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Kem WR, Soti F, Rocca JR, Johnson JV. New Pyridyl and Dihydroisoquinoline Alkaloids Isolated from the Chevron Nemertean Amphiporus angulatus. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:141. [PMID: 38667758 PMCID: PMC11050936 DOI: 10.3390/md22040141] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Nemertean worms contain toxins that are used to paralyze their prey and to deter potential predators. Hoplonemerteans often contain pyridyl alkaloids like anabaseine that act through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and crustacean chemoreceptors. The chemical reactivity of anabaseine, the first nemertean alkaloid to be identified, has been exploited to make drug candidates selective for alpha7 subtype nAChRs. GTS-21, a drug candidate based on the anabaseine scaffold, has pro-cognitive and anti-inflammatory actions in animal models. The circumpolar chevron hoplonemertean Amphiporus angulatus contains a multitude of pyridyl compounds with neurotoxic, anti-feeding, and anti-fouling activities. Here, we report the isolation and structural identification of five new compounds, doubling the number of pyridyl alkaloids known to occur in this species. One compound is an isomer of the tobacco alkaloid anatabine, another is a unique dihydroisoquinoline, and three are analogs of the tetrapyridyl nemertelline. The structural characteristics of these ten compounds suggest several possible pathways for their biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R. Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1200 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ferenc Soti
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1200 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - James R. Rocca
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
| | - Jodie V. Johnson
- Mass Spectrometry Research and Education Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
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Weinstein JJ, Moeller SJ, Perlman G, Gil R, Van Snellenberg JX, Wengler K, Meng J, Slifstein M, Abi-Dargham A. Imaging the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter in Schizophrenia: A Positron Emission Tomography Study Using [ 18F]-VAT. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)00062-3. [PMID: 38309322 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite longstanding interest in the central cholinergic system in schizophrenia (SCZ), cholinergic imaging studies with patients have been limited to receptors. Here, we conducted a proof-of-concept positron emission tomography study using [18F]-VAT, a new radiotracer that targets the vesicular acetylcholine transporter as a proxy measure of acetylcholine transmission capacity, in patients with SCZ and explored relationships of vesicular acetylcholine transporter with clinical symptoms and cognition. METHODS A total of 18 adult patients with SCZ or schizoaffective disorder (the SCZ group) and 14 healthy control participants underwent a positron emission tomography scan with [18F]-VAT. Distribution volume (VT) for [18F]-VAT was derived for each region of interest, and group differences in VT were assessed with 2-sample t tests. Functional significance was explored through correlations between VT and scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and a computerized neurocognitive battery (PennCNB). RESULTS No group differences in [18F]-VAT VT were observed. However, within the SCZ group, psychosis symptom severity was positively associated with VT in multiple regions of interest, with the strongest effects in the hippocampus, thalamus, midbrain, cerebellum, and cortex. In addition, in the SCZ group, working memory performance was negatively associated with VT in the substantia innominata and several cortical regions of interest including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS In this initial study, the severity of 2 important features of SCZ-psychosis and working memory deficit-was strongly associated with [18F]-VAT VT in several cortical and subcortical regions. These correlations provide preliminary evidence of cholinergic activity involvement in SCZ and, if replicated in larger samples, could lead to a more complete mechanistic understanding of psychosis and cognitive deficits in SCZ and the development of therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi J Weinstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos School of Medicine and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.
| | - Scott J Moeller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Greg Perlman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Roberto Gil
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Jared X Van Snellenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York; Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos School of Medicine and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Jiayan Meng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Mark Slifstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos School of Medicine and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
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Mayeli A, Clancy KJ, Sonnenschein S, Sarpal DK, Ferrarelli F. A narrative review of treatment interventions to improve cognitive performance in schizophrenia, with an emphasis on at-risk and early course stages. Psychiatry Res 2022; 317:114926. [PMID: 36932470 PMCID: PMC10729941 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a core feature of schizophrenia (SCZ), which unfavorably affects SCZ patients' daily functioning and overall clinical outcome. An increasing body of evidence has shown that cognitive deficits are present not only at the beginning of the illness but also several years before the onset of psychosis. Nonetheless, the majority of treatment interventions targeting cognitive dysfunction in SCZ, using both pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches, have focused on chronic patients rather than individuals at high risk or in the early stages of the disease. In this article, we provide a narrative review of cognitive interventions in SCZ patients, with a particular focus on pre-emptive interventions in at-risk/early course individuals when available. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges for these pre-emptive treatment interventions and provide some suggestions on how future work may ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Mayeli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Ave, Suite 456, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kevin J Clancy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Ave, Suite 456, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Susan Sonnenschein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Ave, Suite 456, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Deepak K Sarpal
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Ave, Suite 456, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Fabio Ferrarelli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Ave, Suite 456, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Marine Origin Ligands of Nicotinic Receptors: Low Molecular Compounds, Peptides and Proteins for Fundamental Research and Practical Applications. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020189. [PMID: 35204690 PMCID: PMC8961598 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of our review is to briefly show what different compounds of marine origin, from low molecular weight ones to peptides and proteins, offer for understanding the structure and mechanism of action of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and for finding novel drugs to combat the diseases where nAChRs may be involved. The importance of the mentioned classes of ligands has changed with time; a protein from the marine snake venom was the first excellent tool to characterize the muscle-type nAChRs from the electric ray, while at present, muscle and α7 receptors are labeled with the radioactive or fluorescent derivatives prepared from α-bungarotoxin isolated from the many-banded krait. The most sophisticated instruments to distinguish muscle from neuronal nAChRs, and especially distinct subtypes within the latter, are α-conotoxins. Such information is crucial for fundamental studies on the nAChR revealing the properties of their orthosteric and allosteric binding sites and mechanisms of the channel opening and closure. Similar data are provided by low-molecular weight compounds of marine origin, but here the main purpose is drug design. In our review we tried to show what has been obtained in the last decade when the listed classes of compounds were used in the nAChR research, applying computer modeling, synthetic analogues and receptor mutants, X-ray and electron-microscopy analyses of complexes with the nAChRs, and their models which are acetylcholine-binding proteins and heterologously-expressed ligand-binding domains.
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Ramos-Martínez IE, Rodríguez MC, Cerbón M, Ramos-Martínez JC, Ramos-Martínez EG. Role of the Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Reflex in Central Nervous System Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413427. [PMID: 34948222 PMCID: PMC8705572 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In several central nervous system diseases, it has been reported that inflammation may be related to the etiologic process, therefore, therapeutic strategies are being implemented to control inflammation. As the nervous system and the immune system maintain close bidirectional communication in physiological and pathological conditions, the modulation of inflammation through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex has been proposed. In this review, we summarized the evidence supporting chemical stimulation with cholinergic agonists and vagus nerve stimulation as therapeutic strategies in the treatment of various central nervous system pathologies, and their effect on inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Emmanuel Ramos-Martínez
- Glycobiology, Cell Growth and Tissue Repair Research Unit (Gly-CRRET), Université Paris Est Créteil (UPEC), 94010 Créteil, France;
| | - María Carmen Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, SSA, Morelos 62100, Mexico;
| | - Marco Cerbón
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (E.G.R.-M.)
| | - Juan Carlos Ramos-Martínez
- Cardiology Department, Hospital General Regional Lic. Ignacio Garcia Tellez IMSS, Yucatán 97150, Mexico;
| | - Edgar Gustavo Ramos-Martínez
- Escuela de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca 68120, Mexico
- Instituto de Cómputo Aplicado en Ciencias, Oaxaca 68044, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (E.G.R.-M.)
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Abstract
The α7-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is one of the most unique and interesting of all the members of the cys-loop superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels. Since it was first identified initially as a binding site for α-bungarotoxin in mammalian brain and later as a functional homomeric receptor with relatively high calcium permeability, it has been pursued as a potential therapeutic target for numerous indications, from Alzheimer disease to asthma. In this review, we discuss the history and state of the art for targeting α7 receptors, beginning with subtype-selective agonists and the basic pharmacophore for the selective activation of α7 receptors. A key feature of α7 receptors is their rapid desensitization by standard "orthosteric" agonist, and we discuss insights into the conformational landscape of α7 receptors that has been gained by the development of ligands binding to allosteric sites. Some of these sites are targeted by positive allosteric modulators that have a wide range of effects on the activation profile of the receptors. Other sites are targeted by direct allosteric agonist or antagonists. We include a perspective on the potential importance of α7 receptors for metabotropic as well as ionotropic signaling. We outline the challenges that exist for future development of drugs to target this important receptor and approaches that may be considered to address those challenges. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The α7-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is acknowledged as a potentially important therapeutic target with functional properties associated with both ionotropic and metabotropic signaling. The functional properties of α7 nAChR can be regulated in diverse ways with the variety of orthosteric and allosteric ligands described in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger L Papke
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (R.L.P) and Chemistry (N.A.H.), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Nicole A Horenstein
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (R.L.P) and Chemistry (N.A.H.), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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Roles of the Functional Interaction between Brain Cholinergic and Dopaminergic Systems in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Schizophrenia and Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094299. [PMID: 33919025 PMCID: PMC8122651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most physiologic processes in the brain and related diseases involve more than one neurotransmitter system. Thus, elucidation of the interaction between different neurotransmitter systems could allow for better therapeutic approaches to the treatments of related diseases. Dopaminergic (DAergic) and cholinergic neurotransmitter system regulate various brain functions that include cognition, movement, emotion, etc. This review focuses on the interaction between the brain DAergic and cholinergic systems with respect to the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease (PD). We first discussed the selection of motor plans at the level of basal ganglia, the major DAergic and cholinergic pathways in the brain, and the receptor subtypes involved in the interaction between the two signaling systems. Next, the roles of each signaling system were discussed in the context of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, with a focus on the α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptor and the dopamine D1 receptor in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, the roles of the nicotinic and dopamine receptors were discussed in the context of regulation of striatal cholinergic interneurons, which play crucial roles in the degeneration of nigrostriatal DAergic neurons and the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in PD patients. Finally, we discussed the general mechanisms of nicotine-induced protection of DAergic neurons.
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Gaidhani N, Tucci FC, Kem WR, Beaton G, Uteshev VV. Therapeutic efficacy of α7 ligands after acute ischaemic stroke is linked to conductive states of α7 nicotinic ACh receptors. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:1684-1704. [PMID: 33496352 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Targeting α7 nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in neuroinflammatory disorders including acute ischaemic stroke holds significant therapeutic promise. However, therapeutically relevant signalling mechanisms remain unidentified. Activation of neuronal α7 nAChRs triggers ionotropic signalling, but there is limited evidence for it in immunoglial tissues. The α7 ligands which are effective in reducing acute ischaemic stroke damage promote α7 ionotropic activity, suggesting a link between their therapeutic effects for treating acute ischaemic stroke and activation of α7 conductive states. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH This hypothesis was tested using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of acute ischaemic stroke, NS6740, a known selective non-ionotropic agonist of α7 nAChRs and 4OH-GTS-21, a partial α7 agonist. NS6740-like ligands exhibiting low efficacy/potency for ionotropic activity will be referred to as non-ionotropic agonists or "metagonists". KEY RESULTS 4OH-GTS-21, used as a positive control, significantly reduced neurological deficits and brain injury after MCAO as compared to vehicle and NS6740. By contrast, NS6740 was ineffective in identical assays and reversed the effects of 4OH-GTS-21 when these compounds were co-applied. Electrophysiological recordings from acute hippocampal slices obtained from NS6740-injected animals demonstrated its remarkable brain availability and protracted effects on α7 nAChRs as evidenced by sustained (>8 h) alterations in α7 ionotropic responsiveness. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS These results suggest that α7 ionotropic activity may be obligatory for therapeutic efficacy of α7 ligands after acute ischaemic stroke yet, highlight the potential for selective application of α7 ligands to disease states based on their mode of receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Gaidhani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Fabio C Tucci
- Epigen Biosciences, Inc., San Diego, California, USA
| | - William R Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Graham Beaton
- Epigen Biosciences, Inc., San Diego, California, USA
| | - Victor V Uteshev
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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9
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Application of marine natural products in drug research. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 35:116058. [PMID: 33588288 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
New diseases are emerging as the environment changes, so drug manufacturers are always on the lookout for new resources to develop effective and safe drugs. In recent years, many bioactive substances have been produced in the marine environment, which represents an alternative resource for new drugs used to combat major diseases such as cancer or inflammation. Many marine-derived medicinal substances are in preclinical or early stage of clinical development, and some marine drugs have been put on the market, such as ET743 (Yondelis®). This review presents the sources, activities, mechanisms of action and syntheses of bioactive substances based on marine natural products in clinical trials and on the market, which is helpful to understand the progress of drug research by application of marine natural products.
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Verma MK, Goel RN, Bokare AM, Dandekar MP, Koul S, Desai S, Tota S, Singh N, Nigade PB, Patil VB, Modi D, Mehta M, Gundu J, Walunj SS, Karche NP, Sinha N, Kamboj RK, Palle VP. LL-00066471, a novel positive allosteric modulator of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ameliorates cognitive and sensorimotor gating deficits in animal models: Discovery and preclinical characterization. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 891:173685. [PMID: 33127363 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) is an extensively validated target for several neurological and psychiatric conditions namely, dementia and schizophrenia, owing to its vital roles in cognition and sensorimotor gating. Positive allosteric modulation (PAM) of α7 nAChR represents an innovative approach to amplify endogenous cholinergic signaling in a temporally restricted manner in learning and memory centers of brain. α7 nAChR PAMs are anticipated to side-step burgeoning issues observed with several clinical-stage orthosteric α7 nAChR agonists, related to selectivity, tolerance/tachyphylaxis, thus providing a novel dimension in therapeutic strategy and pharmacology of α7 nAChR ion-channel. Here we describe a novel α7 nAChR PAM, LL-00066471, which potently amplified agonist-induced Ca2+ fluxes in neuronal IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells in a α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX) sensitive manner. LL-00066471 showed excellent oral bioavailability across species (mouse, rat and dog), low clearance and good brain penetration (B/P ratio > 1). In vivo, LL-00066471 robustly attenuated cognitive deficits in both procognitive and antiamnesic paradigms of short-term episodic and recognition memory in novel object recognition task (NORT) and social recognition task (SRT), respectively. Additionally, LL-00066471 mitigated apomorphine-induced sensorimotor gating deficits in acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and enhanced antipsychotic efficacy of olanzapine in conditioned avoidance response (CAR) task. Further, LL-00066471 corrected redox-imbalances and reduced cortico-striatal infarcts in stroke model. These finding together suggest that LL-00066471 has potential to symptomatically alleviate cognitive deficits associated with dementias, attenuate sensorimotor gating deficits in schizophrenia and correct redox-imbalances in cerebrovascular disorders. Therefore, LL-00066471 presents potential for management of cognitive impairments associated with neurological and psychiatric conditions.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Brain/drug effects
- Brain/metabolism
- Brain/physiopathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cholinergic Agents/pharmacokinetics
- Cholinergic Agents/pharmacology
- Cognition/drug effects
- Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism
- Cognitive Dysfunction/physiopathology
- Cognitive Dysfunction/prevention & control
- Cognitive Dysfunction/psychology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Dogs
- Exploratory Behavior/drug effects
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic/metabolism
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic/physiopathology
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic/prevention & control
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic/psychology
- Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy
- Ischemic Stroke/metabolism
- Ischemic Stroke/physiopathology
- Male
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Open Field Test/drug effects
- Oxidative Stress/drug effects
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Rats, Wistar
- Reflex, Startle/drug effects
- Sensory Gating/drug effects
- Signal Transduction
- Social Behavior
- alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/drug effects
- alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/metabolism
- Mice
- Rats
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahip K Verma
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India.
| | - Rajan N Goel
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Anand M Bokare
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Manoj P Dandekar
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Sarita Koul
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Sagar Desai
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Santoshkumar Tota
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Nilendra Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Prashant B Nigade
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Vinod B Patil
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Dipak Modi
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Maneesh Mehta
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Jayasagar Gundu
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Sameer S Walunj
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Navnath P Karche
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Neelima Sinha
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Rajender K Kamboj
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
| | - Venkata P Palle
- Department of Pharmacology, Novel Drug Discovery and Development, Lupin Limited, Lupin Research Park, Pune, Maharashtra, 412115, India
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The nAChR Chaperone TMEM35a (NACHO) Contributes to the Development of Hyperalgesia in Mice. Neuroscience 2021; 457:74-87. [PMID: 33422618 PMCID: PMC7897319 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a major health problem, affecting over fifty million adults in the US alone, with significant economic cost in medical care and lost productivity. Despite evidence implicating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in pathological pain, their specific contribution to pain processing in the spinal cord remains unclear given their presence in both neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. Here we investigated if loss of neuronal-specific TMEM35a (NACHO), a novel chaperone for functional expression of the homomeric α7 and assembly of the heteromeric α3, α4, and α6-containing nAChRs, modulates pain in mice. Mice with tmem35a deletion exhibited thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Intrathecal administration of nicotine and the α7-specific agonist, PHA543613, produced analgesic responses to noxious heat and mechanical stimuli in tmem35a KO mice, respectively, suggesting residual expression of these receptors or off-target effects. Since NACHO is expressed only in neurons, these findings indicate that neuronal α7 nAChR in the spinal cord contributes to heat nociception. To further determine the molecular basis underlying the pain phenotype, we analyzed the spinal cord transcriptome. Compared to WT control, the spinal cord of tmem35a KO mice exhibited 72 differentially-expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were mapped onto functional gene networks using the knowledge-based database, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, and suggests increased neuroinflammation as a potential contributing factor for the hyperalgesia in tmem35a KO mice. Collectively, these findings implicate a heightened inflammatory response in the absence of neuronal NACHO activity. Additional studies are needed to determine the precise mechanism by which NACHO in the spinal cord modulates pain.
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Recio-Barbero M, Segarra R, Zabala A, González-Fraile E, González-Pinto A, Ballesteros J. Cognitive Enhancers in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists for Cognitive Deficits and Negative Symptoms. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:631589. [PMID: 33889097 PMCID: PMC8055861 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.631589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Schizophrenia is a severe and enduring disease and is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Cognitive impairment is a core clinical symptom that plays a crucial role in functional outcomes and prognosis, thus making it a relevant treatment target. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists (α7 nAChR) as adjunctive treatment to enhance cognition and ameliorate negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A search strategy was developed for MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to May 2019. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared antipsychotic treatment plus α7 nAChR agonists with antipsychotic treatment plus placebo and determined their effects on the main cognitive domains proposed by the MATRICS initiative and on negative symptoms. Two authors independently reviewed study eligibility and data extraction and assessed the risk of bias of the studies included. According to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, we used a random-effects model and assessed the quality of the evidence. Results: Thirteen studies were included in the quantitative analysis. No differences were found in any of the cognitive domains assessed in four RCTs (n = 414). In contrast, nine RCTs (n = 978) presented a small effect in support of α7 nAChR agonists for negative symptoms [standardized mean difference -0.28, 95% CI (-0.56 to -0.00); P = 0.05], even though the confidence to support this evidence is low according to the GRADE system. Conclusions: Current evidence is too weak to consider α7 nAChR agonists as an effective add-on treatment to antipsychotics to enhance cognition and negative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Segarra
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Arantzazu Zabala
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ana González-Pinto
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Araba University Hospital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba Health Research Institute, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Javier Ballesteros
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
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Choueiry J, Blais CM, Shah D, Smith D, Fisher D, Illivitsky V, Knott V. CDP-choline and galantamine, a personalized α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor targeted treatment for the modulation of speech MMN indexed deviance detection in healthy volunteers: a pilot study. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3665-3687. [PMID: 32851421 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05646-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The combination of CDP-choline, an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) agonist, with galantamine, a positive allosteric modulator of nAChRs, is believed to counter the fast desensitization rate of the α7 nAChRs and may be of interest for schizophrenia (SCZ) patients. Beyond the positive and negative clinical symptoms, deficits in early auditory prediction-error processes are also observed in SCZ. Regularity violations activate these mechanisms that are indexed by electroencephalography-derived mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to auditory deviance. OBJECTIVES/METHODS This pilot study in thirty-three healthy humans assessed the effects of an optimized α7 nAChR strategy combining CDP-choline (500 mg) with galantamine (16 mg) on speech-elicited MMN amplitude and latency measures. The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and counterbalanced design with a baseline stratification method allowed for assessment of individual response differences. RESULTS Increases in MMN generation mediated by the acute CDP-choline/galantamine treatment in individuals with low baseline MMN amplitude for frequency, intensity, duration, and vowel deviants were revealed. CONCLUSIONS These results, observed primarily at temporal recording sites overlying the auditory cortex, implicate α7 nAChRs in the enhancement of speech deviance detection and warrant further examination with respect to dysfunctional auditory deviance processing in individuals with SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joelle Choueiry
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Crystal M Blais
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dhrasti Shah
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Derek Fisher
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Vadim Illivitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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14
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Gaidhani N, Kem WR, Uteshev VV. Spleen is not required for therapeutic effects of 4OH-GTS-21, a selective α7 nAChR agonist, in the sub-acute phase of ischemic stroke in rats. Brain Res 2020; 1751:147196. [PMID: 33159972 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) causes both central and peripheral inflammation, while activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) provides both central and peripheral anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Here, we provide evidence that 4OH-GTS-21, a selective α7 agonist, produces its therapeutic effects via primarily central sites of action because 4OH-GTS-21 was found equally effective in splenectomized and non-spenectomized rats in the sub-acute phase of ischemic stroke (≤1 week). However, the spleen may boost the therapeutic efficacy of 4OH-GTS-21 in certain behavioral tasks as our data also indicated. In our tests, AIS was modeled by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Splenectomy was done 2 weeks before tMCAO. We determined that: 1) Daily 4OH-GTS-21 treatments for 7 days after tMCAO significantly reduced neurological deficits and brain injury in both splenectomized and non-spelenectomized rats demonstrating that the spleen is not required for therapeutic benefits of 4OH-GTS-21; 2) The effects of 4OH-GTS-21 in the adhesive sticker removal test were significantly weaker in splenectomized animals suggesting that the spleen boosts the efficacy of 4OH-GTS-21 in the first week after tMCAO; and 3) Ischemic brain injury was not significantly affected by splenectomy in both vehicle-treated and 4OH-GTS-21-treated animals. These data support the hypothesis that the therapeutic efficacy of sub-chronic (≤1 week) 4OH-GTS-21 primarily originates from central sites of action. These results validate brain availability as a critical factor for developing novel α7 ligands for AIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Gaidhani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - William R Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 1200 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Victor V Uteshev
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
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15
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Chronic smoking and cognition in patients with schizophrenia: A meta-analysis. Schizophr Res 2020; 222:113-121. [PMID: 32507373 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.03.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with schizophrenia display a very high rate of smoking in comparison with the general population. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to assess the association between cognitive performances and smoking status in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS This review was registered at PROSPERO, number CRD42019126758. After a systematic search on MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and clinicaltrials.gov databases, all studies measuring neurocognitive performances in both smoking and nonsmoking patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were included. Original data were extracted. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated with the means and standard deviations extracted using a random-effect model. Cognitive performances were compared between smoking and nonsmoking patients with schizophrenia. Meta-regressions were performed to explore the influence of sociodemographic and clinical variables on SMD. RESULTS Eighteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. Chronic smoking in patients with schizophrenia, compared to nonsmoking, was associated with a significant more important impairment in attention (p = 0.02), working memory (p < 0.001), learning (p < 0.001), executive function (EF) reasoning/problem solving (p < 0.001) and speed of processing (p < 0.001), but not in delayed memory, EF abstraction/shifting, EF inhibition and language. The meta-regression analysis found that attention impairment could be influenced by age (p < 0.001) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis provides strong evidence that, in patients with schizophrenia, chronic smoking is related to cognitive impairment. This association emphasizes the importance of paying careful attention to both tobacco addiction and cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia.
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16
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Kantrowitz JT, Javitt DC, Freedman R, Sehatpour P, Kegeles LS, Carlson M, Sobeih T, Wall MM, Choo TH, Vail B, Grinband J, Lieberman JA. Double blind, two dose, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial of the positive allosteric modulator at the alpha7 nicotinic cholinergic receptor AVL-3288 in schizophrenia patients. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1339-1345. [PMID: 32015461 PMCID: PMC7298033 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0628-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Despite their theoretical rationale, nicotinic alpha-7 acetylcholine (nα7) receptor agonists, have largely failed to demonstrate efficacy in placebo-controlled trials in schizophrenia. AVL-3288 is a nα7 positive allosteric modulator (PAM), which is only active in the presence of the endogenous ligand (acetylcholine), and thus theoretically less likely to cause receptor desensitization. We evaluated the efficacy of AVL-3288 in a Phase 1b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, triple cross-over study. Twenty-four non-smoking, medicated, outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and a Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) ≥62 were randomized. Each subject received 5 days of AVL-3288 (10, 30 mg) and placebo across three separate treatment weeks. The primary outcome measure was the RBANS total scale score, with auditory P50 evoked potential suppression the key target engagement biomarker. Secondary outcome measures include task-based fMRI (RISE task), mismatch negativity, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia (SANS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Twenty-four subjects were randomized and treated without any clinically significant treatment emergent adverse effects. Baseline RBANS (82 ± 17) and BPRS (41 ± 13) scores were consistent with moderate impairment. Primary outcomes were negative, with non-significant worsening for both active groups vs. placebo in the P50 and minimal between group changes on the RBANS. In conclusion, the results did not indicate efficacy of the compound, consistent with most prior results for the nα7 target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T. Kantrowitz
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA ,0000 0001 2189 4777grid.250263.0Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, USA
| | - Daniel C. Javitt
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA ,0000 0001 2189 4777grid.250263.0Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, USA
| | | | - Pejman Sehatpour
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA ,0000 0001 2189 4777grid.250263.0Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, USA
| | - Lawrence S. Kegeles
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Marlene Carlson
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Tarek Sobeih
- 0000 0001 2189 4777grid.250263.0Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, USA
| | - Melanie M. Wall
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Tse-Hwei Choo
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Blair Vail
- 0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Jack Grinband
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Lieberman
- 0000000419368729grid.21729.3fColumbia University, New York, USA ,0000 0000 8499 1112grid.413734.6New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
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17
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Xing H, Andrud KW, Soti F, Rouchaud A, Jahn SC, Lu Z, Cho YH, Habibi S, Corsino P, Slavov S, Rocca JR, Lindstrom JM, Lukas RJ, Kem WR. A Methyl Scan of the Pyrrolidinium Ring of Nicotine Reveals Significant Differences in Its Interactions with α7 and α4 β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:168-180. [PMID: 32474444 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.118786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The two major nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain are the α4β2 and α7 subtypes. A "methyl scan" of the pyrrolidinium ring was used to detect differences in nicotine's interactions with these two receptors. Each methylnicotine was investigated using voltage-clamp and radioligand binding techniques. Methylation at each ring carbon elicited unique changes in nicotine's receptor interactions. Replacing the 1'-N-methyl with an ethyl group or adding a second 1'-N-methyl group significantly reduced interaction with α4β2 but not α7 receptors. The 2'-methylation uniquely enhanced binding and agonist potency at α7 receptors. Although 3'- and 5'-trans-methylations were much better tolerated by α7 receptors than α4β2 receptors, 4'-methylation decreased potency and efficacy at α7 receptors much more than at α4β2 receptors. Whereas cis-5'-methylnicotine lacked agonist activity and displayed a low affinity at both receptors, trans-5'-methylnicotine retained considerable α7 receptor activity. Differences between the two 5'-methylated analogs of the potent pyridyl oxymethylene-bridged nicotine analog A84543 were consistent with what was found for the 5'-methylnicotines. Computer docking of the methylnicotines to the Lymnaea acetylcholine binding protein crystal structure containing two persistent waters predicted most of the changes in receptor affinity that were observed with methylation, particularly the lower affinities of the cis-methylnicotines. The much smaller effects of 1'-, 3'-, and 5'-methylations and the greater effects of 2'- and 4'-methylations on nicotine α7 nAChR interaction might be exploited for the design of new drugs based on the nicotine scaffold. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Using a comprehensive "methyl scan" approach, we show that the orthosteric binding sites for acetylcholine and nicotine in the two major brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors interact differently with the pyrrolidinium ring of nicotine, and we suggest reasons for the higher affinity of nicotine for the heteromeric receptor. Potential sites for nicotine structure modification were identified that may be useful in the design of new drugs targeting these receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Xing
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Kristin W Andrud
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Ferenc Soti
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Anne Rouchaud
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Stephan C Jahn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Ziang Lu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Yeh-Hyon Cho
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Sophia Habibi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Patrick Corsino
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Svetoslav Slavov
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - James R Rocca
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Jon M Lindstrom
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - Ron J Lukas
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
| | - William R Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (H.X., K.W.A., F.S., A.R., S.C.J., Z.L., Y.-H.C., S.H., P.C., W.R.K.) and AMRIS, McKnight Brain Institute (J.R.R.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas (S.S.); Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (J.M.L.); and Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurologic Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (R.J.L.)
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Terry AV, Callahan PM. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors as therapeutic targets in schizophrenia: Update on animal and clinical studies and strategies for the future. Neuropharmacology 2020; 170:108053. [PMID: 32188568 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a devastating mental illness and its effective treatment is among the most challenging issues in psychiatry. The symptoms of schizophrenia are heterogeneous ranging from positive symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations) to negative symptoms (e.g., anhedonia, social withdrawal) to cognitive dysfunction. Antipsychotics are effective at ameliorating positive symptoms in some patients; however, they are not reliably effective at improving the negative symptoms or cognitive impairments. The inability to address the cognitive impairments is a particular concern since they have the greatest long-term impact on functional outcomes. While decades of research have been devoted to the development of pro-cognitive agents for schizophrenia, to date, no drug has been approved for clinical use. Converging behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic evidence led to the identification of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) as a therapeutic target several years ago and there is now extensive preclinical evidence that α7-nAChR ligands have pro-cognitive effects and other properties that should be beneficial to schizophrenia patients. However, like the other pro-cognitive strategies, no α7-nAChR ligand has been approved for clinical use in schizophrenia thus far. In this review, several topics are discussed that may impact the success of α7-nAChR ligands as pro-cognitive agents for schizophrenia including the translational value of the animal models used, clinical trial design limitations, confounding effects of polypharmacy, dose-effect relationships, and chronic versus intermittent dosing considerations. Determining the most optimal pharmacologic strategy at α7-nAChRs: agonist, positive allosteric modulator, or potentially even receptor antagonist is also discussed. article is part of the special issue on 'Contemporary Advances in Nicotine Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvin V Terry
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia; Small Animal Behavior Core, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia.
| | - Patrick M Callahan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia; Small Animal Behavior Core, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia
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Xing H, Keshwah S, Rouchaud A, Kem WR. A Pharmacological Comparison of Two Isomeric Nicotinic Receptor Agonists: The Marine Toxin Isoanatabine and the Tobacco Alkaloid Anatabine. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E106. [PMID: 32053997 PMCID: PMC7073524 DOI: 10.3390/md18020106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many organisms possess "secondary" compounds to avoid consumption or to immobilize prey. While the most abundant or active compounds are initially investigated, more extensive analyses reveal other "minor" compounds with distinctive properties that may also be of biomedical and pharmaceutical significance. Here, we present an initial in vitro investigation of the actions of two isomeric tetrahydropyridyl ring-containing anabasine analogs: isoanatabine, an alkaloid isolated from a marine worm, and anatabine, a relatively abundant minor alkaloid in commercial tobacco plants. Both compounds have a double bond that is distal to the piperidine ring nitrogen of anabasine. Racemic isoanatabine and anatabine were synthesized and their S- and R-enantiomers were isolated by chiral high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both isoanatabines displayed higher efficacies at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) relative to the anatabines; R-isoanatabine was most potent. Radioligand binding experiments revealed similar α4β2 nAChR binding affinities for the isoanatabines, but R-anatabine affinity was twice that of S-anatabine. While the two anatabines and S-isoanatabine were highly efficacious agonists at α7 nAChRs, R-isoanatabine was only a weak partial agonist. The four compounds share an ability to stimulate both α4β2 and α7 nAChRs, a property that may be useful in developing more efficacious drugs to treat neurodegenerative and other medical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - William R. Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA (S.K.)
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20
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Dickerson F, Gennusa JV, Stallings C, Origoni A, Katsafanas E, Sweeney K, Campbell WW, Yolken R. Protein intake is associated with cognitive functioning in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Res 2020; 284:112700. [PMID: 31791705 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with reduced cognitive functioning which contributes to problems in day-to-day functioning and social outcomes. A paucity of research exists relating dietary factors to cognitive functioning in serious mental illnesses, and results are inconsistent. The study aims to describe the nutritional intake of persons with schizophrenia and those with a recent episode of acute mania and to determine relationships between the intake of protein and other nutrients on cognitive functioning in the psychiatric sample. Persons with schizophrenia and those with acute mania were assessed using a 24-h dietary recall tool to determine their intakes of protein and other nutrients. They were also assessed with a test battery measuring different domains of cognitive functioning. Results indicate that lower amounts of dietary protein intake were associated with reduced cognitive functioning independent of demographic and clinical factors. The association was particularly evident in measures of immediate memory and language. There were not associations between cognitive functioning and other nutritional variables, including total energy, gluten, casein, saturated fat, or sugar intakes. The impact of dietary interventions, including protein intake, on improving cognitive functioning in individuals with psychiatric disorders warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith Dickerson
- Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Sheppard Pratt, 6501 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21204, United States.
| | - Joseph V Gennusa
- Dept of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, United States
| | - Cassie Stallings
- Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Sheppard Pratt, 6501 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21204, United States
| | - Andrea Origoni
- Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Sheppard Pratt, 6501 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21204, United States
| | - Emily Katsafanas
- Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Sheppard Pratt, 6501 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21204, United States
| | - Kevin Sweeney
- Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Sheppard Pratt, 6501 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21204, United States
| | - Wayne W Campbell
- Dept of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, United States
| | - Robert Yolken
- Dept of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, United States
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21
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Abstract
Human behavior can be controlled by physical or psychological dependencies associated with addiction. One of the most insidious addictions in our society is the use of tobacco products which contain nicotine. This addiction can be associated with specific receptors in the brain that respond to the natural neurotransmitter acetylcholine. These nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are ligand-gated ion channels formed by the assembly of one or multiple types of nAChR receptor subunits. In this paper, we review the structure and diversity of nAChR subunits and our understanding for how different nAChR subtypes play specific roles in the phenomenon of nicotine addiction. We focus on receptors containing β2 and/or α6 subunits and the special significance of α5-containing receptors. These subtypes all have roles in regulating dopamine-mediated neurotransmission in the mesolimbic reward pathways of the brain. We also discuss the unique roles of homomeric α7 nAChR in behavioral responses to nicotine and how our knowledge of nAChR functional diversity may help guide pharmacotherapeutic approaches for treating nicotine addiction. While nicotine addiction is a truly global problem, the use of areca nut (betel) products is also a serious addiction associated with public health issues across most of South Asia, impacting as many as 600 million people. We discuss how cholinergic receptors of the brain are also involved with areca addiction and the unique challenges for dealing with addiction to this substance.
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22
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Wang X, Bell IM, Uslaner JM. Activators of α7 nAChR as Potential Therapeutics for Cognitive Impairment. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 45:209-245. [PMID: 32451955 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a promising target for the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several α7 nAChR agonists and positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) have demonstrated procognitive effects in preclinical models and early clinical trials. However, despite intense research efforts in the pharmaceutical industry and academia, none of the α7 nAChR ligands has been approved for clinical use. This chapter will focus on the α7 nAChR ligands that have advanced to clinical studies and explore the reasons why these agents have not met with unequivocal clinical success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohai Wang
- Department of Neuroscience Research, Merck & Co. Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - Ian M Bell
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Merck & Co. Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - Jason M Uslaner
- Department of Neuroscience Research, Merck & Co. Inc., West Point, PA, USA.
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23
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Barnes TR, Drake R, Paton C, Cooper SJ, Deakin B, Ferrier IN, Gregory CJ, Haddad PM, Howes OD, Jones I, Joyce EM, Lewis S, Lingford-Hughes A, MacCabe JH, Owens DC, Patel MX, Sinclair JM, Stone JM, Talbot PS, Upthegrove R, Wieck A, Yung AR. Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia: Updated recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:3-78. [PMID: 31829775 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119889296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
These updated guidelines from the British Association for Psychopharmacology replace the original version published in 2011. They address the scope and targets of pharmacological treatment for schizophrenia. A consensus meeting was held in 2017, involving experts in schizophrenia and its treatment. They were asked to review key areas and consider the strength of the evidence on the risk-benefit balance of pharmacological interventions and the clinical implications, with an emphasis on meta-analyses, systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials where available, plus updates on current clinical practice. The guidelines cover the pharmacological management and treatment of schizophrenia across the various stages of the illness, including first-episode, relapse prevention, and illness that has proved refractory to standard treatment. It is hoped that the practice recommendations presented will support clinical decision making for practitioners, serve as a source of information for patients and carers, and inform quality improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Re Barnes
- Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London, and Joint-head of the Prescribing Observatory for Mental Health, Centre for Quality Improvement, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK
| | - Richard Drake
- Clinical Lead for Mental Health in Working Age Adults, Health Innovation Manchester, University of Manchester and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Carol Paton
- Joint-head of the Prescribing Observatory for Mental Health, Centre for Quality Improvement, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK
| | - Stephen J Cooper
- Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Bill Deakin
- Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience & Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - I Nicol Ferrier
- Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Catherine J Gregory
- Honorary Clinical Research Fellow, University of Manchester and Higher Trainee in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Peter M Haddad
- Honorary Professor of Psychiatry, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, UK and Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Professor of Molecular Psychiatry, Imperial College London and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ian Jones
- Professor of Psychiatry and Director, National Centre of Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Eileen M Joyce
- Professor of Neuropsychiatry, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Shôn Lewis
- Professor of Adult Psychiatry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, UK, and Mental Health Academic Lead, Health Innovation Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Anne Lingford-Hughes
- Professor of Addiction Biology and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Imperial College London and Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - James H MacCabe
- Professor of Epidemiology and Therapeutics, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, National Psychosis Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Beckenham, UK
| | - David Cunningham Owens
- Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh. Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maxine X Patel
- Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and Consultant Psychiatrist, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Julia Ma Sinclair
- Professor of Addiction Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - James M Stone
- Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Peter S Talbot
- Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Manchester and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Rachel Upthegrove
- Professor of Psychiatry and Youth Mental Health, University of Birmingham and Consultant Psychiatrist, Birmingham Early Intervention Service, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Angelika Wieck
- Honorary Consultant in Perinatal Psychiatry, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Alison R Yung
- Professor of Psychiatry, University of Manchester, School of Health Sciences, Manchester, UK and Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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24
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Tregellas JR, Wylie KP. Alpha7 Nicotinic Receptors as Therapeutic Targets in Schizophrenia. Nicotine Tob Res 2019; 21:349-356. [PMID: 30137618 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/nty034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
While current treatments for schizophrenia often provide much relief for positive symptoms such as hallucinations, other symptoms, particularly cognitive deficits, persist and contribute to substantial suffering and reduced quality of life for patients. In searching for novel therapeutic avenues to treat cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, recent work is exploring nicotinic receptor neurobiology. Supported by a large body of evidence, with contributions from studies of smoking behaviors, genetics, receptor distribution and function, animal models and nicotinic effects on illness symptoms, the alpha7 nicotinic receptor has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. Despite promise in early clinical trials, however, no drug targeting nicotinic systems has succeeded in larger phase 3 trials. Following a brief review of nicotinic receptor biology and the evidence that has led to pursuit of alpha7 nicotinic agonism as a therapeutic strategy, this review will provide an update on the status of recent trials, discuss potential issues that may have contributed to negative outcomes, and point to new directions and promising advances in developing alpha7 nicotinic receptor-based treatment for cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia. IMPLICATIONS By examining alpha7 nicotinic receptor biology and recent efforts to target the receptor in clinical trials, it is hoped that investigators will be motivated to explore novel, promising directions focusing on the receptor as a strategy to treat cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Tregellas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.,Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO
| | - Korey P Wylie
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.,Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO
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25
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Investigation of the Possible Pharmacologically Active Forms of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Anabaseine. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17110614. [PMID: 31671780 PMCID: PMC6891768 DOI: 10.3390/md17110614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Three major forms of the nicotinic agonist toxin anabaseine (cyclic iminium, cyclic imine and the monocationic open-chain ammonium-ketone) co-exist in almost equal concentrations at physiological pH. We asked the question: Which of these forms is pharmacologically active? First, we investigated the pH dependence of anabaseine inhibition of [3H]-methylcarbamylcholine binding at rat brain α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). These experiments indicated that one or both monocationic forms interact with the orthosteric binding site for ACh. However, since they occur at equal concentrations near physiological pH, we employed another approach, preparing a stable analog of each form and examining its agonist activities and binding affinities at several vertebrate brain and neuromuscular nAChRs. Only 2-(3-pyridyl)-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine monohydrogen chloride (PTHP), the cyclic iminium analog, displayed nAChR potencies and binding affinities similar to anabaseine. The cyclic imine analog 2,3'-bipyridyl and the open-chain ammonium-ketone analog 5-methylamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-pentanone (MAPP), displayed ≤1% of the activity predicted if the one form was solely active. The lower potency of weakly basic 2,3'-bipyridyl can be explained by the presence of a small concentration of its monocationic form. Since the open chain ammonium-ketone monocationic form of anabaseine has some structural similarity to the neurotransmitter GABA, we also tested the ability of anabaseine and its 1,2-dehydropyrrolidinyl analog myosmine to activate a mammalian GABAA receptor, but no activity was detected. We conclude that the monocationic cyclic iminium is the form which avidly binds and activates vertebrate nAChRs.
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26
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Kantrowitz JT. N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptor modulators and related medications for the enhancement of auditory system plasticity in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2019; 207:70-79. [PMID: 29459050 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in N-methyl-d-aspartate-type (NMDAR) function contribute to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, particularly dysfunction in neuroplasticity, defined as reduced learning during training on exercises that place implicit, increasing demands on early sensory (auditory and visual) information processing. Auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) can be both a target engagement biomarker for the NMDAR and a proxy measure of neurophysiological plasticity. This review covers the evidence for using NMDAR modulator and related compounds for enhancement of cognition, with a particular focus on early auditory processing/plasticity. Compounds covered include glycine site agonists, glycine and system A-type transporter inhibitors, d-amino acid oxidase inhibitors, memantine and nicotinic alpha-7 acetylcholine receptor agonists. As opposed to daily treatment studies focusing on schizophrenia in general, intermittent, non-daily treatment combining NMDAR modulators with neuroplasticity-based paradigms, using MMN as target-engagement biomarkers show promise as treatments to both remediate plasticity deficits and overall functional deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Kantrowitz
- Schizophrenia Research Center, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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27
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Schaller SJ, Nagashima M, Schönfelder M, Sasakawa T, Schulz F, Khan MAS, Kem WR, Schneider G, Schlegel J, Lewald H, Blobner M, Jeevendra Martyn JA. GTS-21 attenuates loss of body mass, muscle mass, and function in rats having systemic inflammation with and without disuse atrophy. Pflugers Arch 2018; 470:1647-1657. [PMID: 30006848 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-018-2180-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Muscle changes of critical illness are attributed to systemic inflammatory responses and disuse atrophy. GTS-21 (3-(2,4-dimethoxy-benzylidene)anabaseine), also known as DMBX-A) is a synthetic derivative of the natural product anabaseine that acts as an agonist at α7-acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs). Hypothesis tested was that modulation of inflammation by agonist GTS-21 (10 mg/kg b.i.d. intraperitoneally) will attenuate body weight (BW) and muscle changes. Systemic sham inflammation was produced in 125 rats by Cornyebacterium parvum (C.p.) or saline injection on days 0/4/8. Seventy-four rats had one immobilized-limb producing disuse atrophy. GTS-21 effects on BW, tibialis muscle mass (TMM), and function were assessed on day 12. Systemically, methemoglobin levels increased 26-fold with C.p. (p < 0.001) and decreased significantly (p < 0.033) with GTS-21. Control BW increased (+ 30 ± 9 g, mean ± SD) at day 12, but decreased with C.p. and superimposed disuse (p = 0.005). GTS-21 attenuated BW loss in C.p. (p = 0.005). Compared to controls, TMM decreased with C.p. (0.43 ± 0.06 g to 0.26 ± 0.03 g) and with superimposed disuse (0.18 ± 0.04 g); GTS-21 ameliorated TMM loss to 0.32 ± 0.04 (no disuse, p = 0.028) and to 0.22 ± 0.03 (with disuse, p = 0.004). Tetanic tensions decreased with C.p. or disuse and GTS-21 attenuated tension decrease in animals with disuse (p = 0.006) and in animals with C.p. and disuse (p = 0.029). C.p.-induced 11-fold increased muscle α7nAChR expression was decreased by > 60% with GTS-21 treatment. In conclusion, GTS-21 modulates systemic inflammation, evidenced by both decreased methemoglobin levels and decrease of α7nAChR expression, and mitigates inflammation-mediated loss of BW, TMM, fiber size, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan J Schaller
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children®-Boston, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningertr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
| | - Michio Nagashima
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children®-Boston, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Martin Schönfelder
- Institute of Exercise Biology, Technische Universität München, Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62, 80992, Munich, Germany
| | - Tomoki Sasakawa
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children®-Boston, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 1 Chome-1-1 Midorigaoka Higashi 2 Jō, Asahikawa-shi, Hokkaidō, 078-8802, Japan
| | - Fabian Schulz
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningertr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Mohammed A S Khan
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children®-Boston, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - William R Kem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, P.O. Box 100267, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0267, USA
| | - Gerhard Schneider
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningertr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schlegel
- Institute of Pathology, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Heidrun Lewald
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningertr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Manfred Blobner
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningertr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - J A Jeevendra Martyn
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children®-Boston, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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28
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Papke RL, Peng C, Kumar A, Stokes C. NS6740, an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor silent agonist, disrupts hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Neurosci Lett 2018; 677:6-13. [PMID: 29679680 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus was previously shown to be enhanced by nicotine, an effect dependent on both homomeric α7 and heteromeric α2β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). In our experiments, bath-applied nicotine produced no significant enhancement of LTP. The α7 nAChR silent agonist NS6740, a weak activator of α7 nAChR ion channels but an effective modulator of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, decreased LTP and, additionally, produced a substantial reduction in the baseline synaptic function prior to the high frequency stimulation used to induce LTP. The effects of NS6740 on the various ligand-gated ion channels associated with the generation and modulation of dentate LTP were evaluated with receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. A 60 s pre-application of 5 μM NS6740 to α7 receptors blocked the response to subsequent applications of acetylcholine (ACh). In contrast, the responses of α2β2 nAChR to control applications of ACh were not significantly affected by NS6740. Likewise, responses of cells expressing GluR1 + GluR2 AMPA-type glutamate receptor subunits or GABAA α1, β2, and γ2L subunits to control agonist applications (100 μM kainic acid or 10 μM GABA, respectively), were unaffected by NS6740. The effects of NS6740 on α7 were inconsistent with simple antagonism since, while unresponsive to ACh, the receptors exposed to NS6740 were effectively activated by the positive allosteric modulator PNU-120596. The results support the hypothesis that NS6740 switches the mode of α7 signaling in a channel-independent manner that can reduce synaptic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger L Papke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
| | - Can Peng
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, PO Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Clare Stokes
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, PO Box 100267, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
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29
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Cognitive Control, the Anterior Cingulate, and Nicotinic Receptors: A Case of Heterozygote Advantage. J Neurosci 2018; 38:257-259. [PMID: 29321144 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2775-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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