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Walters TH, Wiah S, Shekarabi A, Milton M, Reddy S, Zhao P, Mokkarala PS, Potula R, Rawls SM. Clavulanic acid inhibits methamphetamine locomotor sensitization in mice and normalizes methamphetamine-induced changes in glutaminase mRNA levels in the nucleus accumbens. Physiol Behav 2024; 284:114646. [PMID: 39053627 PMCID: PMC11347075 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Clavulanic acid (CLAV) is a component of Augmentin® that preserves antibiotic efficacy by inhibiting β-lactamase activity. It also enhances cellular glutamate uptake and is a potential CNS therapeutic. Because increased glutamate transmission in brain reward circuits facilitates methamphetamine (METH) locomotor activation and sensitization, we tested the hypothesis that CLAV inhibits acute and sensitized locomotor responses to METH in mice and investigated effects of CLAV on METH-induced changes in glutaminase, the major glutamate-producing enzyme in the brain. Acute METH (3 mg/kg) produced hyperlocomotion that was reduced by CLAV (20 mg/kg but not 10 mg/kg). Mice injected with METH (3 mg/kg) every other day for 9 d and then challenged with METH 27 d later displayed locomotor sensitization. CLAV (10 mg/kg), when injected 15 min before each METH injection during the 9-d exposure interval, blocked locomotor sensitization induced by METH challenge. In METH-sensitized mice, mRNA levels of both isoforms of glutaminase (GLS and GLS2) were altered in the nucleus accumbens compared to mice exposed to a single injection of METH (i.e., GLS decreased and GLS2 increased). CLAV normalized the METH-induced GLS deficit but not the increase in GLS2. In summary, CLAV reduced acute and sensitized locomotor responses to METH and normalized the METH-induced reduction of GLS gene expression in the NAC. Given that glutaminases belong to the β-lactamase superfamily and CLAV is a β-lactamase inhibitor, our data point toward studying glutaminase as a therapeutic target of CLAV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Hawthorne Walters
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sonita Wiah
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aryan Shekarabi
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mia Milton
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samhitha Reddy
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pingwei Zhao
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Prateek S Mokkarala
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Raghava Potula
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Scott M Rawls
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Alasmari MS, Almohammed OA, Hammad AM, Altulayhi KA, Alkadi BK, Alasmari AF, Alqahtani F, Sari Y, Alasmari F. Effects of Beta Lactams on Behavioral Outcomes of Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies. Neuroscience 2024; 537:58-83. [PMID: 38036059 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.014] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preclinical studies demonstrated that beta-lactams have neuroprotective effects in conditions involving glutamate neuroexcitotoxicity, including substance use disorders (SUDs). This meta-analysis aims to analyze the existing evidences on the effects of beta-lactams as glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) upregulators in animal models of SUDs, identification of gaps in the literature, and setting the stage for potential translation into clinical phases. METHODS Meta-analysis was conducted on preclinical studies retrieved systematically from MEDLINE and ScienceDirect databases. Abused substances were identified by refereeing to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The results were quantitatively described with a focus on the behavioral outcomes. Treatment effect sizes were described using standardized mean difference, and they were pooled using random effect model. I2-statistic was used to assess heterogeneity, and Funnel plot and Egger's test were used for assessment of publication bias. RESULTS Literature search yielded a total of 71 studies that were eligible to be included in the analysis. Through these studies, the effects of beta-lactams were evaluated in animal models of nicotine, cannabis, amphetamines, synthetic cathinone, opioids, ethanol, and cocaine use disorders as well as steroids-related aggressive behaviors. Meta-analysis showed that treatments with beta-lactams consistently reduced the pooled undesired effects of the abused substances in several paradigms, including drug-self administration, conditioned place preference, drug seeking behaviors, hyperlocomotion, withdrawal syndromes, tolerance to analgesic effects, hyperalgesia, and hyperthermia. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis revealed that enhancing GLT-1 expression in the brain through beta-lactams seemed to be a promising treatment approach in the context of substance use disorders, as indicated by results in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed S Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar A Almohammed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa M Hammad
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Khalid A Altulayhi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader K Alkadi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah F Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faleh Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Youssef Sari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Fawaz Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
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Balcazar-Ochoa LG, Ventura-Martínez R, Ángeles-López GE, Gómez-Acevedo C, Carrasco OF, Sampieri-Cabrera R, Chavarría A, González-Hernández A. Clavulanic Acid and its Potential Therapeutic Effects on the Central Nervous System. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:102916. [PMID: 38039802 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2023.102916] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Clavulanic acid (CLAV) is a non-antibiotic β-lactam that has been used since the late 1970s as a β-lactamase inhibitor in combination with amoxicillin, another ß-lactam with antibiotic activity. Its long-observed adverse reaction profile allows it to say that CLAV is a well-tolerated drug with mainly mild adverse reactions. Interestingly, in 2005, it was discovered that β-lactams enhance the astrocytic expression of GLT-1, a glutamate transporter essential for maintaining synaptic glutamate homeostasis involved in several pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS). This finding, along with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, prompted the appearance of several studies that intended to evaluate the effect of CLAV in preclinical disease models. Studies have revealed that CLAV can increase GLT-1 expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), and spinal cord of rodents, to affect glutamate and dopaminergic neurotransmission, and exert an anti-inflammatory effect by modulating the levels of the cytokines TNF-α and interleukin 10 (IL-10). CLAV has been tested with positive results in preclinical models of epilepsy, addiction, stroke, neuropathic and inflammatory pain, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and sexual and anxiety behavior. These properties make CLAV a potential therapeutic drug if repurposed. Therefore, this review aims to gather information on CLAV's effect on preclinical neurological disease models and to give some perspectives on its potential therapeutic use in some diseases of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa Ventura-Martínez
- Farmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | | | - Claudia Gómez-Acevedo
- Farmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Omar Francisco Carrasco
- Farmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Raúl Sampieri-Cabrera
- Phyisiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Anahí Chavarría
- Experimental Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Esmaili-Shahzade-Ali-Akbari P, Ghaderi A, Hosseini SMM, Nejat F, Saeedi-Mofrad M, Karimi-Houyeh M, Ghattan A, Etemadi A, Rasoulian E, Khezri A. β_lactam antibiotics against drug addiction: A novel therapeutic option. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:1411-1426. [PMID: 37602907 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22110] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Drug addiction as a problem for the health of the individual and the society is the result of a complex process in which there is an interaction between brain nuclei and neurotransmitters (such as glutamate). β-lactam antibiotics, due to their enhancing properties on the glutamate transporter glutamate transporter-1, can affect and counteract the addictive mechanisms of drugs through the regulation of extracellular glutamate. Since glutamate is a key neurotransmitter in the development of drug addiction, it seems that β-lactams can be considered as a promising treatment for addiction. However, more research in this field is necessary to identify other mechanisms involved in their effectiveness. This article is a review of the studies conducted on the effect of β-lactam administration in preventing the development of drug addiction, as well as their possible cellular and molecular mechanisms. This review suggests the clinical use of β-lactam antibiotics that have weak antimicrobial properties (such as clavulanic acid) in the treatment of drug dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amir Ghaderi
- Department of Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Nejat
- Department of Biology and Health Sciences, Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - Alireza Ghattan
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Amirreza Etemadi
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Elham Rasoulian
- Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arina Khezri
- Department of Anesthesia, School of Allied Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Philogene-Khalid HL, Morrison MF, Darbinian N, Selzer ME, Schroeder J, Rawls SM. The GLT-1 enhancer clavulanic acid suppresses cocaine place preference behavior and reduces GCPII activity and protein levels in the rat nucleus accumbens. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 232:109306. [PMID: 35051699 PMCID: PMC8885893 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The β-lactam antibiotic ceftriaxone (CTX) is a glutamate transporter subtype 1 (GLT-1) enhancer that reduces cocaine reinforcing efficacy and relapse in rats, but pharmacokinetic liabilities limit translational utility. An attractive alternative is clavulanic acid (CLAV), a structurally related β-lactamase inhibitor and component of FDA-approved Augmentin. CLAV retains the GLT-1 enhancing effects of CTX but displays greater oral bioavailability, brain penetrability and negligible antibacterial activity. CLAV reduces morphine conditioned place preference (CPP) and ethanol consumption in rats, but knowledge about the efficacy of CLAV in preclinical models of drug addiction remains sparse. Here, we investigated effects of CLAV (10 mg/kg, IP) on the acquisition, expression, and maintenance of cocaine CPP in rats, and on two glutamate biomarkers associated with cocaine dependence, GLT-1 and glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII). CLAV administered during cocaine conditioning (10 mg/kg, IP x 4 d) did not affect the development of cocaine CPP. However, a single CLAV injection, administered after the conditioning phase, reduced the expression of cocaine CPP. In rats with established cocaine preference, repeated CLAV administration facilitated extinction of cocaine CPP. In the nucleus accumbens, acute CLAV exposure reduced GCPII protein levels and activity, and a 10-d CLAV treatment regimen enhanced GLT-1 levels. These results suggest that CLAV reduces expression and maintenance of cocaine CPP but lacks effect against development of CPP. Moreover, the ability of a single injection of CLAV to reduce both GCPII activity and protein levels, as well as expression of cocaine CPP, points toward studying GCPII as a therapeutic target of CLAV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene L. Philogene-Khalid
- Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Corresponding author at: Department of Psychiatry, Medical Arts Building Suite 305, Temple University, 100 East Lehigh Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125-1012, United States.
| | - Mary F. Morrison
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nune Darbinian
- Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael E. Selzer
- Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joseph Schroeder
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Connecticut College, New London, CT, USA
| | - Scott M. Rawls
- Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Smaga I, Wydra K, Witek K, Surówka P, Suder A, Pieniążek R, Caffino L, Fumagalli F, Sanak M, Filip M. Intravenous administration of Tat-NR2B9c peptide, a PSD95 inhibitor, attenuates reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 416:113537. [PMID: 34416299 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder is a serious, chronic and relapsing disease of the nervous system, for which effective treatments do not yet exist. Recently, the role of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit GluN2B has been highlighted in cocaine abstinence followed by extinction training. Since the GluN2B subunit is stabilized at synaptic level by the interaction with its scaffolding protein PSD95, in this study we aimed at investigating efficacy of Tat-NR2B9c peptide, a PSD95 inhibitor, which disrupts the interaction of PSD95 with GluN2B, in the attenuation of cocaine seeking-behavior or cue-induced reinstatement. We found that Tat-NR2B9c, administered intravenously, attenuated the reinstatement of active lever presses induced by a priming dose of cocaine or by drug-associated conditioned stimuli. At the same time, the GluN2B/PSD95 complex levels were decreased in the ventral hippocampus of rats that previously self-administered cocaine injected with Tat-NR2B9c during cocaine- or cue-induced reinstatement. In conclusion, we here provide the first evidence showing that the disruption of the GluN2B/PSD95 complexes during cocaine abstinence followed by extinction training may represent a useful strategy to reduce reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Smaga
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Karolina Wydra
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kacper Witek
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Surówka
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Affective Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agata Suder
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Renata Pieniążek
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Marek Sanak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawińska 8, PL 31-066, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343, Kraków, Poland
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Knackstedt LA, Wu L, Rothstein J, Vidensky S, Gordon J, Ramanjulu M, Dunman P, Blass B, Childers W, Abou-Gharbia M. MC-100093, a Novel β-Lactam Glutamate Transporter-1 Enhancer Devoid of Antimicrobial Properties, Attenuates Cocaine Relapse in Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2021; 378:51-59. [PMID: 33986035 PMCID: PMC8407531 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.121.000532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder currently lacks Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments. In rodents, the glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) is downregulated in the nucleus accumbens after cocaine self-administration, and increasing the expression and function of GLT-1 reduces the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. The β-lactam antibiotic ceftriaxone upregulates GLT-1 and attenuates cue- and cocaine-induced cocaine seeking without affecting motivation for natural rewards. Although ceftriaxone shows promise for treating cocaine use disorder, it possesses characteristics that limit successful translation from bench to bedside, including poor brain penetration, a lack of oral bioavailability, and a risk of bacterial resistance when used chronically. Thus, we aimed to develop novel molecules that retained the GLT-1-enhancing effects of ceftriaxone but displayed superior drug-like properties. Here, we describe a new monocyclic β-lactam, MC-100093, as a potent upregulator of GLT-1 that is orally bioavailable and devoid of antimicrobial properties. MC-100093 was synthesized and tested in vitro and in vivo to determine physiochemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties. Next, adult male rats underwent cocaine self-administration and extinction training. During extinction training, rats received one of four doses of MC-100093 for 6-8 days prior to a single cue-primed reinstatement test. Separate cohorts of rats were used to assess nucleus accumbens GLT-1 expression and MC-100093 effects on sucrose self-administration. We found that 50 mg/kg MC-100093 attenuated cue-primed reinstatement of cocaine seeking while upregulating GLT-1 expression in the nucleus accumbens core. This dose did not produce sedation, nor did it decrease sucrose consumption or body weight. Thus, MC-100093 represents a potential treatment to reduce cocaine relapse. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Increasing GLT-1 activity reliably reduces drug-seeking across classes of drugs; however, existing GLT1-enhancers have side effects and lack oral bioavailability. To address this issue, novel GLT-1 enhancers were synthesized, and the compound with the most favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, MC-100093, was selected for further testing. MC-100093 attenuated cued cocaine seeking without reducing food seeking or locomotion and upregulated GLT-1 expression in the nucleus accumbens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori A Knackstedt
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Lizhen Wu
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Jeffrey Rothstein
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Svetlana Vidensky
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - John Gordon
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Mercy Ramanjulu
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Paul Dunman
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Benjamin Blass
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Wayne Childers
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
| | - Magid Abou-Gharbia
- Psychology Department (L.A.K., L.W.) and Center for Addiction Research (L.A.K.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.G, M.R., B.B., W.C., M.A.-G.); Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.R., S.V.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York (P.D.)
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N-acetylcysteine in substance use disorder: a lesson from preclinical and clinical research. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:1205-1219. [PMID: 34091880 PMCID: PMC8460563 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00283-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic brain condition, with compulsive and uncontrollable drug-seeking that leads to long-lasting and harmful consequences. The factors contributing to the development of SUD, as well as its treatment settings, are not fully understood. Alterations in brain glutamate homeostasis in humans and animals implicate a key role of this neurotransmitter in SUD, while the modulation of glutamate transporters has been pointed as a new strategy to diminish the excitatory glutamatergic transmission observed after drugs of abuse. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), known as a safe mucolytic agent, is involved in the regulation of this system and may be taken into account as a novel pharmacotherapy for SUD. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the ability of NAC to reduce drug-seeking behavior induced by psychostimulants, opioids, cannabinoids, nicotine, and alcohol in animals and humans. Preclinical studies showed a beneficial effect in animal models of SUD, while the clinical efficacy of NAC has not been fully established. In summary, NAC will be a small add-on to usual treatment and/or psychotherapy for SUD, however, further studies are required.
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9
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Cocaine use disorder: A look at metabotropic glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 221:107797. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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10
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Angoa-Pérez M, Kuhn DM. Evidence for Modulation of Substance Use Disorders by the Gut Microbiome: Hidden in Plain Sight. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:571-596. [PMID: 33597276 PMCID: PMC7896134 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome modulates neurochemical function and behavior and has been implicated in numerous central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including developmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a serious threat to the public well-being, yet gut microbiome involvement in drug abuse has received very little attention. Studies of the mechanisms underlying SUDs have naturally focused on CNS reward circuits. However, a significant body of research has accumulated over the past decade that has unwittingly provided strong support for gut microbiome participation in drug reward. β-Lactam antibiotics have been employed to increase glutamate transporter expression to reverse relapse-induced release of glutamate. Sodium butyrate has been used as a histone deacetylase inhibitor to prevent drug-induced epigenetic alterations. High-fat diets have been used to alter drug reward because of the extensive overlap of the circuitry mediating them. This review article casts these approaches in a different light and makes a compelling case for gut microbiome modulation of SUDs. Few factors alter the structure and composition of the gut microbiome more than antibiotics and a high-fat diet, and butyrate is an endogenous product of bacterial fermentation. Drugs such as cocaine, alcohol, opiates, and psychostimulants also modify the gut microbiome. Therefore, their effects must be viewed on a complex background of cotreatment-induced dysbiosis. Consideration of the gut microbiome in SUDs should have the beneficial effects of expanding the understanding of SUDs and aiding in the design of new therapies based on opposing the effects of abused drugs on the host's commensal bacterial community. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Proposed mechanisms underlying substance use disorders fail to acknowledge the impact of drugs of abuse on the gut microbiome. β-Lactam antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and high-fat diets are used to modify drug seeking and reward, overlooking the notable capacity of these treatments to alter the gut microbiome. This review aims to stimulate research on substance abuse-gut microbiome interactions by illustrating how drugs of abuse share with antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and fat-laden diets the ability to modify the host microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Angoa-Pérez
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Donald M Kuhn
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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Fischer KD, Knackstedt LA, Rosenberg PA. Glutamate homeostasis and dopamine signaling: Implications for psychostimulant addiction behavior. Neurochem Int 2021; 144:104896. [PMID: 33159978 PMCID: PMC8489281 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine abuse disorders are serious worldwide health problems. To date, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of these disorders. Elucidation of the biochemical underpinnings contributing to psychostimulant addiction is critical for the development of effective therapies. Excitatory signaling and glutamate homeostasis are well known pathophysiological substrates underlying addiction-related behaviors spanning multiple types of psychostimulants. To alleviate relapse behavior to psychostimulants, considerable interest has focused on GLT-1, the major glutamate transporter in the brain. While many brain regions are implicated in addiction behavior, this review focuses on two regions well known for their role in mediating the effects of cocaine and amphetamines, namely the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In addition, because many investigators have utilized Cre-driver lines to selectively control gene expression in defined cell populations relevant for psychostimulant addiction, we discuss potential off-target effects of Cre-recombinase that should be considered in the design and interpretation of such experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn D Fischer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Lori A Knackstedt
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Paul A Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Smaga I, Gawlińska K, Frankowska M, Wydra K, Sadakierska-Chudy A, Suder A, Piechota M, Filip M. Extinction Training after Cocaine Self-Administration Influences the Epigenetic and Genetic Machinery Responsible for Glutamatergic Transporter Gene Expression in Male Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2020; 451:99-110. [PMID: 33065231 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate is a key excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The balance of glutamatergic transporter proteins allows long-term maintenance of glutamate homeostasis in the brain, which is impaired during cocaine use disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the gene expression of SLC1A2 (encoding GLT-1), and SLC7A11 (encoding xCT), in rat brain structures after short-term (3 days) and long-term (10 days) extinction training using microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, we analyzed the expression of genes encoding transcription factors, i.e., NFKB1 and NFKB2 (encoding NF-κB), PAX6, (encoding Pax6), and NFE2L2 (encoding Nrf2), to verify the correlation between changes in glutamatergic transporters and changes in their transcriptional factors and microRNAs (miRNAs; miR-124a, miR-543-3p and miR-342-3p) and confirm the epigenetic mechanism. We found reduced GLT-1 transcript and mRNA level in the prefrontal cortex (PFCTX) and dorsal striatum (DSTR) in rats that had previously self-administered cocaine after 3 days of extinction training, which was associated with downregulation of PAX6 (transcript and mRNA) and NFKB2 (mRNA) level in the PFCTX and with upregulation of miR-543-3p and miR-342-3p in the DSTR. The xCT mRNA level was reduced in the PFCTX and DSTR, and NFE2L2 transcript level in the PFCTX was decreased on the 3rd day of extinction training. In conclusion, 3-day drug-free period modulates GLT-1 and xCT gene expression through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, and such changes in expression seem to be potential molecular targets for developing a treatment for cocaine-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Smaga
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Kinga Gawlińska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Frankowska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Wydra
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Sadakierska-Chudy
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agata Suder
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Piechota
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland
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