaddictive opioid therapeutics. A recently discovered biased μ-opioid receptor agonist, PZM21, showed analgesic effects with reduced side effects. Here, we aimed to further investigate the behavioural and biochemical properties of PZM21. EXPERIMENT APPROACH We evaluated antinociceptive effects of systemic and intrathecal PZM21 administration. Its addiction-like properties were determined using several behavioural approaches: conditioned place preference, locomotor sensitization, precipitated withdrawal, and self-administration. Also, effects of PZM21 on morphine-induced antinociception, tolerance, and reward were assessed. Effects of PZM21 on striatal release of monoamines were evaluated using brain microdialysis. KEY RESULTS PZM21 caused long-lasting dose-dependent antinociception. It did not induce reward- and reinforcement-related behaviour; however, its repeated administration led to antinociceptive tolerance and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal symptoms. Pretreatment with PZM21 enhanced morphine-induced antinociception and attenuated the expression of morphine reward. In comparison to morphine, PZM21 administration induced a moderate release of dopamine and a robust release of 5-HT in the striatum. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS PZM21 exhibited antinociceptive efficacy, without rewarding or reinforcing properties. However, its clinical application may be restricted, as it induces tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Notably, its ability to diminish morphine reward implies that PZM21 may be useful in treatment of opioid use disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucja Kudla
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ryszard Bugno
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Urszula Skupio
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Lucja Wiktorowska
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Solecki
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Adam Wojtas
- Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Krystyna Golembiowska
- Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ferenc Zádor
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sándor Benyhe
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Szymon Buda
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wioletta Makuch
- Department of Pain Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Barbara Przewlocka
- Department of Pain Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej J Bojarski
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ryszard Przewlocki
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
de la Peña JBI, Song JJ, Campbell ZT. RNA control in pain: Blame it on the messenger. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2019; 10:e1546. [PMID: 31090211 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
mRNA function is meticulously controlled. We provide an overview of the integral role that posttranscriptional controls play in the perception of painful stimuli by sensory neurons. These specialized cells, termed nociceptors, precisely regulate mRNA polarity, translation, and stability. A growing body of evidence has revealed that targeted disruption of mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins robustly diminishes pain-associated behaviors. We propose that the use of multiple independent regulatory paradigms facilitates robust temporal and spatial precision of protein expression in response to a range of pain-promoting stimuli. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease Translation > Translation Regulation RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- June Bryan I de la Peña
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Jane J Song
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Zachary T Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zjawiony JK, Machado AS, Menegatti R, Ghedini PC, Costa EA, Pedrino GR, Lukas SE, Franco OL, Silva ON, Fajemiroye JO. Cutting-Edge Search for Safer Opioid Pain Relief: Retrospective Review of Salvinorin A and Its Analogs. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:157. [PMID: 30971961 PMCID: PMC6445891 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the years, pain has contributed to low life quality, poor health, and economic loss. Opioids are very effective analgesic drugs for treating mild, moderate, or severe pain. Therapeutic application of opioids has been limited by short and long-term side effects. These side effects and opioid-overuse crisis has intensified interest in the search for new molecular targets and drugs. The present review focuses on salvinorin A and its analogs with the aim of exploring their structural and pharmacological profiles as clues for the development of safer analgesics. Ethnopharmacological reports and growing preclinical data have demonstrated the antinociceptive effect of salvinorin A and some of its analogs. The pharmacology of analogs modified at C-2 dominates the literature when compared to the ones from other positions. The distinctive binding affinity of these analogs seems to correlate with their chemical structure and in vivo antinociceptive effects. The high susceptibility of salvinorin A to chemical modification makes it an important pharmacological tool for cellular probing and developing analogs with promising analgesic effects. Additional research is still needed to draw reliable conclusions on the therapeutic potential of salvinorin A and its analogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan K Zjawiony
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Antônio S Machado
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Menegatti
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Paulo C Ghedini
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Elson A Costa
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Gustavo R Pedrino
- Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Scott E Lukas
- McLean Imaging Center, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Octávio L Franco
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia Molecular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Osmar N Silva
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - James O Fajemiroye
- Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,Centro Universitário de Anápolis, Unievangélica, Anápolis, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang J, Xu W, Zhong T, Song Z, Zou Y, Ding Z, Guo Q, Dong X, Zou W. miR-365 targets β-arrestin 2 to reverse morphine tolerance in rats. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38285. [PMID: 27922111 PMCID: PMC5138852 DOI: 10.1038/srep38285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphine tolerance is a challenging clinical problem that limits its clinical application in pain treatment. Non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) modulate gene expression in a post transcriptional manner, and their dysregulation causes various diseases. However, the significance of miRNAs in morphine tolerance is still poorly understood. In the present study, we hypothesized that microRNA-365 (miR-365) is a key functional small RNA that reverses morphine tolerance through regulation of β-arrestin 2 in rats. Here, microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR showed that miR-365 was robustly decreased in the spinal cord after chronic morphine administration. In situ hybridization and immunochemistry double staining showed that miR-365 was expressed in neurons of the spinal cord. We identified β-arrestin 2 as the target gene of miR-365 by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. The data showed that overexpression of miR-365 prevented and reversed established morphine tolerance, and increased expression of miR-365 caused a decrease in expression of β-arrestin 2 protein. miR-365 downregulation is involved in the development and maintenance of morphine tolerance through regulation of β-arrestin 2, and miR-365 upregulation provides a promising and novel approach for treatment of morphine tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Tao Zhong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Zongbin Song
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yu Zou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Zhuofeng Ding
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Qulian Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Wangyuan Zou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lamberts JT, Traynor JR. Opioid receptor interacting proteins and the control of opioid signaling. Curr Pharm Des 2014; 19:7333-47. [PMID: 23448476 DOI: 10.2174/138161281942140105160625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Opioid receptors are seven-transmembrane domain receptors that couple to intracellular signaling molecules by activating heterotrimeric G proteins. However, the receptor and G protein do not function in isolation but their activities are modulated by several accessory and scaffolding proteins. Examples include arrestins, kinases, and regulators of G protein signaling proteins. Accessory proteins contribute to the observed potency and efficacy of agonists, but also to the direction of signaling and the phenomenon of biased agonism. This review will present current knowledge of such proteins and how they may provide targets for future drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - John R Traynor
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1301 MSRB III, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5632, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang Y, Braithwaite A, Yuan Y, Streicher JM, Bilsky EJ. Behavioral and cellular pharmacology characterization of 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14β-dihydroxy-4,5α-epoxy-6α-(isoquinoline-3'-carboxamido)morphinan (NAQ) as a mu opioid receptor selective ligand. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 736:124-30. [PMID: 24815322 PMCID: PMC4073486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Mu opioid receptor (MOR) selective antagonists and partial agonists have been used for the treatment of opioid abuse and addiction. Our recent efforts on the identification of MOR antagonists have provided several novel leads displaying interesting pharmacological profiles. Among them, 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14β-dihydroxy-4,5α-epoxy-6α-[(3'-isoquinolyl)acetamido]morphinan (NAQ) showed sub-nanomolar binding affinity to the MOR with significant selectivity over the delta opioid receptor (DOR) and the kappa opioid receptor (KOR). Its central nervous system penetration capacity together with marginal agonism in the MOR-GTPγS binding assay made it a very interesting molecule for developing novel opioid abuse and addiction therapeutic agents. Therefore, further pharmacological characterization was conducted to fully understand its biological profile. At the molecular and cellular level, NAQ not only induced no translocation of β-arrestin2 to the MOR, but also efficaciously antagonized the effect of DAMGO in MOR-βarr2eGFP-U2OS cells in the β-arrestin2 recruitment assay. At the in vivo level, NAQ displayed a potent inhibition of the analgesic effect of morphine in the tail-flick assay (ID50=1.19 mg/kg). NAQ (10 mg/kg) also significantly decreased the hyper-locomotion induced by acute morphine without inducing any vertical jumps. Meanwhile NAQ precipitated lesser withdrawal symptoms in morphine dependent mice than naloxone. In conclusion, NAQ may represent a new chemical entity for opioid abuse and addiction treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh Street, P.O. Box 980540, Richmond, VA 23298, United States.
| | - Amanda Braithwaite
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, United States
| | - Yunyun Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh Street, P.O. Box 980540, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - John M Streicher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, United States
| | - Edward J Bilsky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bu H, Liu X, Tian X, Yang H, Gao F. Enhancement of morphine analgesia and prevention of morphine tolerance by downregulation of β-arrestin 2 with antigene RNAs in mice. Int J Neurosci 2014; 125:56-65. [DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2014.896913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
11
|
Raehal KM, Bohn LM. β-arrestins: regulatory role and therapeutic potential in opioid and cannabinoid receptor-mediated analgesia. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2014; 219:427-43. [PMID: 24292843 PMCID: PMC4804701 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-41199-1_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pain is a complex disorder with neurochemical and psychological components contributing to the severity, the persistence, and the difficulty in adequately treating the condition. Opioid and cannabinoids are two classes of analgesics that have been used to treat pain for centuries and are arguably the oldest of "pharmacological" interventions used by man. Unfortunately, they also produce several adverse side effects that can complicate pain management. Opioids and cannabinoids act at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and much of their effects are mediated by the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1R), respectively. These receptors couple to intracellular second messengers and regulatory proteins to impart their biological effects. In this chapter, we review the role of the intracellular regulatory proteins, β-arrestins, in modulating MOR and CB1R and how they influence the analgesic and side-effect profiles of opioid and cannabinoid drugs in vivo. This review of the literature suggests that the development of opioid and cannabinoid agonists that bias MOR and CB1R toward G protein signaling cascades and away from β-arrestin interactions may provide a novel mechanism by which to produce analgesia with less severe adverse effects.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Analgesics/adverse effects
- Analgesics/pharmacology
- Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects
- Analgesics, Opioid/pharmacology
- Animals
- Arrestins/metabolism
- Cannabinoids/adverse effects
- Cannabinoids/pharmacology
- Drug Design
- Humans
- Pain/drug therapy
- Pain/physiopathology
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/drug effects
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/drug effects
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/drug effects
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- beta-Arrestins
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M Raehal
- The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way #2A2, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA,
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
β-Arrestins in the Central Nervous System. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2013; 118:267-95. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394440-5.00011-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
13
|
Li T, Hou Y, Cao W, Yan CX, Chen T, Li SB. Role of dopamine D3 receptors in basal nociception regulation and in morphine-induced tolerance and withdrawal. Brain Res 2012; 1433:80-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2011] [Revised: 10/25/2011] [Accepted: 11/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
|
14
|
Opioid Receptor Trafficking and Signaling: What Happens After Opioid Receptor Activation? Cell Mol Neurobiol 2011; 32:167-84. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-011-9755-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2011] [Accepted: 09/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
|
15
|
Yang CH, Huang HW, Chen KH, Chen YS, Sheen-Chen SM, Lin CR. Antinociceptive potentiation and attenuation of tolerance by intrathecal β-arrestin 2 small interfering RNA in rats. Br J Anaesth 2011; 107:774-81. [PMID: 21926413 DOI: 10.1093/bja/aer291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tolerance to the analgesic effect of opioids complicates the management of persistent pain states. We tested whether the intrathecal infusion of small interfering RNA (siRNA) against β-arrestin 2 would reduce tolerance to chronic morphine use and the severity of precipitated morphine withdrawal. METHODS Intrathecal β-arrestin 2 (2 μg siRNA per 10 μl per rat) was injected once daily for 3 days. Rats then received a continuous intrathecal infusion of morphine (2 nmol h⁻¹) or saline for 7 days. Daily tail-flick (TF) and intrathecal morphine challenge tests were performed to assess the effect of intrathecal β-arrestin 2 siRNA on antinociception and tolerance to morphine. Naloxone withdrawal (2 mg kg⁻¹) was performed to assess morphine dependence. RESULTS In the daily TF test, the antinociception of intrathecal morphine was increased and maintained in rats receiving β-arrestin 2 siRNA compared with the control group (morphine alone). In the probe response test, rats receiving morphine infusion with β-arrestin 2 siRNA treatment showed a significant left shift in their dose-response curve, as measured by per cent maximal possible effect (MPE), such that the AD₅₀ was significantly decreased by a factor of 5.6 when compared with that of morphine-infused rats. In the naloxone-induced withdrawal tests, rats receiving β-arrestin 2 siRNA injection with morphine infusion showed a significant reduction in four of the six signs of withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS We show here that intrathecal β-arrestin 2 siRNA in rats enhances analgesia and attenuates naloxone-induced withdrawal symptoms. This may warrant further investigation in the context of long-term use of intrathecal opioids for controlling chronic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C-H Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Niao-Sung District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Raehal KM, Schmid CL, Groer CE, Bohn LM. Functional selectivity at the μ-opioid receptor: implications for understanding opioid analgesia and tolerance. Pharmacol Rev 2011; 63:1001-19. [PMID: 21873412 DOI: 10.1124/pr.111.004598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids are the most effective analgesic drugs for the management of moderate or severe pain, yet their clinical use is often limited because of the onset of adverse side effects. Drugs in this class produce most of their physiological effects through activation of the μ opioid receptor; however, an increasing number of studies demonstrate that different opioids, while presumably acting at this single receptor, can activate distinct downstream responses, a phenomenon termed functional selectivity. Functional selectivity of receptor-mediated events can manifest as a function of the drug used, the cellular or neuronal environment examined, or the signaling or behavioral measure recorded. This review summarizes both in vitro and in vivo work demonstrating functional selectivity at the μ opioid receptor in terms of G protein coupling, receptor phosphorylation, interactions with β-arrestins, receptor desensitization, internalization and signaling, and details on how these differences may relate to the progression of analgesic tolerance after their extended use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M Raehal
- Molecular Therapeutics and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Whalen EJ, Rajagopal S, Lefkowitz RJ. Therapeutic potential of β-arrestin- and G protein-biased agonists. Trends Mol Med 2010; 17:126-39. [PMID: 21183406 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2010.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 418] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2010] [Revised: 11/13/2010] [Accepted: 11/17/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Members of the seven-transmembrane receptor (7TMR), or G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), superfamily represent some of the most successful targets of modern drug therapy, with proven efficacy in the treatment of a broad range of human conditions and disease processes. It is now appreciated that β-arrestins, once viewed simply as negative regulators of traditional 7TMR-stimulated G protein signaling, act as multifunctional adapter proteins that regulate 7TMR desensitization and trafficking and promote distinct intracellular signals in their own right. Moreover, several 7TMR biased agonists, which selectively activate these divergent signaling pathways, have been identified. Here we highlight the diversity of G protein- and β-arrestin-mediated functions and the therapeutic potential of selective targeting of these in disease states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin J Whalen
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Molinari P, Vezzi V, Sbraccia M, Grò C, Riitano D, Ambrosio C, Casella I, Costa T. Morphine-like opiates selectively antagonize receptor-arrestin interactions. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:12522-35. [PMID: 20189994 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.059410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The addictive potential of opioids may be related to their differential ability to induce G protein signaling and endocytosis. We compared the ability of 20 ligands (sampled from the main chemical classes of opioids) to promote the association of mu and delta receptors with G protein or beta-arrestin 2. Receptor-arrestin binding was monitored by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) in intact cells, where pertussis toxin experiments indicated that the interaction was minimally affected by receptor signaling. To assess receptor-G protein coupling without competition from arrestins, we employed a cell-free BRET assay using membranes isolated from cells expressing luminescent receptors and fluorescent Gbeta(1). In this system, the agonist-induced enhancement of BRET (indicating shortening of distance between the two proteins) was G alpha-mediated (as shown by sensitivity to pertussis toxin and guanine nucleotides) and yielded data consistent with the known pharmacology of the ligands. We found marked differences of efficacy for G protein and arrestin, with a pattern suggesting more restrictive structural requirements for arrestin efficacy. The analysis of such differences identified a subset of structures showing a marked discrepancy between efficacies for G protein and arrestin. Addictive opiates like morphine and oxymorphone exhibited large differences both at delta and mu receptors. Thus, they were effective agonists for G protein coupling but acted as competitive enkephalins antagonists (delta) or partial agonists (mu) for arrestin. This arrestin-selective antagonism resulted in inhibition of short and long term events mediated by arrestin, such as rapid receptor internalization and down-regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Molinari
- Department of Pharmacology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome 00161, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Li Y, Liu X, Liu C, Kang J, Yang J, Pei G, Wu C. Improvement of morphine-mediated analgesia by inhibition of β-arrestin2 expression in mice periaqueductal gray matter. Int J Mol Sci 2009; 10:954-63. [PMID: 19399231 PMCID: PMC2672012 DOI: 10.3390/ijms10030954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2009] [Revised: 02/23/2009] [Accepted: 02/25/2009] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphine is a well-known mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist and an efficient analgesic, but its long-term use inevitably leads to drug addiction and tolerance. Here, we show that specific inhibition of beta-arrestin2 with its siRNA lentivirus microinjected in mice periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) significantly improved both acute and chronic morphine analgesia and delayed the tolerance in the hotplate test. The specific effect of beta-arrestin2 was proven by overexpression or knockdown of its homology beta-arrestin1 in PAG, which showed no significant effects on morphine analgesia. These findings suggest that specific siRNA targeting beta-arrestin2 may constitute a new approach to morphine therapy and other MOR agonist-mediated analgesia and tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(Y.L.);
(J.Y.);
(G.P.)
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(C.L.);
(J.K.)
| | - Xing Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical College and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China; E-Mail:
| | - Chang Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(C.L.);
(J.K.)
| | - Jiuhong Kang
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(C.L.);
(J.K.)
| | - Jingyu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(Y.L.);
(J.Y.);
(G.P.)
| | - Gang Pei
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(Y.L.);
(J.Y.);
(G.P.)
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, P.R. China; E-Mails:
(Y.L.);
(J.Y.);
(G.P.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
;
; Tel./Fax: +86 24 23843567
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Physiological and pharmacological implications of beta-arrestin regulation. Pharmacol Ther 2008; 121:285-93. [PMID: 19100766 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2008.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2008] [Accepted: 11/18/2008] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor-targeted drug discovery as well as "compound reassessment" requires the utilization of diverse screens to determine agonist efficacies and potencies beyond the scope of ligand binding and G protein coupling. Such efforts have arisen from extensive studies, both in cellular and animal models, demonstrating that these seven transmembrane domain-spanning, G protein-coupled receptors may engage in more diverse functions than their name suggests and particular focus is drawn to their interactions with beta-arrestins (betaarrestins). As regulators, betaarrestins are involved in dampening G protein-coupling pathways. betaArrestins can also play pro-signaling roles in receptor mediated events and the coupling of receptors to betaarrestins may be as important as their potential to couple to G proteins in the physiological setting. In the last decade, the development of betaarrestin deficient mouse models has allowed for the assessment of the contribution of individual betaarrestins to receptor function in vivo. This review will discuss the current literature that implicates betaarrestins in receptor function in respect to physiological and behavioral responses observed in the live animal model.
Collapse
|
21
|
Martin TJ, Ewan E. Chronic pain alters drug self-administration: implications for addiction and pain mechanisms. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2008; 16:357-66. [PMID: 18837632 PMCID: PMC3788584 DOI: 10.1037/a0013597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This review article focuses on the impact that the presence of pain has on drug self-administration in rodents, and the potential for using self-administration to study both addiction and pain, as well as their interaction. The literature on the effects of noxious input to the brain on both spinal and supraspinal neuronal activity is reviewed as well as the evidence that human and rodent neurobiology is affected similarly by noxious stimulation. The convergence of peripheral input to somatosensory systems with limbic forebrain structures is briefly discussed in the context of how the activity of one system may influence activity within the other system. Finally, the literature on how pain influences drug-seeking behaviors in rodents is reviewed, with a final discussion of how these techniques might be able to contribute to the development of novel analgesic treatments that minimize addiction and tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Martin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Groer CE, Tidgewell K, Moyer RA, Harding WW, Rothman RB, Prisinzano TE, Bohn LM. An opioid agonist that does not induce mu-opioid receptor--arrestin interactions or receptor internalization. Mol Pharmacol 2006; 71:549-57. [PMID: 17090705 PMCID: PMC3926195 DOI: 10.1124/mol.106.028258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor desensitization and trafficking are important regulators of opioid receptor signaling that can dictate overall drug responsiveness in vivo. Furthermore, different mu-opioid receptor (muOR) ligands can lead to varying degrees of receptor regulation, presumably because of distinct structural conformations conferred by agonist binding. For example, morphine binding produces a muOR with low affinity for beta-arrestin proteins and limited receptor internalization, whereas enkephalin analogs promote robust trafficking of both beta-arrestins and the receptors. Here, we evaluate muOR trafficking in response to activation by a novel mu-selective agonist derived from the naturally occurring plant product, salvinorin A. It is interesting that this compound, termed herkinorin, does not promote the recruitment of beta-arrestin-2 to the muOR and does not lead to receptor internalization. Moreover, whereas G protein-coupled receptor kinase overexpression can promote morphine-induced beta-arrestin interactions and muOR internalization, such manipulations do not promote herkinorin-induced trafficking. Studies in mice have shown that beta-arrestin-2 plays an important role in the development of morphine-induced tolerance, constipation, and respiratory depression. Therefore, drugs that can activate the receptor without recruiting the arrestins may be a promising step in the development of opiate analgesics that distinguish between agonist activity and receptor regulation and may ultimately lead to therapeutics designed to provide pain relief without the adverse side effects normally associated with the opiate narcotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C E Groer
- Department of Pharmacology, the Ohio State University College of Medicine, 333 W 10th Avenue, 5184A Graves Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Jiang B, Shi Y, Li H, Kang L, Ma L. Decreased morphine analgesia in rat overexpressing beta-arrestin 2 at periaqueductal gray. Neurosci Lett 2006; 400:150-3. [PMID: 16563622 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.02.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2005] [Revised: 01/29/2006] [Accepted: 02/13/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Beta-arrestin 2 plays important physiological roles in regulating the function of the mu opioid receptor (muOR) in vivo. Periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a potential structure where morphine produces its antinociception, but it is unclear whether beta-arrestin 2 plays its regulatory effect on morphine at PAG. In the present study beta-arrestin 2 overexpression was induced by adenovirus at PAG of rats. Morphine was administrated in these rats through PAG microinjection and systemic administration. The antinociceptive effects of morphine were abolished in rats received microinjection of morphine at PAG and partially attenuated in rats received systemic administration of morphine. These findings support the notion that PAG is an important site where beta-arrestin 2 plays its regulatory effects on morphine analgesia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baohong Jiang
- Pharmacology Research Center and Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
King T, Ossipov MH, Vanderah TW, Porreca F, Lai J. Is paradoxical pain induced by sustained opioid exposure an underlying mechanism of opioid antinociceptive tolerance? Neurosignals 2006; 14:194-205. [PMID: 16215302 DOI: 10.1159/000087658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2005] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Opiates are the primary treatment for pain management in cancer patients reporting moderate to severe pain, and are being increasingly used for non-cancer chronic pain. However, prolonged administration of opiates is associated with significant problems including the development of antinociceptive tolerance, wherein higher doses of the drug are required over time to elicit the same amount of analgesia. High doses of opiates result in serious side effects such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, somnolence, and impairment of mental alertness. In addition, sustained exposure to morphine has been shown to result in paradoxical pain in regions unaffected by the initial pain complaint, and which may also result in dose escalation, i.e. 'analgesic tolerance'. A concept that has been gaining considerable experimental validation is that prolonged use of opioids elicits paradoxical, abnormal pain. This enhanced pain state requires additional opioids to maintain a constant level of antinociception, and consequently may be interpreted as antinociceptive tolerance. Many substances have been shown to block or reverse antinociceptive tolerance. A non-inclusive list of examples of substances reported to block or reverse opioid antinociceptive tolerance include: substance P receptor (NK-1) antagonists, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists, nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, protein kinase C inhibitors, competitive and non-competitive antagonists of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor, AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4 isoxazolepropionic acid) antagonists, anti-dynorphin antiserum, and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonists. Without exception, these substances are also antagonists of pain-enhancing agents. Prolonged opiate administration indeed induces upregulation of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) within sensory fibers in vivo, and this is accompanied by an enhanced release of excitatory neurotransmitters and neuropeptides from primary afferent fibers upon stimulation. The enhanced evoked release of neuropeptides is correlated with the onset of abnormal pain states and opioid antinociceptive tolerance. Importantly, the descending pain modulatory pathway from the brainstem rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) via the dorsolateral funiculus (DLF) is critical for maintaining the changes observed in the spinal cord, abnormal pain states and antinociceptive tolerance, because animals with lesion of the DLF did not show enhanced evoked neuropeptide release, or develop abnormal pain or antinociceptive tolerance upon sustained exposure to opiates. Microinjection of either lidocaine or a CCK antagonist into the RVM blocked both thermal and touch hypersensitivity as well as antinociceptive tolerance. Thus, prolonged opioid exposure enhances a descending pain facilitatory pathway from the RVM that is mediated at least in part by CCK activity and is essential for the maintenance of antinociceptive tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara King
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Opiate drugs such as morphine are well known for their ability to produce potent analgesia as well as such unwanted side effects as tolerance, physical dependence, respiratory suppression and constipation. Opiates act at opioid receptors, which belong to the family of G protein-coupled receptors. The mechanisms governing mu opioid receptor (muOR) regulation are of particular interest since morphine and other clinically important analgesics produce their pharmacological effects through this receptor. Here we review recent advances in understanding how opioid receptor regulation can impart differential agonist efficacy produced in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M. Raehal
- Department of Pharmacology & Psychiatry, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine & Health Science, 5184A Graves Hall, 333 W 10th Ave, 43210-1239 Columbus, OH
| | - Laura M. Bohn
- Department of Pharmacology & Psychiatry, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine & Health Science, 5184A Graves Hall, 333 W 10th Ave, 43210-1239 Columbus, OH
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Chronic pain is a major socio-economic burden which remains poorly treated owing to either the lack of efficacy or the dose-limiting, adverse effects of current clinical therapies. It is currently a subject of intense pharmaceutical activity, focused on developing more efficacious therapies. A recent development involving RNA interference (RNAi) in a pathophysiological model of chronic pain highlighted a novel approach to potential treatment in humans. Delivery of oligonucleotides led to a potent and highly selective degradation of a target mRNA and produced a measurable abrogation in pain-related behaviour. This review will discuss the potential of small interfering RNA (siRNA) in the treatment of chronic pain by evaluating points of intervention in chronic pain pathways that may be amenable to siRNA application. Selected studies using RNAi in vivo in various model systems which allow insight into its application in humans are reviewed. Chemical formats and routes of administration that may suit chronic pain siRNA therapies are considered, and some potential clinical hurdles to siRNA delivery in humans are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pam Ganju
- Chronic Pain Programme, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, London, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Gainetdinov RR, Premont RT, Bohn LM, Lefkowitz RJ, Caron MG. Desensitization of G protein-coupled receptors and neuronal functions. Annu Rev Neurosci 2004; 27:107-44. [PMID: 15217328 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 632] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have proven to be the most highly favorable class of drug targets in modern pharmacology. Over 90% of nonsensory GPCRs are expressed in the brain, where they play important roles in numerous neuronal functions. GPCRs can be desensitized following activation by agonists by becoming phosphorylated by members of the family of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs). Phosphorylated receptors are then bound by arrestins, which prevent further stimulation of G proteins and downstream signaling pathways. Discussed in this review are recent progress in understanding basics of GPCR desensitization, novel functional roles, patterns of brain expression, and receptor specificity of GRKs and beta arrestins in major brain functions. In particular, screening of genetically modified mice lacking individual GRKs or beta arrestins for alterations in behavioral and biochemical responses to cocaine and morphine has revealed a functional specificity in dopamine and mu-opioid receptor regulation of locomotion and analgesia. An important and specific role of GRKs and beta arrestins in regulating physiological responsiveness to psychostimulants and morphine suggests potential involvement of these molecules in certain brain disorders, such as addiction, Parkinson's disease, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the utility of a pharmacological strategy aimed at targeting this GPCR desensitization machinery to regulate brain functions can be envisaged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raul R Gainetdinov
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Laboratories, Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
|
29
|
Obara I, Mika J, Schäfer MKH, Przewlocka B. Antagonists of the kappa-opioid receptor enhance allodynia in rats and mice after sciatic nerve ligation. Br J Pharmacol 2003; 140:538-46. [PMID: 12970097 PMCID: PMC1574046 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The administration of kappa-opioid receptor antagonists, nor-binaltorphimine (norBNI) and 5'-guanidinonaltrindole (GNTI) enhanced allodynia in rats and mice after sciatic nerve ligation. In order to understand the mechanism underlying this effect, we examined the possible involvement of the endogenous ligand of kappa-opioid receptor dynorphin. The experiments were carried out on male Wistar rats and on Albino-Swiss mice. The rats had been implanted with a catheter 7 days earlier in the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord. Intrathecal (i.t.) administrations in mice were made by lumbar puncture. The animals were i.t. injected with norBNI, GNTI (kappa-opioid receptor antagonists), dynorphin A1-17 antiserum (DYN A/S), ketamine (NMDA receptor antagonist) and their combinations. The nociceptive sensitivity was assessed using the mechanical (von Frey) and thermal allodynia tests on days 2-4 and 8-10 after the sciatic nerve ligation. Both antagonists, norBNI and GNTI, significantly enhanced mechanical and thermal allodynia in rats and mice with neuropathic pain. The potentiation of allodynia after the administration of norBNI or GNTI was inhibited by earlier administration of DYN A/S or by ketamine. Our results suggest that allodynia is mediated through nonopioid effect of the endogenous opioid peptide, dynorphin. The nonopioid action is potentiated by the blockade of kappa-opioid receptors, and corresponding to the elevation of prodynorphin mRNA level in neuropathic pain. Furthermore, the potentiation of allodynia after the administration of the above drugs appears to be mediated through the activation of NMDA receptors directly by dynorphin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I Obara
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - J Mika
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps University, 35033 Marburg, Germany
| | - M K -H Schäfer
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps University, 35033 Marburg, Germany
| | - B Przewlocka
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
- Author for correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Stone LS, Vulchanova L. The pain of antisense: in vivo application of antisense oligonucleotides for functional genomics in pain and analgesia. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2003; 55:1081-112. [PMID: 12935946 DOI: 10.1016/s0169-409x(03)00105-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As the genomic revolution continues to evolve, there is an increasing demand for efficient and reliable tools for functional characterization of individual gene products. Antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown has been used successfully as a functional genomics tool in animal models of pain and analgesia yet skepticism regarding the validity and utility of antisense technology remains. Contributing to this uncertainty are the lack of systematic studies exploring antisense oligonucleotide use in vivo and the many technical and methodological challenges intrinsic to the method. This article reviews the contributions of antisense oligonucleotide-based studies to the field of pain and analgesia and the general principles of antisense technology. A special emphasis is placed on technical issues surrounding the successful application of antisense oligonucleotides in vivo, including sequence selection, antisense oligonucleotide chemistry, DNA controls, route of administration, uptake, dose-dependence, time-course and adequate evaluation of knockdown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Stone
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 6-125 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
This paper is the twenty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning over a quarter-century of research. It summarizes papers published during 2002 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Garnier M, Zaratin PF, Ficalora G, Valente M, Fontanella L, Rhee MH, Blumer KJ, Scheideler MA. Up-regulation of regulator of G protein signaling 4 expression in a model of neuropathic pain and insensitivity to morphine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003; 304:1299-306. [PMID: 12604710 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.102.043471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized that the up-regulated expression of one or more members of the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) family can cause an attenuation of signaling via Gi/Go-coupled opioid receptors, and thereby play a role in the development of hyperalgesia and accompanying insensitivity to morphine observed in animal models of neuropathic pain. Accordingly, we examined the mRNA expression of several RGS genes in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain induced by partial ligation of the sciatic nerve. During the development of hyperalgesia, RGS4 was the only isoform examined whose mRNA levels increased significantly (up to 230%) in the lumbar spinal cord. In situ hybridization studies confirmed that RGS4 is present in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord where mu-opioid receptors (MORs) are also expressed. Overexpression of RGS4 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably expressing mu-opioid receptors predictably attenuated opioid agonist-induced inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. This inhibitory effect was overcome partially at high agonist concentrations, supporting the view that morphine insensitivity is promoted by RGS4 overexpression. These studies provide evidence that the up-regulation of RGS4 expression may contribute to changes in pain signal processing that lead to the development of hyperalgesia, and further affect its modulation by morphine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martine Garnier
- Department of Neurobiology Research, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|