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Rivi V, Rigillo G, Batabyal A, Lukowiak K, Pani L, Tascedda F, Benatti C, Blom JMC. Different stressors uniquely affect the expression of endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes in the central ring ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38922726 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, energy balance, modulation of stress, and inflammatory responses, acting as a critical link between the brain and the body's peripheral regions, while also offering promising potential for novel therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, in humans, pharmacological inhibitors of different ECS enzymes have led to mixed results in both preclinical and clinical studies. As the ECS has been highly conserved throughout the eukaryotic lineage, the use of invertebrate model organisms like the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis may provide a flexible tool to unravel unexplored functions of the ECS at the cellular, synaptic, and behavioral levels. In this study, starting from the available genome and transcriptome of L. stagnalis, we first identified putative transcripts of all ECS enzymes containing an open reading frame. Each predicted protein possessed a high degree of sequence conservation to known orthologues of other invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Sequences were confirmed by qualitative PCR and sequencing. Then, we investigated the transcriptional effects induced by different stress conditions (i.e., bacterial LPS injection, predator scent, food deprivation, and acute heat shock) on the expression levels of the enzymes of the ECS in Lymnaea's central ring ganglia. Our results suggest that in Lymnaea as in rodents, the ECS is involved in mediating inflammatory and anxiety-like responses, promoting energy balance, and responding to acute stressors. To our knowledge, this study offers the most comprehensive analysis so far of the ECS in an invertebrate model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Rivi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giovanna Rigillo
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University, Pune, India
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Luca Pani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Fabio Tascedda
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- CIB, Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Benatti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Johanna M C Blom
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Atwal N, Sokolaj E, Mitchell VA, Winters BL, Vaughan CW. Disrupted stress-induced analgesia in a neuropathic pain state is rescued by the endocannabinoid degradation inhibitor JZL195. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38922705 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Acute stress normally engages descending brain pathways to produce an antinociceptive response, known as stress-induced analgesia. Paradoxically, these descending pain modulatory pathways are also involved in the maintenance of the abnormal pain associated with chronic neuropathic pain. It remains unclear how stress-induced analgesia is affected by neuropathic pain states. We therefore examined the impact of a chronic constriction nerve-injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain on restraint stress-induced analgesia in C57BL/6 mice. Thirty minutes of restraint stress produced analgesia in the hotplate thermal nociceptive assay that was less in CCI compared to control mice who underwent a sham-surgery. In sham but not CCI mice, stress-induced analgesia was reduced by the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone. The cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist AM281 did not affect stress-induced analgesia in either sham or CCI mice. Low-dose pre-treatment with the dual fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor JZL195 increased stress-induced analgesia in CCI but not sham mice. The JZL195 enhancement of stress-induced analgesia in CCI mice was abolished by AM281 but was unaffected by naltrexone. These findings indicate that the acute opioid-mediated analgesic response to a psychological stressor is disrupted in a nerve-injury model of neuropathic pain. Importantly, this impairment of stress-induced analgesia was rescued by blockade of endocannabinoid breakdown via a cannabinoid CB1 receptor dependent mechanism. These findings suggest that subthreshold treatment with endocannabinoid degradation blockers could be used to alleviate the disruption of endogenous pain control systems in a neuropathic pain state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Atwal
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eddy Sokolaj
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vanessa A Mitchell
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bryony L Winters
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christopher W Vaughan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Micha JP, Rettenmaier MA, Bohart RD, Goldstein BH. Medical marijuana in the treatment of cancer-associated symptoms. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2024:10781552241262963. [PMID: 38899936 DOI: 10.1177/10781552241262963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous cancer studies have indicated that medical marijuana addresses a significant unmet need, namely chronic pain treatment and conferring oncology supportive care. However, the clinical research evaluating medical marijuana is preliminary and requires further consideration. DATA SOURCES We conducted a PubMed search primarily comprising retrospective and prospective studies, systematic reviews, and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from approximately 2020-2023. The search included specific terms that incorporated medical marijuana, cancer treatment, cancer-related symptoms, pain management, and side effects. DATA SUMMARY A total of 40 studies were included in the review, many of which were either of acceptable or good quality. Select investigations indicated that medical marijuana was associated with decreased overall pain levels and improvements in nausea and vomiting. Alternatively, the results from RCTs have found that the benefits from a placebo were equivalent to medical marijuana in both the treatment of cancer-related pain and providing an opioid-sparing effect. CONCLUSIONS Despite the potential cancer-related benefits derived from medical marijuana, the study design and results for many of the investigations on which the evidence is based, were neither uniform nor conducted via RCTs; hence, the efficacy and appropriateness of medical marijuana in treating cancer-related conditions remain indeterminate.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Micha
- Women's Cancer Research Foundation, Laguna Beach, CA, USA
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Angelia J, Duong L, Yun F, Mesic A, Yuan C, Carr D, Gunari S, Hudson PK, Morisseau C, Hammock BD, Kandasamy R, Pecic S. Quinolinyl-based multitarget-directed ligands with soluble epoxide hydrolase and fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitory activities: Synthetic studies and pharmacological evaluations. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32262. [PMID: 38912512 PMCID: PMC11190605 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) with a single small molecule represents a novel therapeutic approach in treating inflammatory pain, since both targets are involved in pain and inflammation processes. In this study using multi-target directed ligands methodology we designed and synthesized 7 quinolinyl-based dual sEH/FAAH inhibitors, using an optimized microwave-assisted Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction and tested their potency in human FAAH and human, rat, and mouse sEH inhibition assays. The structure-activity relationship study showed that quinolinyl moiety is well tolerated in the active sites of both enzymes, yielding several very potent dual sEH/FAAH inhibitors with the IC50 values in the low nanomolar range. The most potent dual inhibitor 4d was further evaluated in stability assay in human and rat plasma where it performed better than the standard Warfarin while in vivo study revealed that 1 mg/kg 4d can inhibit acute inflammatory pain in male rats to a similar degree as the traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen (30 mg/kg) after intraperitoneal injection. ADMET prediction studies for this dual inhibitor show favorable pharmacokinetic properties which will guide the future in vivo evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannes Angelia
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
| | - Leah Duong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
| | - Faye Yun
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
| | - Anesa Mesic
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
| | - Cassandra Yuan
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. Science S229, Hayward, CA, 94542, United States
| | - Daniel Carr
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. Science S229, Hayward, CA, 94542, United States
| | - Siena Gunari
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. Science S229, Hayward, CA, 94542, United States
| | - Paula K. Hudson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Bruce D. Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Ram Kandasamy
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. Science S229, Hayward, CA, 94542, United States
| | - Stevan Pecic
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA, 92834, United States
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Mei C, Zhang J, Niu Z, Simon JP, Yang T, Huang M, Zhang Z, Zhou L, Dong S. MP-13, a novel chimeric peptide of morphiceptin and pepcan-9, produces potent antinociception with limited side effects. Neuropeptides 2024; 107:102440. [PMID: 38875739 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2024.102440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Pharmacological investigations have substantiated the potential of bifunctional opioid/cannabinoid agonists in delivering potent analgesia while minimizing adverse reactions. Peptide modulators of cannabinoid receptors, known as pepcans, have been investigated before. In this study, we designed a series of chimeric peptides based on pepcans and morphiceptin (YPFP-NH2). Here, we combined injections of pepcans and morphiceptin to investigate the combination treatment of opioids and cannabis and compared the analgesic effect with chimeric compounds. Subsequently, we employed computational docking to screen the compounds against opioid and cannabinoid receptors, along with an acute pain model, to identify the most promising peptide. Among these peptides, MP-13, a morphiceptin and pepcan-9 (PVNFKLLSH) construct, exhibited superior supraspinal analgesic efficacy in the tail-flick test, with an ED50 value at 1.43 nmol/mouse, outperforming its parent peptides and other chimeric analogs. Additionally, MP-13 displayed potent analgesic activity mediated by mu-opioid receptor (MOR), delta-opioid receptor (DOR), and cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor pathways. Furthermore, MP-13 did not induce psychological dependence and gastrointestinal motility inhibition at the effective analgesic doses, and it maintained non-tolerance-forming antinociception throughout a 7-day treatment regimen, with an unaltered count of microglial cells in the periaqueductal gray region, supporting this observation. Moreover, intracerebroventricular administration of MP-13 demonstrated dose-dependent antinociception in murine models of neuropathic, inflammatory, and visceral pain. Our findings provide promising insights for the development of opioid/cannabinoid peptide agonists, addressing a crucial gap in the field and holding significant potential for future research and development. PERSPECTIVE: This article offers insights into the combination treatment of pepcans with morphiceptin. Among the chimeric peptides, MP-13 exhibited potent analgesic effects in a series of preclinical pain models with a favorable side-effect profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Mei
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhanyu Niu
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jerine Peter Simon
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tong Yang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mingmin Huang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhonghua Zhang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lanxia Zhou
- Laboratory of Clinical Molecular Cytogenetics and Immunology, the First Hospital, Lanzhou University, 1 Donggang West Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shouliang Dong
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Mancini M, Calculli A, Di Martino D, Pisani A. Interplay between endocannabinoids and dopamine in the basal ganglia: implications for pain in Parkinson's disease. JOURNAL OF ANESTHESIA, ANALGESIA AND CRITICAL CARE 2024; 4:33. [PMID: 38745258 PMCID: PMC11094869 DOI: 10.1186/s44158-024-00169-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Pain is a complex phenomenon, and basal ganglia circuitry integrates many aspects of pain including motor, emotional, autonomic, and cognitive responses. Perturbations in dopamine (DA) signaling are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic pain due to its involvement in both pain perception and relief. Several lines of evidence support the role of endocannabinoids (eCBs) in the regulation of many electrical and chemical aspects of DAergic neuron function including excitability, synaptic transmission, integration, and plasticity. However, eCBs play an even more intricate and intimate relationship with DA, as indicated by the adaptive changes in the eCB system following DA depletion. Although the precise mechanisms underlying DA control on pain are not fully understood, given the high correlation of eCB and DAergic system, it is conceivable that eCBs may be part of these mechanisms.In this brief survey, we describe the reciprocal regulation of eCB-DA neurotransmission with a particular emphasis on the actions of eCBs on ionic and synaptic signaling in DAergic neurons mediated by CB receptors or independent on them. Furthermore, we analyze the eCB-DA imbalance which characterizes pain condition and report the implications of reduced DA levels for pain in Parkinson's disease. Lastly, we discuss the potential of the eCB-DA system in the development of future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Mancini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, c/o Mondino Foundation Via Mondino, 2, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Alessandra Calculli
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, c/o Mondino Foundation Via Mondino, 2, Pavia, 27100, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Deborah Di Martino
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, c/o Mondino Foundation Via Mondino, 2, Pavia, 27100, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Antonio Pisani
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, c/o Mondino Foundation Via Mondino, 2, Pavia, 27100, Italy.
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, 27100, Italy.
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7
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De Aquino JP, Sloan ME, Nunes JC, Costa GPA, Katz JL, de Oliveira D, Ra J, Tang VM, Petrakis IL. Alcohol Use Disorder and Chronic Pain: An Overlooked Epidemic. Am J Psychiatry 2024; 181:391-402. [PMID: 38706339 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and chronic pain disorders are pervasive, multifaceted medical conditions that often co-occur. However, their comorbidity is often overlooked, despite its prevalence and clinical relevance. Individuals with AUD are more likely to experience chronic pain than the general population. Conversely, individuals with chronic pain commonly alleviate their pain with alcohol, which may escalate into AUD. This narrative review discusses the intricate relationship between AUD and chronic pain. Based on the literature available, the authors present a theoretical model explaining the reciprocal relationship between AUD and chronic pain across alcohol intoxication and withdrawal. They propose that the use of alcohol for analgesia rapidly gives way to acute tolerance, triggering the need for higher levels of alcohol consumption. Attempts at abstinence lead to alcohol withdrawal syndrome and hyperalgesia, increasing the risk of relapse. Chronic neurobiological changes lead to preoccupation with pain and cravings for alcohol, further entrenching both conditions. To stimulate research in this area, the authors review methodologies to improve the assessment of pain in AUD studies, including self-report and psychophysical methods. Further, they discuss pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies that may target both conditions, potentially improving both AUD and chronic pain outcomes simultaneously. Finally, the authors emphasize the need to manage both conditions concurrently, and encourage both the scientific community and clinicians to ensure that these intertwined conditions are not overlooked given their clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao P De Aquino
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Matthew E Sloan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Julio C Nunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Gabriel P A Costa
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Jasmin L Katz
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Debora de Oliveira
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Jocelyn Ra
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Victor M Tang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
| | - Ismene L Petrakis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. (DeAquino, Nunes, Ra, Petrakis); Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Ra); VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn. (De Aquino, Petrakis); Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Katz, Tang); Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Sloan); Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto (Sloan); Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan); Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto (Sloan); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (Sloan, Tang); Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Sloan, Tang); University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (Costa); St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington, D.C. (De Oliveira)
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8
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Dagher M, Alayoubi M, Sigal GH, Cahill CM. Unveiling the link between chronic pain and misuse of opioids and cannabis. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:563-580. [PMID: 38570361 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02765-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Over 50 million Americans endure chronic pain where many do not receive adequate treatment and self-medicate to manage their pain by taking substances like opioids and cannabis. Research has shown high comorbidity between chronic pain and substance use disorders (SUD) and these disorders share many common neurobiological underpinnings, including hypodopaminergic transmission. Drugs commonly used for self-medication such as opioids and cannabis relieve emotional, bothersome components of pain as well as negative emotional affect that perpetuates misuse and increases the risk of progressing towards drug abuse. However, the causal effect between chronic pain and the development of SUDs has not been clearly established. In this review, we discuss evidence that affirms the proposition that chronic pain is a risk factor for the development of opioid and cannabis use disorders by outlining the clinical evidence and detailing neurobiological mechanisms that link pain and drug misuse. Central to the link between chronic pain and opioid and cannabis misuse is hypodopaminergic transmission and the modulation of dopamine signaling in the mesolimbic pathway by opioids and cannabis. Moreover, we discuss the role of kappa opioid receptor activation and neuroinflammation in the context of dopamine transmission, their contribution to opioid and cannabis withdrawal, along with potential new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel Dagher
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Myra Alayoubi
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gabriella H Sigal
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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9
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Hopkins MA, McGuire BE, Finn DP. Targeting the endocannabinoid system for the management of low back pain. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2024; 75:102438. [PMID: 38401317 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2024.102438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is a major unmet clinical need. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for pain, including LBP. This review examines the evidence for the ECS as a therapeutic target for LBP. While preclinical studies demonstrate the potential of the ECS as a viable therapeutic target, clinical trials have presented conflicting findings. This review underscores the need for innovative LBP treatments and biomarkers and proposes the ECS as a promising avenue for their exploration. A deeper mechanistic understanding of the ECS in LBP could inform the development of new pain management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary A Hopkins
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Centre for Pain Research, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Brian E McGuire
- Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Centre for Pain Research, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; School of Psychology, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - David P Finn
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Centre for Pain Research, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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10
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Pontearso M, Slepicka J, Bhattacharyya A, Spicarova D, Palecek J. Dual effect of anandamide on spinal nociceptive transmission in control and inflammatory conditions. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116369. [PMID: 38452657 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Anandamide (AEA) is an important modulator of nociception in the spinal dorsal horn, acting presynaptically through Cannabinoid (CB1) and Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV1) receptors. The role of AEA (1 µM, 10 µM, and 30 µM) application on the modulation of nociceptive synaptic transmission under control and inflammatory conditions was studied by recording miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) from neurons in spinal cord slices. Inhibition of the CB1 receptors by PF514273, TRPV1 by SB366791, and the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) by URB597 was used. Under naïve conditions, the AEA application did not affect the mEPSCs frequency (1.43±0.12 Hz) when all the recorded neurons were considered. The mEPSC frequency increased (180.0±39.2%) only when AEA (30 µM) was applied with PF514273 and URB597. Analysis showed that one sub-population of neurons had synaptic input inhibited (39.1% of neurons), the second excited (43.5%), whereas 8.7% showed a mixed effect and 8.7% did not respond to the AEA. With inflammation, the AEA effect was highly inhibitory (72.7%), while the excitation was negligible (9.1%), and 18.2% were not modulated. After inflammation, more neurons (45.0%) responded even to low AEA by mEPSC frequency increase with PF514273/URB597 present. AEA-induced dual (excitatory/inhibitory) effects at the 1st nociceptive synapse should be considered when developing analgesics targeting the endocannabinoid system. These findings contrast the clear inhibitory effects of the AEA precursor 20:4-NAPE application described previously and suggest that modulation of endogenous AEA production may be more favorable for analgesic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Pontearso
- Laboratory of Pain Research, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Slepicka
- Laboratory of Pain Research, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anirban Bhattacharyya
- Laboratory of Pain Research, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Diana Spicarova
- Laboratory of Pain Research, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Palecek
- Laboratory of Pain Research, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
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11
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Niella RV, Corrêa JMX, dos Santos JFR, Lima LF, Marques CSDC, Santos LC, Santana LR, Silva ÁJC, Farias KS, Pirovani CP, Silva JF, de Lavor MSL. Post-treatment with maropitant reduces oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and neuroinflammation on peripheral nerve injury in rats. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0287390. [PMID: 38507417 PMCID: PMC10954158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effective dose and therapeutic potential of maropitant using through expression of mediators of oxidative stress, inflammatory and of the unfolded protein response (UPR) (bio) markers on spinal cord using a model of neuropathic pain induced through chronic constriction injury (CCI) in rats. STUDY DESIGN Randomized, blinded, prospective experimental study. ANIMALS 98 male Wistar rats. METHODS Rats were anesthetized with sevoflurane and after CCI, they were randomly assigned to the following groups that received: vehicle, 3, 6, 15, 30 e 50 mg/kg/24q of maropitant. The effect on inflammatory mediators (IL10, TNFα), oxidative stress (GPx, CAT, SOD), microglial (IBA-1) and neuronal (NeuN, TACR1) markers was evaluated though immunohistochemistry and expression levels of markers of hypoxia (HIF1α, Nrf2), antioxidant enzymes (Catalse, Sod1 and GPx1), and endoplasmic reticulum stress mediators (GRP78, CHOP and PERK) through qRT-PCR. RESULTS Intraperitoneal injection (IP) of maropitant inhibited nociception with ID50 values of 4,1 mg/kg (5,85-19,36) in a neuropathic pain model through CCI. A dose of 30 mg/kg/24q was significantly effective in reducing mechanical allodynia 1 to 4h after treatment with nociception inhibition (145,83%). A reduction in the expression of hypoxia factors (HIF1α, Nrf2) was observed, along with an increase in antioxidant activity (CAT, SOD and GPX). Additionally, there was a reduction in inflammatory markes (IL10, TNFα), microglial (IBA-1), and neuronal markers (NeuN, TACR1). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These findings demonstrate that the determined dose, administered daily for seven days, had an antinociceptive effect, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vieira Niella
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | | | | | - Larissa Ferreira Lima
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | | | | | - Larissa Rodrigues Santana
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Álvaro José Chávez Silva
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Keilane Silva Farias
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | | | - Juneo Freitas Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
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12
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Tummino TA, Iliopoulos-Tsoutsouvas C, Braz JM, O'Brien ES, Stein RM, Craik V, Tran NK, Ganapathy S, Liu F, Shiimura Y, Tong F, Ho TC, Radchenko DS, Moroz YS, Rosado SR, Bhardwaj K, Benitez J, Liu Y, Kandasamy H, Normand C, Semache M, Sabbagh L, Glenn I, Irwin JJ, Kumar KK, Makriyannis A, Basbaum AI, Shoichet BK. Large library docking for cannabinoid-1 receptor agonists with reduced side effects. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.27.530254. [PMID: 38328157 PMCID: PMC10849508 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.530254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Large library docking can reveal unexpected chemotypes that complement the structures of biological targets. Seeking new agonists for the cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R), we docked 74 million tangible molecules, prioritizing 46 high ranking ones for de novo synthesis and testing. Nine were active by radioligand competition, a 20% hit-rate. Structure-based optimization of one of the most potent of these (Ki = 0.7 uM) led to '4042, a 1.9 nM ligand and a full CB1R agonist. A cryo-EM structure of the purified enantiomer of '4042 ('1350) in complex with CB1R-Gi1 confirmed its docked pose. The new agonist was strongly analgesic, with generally a 5-10-fold therapeutic window over sedation and catalepsy and no observable conditioned place preference. These findings suggest that new cannabinoid chemotypes may disentangle characteristic cannabinoid side-effects from their analgesia, supporting the further development of cannabinoids as pain therapeutics.
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13
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Lapteva M, Faro Barros J, Kalia YN. Cutaneous Delivery and Biodistribution of Cannabidiol in Human Skin after Topical Application of Colloidal Formulations. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:202. [PMID: 38399256 PMCID: PMC10892191 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the cutaneous delivery of cannabidiol (CBD) from aqueous formulations developed for the targeted local treatment of dermatological conditions. CBD was formulated using a proprietary colloidal drug delivery system (VESIsorb®) into an aqueous colloidal solution at 2% (ACS 2%) and two colloidal gels (CG 1% and CG 2%, which contained 1% and 2% CBD, respectively). Two basic formulations containing CBD (5% in propylene glycol (PG 5%) and a 6.6% oil solution (OS 6.6%)) and two marketed CBD products (RP1 and RP2, containing 1% CBD) were used as comparators. Cutaneous delivery and cutaneous biodistribution experiments were performed using human abdominal skin (500-700 µm) under infinite- and finite-dose conditions with 0.5% Tween 80 in the PBS receiver phase. The quantification of CBD in the skin samples was performed using a validated UHPLC-MS/MS method and an internal standard (CBD-d3). The cutaneous deposition of CBD under finite-dose conditions demonstrated the superiority of CG 1%, CG 2%, and ACS 2% over the marketed products; CG 1% had the highest delivery efficiency (5.25%). Cutaneous biodistribution studies showed the superiority of the colloidal systems in delivering CBD to the viable epidermis, and the upper and lower papillary dermis, which are the target sites for the treatment of several dermatological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lapteva
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland (J.F.B.)
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Faro Barros
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland (J.F.B.)
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yogeshvar N. Kalia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland (J.F.B.)
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, CMU-1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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14
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Bäckryd E, Themistocleous A, Stensson N, Rice ASC, Tesfaye S, Bennett DL, Gerdle B, Ghafouri B. Serum levels of endocannabinoids and related lipids in painful vs painless diabetic neuropathy: results from the Pain in Neuropathy Study. Pain 2024; 165:225-232. [PMID: 37578507 PMCID: PMC10723642 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003015] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT N-arachidonoylethanolamine (also known as anandamide) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are activators of the cannabinoid receptors. The endocannabinoid system also includes structurally and functionally related lipid mediators that do not target cannabinoid receptors, such as oleoylethanolamide, palmitoylethanolamide, and stearoylethanolamide. These bioactive lipids are involved in various physiological processes, including regulation of pain. The primary aim of the study was to analyze associations between serum levels of these lipids and pain in participants in the Pain in Neuropathy Study, an observational, cross-sectional, multicentre, research project in which diabetic patients with painless or painful neuropathy underwent deep phenotyping. Our hypothesis was that painful neuropathy would be associated with higher levels of the 5 lipids compared with painless neuropathy. Secondary aims were to analyze other patient-reported outcome measures and clinical data in relationship to lipid levels. The lipid mediators were analyzed in serum samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Serum levels of anandamide were significantly higher in the painful group, but the effect size was small (Cohen d = 0.31). Using cluster analysis of lipid data, patients were dichotomized into a "high-level" endocannabinoid group and a "low-level" group. In the high-level group, 61% of patients had painful neuropathy, compared with 45% in the low-level group ( P = 0.039). This work is of a correlative nature only, and the relevance of these findings to the search for analgesics targeting the endocannabinoid system needs to be determined in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Bäckryd
- Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Niclas Stensson
- Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andrew S. C. Rice
- Pain Research, Department Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Solomon Tesfaye
- Diabetes Research Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David L. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Björn Gerdle
- Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Bijar Ghafouri
- Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Asiedu K. Neurophysiology of corneal neuropathic pain and emerging pharmacotherapeutics. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25285. [PMID: 38284865 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The altered activity generated by corneal neuronal injury can result in morphological and physiological changes in the architecture of synaptic connections in the nervous system. These changes can alter the sensitivity of neurons (both second-order and higher-order projection) projecting pain signals. A complex process involving different cell types, molecules, nerves, dendritic cells, neurokines, neuropeptides, and axon guidance molecules causes a high level of sensory rearrangement, which is germane to all the phases in the pathomechanism of corneal neuropathic pain. Immune cells migrating to the region of nerve injury assist in pain generation by secreting neurokines that ensure nerve depolarization. Furthermore, excitability in the central pain pathway is perpetuated by local activation of microglia in the trigeminal ganglion and alterations of the descending inhibitory modulation for corneal pain arriving from central nervous system. Corneal neuropathic pain may be facilitated by dysfunctional structures in the central somatosensory nervous system due to a lesion, altered synaptogenesis, or genetic abnormality. Understanding these important pathways will provide novel therapeutic insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi Asiedu
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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16
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Lee C, Danielson EC, Beestrum M, Eurich DT, Knapp A, Jordan N. Medical Cannabis and Its Efficacy/Effectiveness for the Treatment of Low-Back Pain: a Systematic Review. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2023; 27:821-835. [PMID: 38041708 PMCID: PMC11095816 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-023-01189-0] [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] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This systematic review aims to inform the current state of evidence about the efficacy and effectiveness of medical cannabis use for the treatment of LBP, specifically on pain levels and overall opioid use for LBP. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and CINAHL. The search was limited to the past 10 years (2011-2021). Study inclusion was determined by the critical appraisal process using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. Only English language articles were included. Participant demographics included all adult individuals with LBP who were prescribed medical cannabis for LBP and may be concurrently using opioids for their LBP. Study quality and the risk of bias were both evaluated. A narrative synthesis approach was used. RECENT FINDINGS A total of twelve studies were included in the synthesis: one randomized controlled trial (RCT), six observational studies (one prospective, four retrospective, and one cross-over), and five case studies. All study results, except for the RCT, indicated a decrease in LBP levels or opioid use over time after medical cannabis use. The RCT reported no statistically significant difference in LBP between cannabis and placebo groups. Low back pain (LBP) affects 568 million people worldwide. In the United States, LBP treatment represents more than half of regular opioid users. With the opioid epidemic, alternative methods, particularly medical cannabis, is now increasingly sought by practicing physicians and patients. Due to its infancy, there is minimal high-quality evidence to support medical cannabis use as a first line treatment for LBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cerina Lee
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Elizabeth C Danielson
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Molly Beestrum
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dean T Eurich
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ashley Knapp
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Neil Jordan
- Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Hines VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
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17
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Healy CR, Gethin G, Pandit A, Finn DP. Chronic wound-related pain, wound healing and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and endocannabinoid system modulation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115714. [PMID: 37865988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic wounds represent a significant burden on the individual, and the healthcare system. Individuals with chronic wounds report pain to be the most challenging aspect of living with a chronic wound, with current therapeutic options deemed insufficient. The cutaneous endocannabinoid system is an important regulator of skin homeostasis, with evidence of system dysregulation in several cutaneous disorders. Herein, we describe the cutaneous endocannabinoid system, chronic wound-related pain, and comorbidities, and review preclinical and clinical evidence investigating endocannabinoid system modulation for wound-related pain and wound healing. Based on the current literature, there is some evidence to suggest efficacy of endocannabinoid system modulation for promotion of wound healing, attenuation of cutaneous disorder-related inflammation, and for the management of chronic wound-related pain. However, there is 1) a paucity of preclinical studies using validated models, specific for the study of chronic wound-related pain and 2) a lack of randomised control trials and strong clinical evidence relating to endocannabinoid system modulation for wound-related pain. In conclusion, while there is some limited evidence of benefit of endocannabinoid system modulation in wound healing and wound-related pain management, further research is required to better realise the potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system for these therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine R Healy
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; Centre for Pain Research, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland
| | - Georgina Gethin
- CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; Alliance for Research and Innovation in Wounds, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland
| | - Abhay Pandit
- CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland
| | - David P Finn
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; Centre for Pain Research, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland; CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Galway City, Ireland.
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18
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Demartini C, Greco R, Zanaboni AM, Francavilla M, Facchetti S, Tassorelli C. URB937 Prevents the Development of Mechanical Allodynia in Male Rats with Trigeminal Neuralgia. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1626. [PMID: 38004491 PMCID: PMC10675761 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids are proposed for alleviating neuropathic pain, but their use is limited by cannabimimetic side effects. The inhibition of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the degrading enzyme of the endocannabinoid anandamide, has received attention as an alternative to cannabinoids in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Here, we investigated the effect of URB937, a blood-brain barrier impermeant FAAH inhibitor, on experimentally induced mechanical allodynia in an animal model of trigeminal neuralgia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (IoN-CCI); operated animals were treated sub-chronically with URB937 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle before or after trigeminal mechanical allodynia establishment. We also assayed mRNA expression levels of the pain neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and cytokines in the medulla, cervical spinal cord, and trigeminal ganglion ipsilateral to IoN-CCI using rt-PCR. URB937 treatment prevented the development of mechanical allodynia and IoN-CCI-induced changes in mRNA expression levels of CGRP and cytokines in the evaluated areas. When administered after allodynia development, URB937 prevented IoN-CCI-induced changes in CGRP and cytokine gene expression; this was not associated with a significant abrogation of the mechanical allodynia. These findings suggest that URB937 may counteract, but not reverse, the development of allodynia in trigeminal neuralgia. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Demartini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.Z.); (M.F.); (C.T.)
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
| | - Rosaria Greco
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
| | - Anna Maria Zanaboni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.Z.); (M.F.); (C.T.)
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
| | - Miriam Francavilla
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.Z.); (M.F.); (C.T.)
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
| | - Sara Facchetti
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.Z.); (M.F.); (C.T.)
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (R.G.); (S.F.)
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19
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Shen CL, Newman JW, Elmassry MM, Borkowski K, Chyu MC, Kahathuduwa C, Neugebauer V, Watkins BA. Tai Chi exercise reduces circulating levels of inflammatory oxylipins in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis: results from a pilot study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1210170. [PMID: 37654656 PMCID: PMC10466388 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1210170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tai Chi (TC) controls pain through mind-body exercise and appears to alter inflammatory mediators. TC actions on lipid biomarkers associated with inflammation and brain neural networks in women with knee osteoarthritic pain were investigated. Methods A single-center, pre- and post-TC group (baseline and 8 wk) exercise pilot study in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritic pain was performed. 12 eligible women participated in TC group exercise. The primary outcome was liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry determination of circulating endocannabinoids (eCB) and oxylipins (OxL). Secondary outcomes were correlations between eCB and OxL levels and clinical pain/limitation assessments, and brain resting-state function magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Results Differences in circulating quantitative levels (nM) of pro-inflammatory OxL after TC were found in women. TC exercise resulted in lower OxL PGE1 and PGE2 and higher 12-HETE, LTB4, and 12-HEPE compared to baseline. Pain assessment and eCB and OxL levels suggest crucial relationships between TC exercise, inflammatory markers, and pain. Higher plasma levels of eCB AEA, and 1, 2-AG were found in subjects with increased pain. Several eCB and OxL levels were positively correlated with left and right brain amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity. Conclusion TC exercise lowers pro-inflammatory OxL in women with knee osteoarthritic pain. Correlations between subject pain, functional limitations, and brain connectivity with levels of OxL and eCB showed significance. Findings indicate potential mechanisms for OxL and eCB and their biosynthetic endogenous PUFA precursors that alter brain connectivity, neuroinflammation, and pain. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04046003.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chwan-Li Shen
- Department of Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - John W. Newman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Moamen M. Elmassry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Kamil Borkowski
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ming-Chien Chyu
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Department of Medical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Chanaka Kahathuduwa
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Volker Neugebauer
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
- Garrison Institute on Aging, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Bruce A. Watkins
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Kogan NM, Begmatova D, Vinnikova L, Malitsky S, Itkin M, Sharon E, Klinov A, Gorelick J, Koman I, Vogel Z, Mechoulam R, Pinhasov A. Endocannabinoid basis of personality-Insights from animal model of social behavior. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1234332. [PMID: 37663250 PMCID: PMC10468576 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1234332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: The endocannabinoid system is known to be involved in learning, memory, emotional processing and regulation of personality patterns. Here we assessed the endocannabinoid profile in the brains of mice with strong characteristics of social dominance and submissiveness. Methods: A lipidomics approach was employed to assess the endocannabinoidome in the brains of Dominant (Dom) and Submissive (Sub) mice. The endocannabinoid showing the greatest difference in concentration in the brain between the groups, docosatetraenoyl ethanolamine (DEA), was synthesized, and its effects on the physiological and behavioral responses of Dom and Sub mice were evaluated. mRNA expression of the endocannabinoid receptors and enzymes involved in PUFA biosynthesis was assessed using qRT-PCR. Results: Targeted LC/MS analysis revealed that long-chain polyunsaturated ethanolamides including arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA), DEA, docosatrienoyl ethanolamide (DTEA), eicosatrienoyl ethanolamide (ETEA), eicosapentaenoyl ethanolamide (EPEA) and docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHEA) were higher in the Sub compared with the Dom mice. Untargeted LC/MS analysis showed that the parent fatty acids, docosatetraenoic (DA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA), were higher in Sub vs. Dom. Gene expression analysis revealed increased mRNA expression of genes encoding the desaturase FADS2 and the elongase ELOVL5 in Sub mice compared with Dom mice. Acute DEA administration at the dose of 15 mg/kg produced antinociceptive and locomotion-inducing effects in Sub mice, but not in Dom mice. Subchronic treatment with DEA at the dose of 5 mg/kg augmented dominant behavior in wild-type ICR and Dom mice but not in Sub mice. Conclusion: This study suggests that the endocannabinoid system may play a role in the regulation of dominance and submissiveness, functional elements of social behavior and personality. While currently we have only scratched the surface, understanding the role of the endocannabinoid system in personality may help in revealing the mechanisms underlying the etiopathology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya M. Kogan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- The Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | | | - Sergey Malitsky
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maxim Itkin
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eyal Sharon
- The Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Artem Klinov
- Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | | | - Igor Koman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- The Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Zvi Vogel
- Department of Neurbiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Albert Pinhasov
- Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
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21
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Filipiuc SI, Neagu AN, Uritu CM, Tamba BI, Filipiuc LE, Tudorancea IM, Boca AN, Hâncu MF, Porumb V, Bild W. The Skin and Natural Cannabinoids-Topical and Transdermal Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1049. [PMID: 37513960 PMCID: PMC10386449 DOI: 10.3390/ph16071049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The chemical constituents of the Cannabis plant known as cannabinoids have been extensively researched for their potential therapeutic benefits. The use of cannabinoids applied to the skin as a potential method for both skin-related benefits and systemic administration has attracted increasing interest in recent years. This review aims to present an overview of the most recent scientific research on cannabinoids used topically, including their potential advantages for treating a number of skin conditions like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and acne. Additionally, with a focus on the pharmacokinetics and security of this route of administration, we investigate the potential of the transdermal delivery of cannabinoids as a method of systemic administration. The review also discusses the restrictions and difficulties related to the application of cannabinoids on the skin, emphasizing the potential of topical cannabinoids as a promising route for both localized and systemic administration. More studies are required to fully comprehend the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids in various settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silviu-Iulian Filipiuc
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Physiology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Anca-Narcisa Neagu
- Laboratory of Animal Histology, Faculty of Biology, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, Carol I bvd, No. 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
| | - Cristina Mariana Uritu
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Bogdan-Ionel Tamba
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Algesiology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Leontina-Elena Filipiuc
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Algesiology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Ivona Maria Tudorancea
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Algesiology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Andreea Nicoleta Boca
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Vlad Porumb
- Department Surgery, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Universitatii Street, 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Walther Bild
- Department of Physiology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Center of Biomedical Research of the Romanian Academy, 700506 Iasi, Romania
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22
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Rusch JA, Layden BT, Dugas LR. Signalling cognition: the gut microbiota and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1130689. [PMID: 37404311 PMCID: PMC10316519 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1130689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive function in humans depends on the complex and interplay between multiple body systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The gut microbiota, which vastly outnumbers human cells and has a genetic potential that exceeds that of the human genome, plays a crucial role in this interplay. The microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis is a bidirectional signalling pathway that operates through neural, endocrine, immune, and metabolic pathways. One of the major neuroendocrine systems responding to stress is the HPA axis which produces glucocorticoids such as cortisol in humans and corticosterone in rodents. Appropriate concentrations of cortisol are essential for normal neurodevelopment and function, as well as cognitive processes such as learning and memory, and studies have shown that microbes modulate the HPA axis throughout life. Stress can significantly impact the MGB axis via the HPA axis and other pathways. Animal research has advanced our understanding of these mechanisms and pathways, leading to a paradigm shift in conceptual thinking about the influence of the microbiota on human health and disease. Preclinical and human trials are currently underway to determine how these animal models translate to humans. In this review article, we summarize the current knowledge of the relationship between the gut microbiota, HPA axis, and cognition, and provide an overview of the main findings and conclusions in this broad field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody A. Rusch
- Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- C17 Chemical Pathology Laboratory, Groote Schuur Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian T. Layden
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Medicine, Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lara R. Dugas
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Public Health Sciences, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
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23
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Martinez-Torres S, Mesquida-Veny F, Del Rio JA, Hervera A. Injury-induced activation of the endocannabinoid system promotes axon regeneration. iScience 2023; 26:106814. [PMID: 37235048 PMCID: PMC10205787 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Regeneration after a peripheral nerve injury still remains a challenge, due to the limited regenerative potential of axons after injury. While the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been widely studied for its neuroprotective and analgesic effects, its role in axonal regeneration and during the conditioning lesion remains unexplored. In this study, we observed that a peripheral nerve injury induces axonal regeneration through an increase in the endocannabinoid tone. We also enhanced the regenerative capacity of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons through the inhibition of endocannabinoid degradative enzyme MAGL or a CB1R agonist. Our results suggest that the ECS, via CB1R and PI3K-pAkt pathway activation, plays an important role in promoting the intrinsic regenerative capacity of sensory neurons after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Martinez-Torres
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francina Mesquida-Veny
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio Del Rio
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical Neuroimmunology Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia (CEM-CAT), Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Haack M, Engert LC, Besedovsky L, Goldstein MR, Devine JK, Dang R, Olia K, Molina V, Bertisch SM, Sethna N, Simpson N. Alterations of pain pathways by experimental sleep disturbances in humans: central pain-inhibitory, cyclooxygenase, and endocannabinoid pathways. Sleep 2023; 46:zsad061. [PMID: 36881901 PMCID: PMC10262178 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsad061] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES There is strong evidence that sleep disturbances are an independent risk factor for the development of chronic pain conditions. The mechanisms underlying this association, however, are still not well understood. We examined the effect of experimental sleep disturbances (ESDs) on three pathways involved in pain initiation/resolution: (1) the central pain-inhibitory pathway, (2) the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway, and (3) the endocannabinoid (eCB) pathway. METHODS Twenty-four healthy participants (50% females) underwent two 19-day long in-laboratory protocols in randomized order: (1) an ESD protocol consisting of repeated nights of short and disrupted sleep with intermittent recovery sleep; and (2) a sleep control protocol consisting of nights with an 8-hour sleep opportunity. Pain inhibition (conditioned pain modulation, habituation to repeated pain), COX-2 expression at monocyte level (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-stimulated and spontaneous), and eCBs (arachidonoylethanolamine, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, docosahexaenoylethanolamide [DHEA], eicosapentaenoylethanolamide, docosatetraenoylethanolamide) were measured every other day throughout the protocol. RESULTS The central pain-inhibitory pathway was compromised by sleep disturbances in females, but not in males (p < 0.05 condition × sex effect). The COX-2 pathway (LPS-stimulated) was activated by sleep disturbances (p < 0.05 condition effect), and this effect was exclusively driven by males (p < 0.05 condition × sex effect). With respect to the eCB pathway, DHEA was higher (p < 0.05 condition effect) in the sleep disturbance compared to the control condition, without sex-differential effects on any eCBs. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that central pain-inhibitory and COX mechanisms through which sleep disturbances may contribute to chronic pain risk are sex specific, implicating the need for sex-differential therapeutic targets to effectively reduce chronic pain associated with sleep disturbances in both sexes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT02484742: Pain Sensitization and Habituation in a Model of Experimentally-induced Insomnia Symptoms. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02484742.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Haack
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larissa C Engert
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luciana Besedovsky
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Jaime K Devine
- Institutes for Behavior Resources, Inc., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rammy Dang
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keeyon Olia
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Molina
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Suzanne M Bertisch
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Navil Sethna
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Norah Simpson
- Stanford Sleep Heath & Insomnia Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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25
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Song Q, Zhang W, Shi D, Zhang Z, Zhao Q, Wang M, Huang M, Meng J, Cui W, Luo X. Overexpression of cannabinoid receptor 2 is associated with human breast cancer proliferation, apoptosis, chemosensitivity and prognosis via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Cancer Med 2023; 12:13538-13550. [PMID: 37220224 PMCID: PMC10315729 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) is mainly involved in the immune system. However, although CB2 has been reported to play an anti-tumor function in breast cancer (BC), its specific mechanism in BC remains unclear. METHODS We examined the expression and prognostic significance of CB2 in BC tissues by qPCR, second-generation sequencing, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. We assessed the impacts of overexpression and a specific agonist of CB2 on the growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and drug resistance of BC cells in vitro and in vivo using CCK-8, flow cytometry, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, tumor xenografts, western blot, and colony formation assays. RESULTS CB2 expression was significantly lower in BC compared with paracancerous tissues. It was also highly expressed in benign tumors and ductal carcinoma in situ, and its expression was correlated with prognosis in BC patients. CB2 overexpression and treatment of BC cells with a CB2 agonist inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis, and these actions were achieved by suppressing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, CB2 expression was increased in MDA-MB-231 cell treated with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and docetaxel, and sensitivity to these anti-tumor drugs was increased in BC cells overexpressing CB2. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal that CB2 mediates BC via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. CB2 could be a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Song
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Wenjin Zhang
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Dan Shi
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Zhiliang Zhang
- Department of Breast SurgeryChongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Qiurong Zhao
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Mengyuan Wang
- Department of Breast SurgeryChongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Man Huang
- Department of Breast SurgeryChongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Juanjuan Meng
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
| | - Xiaohe Luo
- Department of Central LaboratoryChongqing University Three Gorges HospitalChongqing UniversityWanzhou, ChongqingChina
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26
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Chen P, Wang C, Gong Q, Chai Y, Chen Y, Song C, Wu Y, Wang L. Alterations of endogenous pain-modulatory system of the cerebral cortex in the neuropathic pain. iScience 2023; 26:106668. [PMID: 37168579 PMCID: PMC10165265 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NeP) remains a significant clinical challenge owing to insufficient awareness of its pathological mechanisms. We elucidated the aberrant metabolism of the cerebral cortex in NeP induced by the chronic constriction injury (CCI) using metabolomics and proteomics analyses. After CCI surgery, the values of MWT and TWL markedly reduced and maintained at a low level. CCI induced the significant dysregulation of 57 metabolites and 31 proteins in the cerebral cortex. Integrative analyses showed that the differentially expressed metabolites and proteins were primarily involved in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, GABAergic synapse, and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. Targeted metabolomics and western blot analysis confirmed the alterations of some key metabolites and proteins in endogenous pain-modulatory system. In conclusion, our study revealed the alterations of endocannabinoids system and purinergic system in the CCI group, and provided a novel perspective on the roles of endogenous pain-modulatory system in the pathological mechanisms of NeP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chen
- Basic Medical School, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Qian Gong
- First Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yihui Chai
- Basic Medical School, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Yunzhi Chen
- Basic Medical School, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Cuiwen Song
- Basic Medical School, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuanhua Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Long Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
- Corresponding author
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Wen J, Sackett S, Tanaka M, Zhang Y. Therapeutic Effects of Combined Treatment with the AEA Hydrolysis Inhibitor PF04457845 and the Substrate Selective COX-2 Inhibitor LM4131 in the Mouse Model of Neuropathic Pain. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091275. [PMID: 37174675 PMCID: PMC10177584 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain resulting from peripheral nerve damage is a significant clinical problem, which makes it imperative to develop the mechanism-based therapeutic approaches. Enhancement of endogenous cannabinoids by blocking their hydrolysis has been shown to reduce inflammation and neuronal damage in a number of neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. However, recent studies suggest that inhibition of their hydrolysis can shift endocannabinoids 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA) toward the oxygenation pathway mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) to produce proinflammatory prostaglandin glycerol esters (PG-Gs) and prostaglandin ethanolamides (PG-EAs). Thus, blocking both endocannabinoid hydrolysis and oxygenation is likely to be more clinically beneficial. In this study, we used the chronic constriction injury (CCI) mouse model to explore the therapeutic effects of simultaneous inhibition of AEA hydrolysis and oxygenation in the treatment of neuropathic pain. We found that the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor PF04457845 and the substrate-selective COX-2 inhibitor LM4131 dose-dependently reduced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia in the CCI mice. In addition to ameliorating the pain behaviors, combined treatment with subeffective doses of these inhibitors greatly attenuated the accumulation of inflammatory cells in both sciatic nerve and spinal cord. Consistently, the increased proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and chemokine MCP-1 in the CCI mouse spinal cord and sciatic nerve were also significantly reduced by combination of low doses of PF04457845 and LM4131 treatment. Therefore, our study suggests that simultaneous blockage of endocannabinoid hydrolysis and oxygenation by using the substrate-selective COX-2 inhibitor, which avoids the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal side effects associated with the use of general COX-2 inhibitors, might be a suitable strategy for the treatment of inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wen
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Scott Sackett
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Mikiei Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Yumin Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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28
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Fiore M, Alfieri A, Di Franco S, Petrou S, Damiani G, Pace MC. Medicinal cannabis products for the treatment of acute pain. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:2670-2676. [PMID: 37214578 PMCID: PMC10198104 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i12.2670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
For thousands of years, medicinal cannabis has been used for pain treatment, but its use for pain management is still controversial. Meta-analysis of the literature has shown contrasting results on the addition of cannabinoids to opioids compared with placebo/other active agents to reduce pain. Clinical studies are mainly focused on medicinal cannabis use in chronic pain management, for which the analgesic effect has been proven in many studies. This review focuses on the potential use of medical cannabis for acute pain management in preclinical studies, studies on healthy subjects and the few pioneering studies in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Fiore
- Department of Women, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples 80138, Italy
| | - Aniello Alfieri
- Department of Women, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples 80138, Italy
| | - Sveva Di Franco
- Department of Women, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples 80138, Italy
| | - Stephen Petrou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States
| | - Giovanni Damiani
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical, and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Maria Caterina Pace
- Department of Women, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples 80138, Italy
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29
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Ramsay S, Spencer NJ, Zagorodnyuk V. Endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-AG, regulate mechanosensitivity of mucosal afferents in the Guinea pig bladder. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 945:175624. [PMID: 36858341 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Bladder afferents play a crucial role in urine storage and voiding, and conscious sensations from the bladder. Endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonolylglycerol (2-AG), are endogenous ligands of G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2) found in the CNS and peripheral organs. They also have off-target effects on some ligand- and voltage-gated channels. The aim of this study is to determine the role of AEA and 2-AG in regulation of mechanosensitivity of probable nociceptive neurons innervating the bladder - capsaicin-sensitive mucosal afferents. The activity of these afferents was determined by ex vivo single unit extracellular recordings in the guinea pig bladder. A stable analogue of anandamide, methanandamide (mAEA) evoked initial excitatory response of mucosal afferents followed by potentiation of their responses to mechanical stimulation. In the presence of TRPV1 antagonist (AMG9810), mAEA's effect on mechanosensitivity switched from excitatory to inhibitory. The inhibitory effect of mAEA is due to activation of both CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors since it was abolished by combined application of selective CB1 (NESS0327) and CB2 (SR144528) antagonists. 2-AG application evoked a brief excitation of mucosal afferents, without potentiation of their mechanosensitivity, followed by the inhibition of their responses to mechanical stimulation. CB2 receptor antagonist, SR144528 abolished the inhibitory effect of 2-AG. Our data indicated that anandamide and 2-AG have opposite effects on mechanosensitivity of mucosal capsaicin-sensitive afferents in the guinea pig bladder; mAEA potentiated while 2-AG inhibited responses of mucosal afferents to mechanical stimulation. These findings are important for understanding of the role of endocannabinoids in regulating bladder sensation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stewart Ramsay
- Discipline of Human Physiology, Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nick J Spencer
- Discipline of Human Physiology, Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Vladimir Zagorodnyuk
- Discipline of Human Physiology, Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia.
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Lee MT, Mackie K, Chiou LC. Alternative pain management via endocannabinoids in the time of the opioid epidemic: Peripheral neuromodulation and pharmacological interventions. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:894-909. [PMID: 34877650 PMCID: PMC9170838 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of opioids in pain management is hampered by the emergence of analgesic tolerance, which leads to increased dosing and side effects, both of which have contributed to the opioid epidemic. One promising potential approach to limit opioid analgesic tolerance is activating the endocannabinoid system in the CNS, via activation of CB1 receptors in the descending pain inhibitory pathway. In this review, we first discuss preclinical and clinical evidence revealing the potential of pharmacological activation of CB1 receptors in modulating opioid tolerance, including activation by phytocannabinoids, synthetic CB1 receptor agonists, endocannabinoid degradation enzyme inhibitors, and recently discovered positive allosteric modulators of CB1 receptors. On the other hand, as non-pharmacological pain relief is advocated by the US-NIH to combat the opioid epidemic, we also discuss contributions of peripheral neuromodulation, involving the electrostimulation of peripheral nerves, in addressing chronic pain and opioid tolerance. The involvement of supraspinal endocannabinoid systems in peripheral neuromodulation-induced analgesia is also discussed. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Advances in Opioid Pharmacology at the Time of the Opioid Epidemic. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v180.7/issuetoc.
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Grants
- MOST 108-2321-B-002-005 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- MOST 107-2811-B-002-008 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- R01 DA041229 NIDA NIH HHS
- MOST 107-2321-B-002-010 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- R01 DA047858 NIDA NIH HHS
- 107M4022-3 Ministry of Education, Taiwan
- MOST 106-2321-B-002-019 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- NHRI-EX111-11114NI National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan
- FRGS/1/2021/WAB13/UCSI/02/1 Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia
- R21 DA042584 NIDA NIH HHS
- REIG-FPS-2020/065 UCSI University Research Excellence and Innovation Grant, Malaysia
- NHRI-EX109-10733NI National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan
- MOST 104-2745-B-002-004 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- MOST 109-2320-B-002-042-MY3 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- MOST 107-2811-B-002 -008 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- MOST 108-2320-B-002-029-MY3 Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tatt Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Ken Mackie
- Gill Center for Biomolecular Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
| | - Lih-Chu Chiou
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
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31
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Zhou M, Zhang Q, Huo M, Song H, Chang H, Cao J, Fang Y, Zhang D. The mechanistic basis for the effects of electroacupuncture on neuropathic pain within the central nervous system. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114516. [PMID: 36921535 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nociceptive signaling responses to painful stimuli are transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS) from the afferent nerves of the periphery through a series of neurotransmitters and associated signaling mechanisms. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a pain management strategy that is widely used, with clinical evidence suggesting that a frequency of 2-10 Hz is better able to suppress neuropathic pain in comparison to higher frequencies such as 100 Hz. While EA is widely recognized as a viable approach to alleviating neuralgia, the mechanistic basis underlying such analgesic activity remains poorly understood. The present review offers an overview of current research pertaining to the mechanisms whereby EA can alleviate neuropathic pain in the CNS, with a particular focus on the serotonin/norepinephrine, endogenous opioid, endogenous cannabinoid, amino acid neurotransmitter, and purinergic pathways. Moreover, the corresponding neurotransmitters, neuromodulatory compounds, neuropeptides, and associated receptors that shape these responses are discussed. Together, this review seeks to provide a robust foundation for further studies of the EA-mediated alleviation of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Zhou
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Qingxiang Zhang
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Mingzhu Huo
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Huijun Song
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Hongen Chang
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Jiaojiao Cao
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China
| | - Yuxin Fang
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China.
| | - Di Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, PR China.
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Bapir L, Erridge S, Nicholas M, Pillai M, Dalavaye N, Holvey C, Coomber R, Hoare J, Khan S, Weatherall MW, Rucker JJ, Platt M, Sodergren MH. Comparing the effects of medical cannabis for chronic pain patients with and without co-morbid anxiety: A cohort study. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:281-295. [PMID: 36803620 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2181696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is growing evidence on the efficacy of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) for chronic pain (CP). Due to the interaction between CP and anxiety, and the potential impact of CBMPs on both anxiety and CP, this article aimed to compare the outcomes of CP patients with and without co-morbid anxiety following CBMP treatment. METHODS Participants were prospectively enrolled and categorized by baseline General Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7) scores, into 'no anxiety'(GAD-7 < 5) and 'anxiety'(GAD-7 ≥ 5) cohorts. Primary outcomes were changes in Brief Pain Inventory Short-Form, Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2, Pain Visual Analogue Scale, Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), GAD-7 and EQ-5D-5L index values at 1, 3 and 6 months. RESULTS 1254 patients (anxiety = 711; no anxiety = 543) met inclusion criteria. Significant improvements in all primary outcomes were observed at all timepoints (p < 0.050), except GAD-7 in the no anxiety group(p > 0.050). The anxiety cohort reported greater improvements in EQ-5D-5L index values, SQS and GAD-7(p < 0.050), but there were no consistent differences in pain outcomes. CONCLUSION A potential association between CBMPs and improvements in pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in CP patients was identified. Those with co-morbid anxiety reported greater improvements in HRQoL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bapir
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Simon Erridge
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK
| | - Martha Nicholas
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Manaswini Pillai
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nishaanth Dalavaye
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Carl Holvey
- Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK
| | - Ross Coomber
- Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK.,Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, St. George's Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Jonathan Hoare
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK
| | - Shaheen Khan
- Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK.,Department of Palliative Care, Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mark W Weatherall
- Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK.,Department of Palliative Medicine, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Amersham, UK
| | - James J Rucker
- Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Kings College London, London, UK.,Centre for Affective Disorders, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Michael Platt
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK
| | - Mikael H Sodergren
- Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Medicine, Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK
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Mavedatnia D, Levin M, Lee JW, Hamour AF, Dizon K, Le T. Cannabis use amongst tinnitus patients: consumption patterns and attitudes. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 52:19. [PMID: 36823672 PMCID: PMC9951523 DOI: 10.1186/s40463-022-00603-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tinnitus has a significant impact on quality of life and causes considerable psychological distress. Cannabis is known to modulate neuron hyperexcitability, provide protection against auditory damage, and has been used for treatment for many diseases which have physiological similarities with tinnitus. The objective of this study was to survey patients presenting with tinnitus regarding their perspectives and usage patterns of cannabis. METHODS Patients with a primary presenting complaint of tinnitus in a tertiary neuro-otology clinic completed a 18-item questionnaire assessing perception, attitudes, and cannabis usage patterns. RESULTS Forty five patients completed the survey (mean age: 54.5 years, 31 females and 14 males). Overall, 96% of patients reported that they would consider cannabis as treatment for their tinnitus. Patients considered cannabis use for auditory symptoms (91%), and symptoms related to their tinnitus, such as emotional complaints (60%), sleep disturbances (64%), and functional disturbances (56%). 36% of patients had previously used cannabis and 22% of patients reported cannabis use at the time of the study. 80% of patients that were actively using cannabis reported that it helped with tinnitus-related symptoms, such as dizziness, anxiety, bodily pain, and sleep disturbances. Most patients would prefer to use edibles (62%), tablet (58%) and cream (47%) formulations of cannabis. Patients were concerned about the cost (29%), potential physical health implications (53%) and psychosocial side effects (60%) of cannabis. Over half of patients learned about cannabis from a friend or family member and only 22% of patients learned about cannabis from a physician or nurse. CONCLUSION Cannabis use is common amongst patients with tinnitus and current users of cannabis reported that it helped with their symptoms. Most patients would consider its use as a potential treatment to alleviate their tinnitus-related symptoms and are interested in learning more regarding its use. By understanding how cannabis is perceived by tinnitus patients, healthcare providers can provide appropriate patient education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorsa Mavedatnia
- grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Marc Levin
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Jong Wook Lee
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Amr F. Hamour
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Kaye Dizon
- grid.413104.30000 0000 9743 1587Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Trung Le
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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34
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Stasiulewicz A, Lesniak A, Bujalska-Zadrożny M, Pawiński T, Sulkowska JI. Identification of Novel CB2 Ligands through Virtual Screening and In Vitro Evaluation. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1012-1027. [PMID: 36693026 PMCID: PMC9930120 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) is a very promising therapeutic target for a variety of potential indications. However, despite the existence of multiple high affinity CB2 ligands, none have yet been approved as a drug. Therefore, it would be beneficial to explore new chemotypes of CB2 ligands. The recent elucidation of CB2 tertiary structure allows for rational hit identification with structure-based (SB) methods. In this study, we established a virtual screening workflow based on SB techniques augmented with ligand-based ones, including molecular docking, MM-GBSA binding energy calculations, pharmacophore screening, and QSAR. We screened nearly 7 million drug-like, commercially available compounds. We selected 16 molecules for in vitro evaluation and identified two novel, selective CB2 antagonists with Ki values of 65 and 210 nM. Both compounds are structurally diverse from CB2 ligands known to date. The established virtual screening protocol may prove useful for hit identification for CB2 and similar molecular targets. The two novel CB2 ligands provide a desired starting point for future optimization and development of potential drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Stasiulewicz
- Department
of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,Centre
of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Lesniak
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bujalska-Zadrożny
- Department
of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Pawiński
- Department
of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna I. Sulkowska
- Centre
of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland,E-mail:
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35
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Blal K, Besser E, Procaccia S, Schwob O, Lerenthal Y, Abu Tair J, Meiri D, Benny O. The Effect of Cannabis Plant Extracts on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Quest for Cannabis-Based Personalized Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020497. [PMID: 36672446 PMCID: PMC9856564 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis sativa plants have a wide diversity in their metabolite composition among their different chemovars, facilitating diverse anti-tumoral effects on cancer cells. This research examined the anti-tumoral effects of 24 cannabis extracts representative of three primary types of chemovars on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The chemical composition of the extracts was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS). The most potent anti-tumoral extracts were type III decarboxylated extracts, with high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD). We identified extract 296 (CAN296) as the most potent in inducing HNSCC cell death via proapoptotic and anti-proliferative effects. Using chemical fractionation of CAN296, we identified the CBD fraction as the primary inducer of the anti-tumoral activity. We succeeded in defining the combination of CBD with cannabichromene (CBC) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in minute concentrations in the extract, yielding a synergic impact that mimics the extract's full effect. The cytotoxic effect could be maximized by combining CBD with either CBC or THC in a ratio of 2:1. This research suggests using decarboxylated CBD-type extracts enriched with CBC for future preclinical trials aimed at HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kifah Blal
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112002, Israel
| | - Elazar Besser
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Shiri Procaccia
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Ouri Schwob
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112002, Israel
| | | | - Jawad Abu Tair
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - David Meiri
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (O.B.); Tel.: +972-52-5330031 (D.M.); +972-52-8461462 (O.B.)
| | - Ofra Benny
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112002, Israel
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (O.B.); Tel.: +972-52-5330031 (D.M.); +972-52-8461462 (O.B.)
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36
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Triamchaisri N, Toochinda P, Lawtrakul L. Structural Investigation of Beta-Cyclodextrin Complexes with Cannabidiol and Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in 1:1 and 2:1 Host-Guest Stoichiometry: Molecular Docking and Density Functional Calculations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021525. [PMID: 36675035 PMCID: PMC9865391 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexation of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was investigated using molecular docking and M062X/6-31G(d,p) calculations. The calculations suggested two possible complex formations of 1:1 and 2:1 host-guest molecular ratio of β-CD with CBD and THC. The preferred orientation of all complexes in this study exhibited the hydrogen bonding between hydroxy-substituted benzene ring of CBD and THC with the β-CD's secondary hydroxy groups at the wide rim. The calculated complexation energies indicate that formation of the 2:1 complexes (-83.53 to -135.36 kcal/mol) was more energetically favorable and chemically stable than the 1:1 complexes (-30.00 to -34.92 kcal/mol). However, the deformation energies of the host and the guest components in the 2:1 complexes (37.47-96.91 kcal/mol) are much higher than those in the 1:1 complexes (3.49-8.69 kcal/mol), which means the formation processes of the 2:1 complexes are more difficult due to the rigidity of the dimeric β-CDs. Therefore, the inclusion complexes of β-CD with CBD and THC are more likely to be in 1:1 host-guest ratio than in 2:1 molecular ratio. The results of this study supported the experimental results that the complexation constant of 1:1 β-CD/CBD (Ks = 300 M-1) is greater than that of 2:1 β-CDs/CBD (Kss = 0.833 M-1). Altogether, this study introduced the fitting parameters that could indicate the stability of the molecular fits in complex formation of each stoichiometry host-guest ratio, which are important for the assessment of the inclusion mechanisms as well as the relationships of reactants and products in chemical reactions.
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Estrada-Valencia R, de Lima ME, Colonnello A, Rangel-López E, Saraiva NR, de Ávila DS, Aschner M, Santamaría A. The Endocannabinoid System in Caenorhabditis elegans. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 184:1-31. [PMID: 34401955 PMCID: PMC8850531 DOI: 10.1007/112_2021_64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The existence of a formal Endocannabinoid System in C. elegans has been questioned due to data showing the absence of typical cannabinoid receptors in the worm; however, the presence of a full metabolism for endocannabinoids, alternative ligands, and receptors for these agents and a considerable number of orthologous and homologous genes regulating physiological cannabinoid-like signals and responses - several of which are similar to those of mammals - demonstrates a well-structured and functional complex system in nematodes. In this review, we describe and compare similarities and differences between the Endocannabinoid System in mammals and nematodes, highlighting the basis for the integral study of this novel system in the worm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María Eduarda de Lima
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aline Colonnello
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Edgar Rangel-López
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nariani Rocha Saraiva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, Brazil
| | - Daiana Silva de Ávila
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxicologia em Caenorhabditis elegans, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Abel Santamaría
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico.
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DeNapoli RC, Buettmann EG, Friedman MA, Lichtman AH, Donahue HJ. Global cannabinoid receptor 1 deficiency affects disuse-induced bone loss in a site-specific and sex-dependent manner. J Biomech 2023; 146:111414. [PMID: 36542906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Bone loss during mechanical unloading increases fracture risk and is a major concern for the general population and astronauts during spaceflight. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in bone metabolism. One of the main ECS receptors, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), has been studied in regards to basic bone metabolism; however, little is known as to how CB1 and the ECS affect bone in different mechanical environments. In this study, we analyzed the influence of global CB1 deficiency and sex on mice during disuse caused by single limb immobilization. Female mice were more sensitive to disuse-induced BV/TV loss than males in both the femoral metaphysis and tibial epiphysis. Genotype also affected bone loss in a sex-dependent manner, with male mice deficient in CB1 receptors (CB1KO) and female wildtype (WT) mice experiencing increased bone loss in both the tibial metaphysis and femoral epiphysis. Genotype affected the response to disuse as CB1KO mice displayed greater changes in femoral ultimate force, along with lower tibial ultimate stress, compared to WT mice. Female mice had a significantly higher femoral, and lower tibial ultimate force compared to male mice. These results reveal that disuse-induced bone loss due to CB1 deficiency is sex-dependent. CB1 deficiency in male mice exacerbated bone loss, while in females CB1 deficiency appeared to protect against disuse-induced bone loss. Regardless of genotype, female mice were more sensitive than males to disuse. These results suggest that CB1 receptors may represent a potential therapeutic target for mitigation of disuse-induced bone loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C DeNapoli
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Engineering Research Building, 401 West Main Street Room 4322B, Richmond, VA 23284, United States.
| | - Evan G Buettmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Engineering Research Building, 401 West Main Street Room 4322B, Richmond, VA 23284, United States.
| | - Michael A Friedman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Engineering Research Building, 401 West Main Street Room 4322B, Richmond, VA 23284, United States.
| | - Aron H Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth Universit, Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3042, 1220 East Broad Street, Box 980613, Richmond, VA, United States.
| | - Henry J Donahue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Engineering Research Building, 401 West Main Street Room 4322B, Richmond, VA 23284, United States.
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Mock ED, Gagestein B, van der Stelt M. Anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines: A class of signaling lipids with therapeutic opportunities. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 89:101194. [PMID: 36150527 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), including N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA), N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA, anandamide), N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA, synaptamide) and their oxygenated metabolites are a lipid messenger family with numerous functions in health and disease, including inflammation, anxiety and energy metabolism. The NAEs exert their signaling role through activation of various G protein-coupled receptors (cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, GPR55, GPR110, GPR119), ion channels (TRPV1) and nuclear receptors (PPAR-α and PPAR-γ) in the brain and periphery. The biological role of the oxygenated NAEs, such as prostamides, hydroxylated anandamide and DHEA derivatives, are less studied. Evidence is accumulating that NAEs and their oxidative metabolites may be aberrantly regulated or are associated with disease severity in obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, neuroinflammation and liver cirrhosis. Here, we comprehensively review NAE biosynthesis and degradation, their metabolism by lipoxygenases, cyclooxygenases and cytochrome P450s and the biological functions of these signaling lipids. We discuss the latest findings and therapeutic potential of modulating endogenous NAE levels by inhibition of their degradation, which is currently under clinical evaluation for neuropsychiatric disorders. We also highlight NAE biosynthesis inhibition as an emerging topic with therapeutic opportunities in endocannabinoid and NAE signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot D Mock
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Berend Gagestein
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University and Oncode Institute, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333 CC, The Netherlands.
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40
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Virgen CG, Kelkar N, Tran A, Rosa CM, Cruz-Topete D, Amatya S, Cornett EM, Urits I, Viswanath O, Kaye AD. Pharmacological management of cancer pain: Novel therapeutics. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113871. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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The Therapeutic Potential of the Endocannabinoid System in Age-Related Diseases. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102492. [PMID: 36289755 PMCID: PMC9599275 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) dynamically regulates many aspects of mammalian physiology. ECS has gained substantial interest since growing evidence suggests that it also plays a major role in several pathophysiological conditions due to its ability to modulate various underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, cannabinoids, as components of the cannabinoid system (CS), have proven beneficial effects such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, antioxidative, and cardioprotective effects. In this comprehensive review, we aimed to describe the complex interaction between CS and most common age-related diseases such as neuro-degenerative, oncological, skeletal, and cardiovascular disorders, together with the potential of various cannabinoids to ameliorate the progression of these disorders. Since chronic inflammation is postulated as the pillar of all the above-mentioned medical conditions, we also discuss in this paper the potential of CS to ameliorate aging-associated immune system dysregulation.
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Chiocchetti R, Salamanca G, De Silva M, Gobbo F, Aspidi F, Cunha RZ, Galiazzo G, Tagliavia C, Sarli G, Morini M. Cannabinoid receptors in the inflammatory cells of canine atopic dermatitis. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:987132. [PMID: 36187821 PMCID: PMC9521433 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.987132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAtopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common cutaneous inflammatory and pruritic diseases in dogs. Considering its multifactorial nature, AD can be a challenging disease to manage, and the therapeutic strategy must often be multimodal. In recent years, research has been moving toward the use of natural products which have beneficial effects on inflammation and itching, and no side effects. Cannabinoid receptors have been demonstrated to be expressed in healthy and diseased skin; therefore, one of the potential alternative therapeutic targets for investigating AD is the endocannabinoid system (ECS).ObjectiveTo immunohistochemically investigate the expression of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R), and the cannabinoid-related receptors G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) in mast cells (MCs), macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and neutrophils of the skin of dogs with AD.AnimalsSamples of skin tissues were collected from eight dogs with AD (AD-dogs).Materials and methodsThe immunofluorescent stained cryosections of the skins of 8 dogs with AD having antibodies against CB2R, GPR55, TRPV1, TRPA1 were semiquantitatively evaluated. The inflammatory cells were identified using antibodies against tryptase (mast cells), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA1) (macrophages/DCs), CD3 (T cells), and calprotectin (neutrophils). The proportions of MCs, macrophages/DCs, T cells, and neutrophils expressing CB2R, GPR55, TRPV1 and TRPA1 were evaluated.ResultsThe cells of the inflammatory infiltrate showed immunoreactivity (IR) for all or for some of the cannabinoid and cannabinoid-related receptors studied. In particular, MCs and macrophages/DCs showed CB2R-, GPR55-, TRPA1-, and TRPV1-IR; T cells showed CB2R-, GPR55- and TRPA1-IR, and neutrophils expressed GPR55-IR. Co-localization studies indicated that CB2R-IR was co-expressed with TRPV1-, TRPA1-, and GPR55-IR in different cellular elements of the dermis of the AD-dogs.Conclusions and clinical importanceCannabinoid receptor 2, and cannabinoid-related receptors GPR55, TRPV1 and TRPA1 were widely expressed in the inflammatory infiltrate of the AD-dogs. Based on the present findings, the ECS could be considered to be a potential therapeutic target for dogs with AD, and may mitigate itch and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Chiocchetti
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- *Correspondence: Roberto Chiocchetti
| | - Giulia Salamanca
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Margherita De Silva
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Gobbo
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Aspidi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rodrigo Zamith Cunha
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Galiazzo
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Tagliavia
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Località Piano D'Accio, Teramo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sarli
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Morini
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Tapasak B, Edelmayer L, Seidman MD. Endocannabinoid System and the Otolaryngologist. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2022; 55:1101-1110. [PMID: 36088164 DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, endocrine system, gastrointestinal system, and within inflammatory cells. The use of medical cannabinoids has been gaining traction as a viable treatment option for varying illnesses in recent years. Research is ongoing looking at the effect of cannabinoids for treatment of common otolaryngologic pathologies. This article identifies common otolaryngologic pathologies where cannabinoids may have benefit, discusses potential drawbacks to cannabinoid use, and suggests future directions for research in the application of medical cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Tapasak
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6850 Lake Nona Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
| | - Luke Edelmayer
- Advent Health Celebration, 400 Celebration Place, Kissimmee, FL 34747, USA
| | - Michael D Seidman
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6850 Lake Nona Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32827, USA; Advent Health Celebration, 400 Celebration Place, Kissimmee, FL 34747, USA; University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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Chatzimitakos T, Chousidis I, Leonardos D, Stalikas C, Leonardos I. In the Swim of Cannabis: Developmental Toxicity and Metabolomic Pathway Alterations of Zebrafish Larvae Exposed to THC for the Assessment of Its Potential Environmental and Human Health Impact. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175506. [PMID: 36080275 PMCID: PMC9458094 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As the pharmacological properties and therapeutic applications of Cannabis sativa L. pace with the upsurge of interest of the scientific community in harnessing its constituent phytocannabinoids, illicit use may raise serious health issues. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is one of the most well-known phytoactive constituents of cannabis and continues to garner scientific and public attention not only because of its pharmacological value but also because over-the-counter products of THC and prescription medications are becoming increasingly available from pharmacies, dispensaries, Internet, local retail stores, or by illicit means. Hence, a multidimensional approach was employed to examine the impact of THC on zebrafish larvae. The acute toxicity, expressed as LC50, was 1.54 mg/L. Adverse effects were observed on the phenotype, such as tail bending, pericardial edema, etc., even at concentrations lower than LC50, and fundamental functions of larvae (e.g., heart rate and cardiac contractility, and rhythm) were significantly affected. Behavioral changes were noticed, which were reflected in locomotor activity and sensitivity to light/dark changes. Finally, an untargeted metabolomic study was carried out to shed light on the metabolic alterations that occurred, providing substantiating evidence of the observed phenotype alterations. Overall, the potentially detrimental effects of THC on a vertebrate model are depicted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Chatzimitakos
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ieremias Chousidis
- Laboratory of Zoology, Biological Applications and Technology Department, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | | | - Constantine Stalikas
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Correspondence:
| | - Ioannis Leonardos
- Laboratory of Zoology, Biological Applications and Technology Department, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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Pusch LM, Riegler-Berket L, Oberer M, Zimmermann R, Taschler U. α/β-Hydrolase Domain-Containing 6 (ABHD6)- A Multifunctional Lipid Hydrolase. Metabolites 2022; 12:761. [PMID: 36005632 PMCID: PMC9412472 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12080761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 (ABHD6) belongs to the α/β-hydrolase fold superfamily and was originally discovered in a functional proteomic approach designed to discover monoacylglycerol (MAG) hydrolases in the mouse brain degrading the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Subsequent studies confirmed that ABHD6 acts as an MAG hydrolase regulating cannabinoid receptor-dependent and -independent signaling processes. The enzyme was identified as a negative modulator of insulin secretion and regulator of energy metabolism affecting the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic syndrome. It has been implicated in the metabolism of the lysosomal co-factor bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate and in the surface delivery of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-type glutamate receptors. Finally, ABHD6 was shown to affect cancer cell lipid metabolism and tumor malignancy. Here, we provide new insights into the experimentally derived crystal structure of ABHD6 and its possible orientation in biological membranes, and discuss ABHD6's functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Maria Pusch
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Lina Riegler-Berket
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Monika Oberer
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Robert Zimmermann
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ulrike Taschler
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Jiang S, Zheng C, Wen G, Bu B, Zhao S, Xu X. Down-regulation of NR2B receptors contributes to the analgesic and antianxiety effects of enriched environment mediated by endocannabinoid system in the inflammatory pain mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 435:114062. [PMID: 35985400 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain states are highly prevalent and yet poorly controlled by currently available analgesics. It has been reported that enriched environment (EE), as a new way of endogenous pharmacotherapy, is effective in attenuating chronic inflammatory pain. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood. NMDA NR2B receptor plays a critical role in pain transmission and modulation. Thus, in this study, we aimed at the effect of EE on the NR2B receptors expression in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and thalamus in the inflammatory pain mice. The results showed a significant increase of NR2B receptors in the thalamus of mice at 7 d following injection of CFA in the subcutaneous of the bottom of the left hind paw. EE significantly reduced the duration of mechanical hypersensitivity and anxiety-related behavior and the expression of NR2B receptors as compared to the standard condition. Furthermore, EE significantly increased 2-arachidonoylglycero (2-AG) levels at 7 d in the inflammatory pain mice as compared to the standard condition, and the effect of EE on the behavior and the expression of NR2B receptors was abolished by intraperitoneal injection of AM281 (a selective antagonist of CB1 receptor). Elevated 2-AG levels by intraperitoneal injection of JZL184 (a selective inhibitor of MAGL, the enzyme responsible for 2-AG hydrolysis) produced the same effect as EE. Results from this study provide the evidence that EE mimics endocannabinoids to take analgesic and anti-anxiety activities by decreasing the expression of the NR2B receptors via the CB1 receptor in the thalamus, pending further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukun Jiang
- Department of Forensic Clinical Medicine, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Liaoning Province, PR China; China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Chuanfei Zheng
- Department of Forensic Clinical Medicine, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Liaoning Province, PR China; China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Gehua Wen
- Department of Forensic Clinical Medicine, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Liaoning Province, PR China; China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Bin Bu
- Department of Forensic Clinical Medicine, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Liaoning Province, PR China; China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Shuang Zhao
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Xu
- Department of Forensic Clinical Medicine, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China; Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Liaoning Province, PR China; China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, PR China.
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Targeting G protein coupled receptors for alleviating neuropathic pain. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 193:99-117. [PMID: 36357081 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Pain sensation is a normal physiological response to alert and prevent further tissue damage. It involves the perception of external stimuli by somatosensory neurons, then transmission of the message to various other types of neurons present in the spinal cord and brain to generate an appropriate response. Currently available analgesics exhibit very modest efficacy, and that too in only a subset of patients with chronic pain conditions, particularly neuropathic pain. The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are expressed on presynaptic, postsynaptic terminals, and soma of somatosensory neurons, which binds to various types of ligands to modulate neuronal activity and thus pain sensation in both directions. Fundamentally, neuropathic pain arises due to aberrant neuronal plasticity, which includes the sensitization of peripheral primary afferents (dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia) and the sensitization of central nociceptive neurons in the spinal cord or trigeminal nucleus or brain stem and cortex. Owing to the expression profiles of GPCRs in somatosensory neurons and other neuroanatomical regions involved in pain processing and transmission, this article shall focus only on four families of GPCRs: 1- Opioid receptors, 2-Cannabinoid receptors, 3-Adenosine receptors, and 4-Chemokine receptors.
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Haviv Y, Georgiev O, Gaver-Bracha T, Hamad S, Nemirovski A, Hadar R, Sharav Y, Aframian DJ, Brotman Y, Tam J. Reduced Endocannabinoid Tone in Saliva of Chronic Orofacial Pain Patients. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144662. [PMID: 35889535 PMCID: PMC9322033 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: the endocannabinoid system (ECS) participates in many physiological and pathological processes including pain generation, modulation, and sensation. Its involvement in chronic orofacial pain (OFP) in general, and the reflection of its involvement in OFP in salivary endocannabinoid (eCBs) levels in particular, has not been examined. Objectives: to evaluate the association between salivary (eCBs) levels and chronic OFP. Methods: salivary levels of 2 eCBs, anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), 2 endocannabinoid-like compoundsN-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA), and their endogenous precursor and breakdown product, arachidonic acid (AA), were analyzed using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in 83 chronic OFP patients and 43 pain-free controls. The chronic OFP patients were divided according to diagnosis into musculoskeletal, neurovascular/migraine, and neuropathic pain types. Results: chronic OFP patients had lower levels of OEA (p = 0.02) and 2-AG (p = 0.01). Analyzing specific pain types revealed lower levels of AEA and OEA in the neurovascular group (p = 0.04, 0.02, respectively), and 2-AG in the neuropathic group compared to controls (p = 0.05). No significant differences were found between the musculoskeletal pain group and controls. Higher pain intensity was accompanied by lower levels of AA (p = 0.028), in neuropathic group. Conclusions: lower levels of eCBs were found in the saliva of chronic OFP patients compared to controls, specifically those with neurovascular/migraine, and neuropathic pain. The detection of changes in salivary endocannabinoids levels related to OFP adds a new dimension to our understanding of OFP mechanisms, and may have diagnostic as well as therapeutic implications for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaron Haviv
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-2-677-6140; Fax: +972-2-644-7919
| | - Olga Georgiev
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
- In Partial Fulfillment of DMD Requirements, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Tal Gaver-Bracha
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
- In Partial Fulfillment of DMD Requirements, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Sharleen Hamad
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, The Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel; (S.H.); (A.N.); (R.H.)
| | - Alina Nemirovski
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, The Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel; (S.H.); (A.N.); (R.H.)
| | - Rivka Hadar
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, The Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel; (S.H.); (A.N.); (R.H.)
| | - Yair Sharav
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
| | - Doron J. Aframian
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
| | - Yariv Brotman
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba 8410501, Israel;
| | - Joseph Tam
- Department of Oral Medicine, Sedation and Maxillofacial Imaging, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (O.G.); (T.G.-B.); (Y.S.); (D.J.A.); (J.T.)
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Ghosh K, Zhang GF, Chen H, Chen SR, Pan HL. Cannabinoid CB2 receptors are upregulated via bivalent histone modifications and control primary afferent input to the spinal cord in neuropathic pain. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101999. [PMID: 35500651 PMCID: PMC9168157 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Type-2 cannabinoid receptors (CB2, encoded by the Cnr2 gene) are mainly expressed in immune cells, and CB2 agonists normally have no analgesic effect. However, nerve injury upregulates CB2 in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), following which CB2 stimulation reduces neuropathic pain. It is unclear how nerve injury increases CB2 expression or how CB2 activity is transformed in neuropathic pain. In this study, immunoblotting showed that spinal nerve ligation (SNL) induced a delayed and sustained increase in CB2 expression in the DRG and dorsal spinal cord synaptosomes. RNAscope in situ hybridization also showed that SNL substantially increased CB2 mRNA levels, mostly in medium and large DRG neurons. Furthermore, we found that the specific CB2 agonist JWH-133 significantly inhibits the amplitude of dorsal root-evoked glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents in spinal dorsal horn neurons in SNL rats, but not in sham control rats; intrathecal injection of JWH-133 reversed pain hypersensitivity in SNL rats, but had no effect in sham control rats. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR analysis showed that SNL increased enrichment of two activating histone marks (H3K4me3 and H3K9ac) and diminished occupancy of two repressive histone marks (H3K9me2 and H3K27me3) at the Cnr2 promoter in the DRG. In contrast, SNL had no effect on DNA methylation levels around the Cnr2 promoter. Our findings suggest that peripheral nerve injury promotes CB2 expression in primary sensory neurons via epigenetic bivalent histone modifications and that CB2 activation reduces neuropathic pain by attenuating nociceptive transmission from primary afferent nerves to the spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Ghosh
- Center for Neuroscience and Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Guang-Fen Zhang
- Center for Neuroscience and Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hong Chen
- Center for Neuroscience and Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shao-Rui Chen
- Center for Neuroscience and Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
| | - Hui-Lin Pan
- Center for Neuroscience and Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
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50
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New analgesics in cancer pain. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care 2022; 16:60-64. [DOI: 10.1097/spc.0000000000000592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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