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Perisic M, Woolcock K, Hering A, Mendel H, Muttenthaler M. Oxytocin and vasopressin signaling in health and disease. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:361-377. [PMID: 38418338 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Neurohypophysial peptides are ancient and evolutionarily highly conserved neuropeptides that regulate many crucial physiological functions in vertebrates and invertebrates. The human neurohypophysial oxytocin/vasopressin (OT/VP) signaling system with its four receptors has become an attractive drug target for a variety of diseases, including cancer, pain, cardiovascular indications, and neurological disorders. Despite its promise, drug development faces hurdles, including signaling complexity, selectivity and off-target concerns, translational interspecies differences, and inefficient drug delivery. In this review we dive into the complexity of the OT/VP signaling system in health and disease, provide an overview of relevant pharmacological probes, and discuss the latest trends in therapeutic lead discovery and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Perisic
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Vienna Doctoral School in Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katrina Woolcock
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anke Hering
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, Australia
| | - Helen Mendel
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, Australia
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, Australia.
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2
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Olszewski PK, Noble EE, Paiva L, Ueta Y, Blevins JE. Oxytocin as a potential pharmacological tool to combat obesity. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13106. [PMID: 35192207 PMCID: PMC9372234 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has emerged as an important anorexigen in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. It has been shown that the release of OT and activation of hypothalamic OT neurons coincide with food ingestion. Its effects on feeding have largely been attributed to limiting meal size through interactions in key regulatory brain regions governing the homeostatic control of food intake such as the hypothalamus and hindbrain in addition to key feeding reward areas such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, the magnitude of an anorexigenic response to OT and feeding-related activation of the brain OT circuit are modified by the composition and flavor of a diet, as well as by a social context in which a meal is consumed. OT is particularly effective in reducing consumption of carbohydrates and sweet tastants. Pharmacologic, genetic, and pair-feeding studies indicate that OT-elicited weight loss cannot be fully explained by reductions of food intake and that the overall impact of OT on energy balance is also partly a result of OT-elicited changes in lipolysis, energy expenditure, and glucose regulation. Peripheral administration of OT mimics many of its effects when it is given into the central nervous system, raising the questions of whether and to what extent circulating OT acts through peripheral OT receptors to regulate energy balance. Although OT has been found to elicit weight loss in female mice, recent studies have indicated that sex and estrous cycle may impact oxytocinergic modulation of food intake. Despite the overall promising basic research data, attempts to use OT in the clinical setting to combat obesity and overeating have generated somewhat mixed results. The focus of this mini-review is to briefly summarize the role of OT in feeding and metabolism, address gaps and inconsistencies in our knowledge, and discuss some of the limitations to the potential use of chronic OT that should help guide future research on OT as a tailor-made anti-obesity therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel K Olszewski
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emily E Noble
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Luis Paiva
- Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Yoichi Ueta
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - James E Blevins
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Nolan MD, Shine C, Scanlan EM, Petracca R. Thioether analogues of the pituitary neuropeptide oxytocin via thiol–ene macrocyclisation of unprotected peptides. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:8192-8196. [DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01688e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A radical mediated approach to macrocyclisation of unprotected peptides via Thiol-Ene Click for synthesis of disulfide analogues is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Nolan
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D05 R590, Ireland
| | - Conor Shine
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D05 R590, Ireland
| | - Eoin M. Scanlan
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D05 R590, Ireland
| | - Rita Petracca
- Utrecht University, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Netherlands
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Cid-Jofré V, Moreno M, Reyes-Parada M, Renard GM. Role of Oxytocin and Vasopressin in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Therapeutic Potential of Agonists and Antagonists. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222112077. [PMID: 34769501 PMCID: PMC8584779 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with their regulatory role in reproduction, water homeostasis, and social behaviors. Interestingly, this role has expanded in recent years and has positioned these neuropeptides as therapeutic targets for various neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism, addiction, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. Due to the chemical-physical characteristics of these neuropeptides including short half-life, poor blood-brain barrier penetration, promiscuity for AVP and OT receptors (AVP-R, OT-R), novel ligands have been developed in recent decades. This review summarizes the role of OT and AVP in neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as the findings of different OT-R and AVP-R agonists and antagonists, used both at the preclinical and clinical level. Furthermore, we discuss their possible therapeutic potential for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeska Cid-Jofré
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
| | - Macarena Moreno
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Bernardo OHiggins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
| | - Miguel Reyes-Parada
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Providencia 7500912, Chile
- Correspondence: (M.R.-P.); (G.M.R.)
| | - Georgina M. Renard
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.R.-P.); (G.M.R.)
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Kerem L, Lawson EA. The Effects of Oxytocin on Appetite Regulation, Food Intake and Metabolism in Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7737. [PMID: 34299356 PMCID: PMC8306733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin and its receptor are involved in a range of physiological processes, including parturition, lactation, cell growth, wound healing, and social behavior. More recently, increasing evidence has established the effects of oxytocin on food intake, energy expenditure, and peripheral metabolism. In this review, we provide a comprehensive description of the central oxytocinergic system in which oxytocin acts to shape eating behavior and metabolism. Next, we discuss the peripheral beneficial effects oxytocin exerts on key metabolic organs, including suppression of visceral adipose tissue inflammation, skeletal muscle regeneration, and bone tissue mineralization. A brief summary of oxytocin actions learned from animal models is presented, showing that weight loss induced by chronic oxytocin treatment is related not only to its anorexigenic effects, but also to the resulting increase in energy expenditure and lipolysis. Following an in-depth discussion on the technical challenges related to endogenous oxytocin measurements in humans, we synthesize data related to the association between endogenous oxytocin levels, weight status, metabolic syndrome, and bone health. We then review clinical trials showing that in humans, acute oxytocin administration reduces food intake, attenuates fMRI activation of food motivation brain areas, and increases activation of self-control brain regions. Further strengthening the role of oxytocin in appetite regulation, we review conditions of hypothalamic insult and certain genetic pathologies associated with oxytocin depletion that present with hyperphagia, extreme weight gain, and poor metabolic profile. Intranasal oxytocin is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials to learn whether oxytocin-based therapeutics can be used to treat obesity and its associated sequela. At the end of this review, we address the fundamental challenges that remain in translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
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Fischer NH, Nielsen DS, Palmer D, Meldal M, Diness F. C-Terminal lactamization of peptides. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:895-898. [PMID: 33367306 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc06018f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Solid-phase synthesis of peptides (SPPS) with release through formation of C-terminal γ-, δ-, or ε-lactams is presented. The natural products ciliatamide A and C were synthesized in up to 90% yield. Peptides carrying C-terminal lactams were shown to possess increased bio-stability and comparable biological activity as compared to the parent non-lactamized peptide amides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas H Fischer
- Center for Evolutionary Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
| | - Daniel S Nielsen
- Center for Evolutionary Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
| | - Daniel Palmer
- Center for Evolutionary Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
| | - Morten Meldal
- Center for Evolutionary Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
| | - Frederik Diness
- Center for Evolutionary Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark.
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